Jun 1 - Jun 15, 2024
Starting at
4,399
Portugal/Spain
Tales of Portugal and Spain: A Historic Journey Through Iberia
Program No. 21925RJ
Enjoy the opulence and history of grand hotels as you discover UNESCO Heritage Sites, Gothic cathedrals, Moorish palaces and picturesque villages in this unique educational adventure.
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800-454-5768
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Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Sep 7 - Sep 21, 2024
Starting at
4,399Sep 14 - Sep 28, 2024
Starting at
4,399Sep 21 - Oct 5, 2024
Starting at
4,399Sep 28 - Oct 12, 2024
Starting at
4,449Oct 5 - Oct 19, 2024
Starting at
4,449Oct 12 - Oct 26, 2024
Starting at
4,449Oct 19 - Nov 2, 2024
Starting at
4,449DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jun 1 - Jun 15, 2024
Starting at
5,179Sep 7 - Sep 21, 2024
Starting at
5,179Sep 14 - Sep 28, 2024
Starting at
5,179Sep 21 - Oct 5, 2024
Starting at
5,179Sep 28 - Oct 12, 2024
Starting at
5,249Oct 5 - Oct 19, 2024
Starting at
5,249Oct 12 - Oct 26, 2024
Starting at
5,249Oct 19 - Nov 2, 2024
Starting at
5,249Oct 26 - Nov 9, 2024
Starting at
5,179Nov 2 - Nov 16, 2024
Starting at
4,849Nov 9 - Nov 23, 2024
Starting at
4,849Not seeing the date you're looking for?
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At a Glance
Embark on a unique educational adventure in Portugal and Spain as you go off the beaten path to experience local life and stay in some of the region’s most unique hotels. With experts, explore the countryside as you enjoy field trips to a winery and olive grove, and enjoy lunch with a local Andalusian family. Take in a private fado performance and Spanish guitar concert, and delight in a Portuguese cookery demonstration. Along the way, you’ll stay in hotels that have their own stories to tell — a 15th-century converted convent near Evora, a hotel once the home of poet Rainer Maria Rilke and two former palaces are just a few of the accommodations that will delight and inspire you on this special journey through Iberia.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Extensive walking, up to 3 miles per day, on winding, hilly roads and cobblestone streets. Stairs without railings. Comfortable footwear is essential.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Delve into the musical heritage of Portugal and Spain during a Fado performance and Spanish guitar concert.
- Experience Andalusia and learn about Moorish rule at the Alhambra and the Mosque of Córdoba.
- Stay at hotels in grand historic buildings including a palace and a convent.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Luisa Azevedo
For the past 15 years, Luisa Azevedo has led learning adventures throughout Portugal and Spain. Her vast travel experience and wealth of knowledge about the history and cultures of Iberia contribute tremendously to the content of the programs she leads and provides an excellent perspective on the region. Fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish, Luisa also lived for a few years in Brazil. She holds a degree in international relations from Minho University.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Luisa Azevedo
View biography
For the past 15 years, Luisa Azevedo has led learning adventures throughout Portugal and Spain. Her vast travel experience and wealth of knowledge about the history and cultures of Iberia contribute tremendously to the content of the programs she leads and provides an excellent perspective on the region. Fluent in English, Portuguese and Spanish, Luisa also lived for a few years in Brazil. She holds a degree in international relations from Minho University.
Suggested Reading List
(24 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Tales of Portugal and Spain: A Historic Journey Through Iberia
Program Number: 21925
Small Memories
In this contemplative memoir, the Portuguese Nobel laureate recalls a childhood both dark and magical, split between the growing city of Lisbon and the tiny village of Azinhaga.
The New Spaniards
John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the 21st century
Tales of the Alhambra
Tales of the Alhambra is a collection of essays, verbal sketches, and stories by Washington Irving, chronicling his journey to Granada in the 1800s.
The Alhambra
Irwin's brief, indispensable guide introduces the stunning Moorish palace and fortress complex, revealing its mysteries, myths and significance with wit and insight.
Ghosts of Spain
Tremlett captures the Spanish character, history and modern politics in this masterful portrait, interweaving the story of his love for the country (where he has lived for 20 years) with interviews, anecdotes and observation.
Spain Revealed: Cordoba's Mezquita
The definitive guide to the Great Mosque of Cordoba .
Eyewitness Guide Seville and Andalusia
This wonderfully organized and visually rich guide features excellent maps and essays on the culture, history and geography of the region. With a pullout city map of Seville.
South from Granada; a Sojourn in Southern Spain
An amusing and insightful account of Spanish village life in the early 20th century from a brilliant interpreter of Spain and Spanish culture.
Journey to Portugal, In Pursuit of Portugal's History and Culture
Jose Saramago's richly detailed account of his journey across Portugal in 1979. He combines his vivid impressions of the Portuguese landscape and people with a dose of history, fiction and meditations.
Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree
Driving over Lemons, An Optimist in Andalucia
Stewart's memoir about moving with his wife to a farm in Alpujarras is charming and insightful. Unlike many expatriates, Stewart manages to ground himself far enough into the community to make lasting friends -- as well as a home for his young daughter.
Spain, A Traveler's Literary Companion
The Painter of Birds
Duende
The First Global Village: How Portugal Changed the World
The Story of the Moors in Spain
A wonderfully readable, sweeping tale of splendor and tragedy, first published in 1866.
Food and Wines of Spain
A classic collection of 400 recipes, interwoven with cultural commentary and the culinary history of Spain
A God Strolling in the Cool of the Evening
Originally published in Portuguese in 1994, this historical novel follows its protagonist, Lucius Valerius Quintius, as he navigates civil unrest at the end of the Roman Empire, and the beginning of the Christian era.
España - A Brief History of Spain
Bestselling author and journalist, Giles Tremlett delves into the rich and varied history of Spain, from prehistoric times to today, in a brief, accessible and enjoyable account.
Spain: The Root and the Flower
Take this book with you to Spain; it's an absorbing, well-written account of Spanish cultural history from prehistory to the Romans, Jews, Moors, Golden Age, and on to Franco and his legacy in modern Spain.
Spain & Portugal Adventure Map
A double-sided full color map of Spain and Portugal at a scale of 1:1,000,000 with good shaded relief, topographic detail, roads, and waterways.
The Ornament of the World, How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain
A lively, illuminating portrait of the Andalucian Kingdom, its cultural achievements and religious tolerance from the eighth century to 1492
Platero and I
In this autobiographical tale, the Nobel Prize-winner chronicles the wanderings of a donkey and his meditative master through Andalusia, capturing the rhythms and traditions of village life.
A Traveller's History of Portugal
A lively, admirably concise survey from prehistory to the present, great for travelers to Portugal who would like an overview of the country's history and culture.
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