PONANT: Le Dumont-D'Urville

Portugal’s capital is an 18th-century city - elegant, open to the sea and carefully planned. Most places of interest are within easy walking distance. Rossio Square, the heart of Lisbon since medieval times, is an ideal place to start exploring. Many rebuilt houses with original façades provide stores and restaurants with modern interiors. High above Baixa is Bairro Alto - with its teeming nightlife. There are many monuments and museums, such as San Jeronimos Monastery, Royal Coach Museum and Gulbenkian Museum. Two well-known landmarks are the Monument to the Discoveries and the Tower of Belem. A statue of Christ looms above Europe’s longest suspension bridge. Madragoa, Bica and Bairro Alto, Lisbon’s older sections, offer a variety of sights: the Church of Sao Roque, with its beautiful tiles; St. George Castle, which offers a splendid view from its location above the Alfama quarter; the botanical gardens, featuring an unusual, cold greenhouse; and the cathedral, stunning with its Moorish design. Renowned Gulbenkian Museum is the cultural center of Portugal.

Suggested Private Excursions

Coimbra & Óbidos Medieval Village (6 - 8 Hours)

Batalha and Alcobaça Majestic Monasteries, Fátima & Óbidos (10 Hours)

Fátima & Óbidos Medieval Village (6 - 8 Hours)

Alcobaça Monastery, Nazaré and Óbidos Villages (6 - 8 Hours)

Alenquer for Wine Lovers & Óbidos (6 - 8 Hours)

Dressage Experience, Wine & Lunch with the Countess (6 - 8 Hours)

Tomar & Óbidos Jewish Inheritance (6 - 8 Hours)

Lisbon History & Local Flavours (6 - 8 Hours) BEST SELLER

Lisbon History with Alfama District (3 - 4 Hours)

Lisbon History with Belem Area (3 - 4 Hours)

Lisbon Jewish Inheritance (6 - 8 Hours)

Lisbon Family Travel (6 - 8 Hours)

Mystic Sintra, Cascais Coastline & Lisbon (6 - 8 Hours) BEST SELLER

Mystic Sintra & Cascais & Estoril Coastline (6 - 8 Hours)

Sintra Unesco World Heritage (6 - 8 Hours)

Sintra, Cascais Coastline & Queluz History (6 - 8 Hours)

Cooking Class & Sintra Unesco World Heritage (6 - 8 Hours) BEST SELLER

Sintra Mountains Jeep Tour (4 Hours)

Alentejo & Local Tradition (6 - 8 Hours)

Alentejo Wine & Olive Oil (10 Hours)

Alentejo, Local Tradition & Wine Estates (10 Hours)

Alentejo & Wine Flavours (6 - 8 Hours)

Lisbon Sightseeing HD D&G (3 - 4 Hours)

Lisbon at Your Leisure HD D&G (3 - 4 Hours)

Lisbon Private Panoramic River Cruise

An Exploration of Lisbon (8 hours)

Queluz, Sintra and Estoril (8 hours)

Highlights of Lisbon (4 hours)

No information currently available.

Cadiz is an old city with Andalusian character. The magnificent Baroque cathedral and impressive mansions were built with gold. Cadiz’s modern-day treasure lies 30 minutes to the north in the rolling hills of Jerez - where production of the liquid gold, as the famous sherry is often called, ensures a booming economy. Visit one of the bodegas for a tour and tasting. The Historic City Center of Old Cadiz is a pedestrian zone for a pleasant stroll. The monument to "Las Cortes" is the Spanish Parliament established in Plaza de España. The 18th-century golden-domed Cathedral of Santa Cruz looms over the whitewashed houses. The dazzling interior contains a magnificent collection of sculptures and art objects. The Museum of History features an outstanding model of Cadiz in ivory and mahogany that illustrates what the town looked like at the end of the 18th century. The small, colorful Flower Market offers much local flavor. The Moorish-style Alameda Apodaca Gardens serve as a reminder of the Moors’ occupation in past centuries.

Malaga is a popular holiday destination - known as the birthplace of Picasso and for sweet Malaga dessert wines from vineyards outside of town. Points of interest include impressive Gothic architecture, remains of a Moorish castle and interesting museums. Malaga is a popular starting point for trips to Granada and resorts along Costa del Sol. Splendid Granada and famed Alhambra are the region’s most outstanding attractions. Magnificent Moorish palaces and fortifications contrast sharply with Christian churches from Spain’s 1492 Reconquest era. Ronda's incredible location affording spectacular views over the valley and distant hills. Malaga Fine Arts Museum holds works by Spanish artists of the 16th to 20th centuries and by artists from Malaga, including Picasso. Marbella, which has been favored by the rich and famous, is a very popular holiday and yachting resort destination. One of the first resorts of the Costa del Sol, Torremolinos has luxury hotels, busy plazas and shopping streets, a lively art scene, a Wax Museum created by Madame Tussaud, and a glitzy casino.

Suggested Private Excursions

Spain: Malaga Walk & Taste Tour - 3 hours

Gibralfaro (4 hours)

No information currently available.

The Balearics are comprised of 16 islands; the three principal ones are Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca. Lying just 60 miles off the Spanish mainland, the islands’ lush and rugged landscape combined with an extremely mild, sunny climate prove irresistible. The Balearics boast cosmopolitan resorts with lively nightlife and plenty of sports activities. Palma de Majorca is the capital of the archipelago. A cosmopolitan city with sophisticated shops and restaurants, it also offers buildings of spectacular Moorish and gothic architecture. Museo de Mallorca housed in the Palacio Ayamans boasts an interesting collection of Moorish, medieval and 18th- to 19th-century art. Those who wish to explore the northern end of the island will enjoy the dramatic land and seascape of Cabo Formentor at the end of a long, narrow peninsula. A winding road with magnificent views leads to the luxury Hotel Formentor, beautifully situated above the bay. The lighthouse of Cabo Formentor is the most northerly point on Majorca.

Valencia is one of the biggest, liveliest cities in Spain. It is located at the Mediterranean sea with beaches right in its heart that offer every kind of sports. With its active nightlife and various cultural offerings, Valencia is one of the most dynamic cities in Spain. One of the most famous buildings in Valencia is the Cathedral and its tower named, "El Miquelet" (Little Michael) which was built between 1381 and 1424. Try Spain's most famous food right where it was born: "Paella Valenciana". Valencia is the city where "El Cid", Spain's national hero, fought against the Moors, and popular festivals in the city and many villages around still remind of this epoch.

Suggested Private Excursions

Spain: Valencia Highlights Tour - 5 hours

Highlights of Valencia (4 hours)

Barcelona, the self-confident and progressive capital of Spain, is a tremendous place to be. Though it boasts outstanding Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings, and some great museums – most notably those dedicated to Picasso and Catalan art – it is above all a place where there's enjoyment simply in walking the streets, stopping in at bars and cafés, drinking in the atmosphere. A thriving port and the most prosperous commercial centre in Spain, it has a sophistication and cultural dynamism way ahead of the rest of the country. In part this reflects the city's proximity to France, whose influence is apparent in the elegant boulevards and imaginative cooking. But Barcelona has also evolved an individual and eclectic cultural identity, most perfectly and eccentrically expressed in the architecture of Antoni Gaudí. Scattered as Barcelona's main sights may be, the greatest concentration of interest is around the old town (La Ciutat Vella). These cramped streets above the harbor are easily manageable, and far more enjoyable, on foot. Start, as everyone else does, with the Ramblas.

Suggested Private Excursions

Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours

Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)

Gaudi’s Barcelona (4 hours)