From Portugal to Spain—by Train (2023)

Day 1. Bem-vindo a Lisboa

In the morning you fly to Lisbon. You will be greeted warmly at the airport and driven to your elegant, deluxe hotel in the historic center. In the afternoon you will discover Portugal’s beautiful capital in a nostalgic way: from Rossio Square, the small historic tram no. 28 meanders through narrow streets over Lisbon’s hills up to the old town of Alfama with the São Jorge Castle. Again and again there are fantastic views of palaces and churches on the Tagus. At the end of the day, enjoy Portuguese specialties accompanies by authentic Fado music in a restaurant with a lot of flair.

Overnight: Hotel Palácio do Governador (or similar) (D)

Day 2. In the City of Light

The day begins with a tour of the proud Praca do Comercio on the banks of the Tagus and further through the lower town of Baixa. The city of hills is characterized by its elevators to the higher district of Chiado. Admire the famous azulejo tiles over lunch in an old trading house. In the afternoon, an excursion to Belém takes you to the famous Torre de Belém and the Monument of the Discoveries, stone witnesses to a glorious past when a small country at the end of Europe set out to discover distant countries and continents. The gates to paradise open to you in the neighboring Jerónimos Monastery, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even more heavenly are the famous “pastéis de nata”, which you can taste in a traditional bakery.

Overnight: Hotel Palácio do Governador (or similar) (BLD)

Day 3. From Alentejo to Extremadura

Your train sets off early in the morning, leaving Lisbon and the Tagus estuary behind. The landscape soon becomes rural: red and green hills, dreamy villages, cork oak forests and olive groves. Welcome to the endless expanse of the Alentejo! In the midst of this idyll sits the little town of Évora, a firework of history and of course a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fascinated, you stroll through pretty alleys to the flower-bedecked Giraldo Square, the mighty cathedral and the Roman Temple of Évora. Creepy: In the “Capela dos Ossos” human bones are piled up on the walls. You continue by bus to the Spanish border. In Badajoz, the dream train “Al Ándalus awaits you. After a warm welcome, settle into your comfortable compartment where you will spend the next four nights. The afternoon belongs to Mérida, once the capital of the Roman province of Lusitania and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its city walls, the Roman Bridge, the Temple of Diana, the Mérida Trajan Arch, the Circus Maximus, the Aqueduct, the Roman Theater and the Amphitheater make Mérida a unique open-air museum of Roman times.

Overnight: Al Ándalus (BLD)

Day 4. Travel back in time to the middle ages

Your train continues through the land of windmills and stork’s nests. Your next stop: Cáceres. Spain’s famous explorers invested the gold of the New World here. No wonder UNESCO also protects this gem. After a stroll through the old town, would you like a café con leche on the sunny Plaza Mayor? Medieval bullfighting arena, theater stage, pyre, today an open-air café—history is tangible here. In the afternoon, the Al Andalús arrives at Torrijos train station. From here, it is a short way to Toledo. UNESCO World Heritage Site? Obviously! Alfonso the Wise dreamed of religious tolerance here in the Middle Ages between churches, mosques, and synagogues. You admire Spain’s most beautiful high altar in the Gothic cathedral, stroll through the monastery of San Juan de los Reyes and follow the footsteps of the artist El Greco in the Church of Santo Tomé. Finally, a detour to the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca and the Sephardic Museum in the Jewish Quarter.

Overnight: Al Ándalus (BLD)

Day 5. Royal Madrid

The Al Andalús reaches Madrid, Spain’s proud capital, in the morning. You pass famous Avenidas and Retiro Park, Madrid’s green lung, and admire magnificent buildings such as the Palacio Real or the Puerta de Alcalá. The world-famous Prado Museum shines, and not only due to its three Spanish masters, El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya. Discover this for yourself at your leisure before lunch. In the afternoon, stroll through the poets’ quarter, past theaters, and from the houses of Lope de Vegas and Cervantes into Hapsburg Madrid, which is the oldest part of the city with its winding streets around the Plaza Mayor. In the soft evening light, your train leaves Madrid and rolls out into the vast mountains of the province of Castilla-La Mancha. Your destination: Valencia on the Mediterranean.

Overnight: Al Ándalus (BLD)

Day 6. Paella Valenciana

Valencia is the trendiest city in Spain and still an insider tip. Chic art nouveau quarters, futuristic star architecture by Santiago Calatrava, and beaches and the ocean on the doorstep. The old town between mighty city walls and bastions is a place to lose yourself and your way. It’s good that your tour guide knows the most beautiful streets. The historic market hall is the heart of the metropolis and a feast for the senses. The Silk Exchange directly opposite is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And for lunch, paella! In the afternoon, it’s back to the future: where Calatrava’s fantastic buildings are reflected in turquoise-blue water basins in the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, you can hardly believe your eyes. Still inspired by this mirage, you go back on board, and the Al Andalús rolls along its last stage. As the sun sets, the picturesque Mediterranean coast pulls past you.

Overnight: Al Ándalus (BLD)

Day 7. Barcelona—between gothic and avant-garde

Today you say adiós to the Al Andalús and its friendly crew. But the beauty of Barcelona consoles you after the farewell. During the tour of the Gothic Quarter, you enjoy a fantastic view over the Ciutat Vella from the roof of the cathedral, visit the imposing reception hall of the Catalan kings and the church of Santa Maria del Mar. After descending into the early Christian underworld of the Roman Barcino, it’s back to the here and now. The colorful hustle and bustle of the Ramblas, Barcelona’s famous promenade, awaits you. In the afternoon, get to the bottom of the beginnings of the great master in the Picasso Museum.

Overnight: Deluxe Hotel Casa Fuster (or similar) (BLD)

Day 8. The Wonderful World of Antoni Gaudí

A full day dedicated to the surreal architecture of Antoni Gaudí—Unesco World Heritage, of course! It starts with the dreamlike fusion of art and nature in Park Güell. But Gaudí’s fantasies run rampant everywhere in Barcelona: On a tour, let yourself be enchanted by Casa Battló, Casa Vicens, Casa de Les Punxes, and Casa Amettler. Even the Casa Milá opens its gates for you. Gaudí’s unfinished beauty La Sagrada Família follows in the afternoon as the finale. In the evening light, you take the historic tram up to the panoramic mountain Tibidabo. Here, you can enjoy a sparkling cava aperitif with a panoramic view over the city by the sea in a dreamlike lounge to whet your appetite for the farewell dinner in a popular local restaurant. The crowning glory of your journey is a trip through Barcelona at night to the fountains of the Fuente Mágica.

Overnight: Deluxe Hotel Casa Fuster (or similar) (BLD)

Day 9. Adiós, Barcelona!

Transfer to the airport.

(B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner

Embark on an extraordinary train journey across the Iberian Peninsula. Two pearls at the beginning and end: melancholy Lisbon, whose immense treasures are reflected in the Tagus River, and proud Barcelona with Gaudi’s fairy-tale architecture. Glorious testimonies of Romans, Moors, Jews, and Christians. A journey full of contrasts: lively metropolises, colorful Mediterranean coasts, the green mountains of Castile, and the vast solitude of the Extremadura and the Alentejo. Experience Spain and Portugal like never before aboard the majestic Al Andalus. This trip has everything: comfort and cuisine, culture and nature!

Rates Include

• Train journey from Lisbon to Barcelona with 5 overnights on board in the category booked
• 3 overnights in hotels
• Meals as per itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
• City tours and excursions as per itinerary
• Multilingual group guide for a maximum of 31 passengers
• English-speaking local guides at all stops
• Airport transfers

Not Included

• Visa fees
• Gratuities
• International flights
• Personal expenses

Entry Requirements

• Passport and visa may be required. Please consult your local embassy
• Health, entry & vaccination regulations as prescribed by the visited countries. Please check with your local embassies and national guidelines for travel