04 Mar 2017

Weekend Australian, Australia

Author: Angela Saurine Section: Magazine Article type : News Item
Audience : 227,465 Page: 34 Printed Size: 1189.00cm Market: National
Country: Australia ASR: AUD 38,829 Words: 1130 Item ID: 734313239

Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence. Page 1 of 2

SPANISH SPIRIT
EXPERIENCE THE BEST OF SPAIN, AND ITS FASCINATING NEIGHBOUR PORTUGAL,
ON A EUROPEAN TOUR TO REMEMBER. ANGELA SAURINE REPORTS

A RT and architecture, cuisine and culture,

history and heritage Spain is a country that
has them all in abundance. If youre looking for the
quintessential European travel experience, this is it.
Stroll along cobblestone streets in medieval cities,
dine on paella and sangria in outdoor restaurants
and see some of the worlds most impressive
museums and monuments, all in one holiday.
Spain sits on the Iberian Peninsula at the south-
western tip of Europe beside Portugal, one of the
worlds hottest emerging travel destinations.
It makes sense to explore them both in the same
trip. Insight Vacations Best of Spain and Portugal
premium tour combines the main attractions of the
two countries with authentic regional experiences.
Guests travel in comfort on an air-conditioned
40-seat coach with plenty of leg room and
complimentary onboard wi-fi, and stay in centrally
located four and five-star hotels to make sightseeing
easy and accessible.
The 15-day tour begins in Madrid with a guided
tour along the Paseo de la Castellana, past the
landmark fountain in Plaza de Cibeles to the Royal
Palace, Cervantes monument and Puerta del Sol
public square. Guests also visit the Prado Museum
to see its impressive collection of Spanish and
foreign art with an art historian.
Housed in an 18th-century Neoclassical building
that opened as a museum in 1819, the museum
showcases the work of a suite of European masters,
including Velzquez, Goya, Raphael, Rubens and
Bosch. Its most famous painting is Las Meninas,
which means ladies in waiting, a 1656 artwork by
Diego Velzquez of the child Princess Margarita
Theresa surrounded by her entourage. His 1628
painting The Triumph of Bacchuss, portraying the
god of wine with a group of drunk men, is another
must-see.
In Toledo, explore the maze of narrow
cobblestone streets with a local expert and visit the
Church of Santo Tom to see Greek artist El Grecos
masterpiece, The Burial of the Count of Orgazg .
Drive past the ancient walls of vila en route to the
university city of Salamanca.
Crossing the border into Portugal, visit the
countrys second-biggest city, Porto, known as the
capital of port wine, on the River Douro. Sample
some local drops during a tasting at the Vila Nova
de Gaia wine stores, just south of the city.
See the basilica and the Chapel of the
Apparitions in the holy city of Fatima, which
commemorates an apparition of the Virgin Mary
seen by three young shepherds in 1917, and walk
the medieval streets of the fortified town of Obidos
 04 Mar 2017
Weekend Australian, Australia
Author: Angela Saurine Section: Magazine Article type : News Item
Audience : 227,465 Page: 34 Printed Size: 1189.00cm Market: National
Country: Australia ASR: AUD 38,829 Words: 1130 Item ID: 734313239
Licensed by Copyright Agency. You may only copy or communicate this work with a licence.
before arriving in the capital, Lisbon. Here, a local
expert guides guests along the avenues of the Lower
Town, beneath the bohemian Bairro Alto quarter
to Terreiro do Paco square and the historic Belem
quarter.
Try the Portuguese delicacy Pastis de Belm,
made from a secret ancient recipe, at a centuries-
old patisserie before continuing to the Monument
to the Discoveries, the Belem Tower fortress
and Jeronimos Monastery, which was declared a
UNESCO World Heritage site in recognition of its
Manueline architectural style.
Returning to Spain via the Tagus Bridge, see
the cathedral that houses the tomb of explorer
Christopher Columbus, held aloft by four kings, on
a walking tour in Seville. Explore the Santa Cruz
quarter and visit the Moorish palace Alcazar with a
local expert before enjoying a fiery flamenco show.
Another tour highlight is a visit to the famous
Rock of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic Ocean and
the Mediterranean Sea meet. Explore St. Michaels
Cave and see the colony of Barbary apes before
driving along the glamorous Costa del Sol, past
glitzy resorts and multi-million dollar yachts.
Spend the next day relaxing and swimming
in the Mediterranean, strolling the promenade
and dining on Spanish cuisine at a waterfront
restaurant. Or, visit the port city of Malaga, where
Picasso was born, and visit the museum dedicated
to the artist.
Wander through the old streets and gardens
of the white-washed coastal village, Mijas, before
continuing to Granada to visit the Alhambra palace
and fortress complex.
That night, guests will pick from a choice of
restaurants and divide up into smaller groups. After
MAIN: Sevilles historic
Plaza de Toros.
ABOVE: Picturesque
Porto on Portugals
Duoro River.
LEFT: Experience an
authentic flamenco
performance in Spain.
an introductory sightseeing tour in Valencia the
next day, see the contemporary City of Arts and
Sciences leisure complex, the impressive city gates
of Serranos and Quart and take part in a cooking
demonstration to learn to make paella that night.
Film buffs will love a stop to see the stone castle
that featured in the 1960s movie El Cid d, about the
medieval military hero, while wine lovers will relish
joining an expert for a tour of the vineyards and
cellars offering the sparkling wine known as cava at
Sant Sadurni dAnoia.
The epic adventure ends on a high in Barcelona
with a tour inside Gaudis extraordinary Roman
Catholic church, La Sagrada Famlia.
GETTING THERE
Ask your local Flight Centre travel
consultant for more details
131 600
flightcentre.com.au
Page 2 of 2
5 SPAIN AND PORTUGAL
TRAVEL TIPS
More and more travellers are looking beyond
France and Italy and booking holidays to Spain and
Portugal instead. Flight Centre travel consultant
Leesa Mills shares her top five tips:
1 WHEN TO GO
Summer is really busy in Spain and Portugal as
a lot of people from the UK go there for holidays
then. Its better to visit during the shoulder season,
from September to October or April to May. Youre
not dealing with extreme cold or extreme heat and
its not as crowded.
2 TAKE YOUR TIME
A lot of people try to do too many countries
in one trip when they go to Europe and end up
regretting it. Its better to visit a couple of countries
and do them properly, spending at least a week
in each.
3
PREPARE TO SHOP
Make sure you leave room in your bag for the
trip home as the shopping in Spain and Portugal
can be quite good. Spain has beautiful artwork and
Portugal has some amazing cork leather products.
4
BE ALERT
Unfortunately, pickpocketing can be a
problem in Europe, so make sure you invest in
a decent slash-proof travel bag and be aware of
your surroundings at all times. Some thieves will
use children to pretend theyre raising money for
charity you have to get a little bit tough.
5
LOCATION COUNTS
When deciding which company to travel with
you will see some are cheaper than others, but you
might end up staying 10km or more outside the
city centre which adds extra time to your holiday.
Insight Vacations has good quality accommodation
in a good location.
Leesa Mills is a
travel consultant
at Flight Centre
Strathpine in
Queensland.