JOURNEYS FOR WOMEN
Spain:
Barcelona, Basque Country & Madrid
Portugal Extension to Porto & Lisbon
September 2019
Spain:
Barcelona, Basque Country & Madrid
Portugal Extension to Porto & Lisbon
September 2019
Barcelona
Our group arrived in Barcelona throughout the day, then we gathered in the lobby for an early (for Spain) dinner at a place with a tapas buffet. It was quick and tasty, and most of us sampled white sangria there for the first time.
The next morning, our guide, Vanesa, met us for a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas. (There's no easy explanation as to why this street is sometimes used in the singular, sometimes in the plural!). We saw a number of plazas, each unique. One of the highlights was our visit to the Barcelona Cathedral. In our free time that afternoon, most of us visited the Picasso Museum.
The following day was all about Gaudi'. We visited Casa Battlo, Park Guell, and Casa Mila, all stunning.
We traveled to Montserrat the next day, and had a delicious lunch at BO2 Restaurant, a hidden gem not too far from the monastery. None of us had ever had such a good pork steak. Back in town, we visited Sagrada Familia, incredibly transformed in a period of ten years. They say the construction will be completely finished in another seven, marking 125 years since its inception. We'll see.
Our final morning, we braved the pouring rain to tour Boqueria Market. Guide Vanesa managed to get one of the busy booths to serve us cava and some delicious bites.
San Sebastian
Our flight was delayed by the rainstorm in Barcelona, but our lovely guide, Ana, was at the San Sebastian airport to greet us late in the evening. The next day she met us mid-morning for a half-day walking tour of the gorgeous area, and we were blessed with beautiful weather.
Our third day was a journey into Basque Country. We toured the Basilica in Loyola, then continued on to Onati for a walking tour and free time. After lunch, we toured a cheese farm, starting with a performance by the sheep, orchestrated by the owner and his shepherd dog. We then sampled three cheeses. Our last stop, about an hour away, was at a cider house. Here we got a thorough tour, starting with the apples and an explanation of how they blend them for cider. We all wanted to love the cider, but didn't. At the dinner that followed, of salt cod omelet, white fish and ribeye steak, most of us ordered wine.
We spent our final day in Bilbao. After a city tour and lunch, we visited the Guggenheim Museum. We were surprised at how few items were there and how short a time it took to see it. The outside of the building is stunning, though.
Madrid
After a leisurely morning in San Sebastian, we flew to Madrid. Our fun-loving guide for the next four days, Mar, met us at the airport. The following morning we had a panoramic tour of the city. Mar helped us get tickets to a bullfight that afternoon. We were glad we experienced the spectacle, but it's not something we'd want to repeat. It was hard to watch the bulls die.
On day three, we traveled to Avila and Segovia. In the former, we saw the incredible walls that surrounded the city. In the latter, we visited the Alcazar and the Roman aqueducts. Day four was a free day; in the evening we enjoyed a flamenco dinner show.
On our last full day, we toured Toledo. After a walking tour, we visited the stunning cathedral and treasury. That evening, incredible Mar managed to get us into the sold-out and famous restaurant, Botin . She knew about the cave downstairs where our group was just able to squeeze in. The suckling pig was amazing.
The next morning we bid adios to the half of our group that was heading home. The rest of us flew on to Porto.
Our group arrived in Barcelona throughout the day, then we gathered in the lobby for an early (for Spain) dinner at a place with a tapas buffet. It was quick and tasty, and most of us sampled white sangria there for the first time.
The next morning, our guide, Vanesa, met us for a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter and Las Ramblas. (There's no easy explanation as to why this street is sometimes used in the singular, sometimes in the plural!). We saw a number of plazas, each unique. One of the highlights was our visit to the Barcelona Cathedral. In our free time that afternoon, most of us visited the Picasso Museum.
The following day was all about Gaudi'. We visited Casa Battlo, Park Guell, and Casa Mila, all stunning.
We traveled to Montserrat the next day, and had a delicious lunch at BO2 Restaurant, a hidden gem not too far from the monastery. None of us had ever had such a good pork steak. Back in town, we visited Sagrada Familia, incredibly transformed in a period of ten years. They say the construction will be completely finished in another seven, marking 125 years since its inception. We'll see.
Our final morning, we braved the pouring rain to tour Boqueria Market. Guide Vanesa managed to get one of the busy booths to serve us cava and some delicious bites.
San Sebastian
Our flight was delayed by the rainstorm in Barcelona, but our lovely guide, Ana, was at the San Sebastian airport to greet us late in the evening. The next day she met us mid-morning for a half-day walking tour of the gorgeous area, and we were blessed with beautiful weather.
Our third day was a journey into Basque Country. We toured the Basilica in Loyola, then continued on to Onati for a walking tour and free time. After lunch, we toured a cheese farm, starting with a performance by the sheep, orchestrated by the owner and his shepherd dog. We then sampled three cheeses. Our last stop, about an hour away, was at a cider house. Here we got a thorough tour, starting with the apples and an explanation of how they blend them for cider. We all wanted to love the cider, but didn't. At the dinner that followed, of salt cod omelet, white fish and ribeye steak, most of us ordered wine.
We spent our final day in Bilbao. After a city tour and lunch, we visited the Guggenheim Museum. We were surprised at how few items were there and how short a time it took to see it. The outside of the building is stunning, though.
Madrid
After a leisurely morning in San Sebastian, we flew to Madrid. Our fun-loving guide for the next four days, Mar, met us at the airport. The following morning we had a panoramic tour of the city. Mar helped us get tickets to a bullfight that afternoon. We were glad we experienced the spectacle, but it's not something we'd want to repeat. It was hard to watch the bulls die.
On day three, we traveled to Avila and Segovia. In the former, we saw the incredible walls that surrounded the city. In the latter, we visited the Alcazar and the Roman aqueducts. Day four was a free day; in the evening we enjoyed a flamenco dinner show.
On our last full day, we toured Toledo. After a walking tour, we visited the stunning cathedral and treasury. That evening, incredible Mar managed to get us into the sold-out and famous restaurant, Botin . She knew about the cave downstairs where our group was just able to squeeze in. The suckling pig was amazing.
The next morning we bid adios to the half of our group that was heading home. The rest of us flew on to Porto.
Porto
We hit the ground walking, with a fun lunchtime foodie tour. Vera introduced us to a number of typical foods, and perhaps the fave was the custard tarts, pasteis de nata.
The next morning, our guide for 3 of the 4 coming days, Pedro, picked us up at our hotel for a 6-hour city tour. He was a great fit for our group and everyone liked him instantly. He showed us a lot, starting from a viewpoint over the Douro River. We saw the monastery, Clerigos Tower, Majestic Cafe, Se Cathedral, Jewish Quarter, Lello Bookstore, and much more. He got us into a small restaurant tucked away from the main street where we tried various local dishes for lunch.
The following day, we had a full day tour to the Douro Valley. We enjoyed seeing all the vineyards on the steep riverbanks, took a 1-hr riverboat cruise, and relished a tour and port-tasting at Sandeman. Again, Pedro chose a great lunch restaurant.
It's only a 3-hour drive to Lisbon, but we we had a full day transfer, stopping in the lovely university town of Coimbra, and in Fatima. We had a fabulous seafood lunch at Taberna D'Adelia in the charming seaside town of Nazare'. We tried the barnacles, but most of us found them salty and chewy. It was Pedro's 50th birthday and we presented him with a bottle of 30-year Sandeman port. He was truly surprised and pleased. Our last stop was in the walled city of Obidos, where we walked up the steep street full of shops to the castle at the top. Many of us sampled the famous local chocolates with liquor inside. It was difficult to say goodbye to our guide that evening when we reached our hotel in Lisbon.
Lisbon
We were introduced to the city by Susana, who led us on a 3-hour walking tour. Highlights were visiting various squares and St George's Castle.
The next day we took to the trolley and met Susana in Belem. There we toured the Monastery of St Jerome, posed in front of the famous Belem Tower, and saw the impressive Monument to Discoveries. We made an obligatory stop at a pasteis de nata shop which purports to produce 20 to 30 thousand of these tarts a day. They were delicious. On the way back to Lisbon, several of us stopped at the new Time Out Lisbon, a food hall filled with booths by famous chefs. In the evening, we enjoyed a fado dinner show.
On our fourth day, we traveled to Sintra and toured the national palace. We continued on to the resort town of Cascais for a little free time and lunch, then drove along the coast, the westernmost part of continental Europe, and past lovely Estoril. In a small, traditional restaurant that evening, we celebrated the birthday of one of our travelers. It was a fitting conclusion to our fun and varied trip.
We hit the ground walking, with a fun lunchtime foodie tour. Vera introduced us to a number of typical foods, and perhaps the fave was the custard tarts, pasteis de nata.
The next morning, our guide for 3 of the 4 coming days, Pedro, picked us up at our hotel for a 6-hour city tour. He was a great fit for our group and everyone liked him instantly. He showed us a lot, starting from a viewpoint over the Douro River. We saw the monastery, Clerigos Tower, Majestic Cafe, Se Cathedral, Jewish Quarter, Lello Bookstore, and much more. He got us into a small restaurant tucked away from the main street where we tried various local dishes for lunch.
The following day, we had a full day tour to the Douro Valley. We enjoyed seeing all the vineyards on the steep riverbanks, took a 1-hr riverboat cruise, and relished a tour and port-tasting at Sandeman. Again, Pedro chose a great lunch restaurant.
It's only a 3-hour drive to Lisbon, but we we had a full day transfer, stopping in the lovely university town of Coimbra, and in Fatima. We had a fabulous seafood lunch at Taberna D'Adelia in the charming seaside town of Nazare'. We tried the barnacles, but most of us found them salty and chewy. It was Pedro's 50th birthday and we presented him with a bottle of 30-year Sandeman port. He was truly surprised and pleased. Our last stop was in the walled city of Obidos, where we walked up the steep street full of shops to the castle at the top. Many of us sampled the famous local chocolates with liquor inside. It was difficult to say goodbye to our guide that evening when we reached our hotel in Lisbon.
Lisbon
We were introduced to the city by Susana, who led us on a 3-hour walking tour. Highlights were visiting various squares and St George's Castle.
The next day we took to the trolley and met Susana in Belem. There we toured the Monastery of St Jerome, posed in front of the famous Belem Tower, and saw the impressive Monument to Discoveries. We made an obligatory stop at a pasteis de nata shop which purports to produce 20 to 30 thousand of these tarts a day. They were delicious. On the way back to Lisbon, several of us stopped at the new Time Out Lisbon, a food hall filled with booths by famous chefs. In the evening, we enjoyed a fado dinner show.
On our fourth day, we traveled to Sintra and toured the national palace. We continued on to the resort town of Cascais for a little free time and lunch, then drove along the coast, the westernmost part of continental Europe, and past lovely Estoril. In a small, traditional restaurant that evening, we celebrated the birthday of one of our travelers. It was a fitting conclusion to our fun and varied trip.