Tales of Portugal and Spain: A Historic Journey Through Iberia

This is a super interesting program but it is physically challenging. Not for people with mobility problems.

The Road Scholar tour of southern Portugal and Spain was excellent for exposing us to the history and culture of the regions. Each destination offered engaging guided experiences, delicious local cuisine, and opportunities to connect with the traditions of the Iberian Penisula. I did two Road Scholar tours back to back (northern, then southern) of Portugal and Spain in 4 weeks and this allowed me to have a captivating journey in both countries to learn more about the history and culture.

This was a wonderful trip. I was amazed at the quality of the hotels and the food we were provided. The hotels were a lot nicer than I would have stayed at if I had gone on my own. The group leader (Silvia) and the local guides were so knowledgable and fun to travel with. We learned an incredible amount about the history of Portugal and Spain. I was impressed by how the program was built in a logical order. We learned about people and events in a lecture, then would go to places where having that knowledge helped make sense of what we were seeing. I enjoyed the people I traveled with on this tour. Most of them were experienced Road Scholar adventurers who were very welcoming to me as a solo traveler on my first trip. This is a very active trip that requires a lot of walking on every variety of cobblestone and tile that you can imagine, so wear very comfortable shoes. We had some rain on a few days which made the surfaces slippery, so good gripping shoes are a must. I think the distance we walked some days was further than what the itinerary describes, so I would make sure you are prepared for 4-5 miles on some days.

Wonderful trip (9/28-10/12)! The group leader (Silvia) was the perfect leader - on top of everything. The lecturers and guides specific to locations were also top notch - it was a feast. Hotels were amazing, food was wonderful (only 1 'dud' meal). In addition to the scenery and UNESCO sites, activities were fun and provided a break. We toured a farm and a cork forest/factory, an olive oil co-op, participated in a Portuguese cooking school, had lunch in a Spanish grandma's home, and enjoyed an amazing cheese tasting. Wear sturdy shoes; consider a walking stick, the hills are killers. The activity level could use a "+" sign. Have a sun hat. I wouldn't do this trip earlier because of heat - we had a couple hot days. Then it turned cooler; had a couple days of showers but not bad. A few of the sites fall into the over-touristed, crowded category. RS does well scheduling around crowds but that is not always possible, of course. There are good respites, with drives through the countryside and less crowded adventures. Hotels had blow dryers, make-up mirrors, shampoo etc - the only thing several hotels didn't have was cream rinse. This is a wonderful trip and no one wants to be sick. A cold virus was caught by many, followed by Covid at the end. If everyone had masked on flights would that have happened? I masked until the last couple of days (for air travel, on the bus, and crowds) and didn't catch the cold until the last day - now I regret letting my guard down. At least 2 now have Covid (fortunately didn't hit until the last day). Given the crowds of tourists from all over the world at a couple of the attractions, we were sitting ducks. If we had been wearing masks maybe illness could have been avoided? Sharing in case helpful. My advice: bring masks for air travel, the bus, and crowds, and use the hand sanitizer pump provided on the bus. Who wants to be sick on an amazing trip like this?

The Iberian Pennisula program was a great trip! Two weeks packed with history of the different cultures that formed their countries. It was also paired with meeting local people to see their trades demonstrated and immersion in local culture. Don't under-estimate the amount of walking, much on hilly, uneven cobblestone roads. I would highly recommend this program for those interested in the history and culture of the Iberian Peninsula.

This trip was fascinating, informative, and fun. We saw many things we wouldn't have had access to if we were traveling on our own. Great guided excursions in addition to adequate free time to explore on our own. And great food!

This was a lovely program. It offered exactly as described in the material online. Our trip leader was exceptionally gifted with knowledge of the area, relationships with hotel and restaurant hosts and expert lecturers. She made the trip run so smoothly. The other travelers were delightful, knowledgable and easy to be with throughout the trip.

Who knew there was so much to learn and enjoy in the Iberian Peninsula? The food! The culture! The architecture! Wonderful accommodations. I can't wait to go back.

Excellent educational tour of southern Spain and Portugal.

The Road Scholar trip "Tales of Portugal and Spain: A Historic Journey Through Iberia was an amazing look at regions of these two countries and their historic beginnings and evolution. The history and the architecture of the buildings that still exist are quite remarkable and I learned so much. I especially loved the experiences we got to share in from a cooking class, private musical concert in each country, visiting places that provide these countries with their products and exports, and exploring the countryside as well as the larger towns/cities. The guide was professional yet personable, knowledgeable, organized, helpful, and made this trip perfect. I highly recommend this trip!

On our own, we would never have experienced the Iberian Peninsula to the degree we did with Road Scholar. Sharing the trip with others greatly enhanced the experience.

I had a wonderful 2 weeks seeing these parts of Portugal and Spain for the first time. There's not much more to add to the reviews that have already been left....except to say that our tour guide Mary Anne Freitas was OUTSTANDING! She was very knowledgeable of the places we visited (as were the resident guides in each town.) If you see a trip where Mary Anne is your guide, sign up! She took great care of our group.

This was an adventure on my bucket list and it exceeded my expectations. It was a wonderful mix of lectures, tours and free time to explore. I would recommend this trip to anyone who is curious about visiting Spain. I love Seville, Cordoba, Ronda, and Granada and all the towns/villages in between. What a beautiful, artistic and historical adventure. And the ability to see how Christians, Muslims and Jews lived in peace and harmony until the Spanish Inquisition changed the course of history, which was a historical and political event, we should have never repeated but unfortunately, we haven't.

I highly recommend this history tour of many amazing and beautiful places. I learned much about two different and interesting cultures both past and present. There is a lot packed in to the 14 days so you need to be up for a busy schedule. The bus was very comfortable and the scenery outside the windows made the drives fine. We had a fun group of travelers and the guides were first rate.

Fantastic program and group leader Luisa!

History comes alive when outstanding group leaders and local guides provide lectures and commentary on the sights and places.

A MOST enjoyable and instructive adventure through historic sights in Portugal and Spain - not to be missed!

Highly recommended....informative, nice mixture of large cities, smaller towns and rural areas to explore and learn about their history, culture and cuisine. If you like salted cod and Iberian pork you're in luck!

I've done 40 trips with Road Scholar and this one stands out as the best. Great itinerary, great accommodations, and great Group Leader, Ulises. We had a wide variety of experiences that were fun while still being educational. All of the local guides were outstanding--easy to understand and they presented at the right level of detail. Our tour bus was spacious and offered wifi. I feel that I really got to know Spain and Portugal. Couldn't have asked for a better trip!

This very physically active offering delivered everything promised in the syllabus. We left with a full experience and much greater knowledge of both countries than we had going in. An excellent value for the money. ...and if you get Luisa Azevedo for your guide, you are in for a real positive experience!

Can’t rave enough about this trip, great blend of knowledge sharing, experiences, time to explore along with fabulous leader & fellow travelers.

This trip was my first with ROAD SCHOLAR and I was very impressed and enjoyed my trip immensely.

We had a great time and our tour guides were great.

Tales of Portugal and Spain exceeded our expectations! The knowledgeable and enthusiastic guides, outstanding meals, deluxe accommodations, and fun and respectful fellow travelers enhanced our time delving into the cultures and history of the spectacular places we visited.

Tales of Portugal and Spain was an educational, fun tour. It had the right balance of activities, and I learned a great deal about Portugal and Spain. The group leader was fabulous, and this was a great travel experience.

This is a fabulous tour and I highly recommend it. Busy, but not stressful at all. Hopefully you will have our outstanding guide, Luisa, who was warm, extremely well organized, very knowledgeable, and available at all times. She kept track of so many details and oriented us to every hotel and town/city. The food and accommodations were outstanding. The historic hotels in Portugal were beyond your imagination. Gorgeous views, outdoor pools in beautiful settings, large and luxurious rooms. Great variety of activities from tours of small, local cheese, olive oil and cork businesses to many gorgeous palaces, cathedrals and archaeological sites. Combination of cities and beautiful tiny towns and countryside. Fado and flamenco concerts were very high quality. Cooking class in Portugal at a local home was a great group hands-on activity and so much fun. And friendly, inclusive, fun fellow travelers. I did not find the walking to be hard at all-just a pair of walking shoes are fine. No hiking boots needed. Try to find a time of year that is not hot.

I had seen that others had rated this program highly and now I know why. It is a wonderful combination of large cities and small towns in two related but quite different countries. I felt I gained understanding of the countries, their history and their traditions. Terrific guides (Mariola was truly a gift), nice places to stay, and the opportunity to explore areas on your own. It was a totally engaging, never boring trip. I loved everything about it.

I had a blast on this most interesting trip.

The historical structures and monuments were beyond what I had imagined. They were spectacular and awe inspiring. The countryside of both Portugal and Spain are beautiful. I highly recommend this program to everyone. Firoz Husain

This program is outstanding! So many wonderful sites to visit in Portugal and Spain; the lectures add so much to understanding the history and significance of the places we are seeing and visiting. Highly recommend this program.

This program exceeded our expectations in almost every way. The accommodations, food, and guides were exceptional. Visits to crowded sites was handled smoothly and efficiently. We especially enjoyed being taken to places off the usual tourist route and meeting the local people.

"A Historic Journey Through Iberia" was an amazing trip! Well designed and executed, with new wonders revealed each day. A great mix of information, history, and performances as well as urban palaces, mosques, and cathedrals vs. rural farms and villages. Lodging was often more luxurious than expected. The "Keep the Pace" description is accurate; challenging at times, particularly mentally, Would have enjoyed more chances for free time to digest the info and return to favorite spots. Our team leader and local guides were top notch! Particularly enjoyed opportunities to mingle with local families and individuals and have hands-on activities. Well worth the price.

Excellent trip. Our tour manager Mayra Noguerales was superior as were all the local guides and local talent (Fado & Flamenco). Great group of people on the tour and interesting locations. Nuño was an excellent driver and even though the roads were twisty and windy, he never flinched. Bravo to all. Thanks Judy Shulman

This was an excellent program, covering so much history, with plenty of activity so that the food could be enjoyed in extraordinarily beautiful landscapes and settings.

This trip was amazing and very educational. The guides, and especially Maria our trip leader, were organized, extremely knowledgeable, and entertaining. The hotels, especially the convent in Evora, were top class. And the food was amazing. A real winner.

This was my first trip with Road Scholar. After deciding on this trip and doing some research, my expectations were that this would be a great trip. It far exceeded them on every level. Our group leader, Luisa, had everything run like clockwork. She prepared us for each daily activity with no surprises. And she made it all seem so effortless. Pay attention to the Activity Level. It is a good deal of walking on uneven surfaces and even more challenging when the temperature gets warm or if it's raining. We all learned a lot, and many, like me, want to continue to learn more about this amazing, culturally rich, and historic part of the world.

If you enjoy visiting Unesco World Heritage sites, this is the trip for you. Every day is packed with unique adventures. There is so much to experience in Portugal and Spain and you will come away wanting to learn more. Every detail of this trip is well planned and executed. Our group leader Louisa is a delight and the local experts were fantastic. The hotels were lovely and the food is delicious. From mosques to palaces to museums to monoliths to large cities and small villages, there is so much variety and wonder. When they say "let's go" they really mean it! Five stars!!

Five Stars!! This was an amazing introduction to the history of Portugal and southern Spain. No matter how many books you’ve read, it’s not the same as being there in person with knowledgeable guides to put it all in context. Read the itinerary; it perfectly describes the daily activities. But reading the words “cobblestone walkways”, “steep inclines”, and MANY “stairs without rails” doesn’t convey the actuality of our daily walks. Be sure your shoes are up to the task. LET’S GO not only describes the activity level, but the constant movement from one location to another, in order to see so much in so little time. Our group of 22 were able to handle the daily activities, and were eager to learn. Our group leader, Luisa, had the logistics planned precisely, and the guides at our 10 locations were able to point out interesting facts that we would have missed on our own. They were all personable and knew their subject well. The cooking class was a lot of fun; don’t skip it! Lunch in the home of a local resident, cheese making (with samples), olive oil production (with samples), and the harvesting of cork (no samples) were experiences I’ll long remember. Meals on our own provided us the opportunity to enjoy sidewalk cafes, tapas bars, pastries, and gelato. Group meals were, without exception, very large, and wine flowed freely. The long drives through mountains and farm land provided eye candy and photo ops for those of us who didn’t take the opportunity to cat-nap along the way.

This trip was amazing. Each day we had three or four exciting experiences from museum visits, to farm or garden experiences, to cooking. You go well beyond the surface in a Road Scholar trip and this exploration of a somewhat hidden corner of Portugal and Spain was one I will cherish.

This trip exceeded our expectations! The food and local wines were delicious. The food portions were very generous. All the lecturers and guides were outstanding! They were both interesting and were very entertaining! The hotels were among the best quality we have stayed in on a Road Scholar trip. Every stop along the way was just amazing and there were so many marvels to take in. Each day was just as good or better than the day before!

A wonderful journey to one of the most beautiful part of the world

This was a superb trip!! Louiza, our guide, went above and beyond at every turn during the trip. Not only was she thoroughly informed about the various sites, but her selection of local guides was excellent. The schedule of the trip never missed a beat and given the number of local guides this was remarkable. We loved our time in Portugal and Andalusia, a wonderful part of the world. The mix of sites and activities was well orchestrated, and diverse enough to appeal to many different interests and tastes. I highly recommend this trip to others!