Escorted tour to Spain and Portugal for gay and lesbian travelers and friends

SPAIN & PORTUGAL: From Bilbao to Lisbon May 2 - 16, 2007
	Day 1: Meet at our hotel in Bilbao in the mid-afternoon for an introductory walk. Our hotel is ideally situated between the Guggenheim Museum and the Museo de Bellas Artes, very close to the pleasant Nervión River walkway, and also nearby Bilbao’s elegant main shopping street, the Gran Via. This is a lovely part of Bilbao to become acquainted with. Later we’ll enjoy a welcome aperitif at the hotel’s bar prior to going out for our first dinner. (D)
	Day 2: This morning we’ll become familiar with our neighbor, the Guggenheim Museum, through a private guided tour. We’ll then head over to Bilbao’s charming and atmospheric Casco Viejo (the old quarter) for our lunch, followed by a walking tour of this pretty area and coffee at a lovely old-world bar. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy for shopping, strolling, or perhaps taking in another museum. (B, L)
	Day 3: Leaving Bilbao (and the Basque Country) we head into central Spain now to the region of Castile y Leon. Our mid-day stop is the city of Burgos where we will visit its remarkable World Heritage-listed cathedral. After lunch here we continue to the wonderful city of Segovia and settle in to our very central and characterful hotel for two nights. Group dinner this evening. (B, L)
	Day 4: A full day to spend in this delightful World Heritage city. We’ll take in the stunning Roman-era aqueduct; the lovely Plaza Mayor; the fairytale-like El Alcázar; and the cathedral. After lunch the remainder of your day is free to follow your own interests. (B, L)
	Day 5: On our way to Toledo today we stop in Madrid for a tour of one of the world’s great depositories of art, the Museo del Prado. For paintings of the Spanish school the Prado is unsurpassed (e.g., Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, Murillo). You’ll be able to have lunch on your own at the museum’s café or restaurant and peruse the museum’s gift shop. Afterwards we’ll continue making our way south into the region of Castile - La Mancha to the delightful city of Toledo. We’ll check in to our very charming, historic hotel that abuts the city’s old walls for two nights and enjoy an excellent dinner at the hotel’s restaurant this evening. (B, D)
	Day 6: Today we have a full day to soak in the sights of Toledo — yet another World Heritage city — including the city’s incredible cathedral; one of the old synagogues in the Jewish quarter; and an El Greco masterpiece in the Santo Tomé church. For lunch we’ll drive outside the city center to a scenic vantage point looking down on old Toledo, a remarkable sight. Returning after lunch you have the rest of the day fill up as you like. (B, L)
	Day 7: Departing Toledo we head west to the attractive town of Ávila where we can visit its famous walls and cathedral and enjoy a nice lunch before continuing on to the beautiful and vibrant university city of Salamanca. Our hotel in the old city is gorgeous and ideally situated for all of Salamanca’s sights. We are here for two nights. (B, L)
	Day 8: Today’s tour will take in the stunning Plaza Mayor (perhaps the most beautiful public plaza in the country); the old and “new” cathedrals; the university; and the Convento de San Estéban. After a group lunch, you’re free to continue to explore this wonderful — and yes, World Heritage-listed — city on your own. There is the Museo Art Nouveau-Art Deco for those interested in that period and great shopping. (B, L)
	Day 9: Today we cross the border into Portugal via a very scenic ride and end up in the village of Pinhão, an important center of the Duoro Valley wine-producing region. The Duoro River valley is one of Europe's prettiest wine regions. The terraced estates rise up from the river in a majestic landscape of great beauty. Here we enjoy a wonderful lunch before continuing to the city synonymous with Port wine – Oporto, Portugal’s second-largest city. (B, L)
	Day 10: Rich from centuries of trade, modern Oporto is as much a cosmopolitan center as it is a city steeped in the historical events of the past. Magnificently situated on the great gorge of the River Douro, which spills into the Atlantic after its scenic 927 km journey from Spain, the "granite city" is best known for its striking bridges and the much-celebrated Port wine, which is stored and savoured by wine lovers all over the world. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in December 1996, the ancient Ribeira riverside district is a warren of narrow, twisting streets and shadowy arches. The bustling suburb of Vila Nova da Gaia lies opposite Oporto on the steep south bank of the mighty River Douro. Gaia today is dominated by the Port wine lodges, with over fifty wine companies based in its narrow, twisting streets. Here, the ageing and blending of most of the world's supply of Port wine takes place beneath a sea of red roofs emblazoned with some of the most famous names in winemaking. This morning we'll cover some of the important sights in the old quarter of Oporto and then cross the river to Vila Nova de Gaia where we'll visit one of the famous Port wine lodges and enjoy a great lunch there. The remainder of the day is free to follow your own interests. (B, L)
	Day 11: Leaving Oporto we head south to the wonderful city of Coimbra, a romantic place and the country’s educational center, home to one of the oldest universities in Europe. Coimbra was the capital of Portugal during the Middle Ages, but it was the Renaissance that transformed the city into a place of knowledge, when Dom João III (1521-57) decided to move the University to the city on a definitive basis, while at the same time numerous colleges were created to provide an alternative to the official form of teaching. We'll take in the old town as well as the university. After lunch on you rown, we retreat to the tranquil beauty of the forest of Buçaco, initially discovered by an order of Carmelite monks who created a monastery here in 1628. In the middle of the forest sits our unique and wonderful hotel, a former royal hunting palace. (B, D)
	Day 12: En route to Lisbon today our first stop will be the magnificent cultural sight of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Batalha designed in splendid Gothic and Manueline style in the 14th century. We then continue to the charming town of Obidos where we stroll the beautiful medieval quarter and visit the castle and ramparts. This delightful town of white houses adorned with bougainvillaeas and honeysuckle is entirely surrounded by medieval walls built by order of King Dom Fernando (14th century). You'll have time on your own for lunch before we continue on to Lisbon where we stay for the next three nights. (B)
	Day 13: Our full-day excursion out of Lisbon brings us to the long- and much-praised countryside village of Sintra with its outstanding palaces, the Palacio Nacional and Palacio de Pena. The Palacio Nacional combines features from the Moorish, Gothic and Manueline styles, in keeping with the different constructions added to the original building. The conical chimneys visible on the outside of the building are the most characteristic feature of the town of Sintra. We will also take in the delightful towns of Cascais and Estoril on the Costa do Sol, the Portuguese Riviera and the traditional haunt of exiled royalty from all over Europe. Cascais is a lively, cosmopolitan place which retains a certain aristocratic atmosphere. It is worth a walk along its streets, with their excellent quality shops, or spending some time relaxing on one of its numerous belvederes. (B, L)
	Day 14: On our last day we’ll take in some of the more special sights Lisbon has on offer — such as the Castelo de São Jorge, the Jerónimos Monastery, and the Torre de Belém — and also allow you a free afternoon for shopping or taking in a museum before getting together for our special farewell dinner with a Fado show. Fado is the national song style of Portugal. Fado means "fate" and is always sung with emotion (performed by a unique singer that has a rare style of singing). These well-known Portuguese singers perform in great events all over the world. (B, D)
	Day 15: Departure on own after breakfast. (B)
ACCOMMODATIONS Following is a description of the hotels we use on this tour. We reserve the right to make changes to these accommodations if necessary. Bilbao, 2 nights: Perfectly placed -- across from the Guggenheim and one block away from Bilbao's excellent Museo de Bellas Artes -- this boutique hotel refurbished by a prominent Barcelona fashion designer is comfortable and innovative. It's one of the city's sleek new fleet of hotels inspired by the world's most talked-about and architecturally revolutionary art museums. Rooms are quiet, spacious, and high-tech contemporary. Public rooms are done in blacks and beiges and are simple and unpretentious; the hip downstairs bar is punctuated with canary-yellow walls. There's a CD and DVD library, in addition to plenty of books, and a nice spa-gym-massage room in the basement. Segovia, 2 nights: The hotel stands overlooking the charming central square of Segovia and is within a stone's throw of the majestic cathedral. This is where Queen Isabel would stay when on her way to the nearby summer palace of La Granja. The present owners have modernized the interior considerably, but a good deal of the building's 19th-century grandeur, such as the staircase, remain. Each room is decorated in its own style, and each is furnished with an eye to comfort. Despite its style, the hotel has every convenience. Toledo, 2 nights: The entrance to this unusual hotel is set into the stone fortifications of the ancient city walls. To enter the hotel, you climb a series of terraces to the top of the crenellated walls of the ancient fortress. Here, grandly symmetrical and very imposing, is the hotel, the former residence of the 18th-century cardinal of Toledo, Señor Lorenzana. Just beyond the entrance you'll find flagstone walkways, Moorish fountains, rose gardens, and cascading vines. The establishment has tiled walls; long, narrow salons; dignified Spanish furniture; and a smattering of antiques. The hotel also boasts one of the best restaurants in Toledo. Salamanca, 2 nights: This four-star hotel has been installed in the former convent dedicated to San Esteban, which dates from the 1600s. It lies within the heart of monumental Salamanca. The hotel has been totally rejuvenated but the traditional style and luxury of its architectural past has been honored. Bedrooms are attractively and conservatively furnished with handsome bathrooms. The location is close to many sightseeing attractions, including the cathedrals. Porto, 2 nights: The hotel opened in 2000 in a portside location that’s virtually unbeatable, directly in the heart of medieval Porto. It’s composed of 11 separate but interconnected buildings, each between 200 and 400 years old. Inside is an intriguing blend of antique granite blocks and hypermodern minimalism, all bound together in a design that's the most appealing of any hotel in North Portugal. The rooms are among the most comfortable and imaginative in Porto. Near Coimbra, 1 night: A former hunting palace of the last Portuguese kings this is a five-star property located in a 17th-century walled forest planted by Barefoot Carmelite monks on 250 acres. The palace and its environs are what many dream a fairytale mansion in the woods should be like. Huge tile murals inside depict important historical events. Built in 1885 and decorated in neo-Manueline style, the palace has been a hotel since 1917. In the forest, there are walking paths, chapels, and belvederes. Lisbon, 3 nights: Situated in the heart of the city, this welcoming hotel with friendly service is a charmer. A family-owned and -operated four-star hotel, it has many appealing Art Nouveau touches, including the facade. The hotel was built in 1953 and has been frequently overhauled and modernized since. A well-known Portuguese designer, Graca Viterbo, decorated it in contemporary classic style. The guest rooms are well styled and comfortable. Pastel colors, prints on the walls, attractive ornaments, dried-flower arrangements, and well-stocked marble baths lend character and a sense of comfort. Some rooms look up to the botanical gardens, and the windows are double-glazed. PRICING $4,295 (14-15 participants) $4,395 (11-13 participants) $4,495 (9-10 participants) Single Supplement: $795 3% discount for payments by check Pricing includes: 14 nights’ accommodation (one 5-star hotel; four 4-star hotels; two 3-star hotels) all breakfasts in hotels a very nice lunch or dinner each day (except for one day) traditional Fado show and dinner in Lisbon on the last evening local Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking tour leader with the group throughout the trip comfortable, modern tour bus and driver's services local tour guides' services for all towns sightseeing tours in each town Venture Out escort throughout the trip all entrance fees at sights mentioned in the itinerary

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