Lisbon, Seville & The Glorious Algarve

Itinerary

Day 1

Fly to Faro, meet your tour manager and transfer to Albufeira and your hotel. Settle in and enjoy your first evening, perhaps heading into town before dinner.

Day 2

Today you're free to enjoy the facilities of the hotel and its surroundings, perhaps venturing the short distance into Albufeira, to enjoy the atmosphere of the celebrated 'Gateway to the Algarve'. Albufeira started life as a fishing village, and the daily catch is still landed in the harbour and brought straight to the colourful market most mornings. Wander through the narrow streets of the Moorish Old Town, take a seat in a cafe in the main square, or hunt out bargains in the great selection of shops. Close by, several wonderful beaches vie with the hotel pool as places to spend leisurely hours in the sun.

Day 3

Today you'll take the motorway north to explore the wonderful Portuguese capital, Lisbon, on an included guided excursion. Standing on the River Tagus, from whose estuary explorers set sail for the New World on their Journeys of Discovery, the city is a joy to behold. Don’t miss the extraordinary ornate Manueline architecture of the Belem quarter, or the Baixa, a grid of wide tree-lined avenues fringed with cafés and restaurants as well as strikingly modern new buildings. Bustling Rossio Square is filled with street-sellers and pavement artists. For a hint of the past, stroll the narrow streets of the Alfama district, with its steep stairways leading up to the Castelo de Sao Jorge, or St George’s Castle. After a wonderful day, you’ll return to Albufeira this evening.

Day 4

Today’s full-day optional excursion will take you inland, through the Algarve woodlands to Monchique. You’ll stop in Silves – the old Moorish capital of the Algarve – before continuing east, through the stunning mountain scenery of Monchique, to Foia, the region's highest point. The varied countryside and stunning views make for a thoroughly enjoyable day out.

Day 5

On today’s hugely enjoyable included excursion, you’ll cross into Spain and head to the historic Andalusian city of Seville, the great City of Flamenco. Explore this city, where almost every street seems to be lined with orange trees and filled with echoes of its rich and colourful history. See the 300ft Giralda Tower and the 'tomb' of Christopher Columbus at the magnificent cathedral. Visit Plaza de Toros, Spain's oldest bullring. Stroll through the courtyards of the Moorish Alcazar to the Jewish Quarter (Juderia), and stop in Plaza de Espana to soak up the atmosphere of this gorgeous city of great buildings, grand boulevards and maze-like Old Quarters where narrow streets open on to tree-lined squares. You'll return to the hotel this evening.

Day 6

Enjoy a day of rest and relaxation at your hotel or in Albufeira, or join our optional excursion to the beautiful Western Algarve. Highlights of this thoroughly absorbing day will include the splendid maritime town of Lagos – with its walled fortifications, famous golden church and stunning coastal views – historic Sagres – former home of Prince Henry the Navigator – and the wild promontory of Cape St Vincent, which overlooks the Atlantic Ocean at Europe’s most south-westerly point.

Day 7

Our final optional tour heads east along the coast to the colourful fishing port-town of Olhao. Stroll through the historic central quarter, past its Moorish houses, and around seafront promenade and bustling fish market, and perhaps enjoy a coffee in one of the many pavement cafes. You’ll also visit the elegant and historic town of Tavira, and see its castle and Roman bridge, before heading back to the Algarve capital, Faro. Spend a couple of hours exploring the cobbled streets and hidden squares of Faro's fascinating Cidade Velha (Old Town), and its colourful marina, before returning to Albufeira for a last evening at your hotel.

Day 8

Your tour of the Algarve ends today, as you return to the airport, and check in for your flight home at the end of a thoroughly enjoyable stay. Back to top

Further Information

Hotel transfer times

The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour.

Combining hotel transfers

We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.

Special requirements

If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.

Disabled access

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Itinerary changes

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

Foreign Office Travel Advice

Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.

Room tax

Some hotel have introduced a room tax of between 1 € and 3 € per person per night, payable directly by the guest to the hotel on check-out. You'll be advised by your tour manager at your destination if a particular hotel is implementing this charge.

Travelling to Europe

Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. Note that these new rules do NOT apply when travelling within the United Kingdom or to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. You do require government issued ID when travelling by air though. Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names. Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be: Less than 10 years old on the day you return home (please check the "date of issue") and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home (please check the "expiry date"). These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland where you can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay. Visa - If you’re a tourist, you do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. Different rules will apply to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania; if you visit these countries, visits to other EU countries will not count towards the 90-day total. Travel to Ireland will not change and stays there will not count towards the 90-day total. European Travel Information & Authorisation System (ETIAS) - Commencing in 2023, all citizens of the United Kingdom will require a ETIAS electronic form completed prior to their arrival into the EU and Schengen member countries. The cost for this travel authorisation will be €7.00 per person with exceptions for under 18’s and over 70’s. The latest information and further details can be found at www.etias.com. Border Control - At border control, you may need to show proof of your return journey - your travel documentation issued by us will be sufficient for this. You will also need to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens if manual checks are required. Healthcare Cover - You should always get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before you go abroad which covers pre-existing conditions. You should understand the terms and conditions of your travel insurance and be happy with its cover for healthcare and travel disruption. Newmarket sell a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Ask our travel consultants for more information. You should also apply for a UK Global Heath Insurance Card (GHIC) which lets you get urgent state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Note GHIC is only valid in EU countries and not in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Back to top