BARCELONA (SPAIN)

Day 1: Tuesday 28 August

Looking forward to immersing ourselves in the relaxed culture of Spain, we check in for three nights at El Palace Hotel, close to Las Ramblas, the heart of Barcelona, the capital of the Catalan region. Tonight, dinner will be served on the roof terrace, beside an organic garden with views of the Mediterranean and Sagrada Familia.

BARCELONA

Day 2: Wednesday 29 August

We begin our first full day in the oldest part of the city. The Gothic Quarter was once the centre of Barcino, as Barcelona was called in Roman times. In the maze of streets and squares, you can still see the remains of the temple of Augustus. Today, the neighbourhood is also a great place to go shopping. At the beach, we savour a seafood and paella lunch, which is followed by an exploration of Gaudí’s genius. We visit Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, La Predrera and Casa Batlló.

BARCELONA

Day 3: Thursday 30 August

Today, explore the region around Barcelona with one of these Your World experiences.

• The Catalans are proud of their culture. We spend a full day visiting the region’s artisanal meat and cheese makers, wine cellars, fishermen and chefs, immersing ourselves in the culture via the cuisine.
• Montserrat, or ‘saw mountain’, is a string of rocky formations on the edge of the city renowned for its sweeping views. It is also the site of the Basilica de Montserrat, where you will find the Virgin of Montserrat, and some say, the Holy Grail of Arthurian legend.

This evening, we dine around the city. As is expected of Captain’s Choice, our guides are no less than the Aborígens, opinionated Catalan culinary journalists with encyclopaedic knowledge of their town.

SAN SEBASTIÁN

Day 4: Friday 31 August

We leave the region of Catalonia for Basque Country today. After a tapas lunch, a short flight places us in San Sebastián. We are in the Hotel Maria Cristina for one night. Dinner tonight will be a selection of the most traditional pintxos in the historic centre of town.

JOIN EL TRANSCANTABRICO GRAN LUJO

Day 5: Saturday 1 September

After lunch in San Sebastián, we drive to Bilbao, where we join the sumptuous El Transcantabrico Gran Lujo train, which has been privately chartered just for us. The crew welcomes us with drinks, then we begin the first leg of our journey, towards Villasana de Mena. A gourmet regional Spanish dinner awaits us in the evening and we overnight in town.

BILBAO & SANTANDER

Day 6: Sunday 2 September

The train takes us back to Bilbao to discover the city. Ours is a classic El Transcantabrico Gran Lujo itinerary. In Bilbao, we visit the Guggenheim Museum, iconic for its architecture and the art inside. Once we return to the train, we continue our journey to Santander in the Cantabria region, where we stop for the day. We arrive after lunch and take a tour of the port city. You are free to wander in the second half of the afternoon, and those amongst us who wish to may head to El Gran Casino once dinner is over.

POTES & CABEZÓN DE LA SAL

Day 7: Monday 3 September

This morning our train drops us off at Unquera station. From here, we drive through the narrow gorge of La Hermida to the idyllic village of Potes. After exploring the town, pamper yourself at La Hermida Spa. Rejuvenated, we rejoin our train for the trip to Cabezón de la Sal. Gaudí designed few buildings outside Catalonia, and in Comillas, we have the chance to see one. El Capricho, or The Folly, was once a private summer villa.

SANTILLANA DEL MAR

Day 8: Tuesday 4 September

The medieval town of Santillana del Mar welcomes us in the morning. It is also a stepping stone to the famed Cave of Altamira, where paintings from the Upper Paleolithic period, over 18,500 years ago, are to be found. Most remarkable are the images of bison – the artists even took advantage of the rock’s contours to create a three-dimensional effect. After lunch, our train brings us to the Asturias region, stopping at Ribadesella and then Arriondas, where we dine and spend the night.

OVIEDO & CANDÁS

Day 9: Wednesday 5 September

Rugged mountains, green slopes and glacial lakes make up the breakthtaking scenery of Picos de Europa National Park – an invigorating start to the day. At the Shrine of Covadonga, hear how the Visigoths defeated the Moors. Oviedo is the capital of Asturias, and its compact old town bears many striking examples of the region’s Romanesque architecture, including the Basilica of San Julián de los Prados. Tonight, we dine on our train as we travel on to Candás for the night.

AVILÉS, GIJÓN & LUARCA

Day 10: Thursday 6 September

We continue our discovery of Asturian towns today. As in other parts of Northern Spain, the area around Avilés was probably already occupied in the Upper Paleolithic era. The charming old town dates from at least the 900s, when documents report the endowment of two churches by the king. Nearby, Gijón sits photogenically on the Bay of Biscay, and has its origins in the 5th century BC. After our history lesson, we return to our train and continue west to Luarca.

RIBADEO & VIVEIRO

Day 11: Friday 7 September

Today, the Galicia region welcomes us. The train takes us to Ribadeo, where we follow the dramatic coastline to reach Las Catedrales Beach, so named for its numerous soaring rock arches and caves. Wander through the formations and don’t forget to look up to fully appreciate the geological wonders. Back in Ribadeo, explore the city and relax. We rejoin our train and travel on to Viveiro for the night.

EMBARK SPIRIT OF CHARTWELL (PORTUGAL)

Day 12: Saturday 8 September

We savour our last breakfast on the train as we make the final leg of our journey to Ferrol. From here, we drive to Santiago de Compostela, a World Heritage-listed city. The city holds the remains of Saint James, one of the Twelve Apostles and patron saint of Spain. Since the Early Middle Ages, Catholics have been making pilgrimages, involving a 100 kilometre walk, to the city. After our city tour, we cross the border to Porto in Portugal, where we join the M/V Spirit of Chartwell, a river barge that carried Queen Elizabeth II for her Diamond Jubilee. The newly refurbished vessel is our residence for six nights.

RéGUA

Day 13: Sunday 9 September

Our discovery of the Douro Valley begins in earnest today. The morning starts with an informative talk about the river and the land it flows through. Steep terraced vineyards, whitewashed wine estate houses and gentle hills characterise the landscape. Lunch is at the 14th century Convento de Alpendurada, followed by a tour of the Douro Museum. Back on our ship, we are treated to a fado and folk music show. Fado is a traditional Portuguese form of song typified by its melancholy tune and lyrics. Our vessel stops for the night in Régua.

PINHÃO

Day 14: Monday 10 September

We leave our boat for a morning tour of the town of Vila Real and the fairytale Mateus Palace within it. Learn a little about Portuguese cuisine during a culinary demonstration today, then savour its flavours at dinner, which takes place at Morgadio de Calçada, a major wine house and producer of Port. After dinner, we enjoy a private vintage port wine celebration. We dock at Pinhão for the night.

BARCA D’ALVA

Day 15: Tuesday 11 September

High on a hilltop, the village of Castelo Rodrigo looks over the plateau that stretches into Spain, as well as the Douro that flows at its feet. It has been fought for and won by both Spain and Portugal, several times over. On our ship, we learn more about Portugal’s fascinating history as the greens and golds of the countryside pass by. This evening, we indulge in a special dinner before docking at Barca d’Alva for the night.

SALAMANCA (SPAIN)

Day 16: Wednesday 12 September

Salamanca is an ancient Celtic city that has been under Carthaginian, Roman, Visigothic and Moorish rule. It is known for its ornate sandstone architecture, which, when bathed in sunlight, glows richly golden. Lunch here is accompanied by a flamenco show at the historic University of Salamanca, founded in 1218. Back on our vessel, we savour an authentic Portuguese barbecue at dinner.

ENTRE-OS-RIOS (PORTUGAL)

Day 17: Thursday 13 September

Modern Portugal is a fascinating subject that scholars have written books about. This morning though, you will be treated to an abridged version that will be as entertaining as it is educational. After, enjoy an indulgent day of simply drifting on the river. Come dusk we’ll be admiring the sunset glows with a harbour cruise at Entre-os-Rios, before we retire here for the night.

PORTO

Day 18: Friday 14 September

Our ship returns us to Porto this morning, where we disembark for the last time. Today, we check in to the Palácio do Freixo, a fine example of Portuguese Baroque architecture - the government declared its façade a National Monument in 1910. Our home for two nights welcomes us with cocktails. Later that evening, we dine in.

PORTO

Day 19: Saturday 15 September

We spend the day discovering two towns near Porto. Guimarães, a World Heritage-listed city, is known as the birthplace of Portugal. In 1128, Afonso Henriques fought a battle and crowned himself King, signalling a new Portugal, independent of Spanish influence. Braga is the country’s third largest city and has seen human population since the Iron Age. Today, it maintains its narrow medieval lanes, pretty plazas and Baroque churches remarkably well. Lunch today is in a restaurant serving traditional cuisine.

LISBON

Day 20: Sunday 16 September

On route to Lisbon, we stop in Coimbra, Portugal’s medieval capital for a hundred years. Its old town is set on a hill, with buildings from every era. In Lisbon, we call the Lapa Palace Hotel, overlooking the scenic Tagus River, home. After a welcome reception, we tour the city on foot, leaving time for a wine tasting. This evening, we dine on the most authentic and delicious of meals in restaurants frequented by Lisbonites.

LISBON

Day 21: Monday 17 September

Acquaint yourself with Lisbon and its surrounds with one of two Your World experiences.

• Begin the day in Lisbon, then continue on to Sintra, a town set on pine-covered hills. The cooler highland air meant that Portuguese nobles built the most fanciful and extravagant retreats up here.
• Spend the full day in Lisbon and eat like locals who well and truly know their way around, indulging in an array of gastronomic delights.

We bid Lisbon a fond farewell with dinner in the hotel’s historical room and commit those river views to memory.

PORTUGAL TO AUSTRALIA

Day 22: Tuesday 18 September

Over breakfast, we consider our two momentous journeys, one by train and one by river boat, before our exploration of Spain and Portugal draws to its conclusion.