Spain + Portugal: Culinary

Airport Transfer

On-ground Briefing & Orientation Walking Tour – The group will become oriented with their neighborhood, the public transportation systems, nearby pharmacies, markets, ATMs, etc. Additionally, an in-depth safety briefing will be provided for what to do in case of an emergency.

Free Time

Welcome Dinner – The group will be taken for an authentic dinner with a wide variety of menu options to cater all diets.

Madrid Historical Walking Tour - Discover the Austrian Madrid, the oldest part of town, with many of the most emblematic monuments of Madrid: Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Botin (oldest restaurant in the world), San Miguel Market, Cathedral of Almudena, and Opera house.

Chocolateria San Gines – Try a Spanish must: Chocolate con Churros!

Free Time

Great Spanish Classics Cooking Class (4 hrs) – In this course we return to those classic and emblematic dishes of Spanish gastronomy, flagship dishes of already starred restaurants. Recipes with their own name that have managed to remain present despite the passage of time and fashion, traditional preparations that with care and knowledge can be taken to the highest level, making a difference from the good to the exquisite.

Service Learning Activity at Operacion Kilo –During the visit to the Food Bank, students will learn about the store, help volunteers sort some foods, and attend a lecture on “Poverty and Food Waste.”

Tapas Tour – Get to try the cider from Asturias and some of the most famous food from the north of Spain.

Private Bus Transfer to Sevilla (approx. 6.5 hrs)

Check-in, Relax & Refresh time

Sevilla Historical Walking Tour – Discover the days in which Sevilla was one of the richest cities of Europe. This tour will take the group to some of the most important sites of town: the Cathedral, the Alcazar, the General archive of the Indies, Torre del oro, and Plaza de España.

Free Time

Visit to Almazara – An Almazara is a farm dedicated to olive oil production. This activity resembles a trip to the past as you enter the 17th century mill, offering a faithful recreation of the traditional process of obtaining olive oil, which contrasts with today’s innovative facilities where our range of extra virgin olive oils are obtained more premium.

Free Time

From the Market to the Table Cooking class (3.5 hrs) – Meet at Triana Market, where vendors sell colorful produce, succulent meats, fresh cheese, and a variety of other local delicacies. Everything you need to prepare an exceptional Spanish feast can be found here. Next, immerse yourself in a Spanish kitchen during a hands-on cooking class. The menu will include: Salmorejo or gazpacho; Seasonal Tapa (Spinach with chickpeas, Spanish potato omelette or Codfish fritters, etc.); Paella Valenciana as a main course; Light dessert such as lemon sorbet with cava.

Early Private Transfer to Lisbon (approx. 6 hrs)

Check-in, Relax & Refresh time

Lisbon Historical Walking Tour – Discover the traditional neighborhoods of Chiado and Baixa to visit the most important sites of Lisbon: Café a Brasileira, Convento do Carmo, Elevador de Santa Justa, and Praça do Comércio.

Free Time

Market Tour and Cooking Class (5 hrs) – The group will be taken to a traditional market where a guide will explain about the the ingredients that can be bought there and the preparation methods of the traditional Portuguese cuisine. After the market tour, the chef/instructor will teach you how to prepare a traditional Portuguese meal consisting of fish dish, meat dish, and dessert. Its a hands-on experience! In the end of all preparation you will enjoy the meal with your new foodie friends together with excellent Portuguese wines.

Visit to Belem – This Lisbon monumental area, next to the Tagus River, is where the conquerors departed in their expeditions to the New World. Belem is an area of Lisbon full history where the group can visit the Padrão dos descobrimentos, the Jeronimos Monastery, the Tower of Belem, and the most famous bakery in town: Pastelaria de Belem, where the traditional custard tart was invented.

Cooking Class: Pasteis de Nata (2 hrs) – Pastél de Nata is a Portuguese egg tart pastry very common and recognized worldwide and born in the 18th century at Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. At the time, monasteries and convents used huge quantities of egg-whites for starching of clothes, such as nuns habits.

Half Day Trip to Sintra: In the mountains of the outside of Lisbon, Sintra rises as a unique town full of eccentric palaces and castles. During this day trip, the group can taste the local pastries (queijadas and travesseiros) and tour the National Palace.

Return to Lisbon

Farewell dinner and Program Closing

Airport Transfer

Depart Lisbon, Portugal for Home