On this 10-night, small-group Iberian adventure, explore hidden gems in Spain’s ruggedly splendid Extremadura region and Portugal’s enchanting Alentejo countryside, plus Madrid, Segovia and Toledo! Discover fascinating medieval towns including Portugal’s marble-adorned beauties, a superb, 14th-century Spanish monastery and the remarkable ruins of a Roman aqueduct and theater. Enjoy deluxe and first-class accommodations, guided tours and educational lectures.
Day 1: Depart for Madrid
Day 2: In transit | Madrid, Spain
Arrive at Madrid-Barajas Airport
Transfer to the Hotel Wellington
Welcome Reception
Overnight: Hotel Wellington
Meals: Welcome Reception
Day 3: Madrid
Guided tour of Prado Museum
Plaza Mayor for lunch on your own
Free time: explore on your own
Palacio Real de Madrid
Welcome Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Wellington
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Segovia
Plaza Mayor
Alcázar
Segovia’s great Roman aqueduct
Free time: explore on your own
Lunch and dinner is on your own
Overnight: Hotel Wellington
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Toledo | Trujillo
Breakfast
Check out of the hotel
Cathedral of Toledo
Church of Santo Tome
View El Greco’s “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz”
Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca
Trujillo
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6: Trujillo
Guided walking tour of Trujillo
Plaza Mayor
Palacio del Marqués de la Conquista
Free time: explore on your own
Learn about the many explorers, such as Pizarro, Hernán Cortés and Francisco de Orellana
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7: Cáceres
Guided walk of Cáceres
Ancient Moorish towers
16th-century Concatedral de Santa María
Explore the Jewish Quarter
Museum of the Jewish Quarter
Torres de los Pozos
Free time: afternoon at leisure
Choose one of the following excursions:
Medieval Evening Walk
Gourmet Tour & Evening Walk
Arts & Crafts Evening Walk
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8: Monastery of Guadalupe
Guided tour of the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9: Mérida | Vila Viçosa, Portugal
Check out of hotel
Explore the Mérida ruins with a guide
Temple of Diana
Roman theater
Mérida’s National Museum of Roman Art
Lunch in town
Arrive in Vila Viçosa
Check into the hotel
Overnight: Alentejo Marmoris Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Elvas | Estremoz | Vila Viçosa
Tour of Elvas
Guided tour of Marble Towns of Estremoz and Vila Viçosa
Ducal Palace
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Alentejo Marmoris Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11: Évora
Tour of Évora
Roman ruins
Royal Church of St. Francis
Chapel of Bones
Free time: lunch and explore on your own
Farewell Reception and Dinner in the hotel
Overnight: Alentejo Marmoris Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner, Reception
Day 12: Depart for Home
Breakfast
Transfer to Lisbon airport
Meals: Breakfast
Kenneth Hillenburg, DDS, MS I graduated from Dartmouth College in 1970 with a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature. I studied dentistry at the University of Panama and completed my residency in Periodontics at U-M Dental in 1985 and taught at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry until retirement in 2014. I taught part-time in the UM Dental Clinic during 2015.
I live in Ann Arbor with my husband, Alan Burg. We have been together since 1983 and married since 2006. I am a former chair of the Board of the U-M LGBTQ Alumni Association.
Since retirement I have continued with my early interest in language learning. I am fluent in Spanish and French and have lived in Peru, Spain, France, and Panama. I am now learning Italian and German. I’m a pretty good cook and I enjoy reading, movies, and music. Alan and I are very active members of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor. We both enjoy learning about different cultures and look forward to meeting new people and planning many trips in the coming years.
Highlights
On this 10-night, small-group Iberian adventure, explore hidden gems in Spain’s ruggedly splendid Extremadura region and Portugal’s enchanting Alentejo countryside, plus Madrid, Segovia and Toledo! Discover fascinating medieval towns including Portugal’s marble-adorned beauties, a superb, 14th-century Spanish monastery and the remarkable ruins of a Roman aqueduct and theater. Enjoy deluxe and first-class accommodations, guided tours and educational lectures.
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart for Madrid
Day 2: In transit | Madrid, Spain
Arrive at Madrid-Barajas Airport
Transfer to the Hotel Wellington
Welcome Reception
Overnight: Hotel Wellington
Meals: Welcome Reception
Day 3: Madrid
Guided tour of Prado Museum
Plaza Mayor for lunch on your own
Free time: explore on your own
Palacio Real de Madrid
Welcome Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Wellington
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4: Segovia
Plaza Mayor
Alcázar
Segovia’s great Roman aqueduct
Free time: explore on your own
Lunch and dinner is on your own
Overnight: Hotel Wellington
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Toledo | Trujillo
Breakfast
Check out of the hotel
Cathedral of Toledo
Church of Santo Tome
View El Greco’s “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz”
Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca
Trujillo
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6: Trujillo
Guided walking tour of Trujillo
Plaza Mayor
Palacio del Marqués de la Conquista
Free time: explore on your own
Learn about the many explorers, such as Pizarro, Hernán Cortés and Francisco de Orellana
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7: Cáceres
Guided walk of Cáceres
Ancient Moorish towers
16th-century Concatedral de Santa María
Explore the Jewish Quarter
Museum of the Jewish Quarter
Torres de los Pozos
Free time: afternoon at leisure
Choose one of the following excursions:
Medieval Evening Walk
Gourmet Tour & Evening Walk
Arts & Crafts Evening Walk
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8: Monastery of Guadalupe
Guided tour of the Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Parador de Trujillo
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 9: Mérida | Vila Viçosa, Portugal
Check out of hotel
Explore the Mérida ruins with a guide
Temple of Diana
Roman theater
Mérida’s National Museum of Roman Art
Lunch in town
Arrive in Vila Viçosa
Check into the hotel
Overnight: Alentejo Marmoris Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10: Elvas | Estremoz | Vila Viçosa
Tour of Elvas
Guided tour of Marble Towns of Estremoz and Vila Viçosa
Ducal Palace
Dinner is on your own
Overnight: Alentejo Marmoris Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 11: Évora
Tour of Évora
Roman ruins
Royal Church of St. Francis
Chapel of Bones
Free time: lunch and explore on your own
Farewell Reception and Dinner in the hotel
Overnight: Alentejo Marmoris Hotel & Spa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner, Reception
Day 12: Depart for Home
Breakfast
Transfer to Lisbon airport
Meals: Breakfast
Journey
Host
Kenneth Hillenburg, DDS, MS I graduated from Dartmouth College in 1970 with a B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature. I studied dentistry at the University of Panama and completed my residency in Periodontics at U-M Dental in 1985 and taught at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry until retirement in 2014. I taught part-time in the UM Dental Clinic during 2015.
I live in Ann Arbor with my husband, Alan Burg. We have been together since 1983 and married since 2006. I am a former chair of the Board of the U-M LGBTQ Alumni Association.
Since retirement I have continued with my early interest in language learning. I am fluent in Spanish and French and have lived in Peru, Spain, France, and Panama. I am now learning Italian and German. I’m a pretty good cook and I enjoy reading, movies, and music. Alan and I are very active members of the Kiwanis Club of Ann Arbor. We both enjoy learning about different cultures and look forward to meeting new people and planning many trips in the coming years.
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