Spain & Portugal Farm Tour
Iberian Peninsula – Cattle – Dairy - Wine – Cooperatives
Spain is one of the largest agricultural producers in Western Europe. Southern Spain has a semi-arid Mediterranean climate. One of the main concerns is water and they many projects to reduce the use of water and also desalinate from the bordering seas. In 2021, Spain imported over $1.7 billion in agricultural goods from the US to be used in food production. Spain is a European leader in technology and food manufacturing and has an impressive logistical foothold including some of the most important ports in Europe. Spain’s largest export is citrus and equals 3 million metric tons. Similar to Spain, Portugal raises similar crops and enjoys a long agriculture tradition.
Spain & Portugal Farm Tour Date: Jan 31-Feb 11, 2026
Entry Requirements: In mid 2025 (exact date has not been announced), travelers will be required to secure a visa (ETIAS). Cost is ca. $10 and will be online.
Immunizations: Check with your local health professional and / or www.cdc.gov.
Spain & Portugal Farm Tour Itinerary
Depart Chicago Madrid is 7 hours ahead of Central Standard Time. Meals: Meals on flight
Morning arrival in Madrid. Pass through immigration and customs and meet your local guide and driver who will be with you the duration of the tour. Madrid 1 Greenwich Mean Time (+7 hrs ahead of CST). Panoramic tour into Madrid. Visit the neoclassical Basilica of St Francis the Great that was constructed in 1760 under Carlos III. The dome is the largest in Spain and the fourth largest in Europe. Visit the Almudena Cathedral, started in 1889 and consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993. Continue to visit the Royal Palace. Madrid’s Royal Palace was constructed on the site of the old Alcazar fortress that was a Moorish castle using similar plans to the Louvre. It is an official residence of the royal family. Of particular interest are the Royal Armoury and the Painting Gallery with art by Caravaggio, Goya, Morales and others. Rest and time to have lunch on own at a street side restaurant. Continue to hotel for check-in and time for rest. Dinner included nearby. 4* Hotel Madrid. Meals: On Flight, Dinner
After breakfast depart to the old imperial city of Toledo, which has become a symbol of the peaceful coexistence between Christian, Jews and Muslims. Enjoy a walking city tour of the old town. Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria (13th C) and the Alcazar (16th C). Also of note are two well preserved medieval Jewish synagogues from 1492. Lunch included. This afternoon visit a Manchego Cheese factory and manchega sheep farm. Return to Madrid 4* Hotel Madrid. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast depart to Colmenar to visit a cattle farm. Lunch included. Visit a Iberian ham processor. Spain has developed a protected brand and unique breed of pig that feeds on acorns and produces a unique ham. Continue to Segovia, a UNESCO world heritage site. The old city contains a multitude of historic buildings including a large number of buildings of Jewish origin. See the Roman aqueduct, the Alcazar and the Cathedral. Visit the Alcazar, a 12th Century medieval stone fortress hovering on a granite rock over the confluence of two rivers. Dinner on own. 4* Hotel Segovia. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart to Salamanca, which was once an important trading center. Visit the lively Central Market where produce, seafood and meats have been sold for centuries. The city is known for its University, one of the oldest in Europe, with more than 40,000 students. The city is a UNESCO protected World Heritage Site. Lunch included. Dinner on own. 4* Hotel Salamanca. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning to enjoy Segovia. Lunch included. Visit a pig farm specializing in Iberian ham. Spain has developed a protected brand and unique breed of pig that feeds on acorns and produces a unique ham. Continue to Salamanca, which was once an important trading center. The city is known for its University, one of the oldest in Europe, with more than 40,000 students. The city is a UNESCO protected World Heritage Site. Dinner included. 4* Hotel Salamanca. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Breakfast at the hotel. Depart to Portugal border. Lunch included. Enjoy a boat cruise through the Douro River valley. The river carved deep valleys and then man transformed the schist mountains into stepped terraces, with exposure to the sun, planting wine grapes. It is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world. The Douro River was also the only source of transportation from deep inland to the Atlanta for the rich fruits and vegetables grown in the region. Dinner on own. 4* Hotel Villa Real. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, visit a wine bodega to learn about wine growing and enjoy a tasting. Continue to Porto. Lunch on own. Porto is at the mouth of the Douro River, expelling into the Atlantic Ocean. The city has half a million inhabitants and is the third largest city in Portugal. Porto is a market town, rich with traders, is shown through its astounding architecture. It is known as “The Baroque City” with narrow, winding streets dense with buildings. Dinner included. 4* Hotel Porto. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast, visit the town of Porto for a walking tour. Port wine hales from this region and the tour will end with a port wine tasting. Lunch and dinner on own. 4* Hotel Porto. Meals: Breakfast
Breakfast at hotel and depart. The first visit of the day is to a cork factory to learn about the process of stripping the bark of the cork oak (Quercus suber). This region has been exploiting the cork oak since the 2nd Century. The trunks are peeled where the first layer, full of resin, is used for corkboards or thermal insulation. Every 8 to 12 years, the secondary layers can be harvested for the production of bottle corks and other items. This region is the world leader in cork production. Continue to visit a dairy farm. Lunch included. End the day in Fatima. The city of Fatima serves as a Catholic pilgrimage site due to the fact that in 1917 three shepherd’s children returned from tending sheep and saw an apparition resembling the Virgin Mary that spoke to them. Dinner included. 4* Hotel Fatima. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast depart to the monastery of Saint Mary of the Victor in Bathalha with an abbey dated to the 12th C. A part of the UNESCO heritage site faculty, it has been an important part of Portugal’s history. Lunch included. Technical visit of the hacienda which has 50,000 acres and specializes in wheat farming, wine, rice, olives, feedstuffs, cattle and horses. They also have an intensive forestry management program for their pines, eucalyptus and other trees that are utilized for wood production. Dinner on own. 4* Hotel Lisbon. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Breakfast at hotel. Touring of Lisbon starting with a visit to the Castle of Sao Jorge with a stunning view of the city. Continue through the maze of alleyways of the Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest quarter. Continue to the Belem district to visit the Belem Tower. Lunch on own and free time in afternoon. Farewell dinner with Fado Show showcasing traditional music of Portugal. 4* Hotel Lisbon. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Breakfast at hotel. Depart to airport for flight home with one or two connections. Meals: Breakfast, Meal on flight
What's Included

Accommodations
11 nights in superior tourist class accommodations.

Meals
Meals: 11 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, 4 Dinners

Transportation
Roundtrip airfare from Chicago - add on airfare available, please call.
Transportation provided in air-conditioned motorcoach.

Included
Sightseeing/technical visits as outlined in itinerary.
Services of full time professional tour manager with agricultural background.
All taxes and fees.

Not Included
visa fees, museum entrances, local tour manager and driver tips, passport fees, visa fees, public transportation, personal items, beverages at meals, travel insurance.
All prices based on current fuel prices and exchange rates. Subject to change.

Price
$5,599 per person, based on double occupancy.
$6,299 for single occupancy.