Spain And Portugal Program Overview
What better way to spend your summer vacation than by exploring Europe’s spectacular Iberian Peninsula? Spain and Portugal are two of this year’s trendiest travel destinations, and with good reason! With their relaxed cultures, Spain and Portugal is great choice for a smooth and easy introduction to Europe!
Join us in Spain, where you will wander the quaint cobblestone streets of the Andalusian cities of Seville before exploring the cultural capital, Barcelona in all its glory. You’ll take traditional dance classes in Seville and tour the gardens of the Alhambra Palace.
Cross over the border into Portugal and let its vibrant culture and eclectic architecture wow you as you stroll the hillside neighborhood of Alfama in Lisbon. If you listen carefully, you’ll even hear the sounds of traditional fado music being sung as you explore the hidden alleyways and hip boutiques. Take a day trip to the estate town of Sintra, where you’ll visit two hilltop castles with views that extend all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Soak up the sun and sand at Lagos’ world-class beaches as we kayak through hidden grottoes, and watch the sunset at the End of the World!
Between ancient cities, gorgeous mountains, and marketplaces beyond your wildest dreams, you’ll see all the ways that these two countries have influenced each other over the centuries.
Our Middle School Programs are specially designed to give teens a deep cultural experience in an approachable way. We incorporate all the same elements from our other programs while also choosing activities and destinations that are ideal for an introduction to Europe. We are all about a hands-on approach to travel, where we go beyond the casual tourist experience, take public transportation, and learn how daily life really is in each place we visit. We provide a unique and carefully crafted itinerary that creates a safe space to foster confidence and independence in an age appropriate manner.
During this program, you will…
- Climb the Moorish Castle and explore lagoons at a mansion in Portugal’s gorgeous mountain estate town
- Try the famous Pasteis de Belem at the original Portuguese bakery where they were invented
- Have an up-close visit of the FC Barcelona soccer stadiums (including the players’ benches and locker room!)
- Kayak through the incredible rock formations of Portugal’s Algarve coast
- Bike through Barcelona’s hidden passageways to find treasures both old and new
- Take in Gaudi’s incredible architecture at Parc Guell and the Sagrada Familia
- Learn how to make your very own tapas at a private cooking course
Trip Itinerary
DAY 1: DEPART FROM NEW YORK (JFK)
DAYS 2-4: BARCELONA
Welcome to Europe!
We’ll begin our trip in Barcelona, where we’ll dive right into this funky city with lunch at the Boquería Market, a hip old-world marketplace that sells the freshest fruit juices, tastiest tapas, and the best meats and cheeses fresh from countryside farms. Learn how to make your own paella with our private cooking classes and shop along La Rambla, the main boulevard in the downtown area. We’ll take a fantastic bike tour around the city and see the home of FC Barcelona, the Camp Nou soccer stadium. A trip to Barcelona wouldn’t be complete without marveling at Gaudi’s masterpiece cathedral La Sagrada Familia, as well as a visit to Parc Guell, where the Cheetah Girls movie and America’s Next Top Model were filmed! We’ll finish our time in Barcelona with an amazing lights and colors show at a magnificent fountain in front of the Royal Palace.
DAYS 5-6: SEVILLA > GRANADA
We then cross the border to southern Spain and the region of Andalusia. Sunny Seville, a fantastically romantic city rife with history and culture, attracts thousands of study-abroad students a year for good reason – it typifies quintessential southern Spanish life. Visit Columbus’ tomb in the world’s third largest Cathedral, and take traditional Sevillanas dance classes! We’ll also see a spectacular flamenco show and enjoy tapas in a typical Spanish taberna.
While staying is Seville, we will take a day trip to beautiful Granada to explore the majestic Alhambra palace. We will learn about the history of the Moorish people who lived here for several centuries, and how they defended the city of Granada from the “reconquering” Spanish Catholics from this point. You’ll next have the chance to explore the Arab marketplace, where you can find all sorts of treasures, like spices, weavings, ornate lanterns, and carpets. This is just a preview of what the incredible Moroccan souks will be like! We’ll see the tomb of the Catholic Monarchs who united Spain, enjoy a wonderful tapas dinner at a bodega.
DAYS 7-9: LAGOS
Our next stop is the fun resort town of Lagos in Portugal’s famed Algarve region. Here we’ll spend an afternoon snorkeling and soaking up the sun on the pristine beaches, as well as take a sea kayaking tour of the grottoes and caves of its stunning coastal cliffs. You can even hike up to the lighthouse!
DAY 10-12: LISBON > SINTRA
Just a short bus ride away, Lisbon welcomes us with open arms, a vibrant culture, and a plate of delicious pastel de nata. We’ll visit the San Jorge Castle, from which you can see all of Lisbon; eat famous Portuguese pastries in the bakery that invented them (the recipe is still a secret); and explore the best shopping areas and nightlife of the city. We’ll listen to traditional Portuguese fado music as we dine on local specialties that include codfish, potatoes, and chicken. We will also visit the nearby mountain estate town of Sintra, where we will climb the Castle of the Moors and the Pena Palace for phenomenal views of the landscape and Atlantic ocean, and explore the gardens of a mansion that includes a spiral staircase leading into tunnels and lagoons. We’ll end our time in Lisbon with a trip to the beach and then head to Lagos! Finally, we’ll enjoy a fancy final dinner to end our unforgettable adventure.
DAY 13: RETURN FLIGHT TO THE USA
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do students like most about the Europe for Middle School: Spain and Portugal trip?
On the Europe for Middle School: Spain And Portugal trip, students love that they are able to explore two diverse cultures in one trip while getting to combine adventure activities and cultural exploration. While they are all geographically close, Lisbon, Lagos, Barcelona and Sevilla are all incredibly different, which keeps things exciting.
On the Europe for Middle School: Spain And Portugal trip, students love that they are able to explore two diverse cultures in one trip while getting to combine adventure activities and cultural exploration. While they are all geographically close, Lisbon, Lagos, Barcelona and Sevilla are all incredibly different, which keeps things exciting.
Where do we stay?
Our hotels are chosen specifically in safe areas and are well suited to facilitating group supervision. We stay in centrally located accommodations, usually within walking distance of the main attractions. We do not use large, impersonal chain hotels on the outskirts of cities; we prefer to select smaller, family-run hotels where we establish personal relationships with the owners.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for the program.
Our hotels are chosen specifically in safe areas and are well suited to facilitating group supervision. We stay in centrally located accommodations, usually within walking distance of the main attractions. We do not use large, impersonal chain hotels on the outskirts of cities; we prefer to select smaller, family-run hotels where we establish personal relationships with the owners.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for the program.
What is included?
Tuition cost includes ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts and dinners.
Not included in cost (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): airfare; lunches; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
Tuition cost includes ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts and dinners.
Not included in cost (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): airfare; lunches; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
What is the food like in Spain & Portugal?
In a word – delicious! At TFT, we believe food should be an integral part of the travel experience and always make an effort to eat at authentic establishments when we can. What better way to immerse yourself in the culture of a place than by sampling the local delicacies, and we encourage students to do so whenever possible! Just as we stay away from Americanized hotel chains, we try to avoid restaurants with menus that cater only to tourists because every good traveler knows the best food is found wherever the locals are eating!
The Spanish and Portuguese are beyond happy to boast of their diet with anyone who asks. Both are diverse diets that focuses on ham, cheese, seafood, and eggs, as well as rice and fresh vegetables. Of course, no Spanish or Portuguese dish would be complete without at least a little extra virgin olive oil!
Of course, we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.
In a word – delicious! At TFT, we believe food should be an integral part of the travel experience and always make an effort to eat at authentic establishments when we can. What better way to immerse yourself in the culture of a place than by sampling the local delicacies, and we encourage students to do so whenever possible! Just as we stay away from Americanized hotel chains, we try to avoid restaurants with menus that cater only to tourists because every good traveler knows the best food is found wherever the locals are eating!
The Spanish and Portuguese are beyond happy to boast of their diet with anyone who asks. Both are diverse diets that focuses on ham, cheese, seafood, and eggs, as well as rice and fresh vegetables. Of course, no Spanish or Portuguese dish would be complete without at least a little extra virgin olive oil!
Of course, we are always willing and able to accommodate vegetarians, vegans, gluten allergies, and other dietary restrictions.