YOUR O.A.T. ADVENTURE TRAVEL PLANNING GUIDE® Iberian Voyage: Lisbon to Barcelona 2021 Small Groups: 20-25 travelers—guaranteed! (average of 22) Overseas Adventure Travel ® The Leader in Personalized Small Group Adventures on the Road Less Traveled 1 Dear Traveler, At last, the world is opening up again for curious travel lovers like you and me. And the O.A.T. Iberian Voyage: Lisbon to Barcelona itinerary you’ve expressed interest in will be a wonderful way to resume the discoveries that bring us so much joy. You might soon be enjoying standout moments like these: As a lover of art, Malaga holds a special place in my heart—after all, it is the birthplace of renowned artist Pablo Picasso, a fact that the local people are very proud of. You’ll meet some of them and hear their perspectives on Picasso and his legacy when you share a meal with a local family. Savor the flavors of a home-cooked meal and take this opportunity to connect with Spanish culture on a deeper level as you see the family go about their daily routine. You’ll also see another side of Iberian culture when you visit Tangier, Morocco where we’ll meet the founder of a female empowerment center to learn about the struggles that women face in this male-dominated society. We’ll gain insights into this patriarchal society and hear her perspectives on the progress that has been made, and her hopes for the future. The way we see it, you’ve come a long way to experience the true culture—not some fairytale version of it. So we keep our groups small, with only 20-25 travelers (average 22) to ensure that your encounters with local people are as intimate and authentic as possible. It’s also why your O.A.T. Trip Experience Leader will be a resident “insider” who can show you the culture as only a local can. To ensure that your adventure is truly unique, put your own personal stamp on it. You can arrive early and stay later, add a pre- or post-trip extension, spend time in a Stopover city, or combine two or more trips. Plus, your itinerary offers ample free time so you can pursue your own interests. So until the day comes when you are off to enjoy your Iberian Voyage: Lisbon to Barcelona adventure, I hope you will relish the fun and anticipation that this O.A.T. Adventure Travel Planning Guide® will inspire. Should you have further questions, feel free to call our Regional Adventure Counselors at 1-800-955-1925. Love and peace, Harriet R. Lewis Vice Chairman, Overseas Adventure Travel P.S. For more inspiration, you can watch videos and slideshows from travelers like you at www.oattravel. com/traveler-moments. You can also share some of your own favorite moments by uploading your travel videos and slideshows directly onto the trip-specific pages of our website. USA Today “Best Tours” 10Best Readers’ Presented by Choice Awards Solo Traveler 2 CONTENTS A Letter from Harriet Lewis ................................................................2 The O.A.T. Difference......................................................................4 The Grand Circle Foundation...............................................................6 The Leader in Solo Travel ..................................................................7 IBERIAN VOYAGE: LISBON TO ABOUT YOUR DESTINATIONS: BARCELONA CULTURE, ETIQUETTE & MORE Your Adventure at a Glance: Portuguese Cuisine ...................... 71 Where You’re Going, What it Costs, Spanish Cuisine ......................... 72 and What’s Included .......................8 Cuisine in Morocco ...................... 73 Your Detailed Day-To-Day Itinerary ..........9 Lisbon in Brief........................... 74 Pre-Trip Extension ....................... 27 Barcelona in Brief........................ 75 Post-Trip Extension ...................... 31 Shopping: What to Buy, Customs, Deck Plans .............................. 34 Shipping & More ........................ 77 Dates & Prices ........................... 38 DEMOGRAPHICS & HISTORY ESSENTIAL TRAVEL INFORMATION Portugal ................................ 80 Travel Documents & Entry Requirements. 39 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 80 No Visas Required ....................... 39 Portugal: A Brief History ................. 81 Rigors, Vaccines & General Health ......... 41 Spain................................... 82 Vaccines Required ..................... .. 42 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 82 Money Matters: Local Currency & Spain: A Brief History .................... 83 Tipping Guidelines....................... 44 Morocco ................................ 84 Tipping Guidelines....................... 47 Facts, Figures & National Holidays ........ 84 Air, Optional Tours & Staying in Touch ..... 49 Historical Overview of Morocco ........... 85 Optional Tours .......................... 50 Gibraltar in Brief......................... 86 Communicating with Home from Abroad . 51 Packing: What to Bring & Luggage Limits . 52 RESOURCES Suggested Packing Lists .................. 54 Suggested Reading ...................... 89 Electricity Abroad ....................... 56 Suggested Film & Video .................. 91 Climate & Average Temperatures .......... 58 Aboard Your Ship: Cabin Features, Dining & Services on Board ............... 61 M/V Corinthian & M/V Clio................. 61 Ship Specifications ...................... 64 O.A.T. Health & Safety Measures.......................................................... 94 Notes.................................................................................. 95 Map ................................................................................... 99 3 EXPERIENCE THE O.A.T. DIFFERENCE in Portugal & Spain This adventure not only showcases iconic sights, but takes you beyond them to experience the culture through unique activities, engagement with the natural world, and authentic encounters with local people. Since our founding in 1978, O.A.T. has become America’s leader in personalized small group journeys on the road less traveled. SMALL GROUPS: 20-25 TRAVELERS LOCAL MODES OF TRANSPORTATION (AVERAGE OF 22)—GUARANTEED To see the world like the locals, you should The world feels more intimate and engaging travel like one. Our small group size allows when your experience of it is also personal us to take the roads and waterways that are and genuine. That’s why our groups never less traveled, and we often follow them using exceed 25 travelers. This gives you access to the same unique modes of transportation people and places larger groups simply can’t that the locals use—be it a canoe, a camel or a reach. More authentic interactions. Deeper vintage cab. bonds with your travel mates. Personal service from your Trip Experience Leader. Smoother UNIQUE LODGINGS transitions. And a far more satisfying Our lodgings reflect the local character, experience than any traditional tour offers. from smaller family-run hotels and historic manors to comfy inns. Occasionally, larger THE BEST TRIP EXPERIENCE LEADERS hotels closer to city centers are used. Wherever Your English-speaking, O.A.T. Trip Experience you stay, you’re assured fine comfort and Leader is a resident of the region you are hospitality. visiting, so you will get a true insider’s perspective that brings each place alive—the OUR WORLDWIDE OFFICES stories, food, customs, hidden treasures With 36 regional offices around the world, and more. we are perfectly poised to leverage our local relationships to deliver an excellent experience AUTHENTIC CULTURAL CONNECTIONS and value. During this trip, you’ll be supported Engage with local people through visits to by our team in Spain. farms, factories, markets, and artisans’ studios; school visits; Home-Hosted meals; and more. Visit the Pasteis de Belem café in Lisbon, Portugal and sample Discover the art of making Portuguese cheese with a local expert its namesake pastry 4 THE PILLARS OF DISCOVERY Enriching. Inspiring. Unforgettable. These features form the foundation of your Iberian Voyage Small Ship Adventure. GRAND CIRCLE FOUNDATION (GCF) insight into a patriarchal society in the midst VISIT of a cultural reckoning. GCF was established in 1992 to help change A DAY IN THE LIFE people’s lives in the world where we live, Do you ever wonder, “What would it be like work, and travel. To date, we have pledged or to live here?” when you visit new lands? Let’s donated $200 million worldwide. find out during your O.A.T. A Day in the Life, an By investing in the places we explore— exclusive, immersive experience that places including local schools, cooperatives, or arts you in the heart of a community where you’ll centers—we hope to give locals the skills and meet various people where they live, work, confidence they need to become leaders of and play; visit the neighborhood school; lend a their generation and preserve their heritage hand with daily chores; and break bread with for many years to come. our hosts. CONTROVERSIAL TOPICS Perhaps you’ll join a local resident or community leader for a guided walk through Every culture has its joys and achievements, the town, visit a market, or enjoy a unique and we celebrate them all. But every place opportunity to meet teachers and students at also has its challenges, and to gloss over them a local school if school is in session. would not do justice to those whose stories need to be told—nor to you, as a traveler who HOME-HOSTED EXPERIENCES deserves more than a sugar-coated version of Stories shared. Differences solved. Taste buds things. So our Trip Experience Leaders will engaged. Good will extended. It’s amazing the lead