Essential France, Spain & Portugal

Visit the most famous landmark in France, the Eiffel Tower. Opt to climb the stairs or take an elevator to the top for a stunning view over the city. Hang out at dusk and watch the tower light up.

Examine the massive collection at the Louvre, home to the Mona Lisa and the Winged Venus. While it might take a lifetime to view everything in the museum, one of the largest in the world, make the most of the time you have and try to spend at least a few hours wandering around.

Climb to the top of Montjuïc hill for fantastic city views and a visit to a 17th-century fortress, once used as a prison and execution site.

Visit Gaudí’s most famous life work, the cathedral of La Sagrada Familia, an inspiring, yet, bizarre testament to the artist’s unique vision.

See and be seen on Las Ramblas, a large tree-lined pedestrian boulevard perfect for people watching and window shopping that ends at the harbourfront facing the Mediterranean Sea.

Enjoy some spectacular people watching with a visit to the Plaza Mayor, the true heart of the city. Enjoy a coffee in one of the plaza’s many cafes and watch the world go by.

Shop, stroll, and people watch on the capital's most exciting street, Gran Via. Go early or late, the street stays awake all hours.

Shop, stroll, and people watch on the capital's most exciting street, Gran Via. Go early or late, the street stays awake all hours.

See how kings and queens live, with a visit to the Palacio Real, the official (and uninhabited) palace of the King of Spain. Wander the rooms to take in some of the most elaborately decorated and furnished rooms you'll ever see.

Take a wander around this incredible, and beautifully ornate bookstore built in 1906.

Take some time to walk around this charming square and get in with the local hustle and bustle.

The blue painted tiles on the inside of São Bento railway station makes it one of the most beautiful train stations in the world. See for yourself.

Shop, stroll, and people watch on the capital's most exciting street, Gran Via. Go early or late, the street stays awake all hours.

Join a half-hour guided tour of this neoclassical monument.

Explore Lisbon’s past in Alfama, one of the city’s oldest quarters. Wander along narrow medieval streets lined with typical tile-covered façades and take a step back in time; the area largely survived the great earthquake of 1755, and still retains much of its original layout. Listen for Portugal's traditional music, fado, gracing the streets at night.

Climb up to this Moorish castle for a wander around the impressive grounds on a guided tour, and a great view over Lisbon and Tagus River.

Discover Belém, a western suburb that's linked to Portugal’s Golden Age of Discoveries – it was the site where famous navigators once set sail to discover the world. While there, take some time to tour nearby must-see attractions: the Jerónimos Monastery, Belém Tower, the Tropical Botanical Garden, and the Berardo Museum of contemporary art. Please note: most attractions in Belém are closed on Mondays.

Stop in this lively square to get a taste of the local hustle and bustle.

Climb up to this Moorish castle for a wander around the impressive grounds on a guided tour, and a great view over Lisbon and Tagus River.

Explore Lisbon’s past in Alfama, one of the city’s oldest quarters. Wander along narrow medieval streets lined with typical tile-covered façades and take a step back in time; the area largely survived the great earthquake of 1755, and still retains much of its original layout. Listen for Portugal's traditional music, fado, gracing the streets at night.

Take a trip to the coastline to see this charming fort, built to protect Lisbon from raiders invading from the sea. Climb up the tower for great views of the ocean and surrounding city.

Take a visit to the best preserved Roman structure on the Iberian Peninsula, assumed to have been constructed in 1 AD.

Visit the neighbouring Évora Cathedral and Roman temple to see two remarkable buildings built more than 1000 years apart.

Dating to 1220, the Golden Tower is the last major building constructed by Seville's historic Muslim population.

Take a visit to marvel at one of the grandest mansions in Seville. The home is still inhabited by the Medinaceli family, but remains open to visitor tours during operating hours.

Explore the wonderful interiors and gardens of the Alcázar, a royal palace that was originally a Moorish fort. Arrive during the evening in the summer months (until mid-September) and enjoy a series of concerts in the beautiful setting of the Reales Alcázares.

Visit the true heart of Seville, the Santa Cruz quarter. A charming area with winding alleys, picturesque lime-washed houses, flowery patios, and small squares, you can wander, shop, or just soak in the neighbourhood's quaint atmosphere while enjoying a refreshing drink (sangria, perhaps) at one of the local restaurants.

Take a visit to this beautiful historic convent. Established in 1475, this convent is still home to the Jerónimas nuns. Infrequent tours in Spanish are run here, but visitors are welcome to the modest museum displaying 16th-18th century ecclesiastical art and sculpture.

Climb the tower known as La Giralda, adjacent to the world's largest Gothic cathedral, for spectacular views and a walk among historic walls. The 76m (249 ft) Giralda was constructed by the Moors as a mosque between 1184 and 1197. In 1568, after the reconquest, Christians fit the minaret with its bell tower.