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Iberian Adventure
Iberian Adventure:
Paella, Palaces and Plenty of Port
(Dispatch #1)

Story and photos by Tom Weber

TAP Portugal plane

ere I sit, tapping my fingers anxiously on the armrest of seat 16A – like castanets accenting the beat inside a café cantante (singers cafe) – aboard TAP Airlines flight Eight-Six-Niner as I wing my way towards Lisbon, the first leg on a six-day, whirlwind Insight Vacations' (Insight) journey around Portugal and Spain.

Once down on terra firma, I'll marry up with another intrepid "band of merry media," 29 fellow journalists and photographers from around the globe invited by Insight to sample a portion of its Iberian Adventure itinerary.

sights around the Iberian peninsula

The Insight "road map" guarantees a healthy dose of the sweet life along two sides of the Iberian Peninsula: a doce vida in Portugal – via Lisboa, Sintra, Azeitao, Évora and Monsaraz – and la dulce vida in Spain – via Seville and Cordoba.

Pack a bag and join me and my intrepid "band of merry media" aboard a business-class legroom motor coach as we experience firsthand the "art of touring in style" on Insight's Iberian Adventure, an adventure sure to be filled with "signature" moments, fine dining and restful nights in five-star hotels.

Insight Vacation's Iberian Adventure brochure

For complete information on Insight's premium and luxury-escorted itineraries, including the Iberian Adventure and 112 other journeys throughout Europe, just click HERE, or call toll free 1-888-680-1241, or contact your travel agent.

Uh-oh, the seatbelt light just came on. We're making our descent into Lisbon. Look out Iberia, here I come!

Related Articles:
Cruising the Douro River, Portugal; Spain, Portugal and Morocco; 3 Things We Didn't Know About Portugal; Driving Ourselves Crazy in Spain; Romantic Getaway in Picturesque Portugal; A Food & Wine Tour of Alcala, Spain




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Let Tom know what you think about his traveling adventure.

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Feedback for Destination Bosnia: Inside Sarajevo's Tunnel of Hope

Spent time in Sarajevo in the fall of 1973…beer was excellent!

--- David

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Hi Tom,

I must say, you're photographs are always amazing. They are top notch. You bring so much class to Traveling Boy. It's photographs like yours that make me want to go out and do my own traveling. Please don't get tired of sending us your amazing adventures. It's such a delight for the soul.

--- Raoul, Whittier, CA

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Hi Tom:

I'm also an American living in Italy. I've read with interest your blog and articles. I'd like to speak with you regarding residency and citizenship for Americans in Italy as you do seem to have a great deal of knowledge on all of these subjects. Would it be possible to give you a call on the phone? If so, please let me know how to reach you. If not, I can ask my questions via email.

Thank you!

--- David

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Hey Tom – Wow! Love those photos – they are so super that they make me A) Want to start eating NOW. B) Go there myself. C) See all that pristine beauty that looks so restful and peaceful. Great story, superb pix!!! Bravo!!

--- John, Los Angeles, CA

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Feedback for Destination Southwestern France: Saint-Émilion

Good job, Tom, and timely info. St. Émilion is in the list of places Jim Hayes and I will visit in September 2014. If we get the chance, we will exploit your experience to enhance the trip!

--- Bobby Harper, Dameron, MD

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Feedback for Vicenza Walks – Monte Berico

I lived in Vicenza for 4 years in the U.S. ARMY from 1963 to 1967. A wonderful place to explore. Palladio’s works are amazing. Have been back twice since and find new places to visit. My favorite is MONTE BERICO where I have some wonderful photos of my family.

--- Dr. Albert Pizzi, Hanover, MA

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I liked the new TB particularly the Vicenza article that took me back as a youth when we lived in Naples and travelled up there for a baseball tourney (U.S. Military Bases dependent schools played each other.)

Took me back to the plaza.

--- Bill

Feedback for A Canterbury Trail (Sutri)

Very interesting note. I have wedroned which route the early pre-Christian and Christian pilgrims travelled to Rome from England. Is it still possible to travel the Francigena trail?

--- Pawel

You can find out more info on walking tours of Via Francigena at this site: http://www.compagniadeicammini.it/en/. Thanks for stopping by and commenting..

Tom

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Good article, enjoyed reading it. Saved your recommended sights for future use.

--- Dardenne Prairie, MO

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You're going to be great at this Tom. Congrats.

--- Donna Vissa -Montreal



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Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756 - 1791) could read and compose music, plus play the violin and piano, when he was five years old. Born into a musical family in Salzburg, Austria (then the Holy Roman Empire), he had a unique ability for imitating music, which first became evident when he recited a musical piece by simply observing his father conducting a lesson to his older sister. This led to a childhood on the road, where the young prodigy performed before many of the royal courts of Europe.

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aurora borealis lights up the night sky near Fairbanks
In the 1840s, the population of California was only 14,000, but by 1850 more than 100,000 settlers and adventurers had arrived from all over the world – and they came for one reason: gold. James Marshall had discovered the first gold nugget at Sutter’s Mill in El Dorado County, creating the largest gold rush in history.

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dressed-up for the Mardi Gras
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Cedar Hill, Washington DC
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Go There

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Costa Rican volcano

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Tahiti

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Nikko Temple gate
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go there

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Tim Robbins

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Nemeth and Deanna Bogart performing at Rosarito Beach, Baja, Mexico

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Douglas A26 Invader

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