The Valley of Lakes in the Park of the National Palace of Pena, Sintra Portugal

Rail Journey through Portugal, Spain, and France

Discover some of Europe's magnificent Royal and Ancient UNESCO sites on a World Heritage Rail Journey through Portugal, Spain, and France. On the way, you can explore the popular cities of Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris, but get off the beaten track and be captivated by outstanding World Heritage.

A view of the National Palace of Pena palace from below. The park and palace are Portugal’s greatest example of 19th century Romanticism. – © Goncalo Borba / Shutterstock

The National Palace of Sintra is the preserved medieval royal residence in Portugal, being inhabited more or less continuously from the 15th to the 19th century. – © Sean Pavone / Shutterstock

The tunnels leading from Quinta da Regaleira's initiation well show visitors that Sintra is loaded with wonder both above and below ground. – © LALS STOCK / Shutterstock

A visit to the Royal Palace of Aranjuez—a residence of the King of Spain in the Community of Madrid—is a breathtaking experience. – © Joaquín Álvarez

The Royal Palace of Aranjuez and its surrounding gardens can be viewed from tethered hot air baloons. – © Antonio Castillo López

Visitors are drawn to the Chinese Pond in the Prince’s Garden, and its three small islets—the sites of a Greek temple, a Chinese temple, and an obelisk. – © Eric Titcombe

The Roman Amphitheatre of Tarragona was used for entertainment, including fights between gladiators and against wild beasts, as well as public executions. – © Veronika Galkina / Shutterstock

Tarragona's visitors experience the city's Roman past with historical re-enactments. Relive the gladiatorial battles in the Amphitheatre through the use of the latest technology. – © Rafael López-Monné / Tarragona Turisme

The castells are human towers formed by huge groups of people and can reach up to ten levels in height and were inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010. – © David Oliete

Pont du Gard is part of a Roman aqueduct in Southern France near Nimes. – © Elena Elisseeva / Shutterstock

"Les Féeries du Pont" is an amazing sound and light show in June—and just one of the many events held on the Pont du Gard World Heritage Site. – © Nicolas Chavance / Groupe F

Discover the largest centre synthesising the Roman World through the story of the Nîmes aqueduct. – © Aurelio Rodriguez

A view of the National Palace of Pena palace from below. The park and palace are Portugal’s greatest example of 19th century Romanticism. – © Goncalo Borba / Shutterstock

Cultural Landscape of Sintra, Portugal

Blending the fantastic with the palatial, Sintra—a picturesque retreat perched in the hills near Lisbon—is a swirl of fairy-tale styles, combining exotic and local architecture with beautiful vistas. Topped with a palace that is the epitome of the Romantic movement, the National Palace of Pena, these hills are filled with many remarkable monuments and parks, including the National Palace of Sintra—the summer destination of choice for the nobility and bourgeois since the 15th century.

Aranjuez Cultural Landscape, Spain

In a fertile valley formed by the Tajo and Jarama River basins, the vast gardens of Spain's Aranjuez Palace became the site of Europe's most important collection of cultivated trees. Declared a royal site for the Spanish Crown in the late 15th century, this seminal cultural and scientific accomplishment became a leisure destination for the Royal Court during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Tarragona and the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco, Spain

Call it what you want—the blueprint for Rome's success or the showcase for historic engineering—Tarraco was a monumental architectural achievement. It was the oldest Roman settlement on the Iberian Peninsula, established in the 3rd century BC. Located in the port city of Tarragona an hour south of Barcelona, a visit here will change your understanding of the ancient world.

Pont du Gard, France

The Pont du Gard was built shortly after the Christian era across the Gard river and is applauded as an absolute triumph in Roman aqueduct construction. The Roman architects and hydraulic engineers who designed this bridge, which stands almost 50 m high and consists of three levels – the longest measuring 275 m – created a technical and artistic masterpiece. The bridge is located in an extraordinary natural landscape, where two geological worlds meet against the rocky backdrop of the Garrigues.

Explore the unique attractions, experiences, and stories at each of these UNESCO sites through the itinerary map below.