Welcome to the fiery Spanish capital that is Madrid. Take in the vibrant essence of Madrid before meeting up with your fellow travelers and Travel Director for a memorable welcome reception and orientation drive to see some of the city's most iconic sights.
Start your day with a guided sightseeing tour alongside a Local Specialist. See the ornate Cibeles Fountain and stroll the buzzing Gran Vía before exploring the world-famous Prado Museum, home to works by Spanish masters. This afternoon, you could browse the boutiques, relax in Retiro Park or find a quiet tapas bar in La Latina. If you’d like to keep the adventure going, consider joining an Optional Experience for a local dinner and the chance to explore more of Madrid’s vibrant nightlife.
Leave Madrid and travel north through the Guadarrama mountains, crossing into the wide plains of Castile. Stop in Burgos, once the capital of the region and an important point along the Camino de Santiago, where your Travel Director introduces you to the old town where you’ll see its impressive Gothic cathedral. Your journey continues through changing landscapes into the Basque Country. In Bilbao, take in the bold, modern design of the Guggenheim Museum as you view its striking exterior beside the river.
Spend the morning soaking up the laid-back charm of San Sebastián. Wander along La Concha beach, explore the old town or enjoy a coffee in one of the city’s elegant squares. Later, travel inland to Pamplona, known for its bull-running tradition and medieval streets. The rest of the day is yours to explore the city at your own pace. Follow in Hemmingway's footsteps on an Optional Experience that uncovers Pamplona's highlights, or try the local pintxos in one of Pamplona’s bars.
Your journey continues through the Ebro Valley to Zaragoza where we’ll view the Basilica of El Pilar and Cathedral of La Seo. Later, arrive in Barcelona to soak up the charm of a city that professes two great loves – Gaudí and football. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Perhaps amble through the aromatic La Boqueria, or join us for an evening of discovery, rounded off with a traditional Catalonian-style dinner.
Consider joining a morning Optional Experience to the mountain-top monastery of Montserrat to see the shrine of the Black Madonna, the patron saint of Catalonia. Afterwards, the whimsical fantasy world of Gaudí is on display as you embark on a sightseeing tour to visit the inspiring, but as yet unfinished, La Sagrada Família* in the company of a Local Specialist. *Please note that with the construction of the Sagrada Família nearing completion, access to the basilica may be restricted for special masses, pilgrim visits or official ceremonies, and we are unable to secure tickets to visit. Should this occur during your tour, you'll visit the Hospital de Sant Pau instead, a striking example of Catalan Art Nouveau designed by Gaudí’s contemporary, Domènech i Montaner. Afterwards, join your Local Specialist in the gardens surrounding the Sagrada Família and take in the extraordinary exterior of Gaudí’s iconic masterpiece.
The sweet scent of oranges accompanies you on your journey along the Costa Dorada to fortified Peñíscola, where you'll see the ancient castle used in the film 'El Cid'. Continuing through fertile huertas, arrive in sunny Valencia where you will stay the night. Your orientation of this cultural city includes views of the modernist style Mercado de Colón, the Bullring, the Towers of Serrano and Quart, and the Art Nouveau Estación del Norte. Witness the modern verve of Valencia and view the City of Arts and Sciences, a large-scale urban recreation center for culture and science, designed by Santiago Calatrava. During one of our iconic MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, enjoy horchata, the celebrated drink of Valencia.
Journey by the dramatic Sierra Nevada Mountain range to the city of Granada where you meet a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of the spectacular UNESCO-listed Alhambra. Its golden façades and extraordinary Moorish architecture reflect centuries of multi-cultural history, which you will have a rare opportunity to explore as you wander through its palaces and exotic water gardens. Check in to your hotel later, where you will dine tonight.
Set your watch to Spanish time and enjoy a leisurely morning on your terms, or consider taking an Optional Experience to explore the medieval Moorish Quarter of Granada - the Albaicín - with its narrow winding lanes, churches, minarets and palaces. Then leave Granada behind for the sun-kissed shores of the Costa del Sol, where you'll spend the next two nights. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Stroll along the beachside promenade, relax at one of the nearby beach cafes or visit the picture-perfect whitewashed Andalusian village of Mijas - the choice is yours.
Another day in paradise for you to kick back, worship the Spanish sunshine and taste la buena vida. Enjoy fresh seafood in Torremolinos, relax on the bleached beaches and soak up the Mediterranean atmosphere or consider an Optional Experience to the effervescent Andalusian capital of Málaga to explore centuries of history.
A scenic drive takes you past the millionaires' resort of Marbella and on to La Linea. Cross to the Rock of Gibraltar for free time to explore or consider joining an Optional Experience to St. Michael's Cave to see the Barbary Macaques (Rock Apes). This afternoon, continue through the Andalusian countryside past Jerez - famous for its sherry production - to Seville. In the evening, connect with locals as you enjoy a Be My Guest experience, sharing dinner with Isaac at his family’s olive farm.
Join your Local Specialist this morning for a tour of Seville's leafy avenues. See the iconic Giralda Bell Tower and visit the Seville Cathedral, the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. Stroll through Maria Luisa Park, with its tiled fountains, pavilions, palms and orange trees, and explore the architectural gems of Seville's 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. Explore the Jewish history of Spain in Seville's former Jewish Quarter, where a wall separated the Jewish community from the rest of the city during medieval times. Tonight, consider soaking up the fiery flamenco atmosphere in the city that made this passionate dance famous.
Journey to Córdoba to meet a Local Specialist for a visit to the astounding Mosque of the Caliphs, a jewel of Hispano-Islamic art featuring striking arches and Byzantine mosaics. Then walk through the old Jewish neighborhood, passing by the remains of the 14th-century Mudéjar-style synagogue. Continue to Toledo for an evening in Spain's former capital.
Join your Local Specialist for a walking tour through Toledo’s medieval streets and discover the city’s unique blend of cultures. You’ll Dive into Culture as you visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see El Greco’s The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, then step inside the oldest synagogue still standing in Europe. Back in Madrid, round off your trip over a final dinner with your Travel Director and fellow travelers, a chance to reflect on everything you’ve seen and experienced.
Our time together has come to an end. For now it's a fond adiós to Spain and newfound friends.
