The Best of Spain

ITINERARY

• DAY 1
  Spain's Capital, Madrid

  Bienvenido! Welcome to Spain's Capital

  Upon arrival in Madrid, a private transfer to your hotel in the city center. First afternoon & evening free to get acquainted with this cosmopolitan city and the vibrant atmosphere that it will offer over your stay.
  

  What's included?

  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 2
  Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain

  Madrid - Exploring the Treasures of Madrid

  Your art historian guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel for an introductory walking tour to discover the highlights of Madrid.
  On this private tour, you will explore both Hapsburg and Bourbon dynasties' legacies, spanning the 16th to the 19th centuries. In the Madrid of the Habsburgs, you will learn about the development of the area around the Plaza Mayor, the Casa de la Villa square, and the Puerta del Sol, which marked the eastern gate of the city under their reign. The Bourbons expanded the boundary of the city beyond the Puerta del Sol to the Prado Museum and Retiro Park. The court of Versailles inspired the Bourbon dynasty, and you can see the French influence in the buildings they commissioned, including the Royal Palace, with its elegant Plaza del Oriente and Royal Theater, the Bank of Spain building, the beautiful Cibeles and Neptune fountains, and the world-renowned Prado Museum.
  This tour includes "skip the line" tickets and a guided visit to the magnificent Royal Palace.
  Afternoon & evening free to explore other sites of Madrid at your leisure.
  Madrid, Spain's central capital, is a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks such as the Buen Retiro. It’s renowned for its rich repositories of European art, including the Prado Museum’s works by Goya, Velázquez, and other Spanish masters. The Habsburg dynasty (Los Austrias) ruled Spain during its Golden Age and established Madrid as the capital of the country. During their reign in the 16th and 17th centuries, the old center of the city was transformed with the construction of many of the city’s historic buildings around the area of the Plaza Mayor. The Bourbon dynasty reigned after the Habsburgs, and they continued the transformation and expansion of the city. They are responsible for commissioning some of Madrid’s most iconic buildings, including the Royal Palace, the Cibeles and Neptune fountains, and the Prado Museum.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 3
  Royal Seat of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Madrid, Spain

  Madrid - Segovia & El Escorial

  Your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel for a morning tour of El Escorial. Once in El Escorial, you visit the Monastery, the Basilica, the Royal Pantheon, the Library, and the Habsburg apartments. After the visit to El Escorial, you will be driven to Segovia. Free time to have some lunch before starting your afternoon guided tour of this picturesque city. Your guide will take you walking tour around the old town of Segovia including its famous Aqueduct (symbol of the city, built-in 50 BC and remarkably well preserved) and the beautifully restored Alcázar which dates back to the 11th-century.
  You will then be driven back to your hotel in Madrid where you have the evening free to enjoy at your leisure.
  The Royal Site of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, commonly known as El Escorial, is the historical residence of the King of Spain in the town of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. The site functions as a monastery, basilica, royal palace, pantheon, library, museum, university, and hospital. The Escorial is comprised of two architectural complexes of great historical and cultural significance: The Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial itself (a monastery originally Hieronymite but occupied since 1885 by Augustinians) and La Granjilla de La Fresneda, a royal hunting lodge and monastic retreat about five kilometers away. Situated at the foothills of the Sierra de Guadarrama just outside of Madrid and built during the reign of Philip II when Spain was at the height of its imperial power, El Escorial symbolizes the close union of church and state under the supreme authority of the Spanish monarchy.
  Long before Madrid became the capital of Spain in the 16th century, Segovia was one of the most important cities in the country, and the many Romanesque churches that one comes across at almost every turn around the city are certainly evidence of that. Segovia is a World Heritage City, with unique monuments that alone visit well worthwhile. However, once in Segovia you will find the city offers much, much more; an old Jewish quarter, stately homes, outstanding views, and a green belt that is ideal for a pleasant stroll in the sunshine. Nowhere else in Spain has such a stunning monument to Roman grandeur (the soaring aqueduct) surviving in the heart of a vibrant modern city. Many myths surround this impressive city, one being that it was founded by Hercules. Another is that Walt Disney is said to have modeled Sleeping Beauty's castle in California's Disneyland on Segovia's Alcázar. Myths aside, this is truly a magical city of warm terracotta and sandstone hues set amid the rolling hills of Castilla, against the backdrop of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 4
  El Alcázar Toledo, Spain

  Madrid - Imperial & Medieval Toledo

  Take the high-speed train to Toledo, just 30 min from Madrid. Upon arrival in Toledo, your art historian guide will meet you at the railway station and will take you on a short panoramic tour of the city in a taxi, stopping along the way at the most spectacular viewpoints. This will be followed by a 3.5-hour walking tour of the historic center. During this tour, you will visit the Cathedral, widely considered one of the high points of Gothic art given the great superimposition of styles in the building and a large number of renowned artists who left their mark on the church: from Pedro Berruguete to Enrique Egás, Petrus Petri and Juan Guas. On its main facade, the outstanding feature is the doorway, made up of three doors: Infierno (Hell), Perdón (Forgiveness), and Juicio (Judgement). The exterior is topped by the two cathedral towers, one of them in flamboyant Gothic style and the other in Gothic-Renaissance.
  You will discover the beautiful Jewish quarter where you’ll visit the El Tránsito synagogue which houses one of the best Mudejar coffered ceilings in Toledo, along with walls richly decorated with geometrical and botanical designs as well as Hebrew inscriptions. Nowadays, it is where the Sephardic Museum is located.
  You will also get to visit the San Juan de Los Reyes Monastery, a superb example of flamboyant Gothic style outstanding for its great ornamentation and its cloister, of great sculptural value.
  After the guided tour, you will have some free time to have lunch.
  During your free time in Toledo, you could also stroll the narrow streets of the old town and visit some other interesting sites on your own (i.e. the San Bartolome Church to admire the famous Greco painting "El Entierro del Conde Ordaz", The Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca or the Mezquita de la Luz) before taking a taxi back to the train station.
  You will take the return train to Madrid. Back in Madrid, you can enjoy the evening by further exploring the city at your own leisure or by revisiting your favorite spots.
  Toledo is one of the Spanish cities with the greatest wealth of monuments. Known as the “city of the three cultures”, because Christians, Arabs, and Jews lived together here for centuries. Behind its walls, Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy in the form of churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques, and synagogues. This great diversity of artistic styles makes the old quarter of the capital of Castile - La Mancha a real open-air museum, which has led to it being declared a World Heritage Site. If there is one person's name that defines Toledo it is that of El Greco. His House Museum, a palace with the atmosphere of the period, exhibits some of the best works of the painter who made the city world-famous.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 5
  Mosque Cathedral Cordoba, Spain

  Cordoba - The Ancient City of Cordoba

  Private transfer from your hotel in Madrid to the train station, where you will take the high-speed train to Cordoba (1:45 hours). Upon arrival in Cordoba, your private driver will take you to your hotel in the historic center.
  Late morning, your art historian guide will meet you at your hotel lobby to take you for an introductory walking tour of approx. 3 hours to discover the main sites of Cordoba, a Unesco-listed city.
  The visit will, of course, include the famed Mosque/Cathedral (La Mezquita), a monumental site that encapsulates this city's identity like few other buildings can, with the layers of its beautifully complex history visibly integrated into its walls and bearing the marks of the various and
  diverse cultures and civilizations that helped shape this fascinating city.
  You will also discover the Jewish quarter, a quaint and charming network of pretty narrow lanes that will lead you to the Synagogue, a unique building in Andalusia, and one of the three best-preserved Medieval synagogues in the whole of Spain.
  This wonderful tour will end at the Royal Alcázar/Palace, once the residence of Roman governors and Moorish caliphs, and finally, in 1328, the Cordovan home of the Spanish kings.
  Free afternoon and evening to explore the city at your leisure.
  Córdoba is a city in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, and the capital of the province of Córdoba. A great cultural reference point in Europe, this ancient city has been declared a World Heritage Site. It contains a mixture of the diverse cultures that have settled it throughout history. Very few places in the world can boast of having been the capital of a Roman province (Hispania Ulterior), the capital of an Arab State (Al-Andalus), and a Caliphate. The city famously houses
  the Mezquita, a symbol of the worldly, sophisticated culture that flourished here more than a millennium ago when Córdoba was western Europe's biggest, most cultured city. Such splendor is palpable in the intellectual wealth of this city, which has seen the birth of figures like Seneca, Averroes, and Maimonides (Cordoba has, in fact, erected a life-size statue in honor of this physician and philosopher considered one of the greatest Jewish thinkers of all time).

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Transfer
• DAY 6
  Visit the vineyard in Andalucia, Spain

  Cordoba - Explore the beautiful hills of Montilla and the colours & flavours of Andalusia

  On this exciting tour, we will venture out into the countryside to explore the beautiful hills of Montilla (still a very unspoiled wine region 40 mins south of Córdoba). Olive oil, gastronomy, and wine are part of Andalucia’s popular wisdom and with this tour, you will delve into the fascinating world of olive oil and wine.
  Your first stop will be a family-run olive oil mill where you will discover the full process of olive oil making. You will enjoy a tour of the family groves and learn about the different characteristics, culinary uses, and health benefits of olive oil. After a visit to the mill and the on-site museum, you will enjoy a very interesting short video about oil production followed by a tasting of two of
  their delicious varieties along with freshly baked bread made by the very same family!
  The second experience of the day is a visit to a local family-run boutique winery located right in the heart of the Sierra de Montilla, a stunning rural landscape with endless vineyards and rolling hills. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by a truly passionate viticulturist who will take you to the family vineyards to tell you about the history of this ancestral winery. Next, you will be guided into the wine cellar, named by the family as "Sacristia", a remarkable sacred space where their oldest wines are kept. On this educational tour, you will learn about the unique grape variety that grows exclusively in Montilla, the popular and worldwide known "Pedro Ximenez” and the entire process & aging system of these unique dry and sweet wines, a process that is probably the oldest in Spain. The visit will end with a delicious tasting of some of these varieties paired with a selection of tapas showcasing some of the region's best products. Raise your glass for a toast to a great wine experience!
  After lunch, private transfer to your hotel in Cordoba.
  Did you know that Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world and that 80% of Spanish production is made in Andalusia? The history of olive oil takes us back to the Phoenician and Greek civilizations that settled in the Iberian Peninsula over 3,000 years ago. The importance of olive oil to Spanish culture cannot be overstated; locals actually refer to it as "liquid gold". Spain is also home to an abundance of grape varieties; making it the third-largest wine producer in the world.
  Home of the famed "Gran Capitan", Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, a Spanish general who fought in the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars, Montilla is the center of the Designation of Origin wine zone known as Montilla-Moriles. The landscape here is dry and the soil is a blinding white Albariza (white marl composed of clay, calcium, and marine fossils). Its excellent moisture retention is very significant as this area is hotter than almost anywhere else in Spain. The wineries of the Montilla - Moriles Wine Route show the peculiarities of the development of these wines where the undisputed star is the Pedro Ximénez grape variety and in which the biological aging (for the Fino wine) and the oxidative aging (for the Amontillados, Olorosos, and Pedro Ximénez) take part following the system of criaderas and soleras.
  
  Evening equestrian show (Length: 1h)
  You will have the opportunity from the premium seats to enjoy a marvelous equestrian exhibition in which purebred Spanish horses are the main protagonists. The stage, an emblematic and magical historical building, was once the birthplace of the Andalusian Horse and is now an unparalleled setting for this enchanting equestrian show.
  One of the sights you can't miss when visiting the city of Córdoba is the Royal Stables, home to the Cordoba Equestrian Show. This emblematic and historical building was founded in 1570 by King Felipe II, a great horse lover with the dream of making a pure Spanish thoroughbred. The structure of the Royal Stables is quite grand, with vaulted ceilings and archways. Once the birthplace of the Andalusian Horse and now an unparalleled setting for this unique equestrian show. The performance is a chance to marvel at the beauty and magic of these animals in various disciplines as well as the extraordinary skills of the riders. You will enjoy an enchanting evening of music, lights, and dancing combined with majestic horse dressage.
  

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 7
  Sacra Capilla del Salvador in Ubeda, Spain

  Granada - Ubeda and Baeza: Purely Baroque

  After you’ve checked out, your private driver will pick you up from your hotel and will drive you to Baeza.
  You will meet your art historian guide who will take you for a guided visit around Baeza. This town, visit will also include a tour of their famed Cathedral, which was originally built on a Roman temple. It later became a mosque, and in the reign of Ferdinand III, it converted to Christianity under the advocacy of San Isidoro.
  You will then be transferred to Ubeda. After a short break for free lunch at one of the most traditional restaurants in Ubeda, where you will have the opportunity to try the delicious local homemade cuisine; your guide will meet you and will take you on a walking tour of the old town, including the main monuments of Renaissance and Baroque architecture such as the Capilla del Salvador Chapel which represents the first architectural commission obtained by Vandelvira, who went on to endow Úbeda, Baeza, and Jaén with most of their outstanding Renaissance buildings.
  You will also visit the awe-inspiring Water Synagogue, which features a Women’s Gallery and the Ritual Bath (Mikveh). Discovered by chance by a businessman during a real estate project, it is thought to date back to the 14th century.
  After the guided tour, private transfer to your hotel in Granada, where you'll have the evening free to enjoy at your leisure.
  
  The Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of UBEDA and BAEZA were declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2003. Located in the very heart of the province of Jaén, they are Truly unique examples of all the grandeur of the Renaissance in Andalusia in the 16th and 17th centuries. The clearest Italian influences on their urban model as well as the works of Andrés de Vandelvira, one of the most prestigious architects of the time, can be witnessed throughout the region.
  Úbeda, the queen - Green olive groves mark the edge of this historic town. Plaza de Vázquez de Molina Square is home to the Ubeda's most representative examples of Renaissance architecture. The El Salvador Chapel, Santa María de Los Reales Alcázares Church, and Las Cadenas Palace will take you back in time to the most grandiose days of Ubeda's history. An amazing architectural site, where you can admire beautiful Plateresque façades, altarpieces by the great artist Alonso Berruguete.
  Baeza, the lady - Baeza is a charming town with an incredible Renaissance heritage, whose most valuable treasures are gathered around the cathedral, a markedly Plateresque building. In its diamond-shaped points, flower ornamentation, braids, and pinnacles we see an artistic trend unique in all of Europe. The Plaza del Pópulo, formed by the Casa del Pópulo and the Fuente de Los Leones fountain, should not be missed, nor the old abattoir. Many other palaces and ancestral homes will guide you through this town, the birthplace of nobles and aristocrats.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 8
  Alhambra de Granada, Spain

  Granada - The Wonders of the Alhambra

  You will enjoy a guided tour* of approx. 2.5 hrs during which you will discover one of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture: the magnificent Moorish Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife gardens.
  The Alhambra is a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th century. This mighty compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada.
  We recommend having lunch (cost not included) at the Parador to enjoy their beautiful terrace which overlooks the Generalife gardens.
  You will have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy at your leisure.
  
  The Alhambra is Granada’s – and Europe’s – love letter to Moorish culture, a place where fountains trickle, leaves rustle, and ancient spirits seem to mysteriously linger. Part palace, part fort, part World Heritage site, part lesson in medieval architecture, the Alhambra has long enchanted a never-ending line of expectant visitors. The Generalife was intended to reflect how paradise is described in the Koran (“shaded, leafy garden refreshed by running water where the fortunate ones may take their rest under tall canopies.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 9
  Ronda is a mountaintop city in Spain

  Ronda - A Walk in the Sky

  After checking out your private driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby to take you on a nearly 2 hours drive to the main entrance of the Caminito Path. This is a linear path, not a circular one. The route, which is 4.8 miles long (4.8 km), is divided into 3 miles (4.8 km) of access ways and 1.8 miles (2.9 km) of boardwalks. It should take around 2 to 3 hours to complete. The 1.8 miles (2.0 km) of boardwalks (by far, the most famous part of the trail) is made up of 0.93 miles (1.5 km) of long boardwalks, and 0.87 miles (1.4 km) of paths or forest walkways.
  After your walk, you could enjoy a delicious lunch at the La Garganta restaurant in El Chorro, which offers stunning views over the Gudalhorce lakes and cliffs
  Your driver will pick you up from La Garganta restaurant and will drive you to your next accommodation in Ronda where you will have the evening free to enjoy at your leisure.
  
  El Caminito del Rey is an impressive walkway, pinned along the steep walls of the Gaitanes narrow gorge in El Chorro with the Guadalhorce River flowing below it. Its name translates to The King's Little Pathway as it was originally built in 1901 as part of King Alfonso XIII’s ambitious hydroelectric energy project to unify three rivers. It swiftly fell out of use and into disrepair, though – and soon became a magnet for climbers and adventurers, lured by the one-off views and the adrenaline-fuelled challenge. For over a decade, the walkway had fallen into disrepair and was partially closed. After four years of extensive repairs and renovations, the walkway was re-opened in 2015. The new path is genuinely like few other places on earth. Far from the touristy beach towns that line the shores, this part of Malaga province looks like a set of an epic fantasy adventure film. The harsh, arid landscapes make for a dramatic setting for the cliff-walk. The trail gives both a thrilling and awe-inspiring experience as you traverse along the rocky cliff-faces and cross footbridges. The entrance is a 100m borehole through the rock face before the path gently ascends past azure reservoirs and small thickets. Those who dare to tackle the walkway are rewarded with all sorts of wildlife. As the path snakes upwards, you quickly find yourself cheek-to-cheek with the cliff face, and the Guadalhorce river a long way below. The suspension bridge boasts the best views of the five-mile walkway. At the highest point, you can stand and take pictures on a spine-tingling glass-bottomed viewing platform and dare to look down. If you can open your eyes, that is...The best thing of all: the Caminito path makes you feel like you are doing something dangerous without the actual risk of danger.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 10
  The dream city in Spain, Ronda

  Ronda - The Dream City

  Your private guide will pick you up from your hotel and take you for an introductory walking tour, including the old town, the cliffs, the New bridge, and the bullring.
  You’ll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to enjoy at your leisure.
  
  Ronda is a mountaintop city in the heart of the Serrania de Ronda. Set dramatically above a deep gorge and surrounded by lush river valleys, it is a place that is absolutely breathtaking. The gorge, El Tajo, separates the city’s 15th-century new town from its Moorish old town. Puente Nuevo, a stone bridge spanning the gorge, has a lookout offering stunning views, and the new town’s Plaza de Toros, a legendary 18th-century bullring, is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 11
  Zahara de la Sierra, Spain

  Seville - Picturesque White Villages, Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra.

  Your private driver/guide, will pick you up from your hotel and will take you to the white village of Setenil de las Bodegas for a nice stroll through its picturesque and charming cobbled streets.
  After a coffee break, you will be taken on a very scenic drive through the spectacular Grazalema natural park with sightseeing stops at the charming towns of Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra.
  We highly recommend having lunch at a very nice restaurant overlooking Zahara lake, called Al Lago.
  After lunch, you can stroll the narrow streets of the Moorish old town of Zahara and climb to the top of the Arab castle before heading to your hotel in Seville.
  
  Sentinel de las Bodegas: Named after its once flourishing wineries “bodegas”, it is probably unique among the Pueblos Blancos or white villages, of Andalucia. Where most Pueblos Blancos were built on protective cliffs and mountain tops, this town grew out of a network of caves in the cliffs above the Rio Trejo northwest of Ronda. Its blinding white houses seem to emerge from the rocks, some even have rock roofs and olive groves on their roofs.
  Grazalema is a pretty town whose immaculately kept cobbled streets are lined with whitewashed houses adorned with wrought-iron rejas on their windows and plant pots spilling over with colorful flowers. Grazalema is the most popular base for hikes into the Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema. It's also an age-old producer of blankets, honey, cheese, meat-filled stews, and an adrenaline-filled bull-running festival, it truly has its own special charm.
  Zahara de la Sierra is quite simply a place that takes your breath away. It is, without a doubt, one of the most picturesque of all the Pueblos Blancos (white villages) in the Sierra de Grazalema, if not in the whole of Andalucia. The town enjoys an extraordinary setting, at the foot of the Sierra del Jaral and is perched atop a hill surrounded by the turquoise waters of the Zahara-el Gastor reservoir. Standing guard above the village are the remains of a Moorish castle that commands views both over the surrounding countryside and the white-washed village beneath.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 12
  Bullring entrance, Seville, Andalucia

  Seville - Past & Present Splendours of Seville

  The perfect way to explore Seville's old town's UNESCO World Heritage Sites and learn about the important role they played in the history of the city.
  Your art historian guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel for an introductory walking tour of approx 3h to discover the main historic sites in Sevilla. The tour will include a visit to the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Sevilla, the world's largest Gothic church, whose constructions lasted for over a century. You will then head to the Royal Alcazar/Palace*, a beautiful example of Mudéjar architecture in the Iberian Peninsula. The tour will take you through the city's Santa Cruz Jewish quarter, this labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys designed to protect you from the oppressive sun of the Sevillian summer is scattered with lovely green and lively plazas.
  
  Some cities blast you away, others slowly win you over. Sevilla disarms and seduces you. The irresistible city of Sevilla, Andalucia’s capital, is located on the shores of the River Guadalquivir. Its population of about 1.5 million makes it the fourth-largest city in Spain. Its historic center, the third-largest in Europe with an area of 4 km2, contains three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the fabulous Mudéjar Alcázar palace, the Gothic Cathedral, and the General Archive of the Indies. Lorded over by a colossal Gothic cathedral, the old town is an intoxicating mix of resplendent Mudéjar palaces, baroque churches, and winding medieval lanes. Flamenco clubs keep the intimacy and intensity of this centuries-old tradition alive whilst aristocratic mansions recall the city’s past as a showcase Moorish capital and, later, a 16th-century metropolis rich on the back of New World trade. But what is captivating about the city, as much as the monuments and works of art, is its essential romantic quality, the greatest city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro...

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 13
  Boats Plaza Seville, Spain

  Seville - The essence of the Andalusian Capital

  You will have the morning and afternoon free to enjoy this beautiful city at your leisure. We will provide you with good recommendations for places to eat, drink, and tips for city walks or any entertainment/events happening during your travel dates.
  In the evening tapas & flamenco tour with a guide.
  Live the passion and drama of flamenco, sampling Seville's finest cuisine as you go! On this gastronomic and folkloric tour, you’ll discover, and taste why Seville is the true home of tapas, and experience the mysteries, the emotion, and the power of true flamenco!
  Too many people visit Seville without really understanding how the locals eat tapas or find where the best tapas are served. Or they see a flamenco show, but never truly grasp the origins or meaning of this magical art form. On this evening tour, we’ll fill your bellies and minds – giving you the keys to eating tapas like a local and a rich, lasting flamenco experience

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Accommodation
• DAY 14
  Guell Park in Barcelona, Spain

  Barcelona - Modern and Vibrant city

  Private transfer to the Sevilla airport to take an internal flight to Barcelona.
  Upon arrival at Barcelona's airport, private transfer to your hotel in the city center.
  In the afternoon, Barcelona guided tour “Gaudi’s highlights”
  Barcelona is known as the capital of Modernism and the place where the famous architect Antoni Gaudí, worked and lived. Gaudi, one of the greatest innovators of his time, has left behind numerous treasures in Barcelona for the discerning traveler to discover. Today, we invite you to enter Gaudi's world of fantasy and geometry by visiting some of his masterpieces.
  Your art historian, an expert guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel for an introductory walking tour of 4hrs to discover the most exceptional works of Gaudi.
  This artistic tour of Barcelona starts with a guided visit to the exterior and the interior of the Sagrada Familia church, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, and Barcelona's most famous landmark. Next, you will discover Gaudi's unusual Park Güell, a Unesco World Heritage Site, and an exceptional piece that unites nature and architecture like no other.
  In 1900, Gaudí was given the assignment of designing Park Güell. Güell understood better than any of his contemporaries the meaning of Gaudí’s architecture and the relationship between the two men was not simply that of an artist and his patron, but a real story of friendship.
  The tour will end at Passeig de Gràcia where you will get an introduction to the distinct façades of Gaudi's famous houses, Casa Batlló, and Casa Mila “La Pedrera”. You will also admire some other interesting modernist apartment buildings on the same promenade.
  
  You will have the rest of the afternoon & evening free to enjoy at your leisure.
  Barcelona is the cosmopolitan capital of Spain's Catalonia region. Located at the Mediterranean sea on the very north of the Spanish coast, it is certainly the most cosmopolitan and economically active city in the country. Barcelona has always proved its will to be modern, to follow the latest international trends, or be ahead of them, especially in its architecture, which so well reflects the general approach to life in this always pulsating city. Barcelona has an ancient history too, and there are monuments of the Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance periods but what most defines its character is all that has been built over the last 100 years. Barcelona has been a center of Modernist architecture and is especially distinguished by the works of the genius Antoní Gaudí who, together with his great contemporaries, gave new and exciting looks to it, and managed to remain at the peak of modernity since then.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
  • Transfer
• DAY 15
  National Museum of Art of Catalonia, Barcelona

  Barcelona - Explore this fabulous city on your own

  You’ll have the entire day in Barcelona free to further explore this fabulous city at your own leisure. We will provide you with good recommendations for places to eat, drink, and tips for city walks or any entertainment/events happening during your travel dates.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
• DAY 16
  Salvador Dalí's theater, museum in Figueres, Spain

  Barcelona - In Dali’s Footsteps, Figueres & Cadaqués

  Full day trip to Figueres & Cadaqués
  Salvador Dalí fans and art lovers will be delighted with this full-day exploration of his birthplace (Figueres) and the towns in his favorite region, the Costa Brava. Immerse yourself in the artist's world and learn about his life and creations. Admire this one-of-a-kind artist's paintings and other mind-bending pieces.
  Your private art historian guide will pick you up at your hotel in Barcelona to take you to Figueres (1.5h drive), the hometown of Dalí, and the site of the Dali Theatre-Museum. You will stop by the artist’s birthplace on Monturiol Street, then head to the museum, where you’ll get an hour-long guided tour of this expansive collection which explores the fantastical mind of
  this creative genius, spanning across various mediums from architecture to sculpture and paintings with plenty of “surreal” surprises. Before leaving Figueres, we would recommend having lunch at Duran restaurant, which dates back to 1855 and was originally an old inn that has gradually evolved to become a benchmark in Catalan cuisine. The hotel which houses the restaurant was a favorite haunt of Salvador Dalí, for whom the restaurant was a meeting point in Figueres.
  Having finished your lunch, you will reconvene with your guide and will continue your tour by heading to the beautiful coastal village of Cadaqués. Famous for its white-washed Mediterranean houses, narrow shady streets, and sandy bay, Cadaques is one of the most picturesque villages on the Costa Brava. The dramatic drive there, which offers some of the best views in Catalonia, will be one of the most memorable highlights of your day trip.
  After a short walking tour around the small town of Cadaques, you will travel just a few minutes up the coast to the even smaller village of Port Lligat, the place where Dalí built a house and found the peace that truly inspired him. He lived here from 1930, and the house still contains his original furniture and decoration. You will then head to Cap de Creus, the most easterly point of mainland Spain and one of the most starkly beautiful coastal landscapes in the country before heading back to Barcelona where you will have the evening free to enjoy at your leisure.
  Figueres is the birthplace of Salvador Dali and houses the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dali, a large museum designed by Dali himself. Inaugurated in 1974, the Dalí Museum rises on the remains of the former Municipal Theatre of Figueres and is considered to be the last great work of Salvador Dali. Everything in it was conceived and designed by the artist to offer visitors an authentic experience that draws them into his unique and captivating world.
  The beautiful fishing village of Cadaqués is nestled between the capes Norfeu and Creus and flanked by mountains, the white village of Cadaqués is particularly beautiful to see. This little village is located in a natural harbor in the Cap de Creus peninsula and is also well known as an artist’s destination, especially since Salvador Dali moved to Port Lligat in 1916, a very small village on a bay next to Cadaqués.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 17
  Montserrat is a spectacularly beautiful Benedictine monk mountain, Spain

  Barcelona - Mountains & Sanctuaries, Montserrat

  Your private historian guide will take you on a spectacular scenic drive up to the incomparable mountain of Montserrat where you will have a guided visit to the Royal Basilica.
  This is an ancient monastery and a holy shrine that is not to be missed during your visit to the Catalonia region. History, mysticism, and spirituality pervade the proud heights of Montserrat and its monastery.
  The experience includes access to the rack railway which takes you to the Monastery and a guided visit of 1.5 hours to the Royal Basilica of Montserrat (one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Spain for hundreds of years) which holds the famous 12th-century Romanesque carving of Virgen Moreneta, the Black Madonna.
  From Monday till Friday at 12h and also Sundays, you will be able to listen to the "Escolania de Montserrat" (sang by the Boy's Choir). If you visit the Basilica on Sundays, the Escolania is sung by the monks.
  After the guided tour of the Basilica, you will have about an hour of free time to take a short hike to admire the spectacular views of the unspoiled beauty of this protected natural park. The tour will end up with a drink before heading back to Barcelona back to your hotel where you will have the rest of the afternoon free to enjoy at your leisure.
  The Mountain Montserrat rises majestically to 4,051 feet (1,236 meters), its name literally means "saw (serrated, like the common handsaw) mountain" in Catalan and describes its peculiar aspect with a multitude of rock formations which are visible from a great distance. It is well known as the site of the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which houses the famous 12th-century Romanesque carving of Virgen Moreneta, the Black Madonna. The Royal Basilica has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Spain for hundreds of years. This is an ancient monastery and a holy shrine to not be missed during your visit to the Catalonia region.

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Accommodation
  • Tour
• DAY 18

  Depart to Barcelona Airport

  Transfer with a private driver to take you to the airport for your flight home.
  Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end... We hope you enjoyed it here in Spain.
  
  Hasta pronto!

  What's included?

  • Breakfast
  • Transfer