Highlights of Spain

Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant.

With your Local Expert, drive along the Passeig de Gràcia, adorned with elegant wrought-iron street lamps and some of the most flamboyant Modernist buildings. Continue through the Eixample district for a visit inside Gaudí’s extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família, to see the central nave with its giant, tree-like pillars, spectacular vaulting and the beautiful rainbows flooding in through the intricate stained-glass windows. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore or perhaps join an Optional Experience to Montserrat and The Black Madonna.

Follow the sunny Costa Dorada, past the rice fields of the Ebro Delta. Stop at the seaside resort of Peñíscola and see the hilltop castle used in the film 'El Cid'. Pass through the famous orange groves to Valencia and see the City of Arts and Sciences. Later see the Old City and take in its medieval charm. Valencia is home to one of the world's greatest dishes, paella. Meet the chef of a local family-run restaurant in the heart of the Old City and learn how to make this local specialty during a Cooking Demonstration. Later, indulge in the delicious flavours of this classic dish with a glass of wine at your dinner.

Travel south toward Andalucía, passing the castle at Lorca and troglodyte dwellings hollowed out of the soft rock near Guadix. Enjoy views of the Sierra Nevada mountains from a distance as you reach glorious Granada. This historic city was a Moorish kingdom for almost eight centuries and was the last stronghold to fall to the Catholic monarchs of Spain in 1492. Overlooking Granada stands the Alhambra, one of the most remarkable fortresses ever built. Led by your Local Expert, explore this exquisite palace, built as a citadel by the Moors in the 13th century. A fantasy of arabesque gardens, fountains and stone cut like lace. Later, stroll through the elegant exotic gardens of the Generalife, the Royal summer residence.

The morning is at your leisure to explore as you wish. Perhaps join an Optional Experience and visit the Albaicín Quarter with a Local Expert. Here, in addition to falling in love with Granada, you will also uncover its pivotal role in European history. Continue your travels to Seville, past gleaming white villages and olive groves that stretch as far as the eye can see.

Visit the Seville Cathedral, the burial place of Christopher Columbus. Explore Seville with Insight Choice. Choose to embark on a walk through the old Jewish Quarter. Alternatively, join a scenic drive around the city. This evening, visit the Cristina Heeren Foundation, a private flamenco dance school and beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant, for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Put your rhythm to the test during a dance lesson, before witnessing emotions come to life in a flamenco performance.

Set off early along the Guadalquivir Valley, passing villages and towns studded with Moorish towers and fortresses. Stop in the perfectly preserved Moorish city of Córdoba and see the famous Roman bridge, built in the 1st century BC. Meet a local historian and visit the magnificent Mezquita, a beautiful 8th-century mosque with a Christian cathedral built inside it. Make the most of your time at leisure and stroll the narrow streets of the city. Follow in the footsteps of Don Quixote as you travel through La Mancha and on to the capital, Madrid.

Enjoy sightseeing with your Local Expert as they guide you through the most historic neighbourhoods in the Spanish capital. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter to discover the origins of the city. Visit the renowned Prado Museum with an art historian who will guide you through the collective works of Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and more. With the afternoon at leisure, perhaps travel to Toledo with an Optional Experience.  Join your Travel Director and newfound friends at a local restaurant to toast your adventures during a delicious dinner served with wine.

Today, your remarkable journey comes to an end as you transfer to the Madrid-Barajas Airport. Take a moment to reflect on the unforgettable experiences, meaningful connections and enriching encounters that have shaped your travels.