Barcelona, Madrid & Andalusia

Your 24-hour Tour Director will meet you at the airport and remain with your group until your final airport departure. You’ll also have a private coach and driver while touring .

Take interactive learning to another level with a Tour Director-led treasure hunt of Las Ramblas, the most famous pedestrian street of Barcelona! Complete exciting activities and solve fun clues. Each clue and every activity is built to maximize on-tour experiential learning.

Paella is a Valencian rice dish with ancient roots that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near Albufera lagoon on the east coast of Spain.

See brilliant Barcelona, a city of graceful Gothic churches, wrought-iron balconies and wide, grand avenues filled with outdoor cafés. Throughout the city, daringly innovative buildings sit side-by-side with the medieval past. A licensed, local guide will show you some of the high points of this architectural showcase. First stop, the pointy spires of the La Sagrada Familia (Church of the Holy Family), a half-finished church complex that became the obsession of Barcelona's famously eccentric architectural genius, Antoni Gaudí. At the top of Güell Park, another of Gaudí's masterpieces, is a terraced area where you get a wonderful view of the park and Barcelona City. The vibrant colors of the tiles are breathtaking. Then step back to the past with a journey up to Montjuïc (Hill of the Jews), a fortress built atop an ancient Jewish cemetery. This was the site of numerous battles to control Barcelona, and also the location of the 1992 Olympics.

This breathtaking church, said to be the master-work of architect Antoni Gaudí, has been under construction since 1882 and is not expected to be completed until 2026!

Travel to Barcelona’s mountain of Montjuïc, the focal point of two of the city’s key international events: the World’s Fair of 1929, of which many structures still remain; and the 1992 Olympic Games. Montjuïc features the largest "green zone" in the city with miles of forests and parks.

Spend time in Parc Güell, part of the UN ESCO World Heritage Site, 'Works of Antoni Gaudi'. Designed primarily by Gaudí, particularly interesting areas of the park include a mosaic pagoda, a lizard fountain spitting water, an undulating bench decorated with ceramic fragments, and an array of unique Doric columns, which are hollow and serve as part of Gaudí's drainage system.

Get a taste of Spain's cultural, political and economic center with a tour led by a licensed local guide. See Madrid's mix of traditional and modern as you visit the Royal Palace, an 18th-century masterpiece. The enormous Baroque palace currently has more rooms (2,800) than any other European palace, but it was originally supposed to be four times as large. The palace is dripping with porcelain, jeweled clocks, amazing ceiling frescoes—the most magnificent, in the Throne Room, was done by the Venetian artist Tiepolo when he was in his seventies. Next take a look at the Neoclassical architecture of the Prado Museum and the Puerta de Alcalá triumphal arch, built to honor Carlos III’s entry into Spain.

Stroll down the Gran Via, Madrid’s lively signature boulevard featuring magnificent shopping and cafés.

The Fountain of Cybele, one of the most recognizable fountains in Madrid, depicts Cybele, a Phrygian earth and fertility deity.

See the Puerta de Alcalá, the ceremonial gateway to Madrid commissioned by Carlos III. The Neo-classical structure is located in the Plaza de Independencia and is named for the old path leading from Madrid to nearby Alcalá de Henares.

Browse through the 3,418 rooms in the largest palace in Europe. Art lovers will marvel at the walls lined with priceless paintings, but don’t expect to catch a glimpse of the Spanish royal family—they reside elsewhere.

Walk to Toledo Cathedral, considered one of the greatest Gothic structures in Spain. The cathedral actually reflects several architectural styles and features many art treasures, including: the Transparente, a Last Supper in alabaster, El Greco's Twelve Apostoles, and works by Juan de Borgona. The Treasure Room features a 500-pound, 15th Century gilded monstrance, allegedly made with gold brought back from the New World by Colombus. It is still carried through the streets of Toledo during the feast of Corpus Christi.

Visit The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the oldest intact synagogue building in Europe. As it was constructed by the Christian Kingdom of Castile and designed by Islamic architects for Jewish use, it is considered a symbol of cooperation among the three religions.

Toledo is famous for its traditional crafts, especially sword-making. Find out more at a local Toledo sword factory.

Race across the country in Spain’s fastest train, the high-tech AVE, which can reach speeds of over 180 miles per hour.

See the twisted alleyways and cobbled streets of this flamboyant Spanish city with a local guide. Discover the enchanting Plaza de España, the Giralda Tower, within the largest gothic cathedral in the world, and explore the Casa de Pilatos considered the prototype of the Andalusian palace.

Originating from gypsy music and dance in Southern Spain, flamenco dancing has become a Spanish institution. Dancers use intricate footwork and elaborate arm gestures to convey the mood of the music, which can range from lamentation to celebration.

Granada sits on three gentle hills, which are dwarfed on a clear day by the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Atop one of these hills sits the imposing but delicate Alhambra palace. Golden pink hues give this sprawling renaissance gateway an otherworldly aura. One of the best rewards of climbing up to see it is the view of the city mixed in with orchards, tobacco fields and poplar groves. Please note the guided tour will include entrance to the gardens and halls surrounding the palace but entrance to the main palace building may not be accessible at all times due to limited availability.

Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on Africa’s northern coast, offers incredible panoramic views. From here, you can see both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Strait of Gibraltar is also visible, and on clear days, you can even spot the Moroccan coastline.

Explore Tétouan and its rich culture. Wander through the historic Medina, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its winding alleys and bustling markets, the Spanish district, the Jewish Quarter, and the ancient Kasbah.

Enjoy an authentic Moroccan lunch. Note that lunch will be served instead of dinner.

Hit the ruins. The birthplace of emperors Trajan and Hadrian, Italica still flaunts the third-largest Roman amphitheater in the world and amazing ancient mosaics, many still being uncovered by archaeologists, ranging from simple geometric patterns to elaborate scenes of Neptune and the seasons.

The birthplace of emperors Trajan and Hadrian, Italica still flaunts the third-largest Roman amphitheater in the world and amazing ancient mosaics, many still being uncovered by archaeologists. Wander through the millennia-old streets and villas to see mosaics ranging from simple geometric patterns to elaborate scenes of Neptune and the seasons.

Tour Europe's smallest capital, a port city once the entrance point for exotic wares from the far-flung corners of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Now the city has a new vibrancy, with the opening of a new railway hub and the contrast of brash new modern buildings and restored medieval façades. Get lost in the Alfama, a maze of streets where houses are so close together, you can spread your arms and touch buildings on both sides of the street. Stroll the cobblestone pedestrian malls and Lisbon's main street, the Avenida da Liberdade. Get your portrait done by one of the sidewalk artists. See the new bridge, Ponte Vasco da Gama (built for Expo '98), which spans the Tagus river. Shop for handcrafts. Lisbon remains one of the best places to buy hand-made goods from around the world-embroidery, ceramics, silver, and tiles.

Tour the Jerónimos Monastery, a monastery ordered by Manuel the Fortunate to commemorate Vasco da Gama's voyage to India. The monastery is one of Portugal’s finest examples of Manueline architecture that combines flamboyant Gothic and Moorish influences with elements of the nascent Renaissance. The church features tombs of many of the great figures in Portuguese history, including Vasco da Gama.

Portugal's version of the Blues, Fado means "fate" or "destiny," and its songs generally tell the tale of lost love or glory. Head to a Fado house in the Bairro Alto and see the singers swathed in black, accompanied by 12-stringed guitars, crooning their hearts out.