Compare Spain's Cultural Capitals by Grand Circle Travel vs Highlights of Spain - Small Group, Summer by Insight Vacations

Day 1: Arrive Madrid, Spain

Land in Madrid this morning, where a Grand Circle representative will meet you at the airport to transfer you to your hotel. This evening, meet up with your Program Director for an orientation briefing, in which you'll get a preview of the upcoming discoveries of your Spain tour, before getting to know your fellow travelers, including those returning from their Bilbao & San Sebastian pre-trip extension, over a Welcome Drink.

Dinner is on your own tonight—your Program Director will be happy to suggest a local restaurant for you.

Day 2: Madrid • City tour

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Spain's vibrant capital city enjoys a reputation as an extraordinarily welcoming one. Though the metropolis boasts a population of more than three million people, a great many of the city's residents (called madrilenos) are transplants from other parts of Spain or the world at large, calling Madrid their home by choice rather than by birth. As a city of outsiders, its people know how to welcome visitors, giving rise to the phrase “if you're in Madrid, you're from Madrid.”

After breakfast this morning, you'll begin your exploration of the city with a half-day panoramic tour. You'll drive by important landmarks like the opulent Royal Palace, constructed in the 18th century. You'll continue on to drive past the Almudena Cathedral. The building's construction was completed in 1993, making it one of Europe's youngest cathedrals, though with its massive size and unique blend of modern and traditional influences, it is still one of Madrid's most remarkable-looking religious buildings. You'll also see the Temple of Debod, a 2,000-year-old Egyptian monument that was dismantled and then painstakingly reconstructed in Spain as a result of Nile River flooding caused by Egypt's Aswan High Dam project.

After your tour, you'll have the rest of the afternoon to make your own discoveries. In addition to the sites shown off during your tour, Madrid boasts a number of other important cultural attractions, including the world-renowned Prado Museum, a repository of treasures from Spain's artistic golden age, including masterpieces from El Greco, Velazquez, Goya, and more.

Tonight, regroup with your fellow passengers for an included Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant to toast the day's discoveries along with those that lie ahead.

Day 3: Madrid • Optional Segovia tour

Meals: Breakfast

Today is yours to make your own discoveries in Madrid, if you'd like. Or you can join an optional full-day tour to Segovia, which, with its dramatic hilltop location and stunning medieval architecture, might feel like a fairy tale come to life. Your tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site begins with the Roman aqueduct, which was constructed without the use of mortar and is still standing today, due to the passionate efforts of the local community to preserve it. Then stroll through the charming, narrow streets of the old Jewish Quarter before visiting the Plaza Mayor, a picturesque square surrounded by many of Segovia's most important buildings, including its Gothic cathedral, an imposing 16th-century church that was one of the last of its kind built in Spain. The last stop on your tour is the Alcazar, a skyline-dominating castle perched idyllically on the top of a hill, whose romantic gables and turrets inspired Walt Disney's design for the castle of Sleeping Beauty. Later, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant (included with the cost of the optional tour).

Return to Madrid late this afternoon, where dinner is on your own.

Day 4: Madrid • Optional Toledo tour • Flamenco experience

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Spend another day acquainting yourself with Madrid, or join an optional half-day tour to another one of Spain's historic cities (and another UNESCO World Heritage Site), Toledo. This quintessentially Old-World city boasts a rich multicultural legacy—throughout the centuries, it has been home to Romans, Jews, Catholics, Muslims, and more, all of whom have left their indelible mark on the city's culture and architecture.

Your tour of the city starts in its Old Town, where you'll visit the Synagogue of El Transito. The building is unique in that it was built during a time in the 14th century when construction of synagogues was generally forbidden in Spain. In 1492, Toledo's Jewish community was expelled from the city, and the synagogue was converted into a church. Today, it is a museum. You'll also stop at the Church of Santo Tome and the Gothic Toledo Cathedral, an important spiritual center of Catholic Spain since its construction in the 13th century. You'll go inside to see its elaborate decor, including the magnificent altarpiece, a towering depiction of scenes from the life of Christ.

Return to Madrid this evening, where you'll enjoy an exclusive Discovery Series flamenco experience, followed by dinner. You'll learn about the romantic Spanish dance and, if you're feeling bold, even get the chance to go on stage and try your hand at it yourself to experience the passion of this iconic form of expression.

Day 5: Madrid • Cuenca • Home-Hosted Lunch • Valencia

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace or similar

Depart Madrid this morning for Valencia, stopping along the way to explore the breathtaking mountaintop city of Cuenca. The Moors who founded the city chose its hilltop location, straddling a rocky ridge dividing two river gorges, for its strategic defensive benefits. But the area's enchanting aesthetic qualities cannot be denied, as you'll discover for yourself during an included tour of the city's medieval walled Old Town, which has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

As the population of Cuenca grew into the 18th century, the city faced a problem: Though beautiful, the local mountain topography provided limited opportunities for physical expansion. The people came up with an ingenious solution, to be mimicked later by the skyscrapers of the industrial era—rather than expand outward, they built upward, building homes alongside the very cliffs of the mountain. These are the casas colgadas, or Hanging Houses, seven- or eight-story homes which hang precariously over the Huecar Gorge. Today, the peculiar houses are home to Cuenca's Museum of Abstract Art, a symbol of the city's flourishing artistic community.

You'll have a chance to see the Hanging Houses from the outside, then your tour continues with a stop at Cuenca's Old Walls, a relic from the Moors' original fortifications. Then explore the Plaza Mayor, a picturesque square lined with colorful buildings alongside the city's Gothic Cathedral, built in the twelfth century after the Catholic Reconquista of the region.

Following your city tour, you'll venture off the beaten path to experience what is likely to be another highlight of your trip—a Home-Hosted Lunch with a local family. During this exclusive Discovery Series event, you'll have the opportunity to practice your Spanish, and sample authentic, home-cooked cuisine as you learn about local culture during meaningful, up-close and personal interactions with local residents.

After bidding farewell to your gracious hosts, you'll continue on your way to Valencia, arriving at your hotel this evening. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 6: Valencia • City tour

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace or similar

Continue your tour of Spain in Valencia, the country's third-largest city, as well as one of its oldest. It has been many things over the centuries—a Roman settlement, a Moorish stronghold, and even an independent multicultural fiefdom under the short-lived rule of El Cid, the famous Spanish warrior. You'll become acquainted with the city this morning on a half-day panoramic tour, which will take you past a rich blend of Moorish architecture and medieval squares existing alongside contemporary avant-garde buildings.

Your tour starts with a drive past one of Valencia's most impressive ultra-modern institutions—the City of Arts and Sciences, a massive cultural complex built in the dry riverbed of the Turia River (now converted into a picturesque set of garden walkways), which features an opera house rising like a leviathan out of a massive reflecting pool. You'll then discover the historical side of Valencia, with a visit to the site of the old city walls—the walls are no longer standing, but several impressive medieval gates and fortifications still remain. Then continue to the Mercado de Colon, an upscale marketplace built in 1914 and renovated with a modern flourish in 2003. Conclude your city tour with a stop to view La Lonja de la Seda (The Silk Exchange), a 15th-century Renaissance trading hall recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and a unique example of Gothic secular architecture.

After your tour, you have the afternoon to explore the city on your own, or to simply unwind before rejoining your fellow travelers for an included dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 7: Valencia

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace or similar

Today is yours to spend in Valencia as you please, with lunch on your own. You might choose to stroll idly along the manicured gardens of the Turia riverbed, or seek out local restaurants to find the perfect paella, chased with a refreshing Agua de Valencia, a local fruity cocktail. Your Program Director can point you toward the treasures of this Mediterranean city. Tonight, enjoy an included dinner with your fellow travelers at a local restaurant.

Day 8: Valencia • Lladro Museum

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Ayre Hotel Astoria Palace or similar

After breakfast this morning, you'll visit the Lladro Museum, where you'll find a collection of highly valued handcrafted porcelain figurines. Lladro figurines are internationally renowned for their painstaking attention to detail and intricate coloration. You'll see the collection and tour the Lladro factory, to watch the specially trained artisans at work and learn about their creative technique.

Next, head to scenic Malvarrosa Beach for an included lunch, where you'll have the opportunity to sample authentic Valencian paella, a dish of rice, meat, vegetables, olive oil, and spices. Paella is enjoyed around the world, but was invented in Valencia, whose residents consider it to be an important part of their cultural heritage.

After lunch, you'll return to Valencia, where the rest of the day is at leisure. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 9: Valencia • Tarragona • Barcelona

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Eurostars Cristal Palace or similar

Depart Valencia by motorcoach this morning for Barcelona, stopping along the way to stretch your legs in Peniscola, a scenic seaside town. Here, you'll have some time on your own to wander the town's streets and admire its medieval castle, perched on a hill overlooking the sea, before returning to the bus to resume your journey.

You'll enjoy an included lunch along the way before stopping again at the Catalonian coastal city of Tarragona for an included tour. Tarragona was first founded as a Roman settlement and soon prospered as a vital port city. Much of the original Roman construction still stands today, and has earned the city recognition as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's ruins include the Praetorium, an imposing ancient tower that in the middle ages was converted into a Royal Palace for the Kings of Aragon, as well as the well-preserved Roman Circus, where horse and chariot races were held. The city also boasts an amphitheater, which in later centuries became the site of a Christian church.

After your tour, continue your transfer to Barcelona, where you'll arrive this evening to check into your hotel. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 10: Barcelona • City tour

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodations: Eurostars Cristal Palace or similar

Today, begin your exploration of Barcelona, the second-largest city in Spain and the capital of the autonomous region of Catalonia. Barcelona has been a vital center of trade in the Mediterranean from the Middle Ages up until the present day, which has helped to cement its status as one of the great cities of Europe—an important center of cultural, artistic, and scientific innovation for centuries.

You'll start your discoveries here with a panoramic tour of the city, beginning with the wooded slopes of Montjuic Hill, which hosts Castell de Montjuic, a 17th-century fortress. Scattered along the hillside are buildings from the 1992 Olympic Games, including Santiago Calatrava's Olympic Needle. Then continue to the city's scenic waterfront, a modernized, trendy district with shops and pedestrian walkways that still retains much of its old medieval charm. Next, you'll drive along the Passeig de Gracia, an upscale boulevard which showcases some prime examples of Barcelona's Catalan modernist architecture, a standing legacy of the late 19th- and early 20th-century cultural movement to assert an independent Catalan national identity. The architectural style, spearheaded by the brilliant architect Antoni Gaudi, is characterized by unconventional, asymmetrical, borderline chaotic, yet visually striking designs. You'll enjoy an included lunch during your exploration.

After your tour, you have the rest of the afternoon to make your own discoveries. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 11: Barcelona • Optional Montserrat & Codorniu Winery tour  OPTIONAL TOUR

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Eurostars Cristal Palace or similar

Today you have the opportunity to explore Barcelona on your own. You might choose to wander through the winding alleyways of Barcelona’s old city center, or Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter), which offers visitors a glimpse of medieval Barcelona. Some of the structures in this charming section of the city date as far back as the first Roman settlements of Barcelona. Today, centurions and garrisons have been replaced by quaint antique shops, hidden courtyards, and strolling street musicians.

Or, you can choose to join an optional half-day tour to Montserrat and the Codorniu Winery. Begin your tour in Montserrat, a jagged mountain range outside the city which offers exhilarating hikes past peculiar rock formations and spectacular views of the Catalonian countryside below. The mountain is also home to a Benedictine abbey, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat, a Black Madonna statue which attracts many devout pilgrims.

You'll then continue on to the Codorniu Winery, a major producer of the local Spanish sparkling wine called cava. You'll learn about the production process and tour the cellars, where you'll have the opportunity to sample some of the finished product. The wine isn't the only thing on display—the building itself is visually impressive, as it is designed in the Catalan Modernist style for which the area is so well known.

The remainder of your afternoon is yours to explore Barcelona as you please, before you rejoin your fellow travelers for an included dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 12: Barcelona • Life of Gaudi experience

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodations: Eurostars Cristal Palace or similar

One of Barcelona's most significant contributions to the European cultural scene is its one-of-a-kind architecture, designed in the Catalan Modernist style. The man who spearheaded this architectural movement was the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, and today's exclusive Discovery Series Event will take you on a journey through his life, as you survey some of Gaudi's most famous works while discussing his historical legacy with an expert local guide.

One of the highlights of your tour is sure to be the Sagrada Familia basilica, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While construction of the cathedral began in 1882, the colossal structure isn’t scheduled for completion until 2026. Originally started by architect Francisco de Paula del Villar, Gaudí took over in 1883 and then devoted his entire life to its construction. When he died in 1926, after nearly 43 years of work on the cathedral, the project was only 15 percent completed. At first blush, the breathtaking mixture of Gothic and geometric Art Nouveau forms appear to be dripping in melted wax, but closer inspection reveals a meticulous stone tapestry depicting the life and acts of Jesus Christ. Once completed, the church will accommodate some 13,000 worshipers.

This afternoon is yours to seek out the many treasures of Barcelona. Rejoin your fellow travelers tonight for an included Farewell Dinner.

Day 13: Barcelona • Return to U.S.

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to the airport today for your flight home. Or continue your tour of Spain as you begin your optional post-trip extension to Malaga.

Day 1: Welcome to Barcelona

Airport transfers depart from Barcelona airport for your hotel at 09:30, 12:30 and 15:00. Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers at 18:00 for your Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant.

NH Collection Barcelona Constanza., Hilton Barcelona.

Dinner with Wine

Day 2: Barcelona, the City of Gaudí Relaxed Start

With your Local Expert, see the narrow lanes and old squares behind the cathedral in the Barri Gòtic, Gothic Quarter. See the lively Las Ramblas and then head 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 & The Black Madonna.

NH Collection Barcelona Constanza., Hilton Barcelona.

Breakfast

Day 3: Along the coast to Valencia Relaxed Start

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 sangria at your Highlight Dinner.

Barceló Valencia.

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 4: Exquisite Granada and Alhambra

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.

Meliá Granada.

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 5: A Scenic Drive to Seville

The morning is at your leisure to explore as you wish. Perhaps join an Optional Experience and visit the Albaicin 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.

Meliá Sevilla, Seville.

Breakfast

Day 6: Seville, the City of Carmen Relaxed Start

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 and enjoy panoramic views.This evening, visit the Cristina Heeren Foundation, a beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. This private dance school is dedicated to promoting the conservation of flamenco and supports young enthusiasts from all over the world with a special focus on new talent from the Andalusian region. Feel the passion behind the choreography as you put your rhythm to the test during a dance lesson before witnessing emotions come to life in a flamenco performance. With some free time for dinner, wander the restaurants in Triana or try the local night market Lonja Del Barranco selling tapas made from fresh, local produce. Why not grab yourself a refreshing sangria for a cheers to your new found dancing feet?

Meliá Sevilla, Seville.

Breakfast

Day 7: Moorish Córdoba and on to Madrid

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.

Barceló Torre de Madrid., Meliá Madrid Serrano.

Breakfast

Day 8: Madrid of the Bourbons Relaxed Start

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. Enjoy a special visit to the renowned Prado Museum with an art historian who will guide you through the collective works of Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and more. The afternoon is at your leisure to relax at a cafe, shop in the trendy boutiques or perhaps enjoy an Optional Experience and visit beautiful Toledo? In the evening, join your Travel Director and newfound friends at a local restaurant in the heart of the city. Toast to your adventures as you enjoy a delicious Celebration Dinner of regional favourites, served with wine.

Meliá Madrid Serrano., Barceló Torre de Madrid.

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Day 9: Depart Madrid

After breakfast, transfers arrive at Madrid airport at 07:00, 09:00 and 11:00.

Breakfast