Highlights of Spain - Classic Group, Winter - From £2,167

Europe Spain
OVERVIEW
See the beautiful world of Spain during this 9-day guided tour. Begin in Barcelona, where a Local Expert will lead you along the city’s narrow lanes to the lively Las Ramblas and the Sagrada Família, a basilica built by the architect Antoni Gaudí. Paella was created in Valencia. Later, enjoy a private cooking demonstration at a family-run restaurant while sampling the local flavours. See glorious views of the Sierra Nevada before reaching Granada, where a Local Expert will guide you through one of the most remarkable fortresses ever built: the Alhambra. In Seville, learn the art of flamenco dancing during a private lesson, then be treated to a passionate performance by professionals. Visit the Prado Museum in Madrid with an art historian, who can share the stories behind Spanish masterpieces by artists such as Francisco Goya.
EXPERIENCES
Granada: Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. While others wait in line, you'll be exploring accompanied by a Local Expert, keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.

Madrid: Visit the Prado Museum with an art historian who places key works within their historical setting. With your historian’s expert guidance, you’ll examine paintings by Velázquez, Goya, Titian and Rubens, noting their connection to royal patronage and the broader European tradition. Learn how the museum, founded in 1819, became a principal repository for Spain’s royal collections and major works from across the continent.
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14/11/2026 22/11/2026 £2,475   Book
16/12/2026 24/12/2026 £2,495   Book
23/12/2026 31/12/2026 £2,775   Book
27/02/2027 07/03/2027 £2,550   Book
13/03/2027 21/03/2027 £2,550 Book
ITINERARY

Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner at local restaurant La Pau. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports teenagers and young people to transition to their adult life. Learn about local life through the eyes of the youth.

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. *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 will 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 Expert in the gardens surrounding the Sagrada Família and take in the extraordinary exterior of Gaudí’s iconic masterpiece.

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 distant views of the Sierra Nevada mountains as you approach 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 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.

Enjoy a relaxed start or choose to join one of two Optional Experiences: visit the serene Pilatos Palace, or explore the Alcázar of Seville and Plaza América. Continue discovering the city with Insight Choice. Join a guided walk through the old Jewish quarter or enjoy a panoramic drive past Seville’s iconic landmarks. Later, marvel at the soaring vaulted ceilings of the Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral and final resting place of Christopher Columbus In the evening, take part in a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Cristina Heeren Foundation. This flamenco school supports emerging talent across Andalucía. Try your hand at the dance during a fun lesson, then feel its passion and power in a stirring live 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. The afternoon is at your leisure to relax at a cafe, shop in the trendy boutiques or perhaps travel to beautiful Toledo with an Optional Experience.In the evening, join your Travel Director and newfound friends at a local restaurant in the heart of the city. Toast your adventures as you enjoy a delicious dinner of regional favourites, 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.
ACCOMMODATION
DAY 1: Hilton, Barcelona - Meals: Dinner
DAY 2: Meliá Sarrià, Barcelona - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3: Barceló Valencia - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 4: Gran Luna de Granada - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5: Meliá Sevilla, Catalonia Giralda, Seville - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6: Meliá Sevilla, Catalonia Giralda, Seville - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7: Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana, NH Madrid Balboa - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8: Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana, NH Madrid Balboa - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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