Spain’s long and proud heritage is on full display on this tour through three iconic cities. Your journey begins in Barcelona, where a guided tour introduces you to the fantastical architecture of Antoni Gaudí. Next, you'll travel into Castilian country for a vacation in Madrid, the home of the world-famous Prado Museum. Your tour concludes in Seville, the capital of Andalusia, where you’ll discover not only the treasures of the Moors but also a city celebrating Holy Week. Seville's Holy Week—in Spanish, Semana Santa—is a unique celebration that you have to see with your own eyes!
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 - Overnight Flight
Your trip begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to Barcelona aboard an internationally recognized airline.
Day 2 - Barcelona
Welcome to Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport after you clear customs and then escorts you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to begin your explorations of Barcelona. At a Welcome Dinner this evening, meet your fellow travelers.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner
Day 3 - Barcelona
A professional local guide leads a sightseeing tour that passes by La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s masterpiece. As you travel through the city, take in panoramic views of the Columbus Monument, the 14th-century Barri Gòtic and Montjuïc, where much of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games took place. You’ll also visit another Gaudí creation, Parc Güell, a garden village overlooking the city. The afternoon is free to explore at your leisure.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Parc Güell
Day 4 - Barcelona
Spend the day exploring Barcelona on your own. Stroll down Las Ramblas, visit Barceloneta beach and visit the fortress atop Montjuïc to take in some of the best views of views of the city. Alternatively, you may join an optional excursion to the nearby monastery of Montserrat. This evening, join our optional Flamenco Dinner Show.
Included meals: breakfast
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$75 USD |
Montserrat
Journey to the picturesque ninth-century Monastery of Montserrat, which inspired the composer Richard Wagner as he wrote Parsifal. The monastery's Black Virgin attracts thousands of pilgrims every year. If you're lucky, you might hear the strains of hymns sung by the site's world-acclaimed boys’ choir during your visit.
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$109 USD |
Flamenco Dinner Show
Experience the drama of flamenco dancing, one of Spain’s most celebrated traditions. Flamenco is a unique and colorful Andalusian art form, combining guitar playing, singing, clapping and dancing. Enjoy an included dinner featuring savory selections of traditional and local food.
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Day 5 - Madrid
Board a train this morning for Madrid. You’ll arrive in time to explore the city this afternoon at your leisure. Tonight’s dinner is included.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 6 - Madrid
A professional local guide leads today’s tour through Madrid to the Prado, an extensive art museum that began as the private collection of the Spanish monarchy. Masterpieces you’ll see here include Velázquez’s Las Meninas and Goya’s La maja desnuda. Next stop is the Palacio Real (Royal Palace), built by Bourbon King Philip V. Once the seat of the most powerful court in the world, it was here that Spain officially joined the European Union in 1986. This castle boasts more than 2,500 extravagant rooms, along with a marble staircase and the swords of El Cid. This evening, indulge in succulent Castillian cuisine served by one of Madrid’s finest restaurants at our optional Traditional Spanish Evening.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Prado, Royal Palace
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$99 USD |
Traditional Spanish Evening
Enjoy conversation, camaraderie and live music in a Madrid restaurant. Between courses, you'll be entertained by tuna music, an artistic tradition with its roots in Spain's universities. Tuna bands were once comprised entirely of poor college students who made music to help make ends meet. At tonight's dinner, you'll take part in this age-old tradition.
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Day 7 - Madrid
You might choose to enjoy the day at your leisure by visiting more of Madrid’s museums, exploring its churches and parks or sipping a cerveza at a sunny cafe in the Plaza Mayor. Or join an optional excursion to Toledo. This optional guided sightseeing tour through Spain’s first capital visits the Gothic cathedral, the prime seat of the Catholic Church in Spain and home to an exceptional collection of ecclesiastical treasures.
Included meals: breakfast
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$89 USD |
Toledo
Your guided tour of Toledo begins at the city's massive Gothic cathedral, which houses 750 medieval stained glass windows and a treasure trove of golden artifacts. Gaze upon the cathedral's sacristy, containing masterpieces by the likes of van Dyck, El Greco, Rubens and Titian. After exploring the labyrinth of medieval alleyways at the heart of the city, you'll visit one of Europe’s oldest synagogues at El Tránsito. Please note: This tour involves some difficult walking over uneven terrain. Also, depending on the day of the week, the sites visited are subject to change. If the Synagogue of El Tránsito is closed, you’ll visit the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca instead.
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Day 8 - Seville
This morning, you’ll transfer by train to Córdoba, nestled into the Guadalquivir Valley. Here, you’ll embark on a guided tour of the city that was once the center of Spain’s Islamic caliphate. The highlight of your tour is a visit to the ornate Mezquita, the beating heart of the Ummayad Dynasty’s rule during the days of the caliphate and, later, a Christian cathedral. Then, travel by bus to Seville. After checking in to your hotel, you’ll have time to begin exploring one of Spain’s most celebrated cities.
Included meals: breakfast
Please note: during Semana Santa, tens of thousands of travelers journey to Seville for the festivities. You should be prepared for crowds in the streets, at restaurants and around other notable tourist attractions.
Day 9 - Seville
This morning, you’re free to either attend Semana Santa services at a local church or explore on your own. Your Tour Director is also available to lead you to Seville’s one-of-a-kind Semana Santa celebrations. Watch as religious groups from around the city parade toward the cathedral while wearing colorful costumes. This afternoon, enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of beautiful Seville. Behold the intricately tiled pavilion of the Plaza de España before entering the opulent Alcázar, once home to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. You’ll visit Seville’s Gothic cathedral, one of the world’s largest, as well as the burial place of Columbus.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Seville Cathedral, Alcázar
Day 10 - Seville
Today is free to take in the Semana Santa festivities as you please. Membership in the brotherhoods that organize the Semana Santa processions—known locally as hermandades or cofradías—is often passed down through families, and some of these fraternal organizations have existed for centuries. The oldest brotherhood, colloquially known as El Silencio, has been a part of Seville’s Semana Santa since the 14th century! Tonight, share your Semana Santa memories with your fellow travelers over a Farewell Dinner.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Day 11 - Seville
A Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your flight home.
Included meals: breakfast
(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)
