Easy Pace Spain

Airport transfers depart from Barcelona Airport for your hotel at 9:30 am, 12:30 pm and 3 pm. Later, join your Tour Director for a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant, as you get to know your fellow travelers over good food and wine.

The lively port of Barcelona boasts an impressive Old Town, although it’s the daring architecture of the Catalan Art Nouveau that really sets it apart. Sightseeing with your Local Expert begins in the medieval maze of the Barri Gotic, Gothic Quarter, a tangle of streets and squares just behind the old cathedral. Travel down the gracious Passeig de Gràcia, past the wrought-iron street lamps. Continue on to Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, the leviathan of the Eixample, where giant mosaic spires pierce the sky like a jeweled crown. Inside, a tree canopy carved from stone holds up the roof while sun pours through stained glass onto sea creature caverns. Then you are free to explore this amazing city at your own pace.

Enjoy a relaxed start and a full day at leisure to explore Spain’s most vibrant city. Consider a stroll along the famous Las Ramblas or explore Gaudí’s fascinating Güell Park. Perhaps you would like to ascend the sacred mountain of Montserrat, Catalonia’s most important pilgrimage site for a thousand years. On this Optional Excursion enjoy spectacular panoramic views and a light tapas lunch.

Journey west to Zaragoza where the four towers of El Pilar soar over the banks of the mighty Río Ebro. Continue to Pamplona in the region of Navarre, famous for the Running of the Bulls festival. With free time to explore as you wish, perhaps stroll to the famous Estafeta Street. Travel to the aristocratic seaside resort of San Sebastián. Northern Spain’s Basque country has evolved into the best place to eat in the Western world, so in the evening, discover the city’s rich gastronomic tradition in the heart of Lo Viejo, the Old Town. Here you will have a chance to explore the Old Town in small groups during your progressive Highlight Dinner with the locals, as you enjoy the gastronomic Basque tradition of pintxos. Similar to tapas, enjoy a variety of snack-sized treats to make your meal and be sure to try some of the local Txakoli wine. ¡Que aproveche!

Few places have been able to reinvent themselves quite like Bilbao. The former industrial city has changed its ways and is now a pin-up for urban redevelopment. Your fascinating venture here includes a visit to Bilbao’s sensuous, rippling, Guggenheim Museum, designed by the North American architect Frank O. Gehry. On return, join a Local Expert to admire San Sebastián and the crescent-shaped La Concha Bay from the heights of Monte Igueldo. After taking in the amazing views, enjoy a guided tour of the Old Quarter. See the numbered balconies of the Plaza de la Constitución, a reminder of the days when bullfights were held in the square.

Enjoy a day at leisure to stroll along San Sebastián’s boardwalk. The harbor is filled with fishing boats and pleasure crafts, so you can enjoy a number of sporting activities on its large sandy beach. Perhaps explore the nearby French village of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, known as the Jewel of the Basque Country. During this Optional Experience, you will explore this town with a Local Expert and visit the church where The Sun King, Louis XIV, married the Spanish princess Maria Teresa.

Journey south through the Pyrenees foothills and the land of 'El Cid' to stop in Burgos where you can see his burial place in the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue along the Guadarrama Mountains to the plateau of New Castile and Spain’s elegant capital of Madrid. In the evening, why not see the city lit up it all its glory, with a drive along the grand avenues and past the spectacular fountains?

Your Local Expert will show you the Royal Palace, the monument to Cervantes in the Plaza de España, the grandiose Cibeles Fountain, Parliament and Puerta del Sol. Then enjoy a highlight visit to the palatial Prado Museum, one of the world’s greatest art galleries with works by El Greco, Velázquez, Goya, as well as Italian and Dutch masters. The afternoon is free for you to continue exploring as you wish. Perhaps travel to Segovia to join a Local Expert and visit the 14th-century Alcázar to see painting, tapestries, weaponry and armory of the Spanish medieval era and enjoy a panoramic drive for stunning views over the Eresma Valley. 

Venture south to visit the fascinating city of Toledo, situated high above the River Tagus. This was Spain’s capital during the golden era, where Arab, Jewish and Christian cultures flourished side-by-side through the Middle Ages. Walk within the city walls, through the narrow, cobbled streets, led by a Local Expert. Visit the Church of Santo Tomé, housing El Greco’s famous painting, 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz.' On return to Madrid, the afternoon is free for last-minute shopping. Make the most of your final night as you join your fellow travelers at a local restaurant for a generous Celebration Dinner of delightful produce, typical of the region and of course accompanied with wine.

After breakfast, transfers arrive at Madrid Airport at 7 am, 9 am and 11 am.