9 Day Spain Tour of Madrid, Seville, Granada and Barcelona

Savor shared moments with locals enjoying sangria in sun-dappled courtyards, zesty paella and the sounds of the Spanish guitar. On this journey, you’ll explore the wonders of Spain, from the ornate walls of the Alhambra to the Gothic Cathedral and Giralda Bell Tower in Seville.

Travel: 9 days, 1 country and 9 cities

Meals: 8 Breakfasts, 4 Dinners

Sightseeing highlights

  • Explore Toledo, Madrid, Córdoba, Seville and Barcelona
  • Discover Valencia and Peniscola
  • Visit an inlaid steel factory, the Synagogue and Santo Tomé in Toledo, Córdoba’s Mosque of the Caliphs​, the Cathedral in Seville, Granada’s Alhambra Palace
  • View the Royal Palace and Cibeles Fountain in Madrid, the Cave Homes of Guadix, the Serrano and Quart Towers and the City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia and La Sagrada Família in Barcelona

Travel highlights

  • Airport Transfers (Enjoy complimentary transfers on the first and last days of your tour.)
  • An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
  • Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
  • Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • Optional Experiences and free time
  • On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.

Itinerary

The lively capital of Spain is our launchpad to a memorable encounter with one of Europe’s most soulful destinations. Relax in the lush surrounds of Buen Retiro Park, shop up a storm on Gran Vía or people-watch over coffee and churros with chocolate in the Puerta del Sol. This evening, join your fellow travelers and Travel Director for an orientation drive followed by a Welcome Dinner.

Arrival Transfer

Depart Madrid-Barajas airport at 10:30, 13:00, 15:30

Accommodation
NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding/Meliá Castilla Madrid
Your hotel will be dependent on your departure date

Included Meals

Dinner

Included and optional experiences

Iconic Experience

Madrid Orientation

Drive through central Madrid and see some of the city’s famous features during an orientation with your Travel Director.

Included With Trip

Explore Vibrant Toledo

We head to Toledo, the former capital of Spain, where we join a Local Specialist for a walking tour of this city that dates back to Roman times. We’ll visit a traditional factory and Dive Into Culture, witnessing the age-old inlaid-steel craft, before seeing one of El Greco’s most famous paintings in the Church of Santo Tomé – ‘The Burial of the Count of Orgaz’. We’ll also visit the synagogue, before returning to Madrid where we’ll admire the Royal Palace and Cibeles Fountain with our Local Specialist. Spend the evening on your own, or delve into the sights and flavors of Spain’s capital with an Optional Experience.

Accommodation
NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding/Meliá Castilla Madrid
Your hotel will be dependent on your departure date

Included Meals

Breakfast

Included and optional experiences

Dive Into Culture

Discover the forging of quality steel in Toledo

The invincible swords of Toledo have defended cities for centuries. Visit an inlaid steel factory in Toledo to see local craftsmen forging the highest quality steel.

Included With Trip

Iconic Experience

Madrid City Tour

See the highlights of the city with your Local Specialist. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the Cibeles fountain, Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace.

Included With Trip

Iconic Experience

Toledo City Tour

Explore this magnificent ancient city with your Local Specialist and visit the Church of Santo Tomé to see an El Greco masterpiece.

Included With Trip

Journey to Córdoba and on to Seville

Journeying south through La Mancha, we arrive in Córdoba, once a significant Moorish capital. Join a Local Specialist to visit the Mosque of the Caliphs and learn about centuries of Moorish rule and its influence on the culture and architecture of the region. We travel to flamboyant Seville, our home for the next two nights.

This evening, we Connect With Locals, joining the Morillo family for a Be My Guest experience at their olive oil farm, where you’ll learn how oil is produced from their 6,000 trees and sample some of their produce.

Accommodation
Occidental Sevilla Viapol Seville/Hotel Zenit Seville
Your hotel will be dependent on your departure date

Included Meals

Breakfast, Dinner

Included and optional experiences

Iconic Experience

Córdoba Mezquita Visit

Explore the incredible Mezquita with your Local Specialist. Admire the forest of horseshoe arches and learn how this building symbolises many of Córdoba’s religious changes over the centuries.

Included With Trip

Discover Seville’s Sights

This morning, we meet our Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Seville. View the symbolic Giralda Bell Tower, see the Moorish-inspired Maria Luisa Park, with its tiled fountains, pavilions and ponds, and walk through the imposing Plaza de España. Marvel at the ornate tomb of Christopher Columbus in the cathedral, then take a walk through the former Jewish Quarter.

This evening, consider an Optional Experience to see, hear and feel the mysterious and ineffable charm of a traditional flamenco show.

Accommodation
Occidental Sevilla Viapol Seville/Hotel Zenit Seville
Your hotel will be dependent on your departure date

Included Meals

Breakfast

Included and optional experiences

Be My Guest

Enjoy a Traditional Andalusian Dinner with the Morillo Family

Enjoy a traditional Andalusian Be My Guest dinner and the charming company of the Morillo family. A welcome drink of sangria in their sun-dappled courtyard before learning how they produce olive oil.

Included With Trip

Iconic Experience

Seville City Tour

Guided by your Local Specialist, see the Giralda Tower, former minaret of the Great Mosque and now the cathedral’s belltower. Explore the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter and emerge by the great walls of the Alcazar.

Included With Trip

Onwards to Granada

Multicultural Granada takes center stage today, as we visit the magnificent Alhambra in the company of a Local Specialist. An exquisite example of Moorish architecture, the Alhambra complex was built towards the end of Islamic rule in Spain. Wander through the exotic water gardens of the Generalife, the royal Summer Palace, once linked to the other palaces by a covered walkway across the ravine.

Accommodation
Hotel Occidental Granada/Hotel Catalonia Granada
Your hotel will be dependent on your departure date

Included Meals

Breakfast

Iconic Experience

Alhambra Palace in Granada

Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. Explore with a Local Specialist keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.

Included With Trip

Admire Iconic Architecture in Guadix and on to Valencia

This morning, we journey via the Mora Pass to Guadix in the northern foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. We’ll see the whitewashed troglodyte dwellings lodged into the ochre-colored cliffs of the surrounding area, then travel to Valencia, where we’ll see the Bullring and admire the medieval architecture of the Quart and Serranos towers. Embrace the city’s spirit of innovation and stop to view the City of Arts and Sciences, a large-scale urban recreation center for culture and science. Enjoy organic horchata, the celebrated drink of Valencia, during a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.

This evening, dine at your hotel, and perhaps take to the vibrant streets of the Old Quarter.

Accommodation
Silken Puerta

Included Meals

Breakfast, Dinner

Included and optional experiences

Iconic Experience

See Guadix

See the cave homes that embellish the hills around Guadix.

Included With Trip

Iconic Experience

Valencia Orientation

See the ultra-modern Center of Arts and Sciences and the historic bullring of Valencia during an orientation drive with your Travel Director.

Included With Trip

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Enjoy Organic Horchata, the Celebrated Drink of Valencia

Taste authentic Valencian street food from a local Horchata vendor. This rich and flavourful nut-based drink loved by many is produced here using only locally sourced and natural ingredients, and respecting traditional methods of production. Alongside the local and organic production, they have been bringing the vibrant tradition of Horchata back to its glory days, giving employment opportunities to people at risk of social exclusion. They have also built over 10 street carts from recycling materials, all working on solar energy and ice.
Your experience supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Included With Trip

Off to Coastal Peñíscola and Barcelona

Head north, along the coast through the Levant region, and stop at Peñíscola, the ‘City in the Sea’. View the ancient castle of the ‘Spanish Pope’, built by the Knights Templar and used in the film, ‘El Cid’.

We then continue along the Costa Dorada to Barcelona with its whimsical Gaudi architecture. Join a Local Specialist to admire the exterior of the unfinished Sagrada Familia, see the upscale boutiques and Gaudi creations on the Passeig de Gracia and pay tribute to Christopher Colombus at the monument that bears his name.

Accommodation
Barceló Sants Barcelona/U232 Hotel Barcelona
Your hotel will be dependent on your departure date

Included Meals

Breakfast

Included and optional experiences

Iconic Experience

See the Peñíscola Castle

See the castle featured in the film ‘El Cid’.

Included With Trip

Iconic Experience

Barcelona City Tour

With your Local Specialist, see Las Ramblas and the elegant Passeig de Gràcia to take in some of the city’s finest Modernist architecture. Journey past the beautiful façades of the Eixample district to see Gaudi’s extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família.

Included With Trip

Uncover Gaudí’s Barcelona

Explore centuries of history, contemporary culture and exquisite art and architecture on your day at leisure. Ramble down the Ramblas, or join an Optional Experience to the monastery perched atop the mountain of Montserrat to see the mystical Black Madonna, the patron saint of Catalonia.

This evening, we celebrate a memorable journey through Spain with our newfound friends and Travel Director at a Farewell Dinner.

Accommodation
Barceló Sants Barcelona/U232 Hotel Barcelona
Your hotel will be dependent on your departure date

Included Meals

Breakfast, Dinner

Farewell Spain

Bid a fond adiós to Spain at the end of a memorable holiday.

Departure Transfer

Arrive at the airport at 08:00

Included Meals

Breakfast