Duration: 09 Days 08 Nights

Description: This nine-day tour lets you enjoy the modern and ancient sights of Madrid, bask in the beauty of medieval sites like Toledo and Castile. Visits to famous tourist spots like Seville and Barcelona, glimpses of Spanish nightlife and a taste of local delicacies enrich the tourist experience.

Day 1-After arriving at Spain’s capital Madrid you can check into your hotel and unwind. Later on we will meet up with the Travel Director and fellow travelers. You can spend the first evening in Madrid either by exploring on your own or joining a group tour. You can also get a taste of local ‘tapas’ at a café on the Plaza Mayor.

Day 2- Enjoy the many sights of Madrid like the Cibeles fountain, the Gran Via, the Paseo de la Castellana and the Puerta del Sol. Make a stopover at Plaza de España to admire the monument to Cervantes. You can also visit the famous Prado Museum housing works by Velazquez or take an optional excursion to the medieval city of Segovia. In the evening, become a part of the Madrid nightlife, where the locals dine late and enjoy the open-air cafés and vibrant atmosphere until the early hours.

Day 3 –Next day we make our way to the medieval city of Toledo, which was the ancient capital of Castile. While walking through the beautiful streets, you can enjoy the views of the cathedral and the synagogue. We will also visit a steel workshop. Moving southwards, we reach Puerto Lapice where Don Quixote was reputedly dubbed ‘a knight’ by a local innkeeper. The plains of La Mancha give way to the hills of Andalusia dotted with whitewashed villages and churches. We then arrive at our next stop Seville, a vibrant city and the home of bullfighting and flamenco. Dinner will be provided at your hotel.

Day 4- The local city tour will give an in-depth insight into the monuments and sights of Seville. You can visit the pools and pavilions in Maria Luisa Park, which were constructed for the 1929 World Fair. You will be enthralled by the mighty cathedral and La Giralda and can also visit the famous bull ring. You can also tour Seville on a horse carriage. When night falls, experience first-hand the fire and passion of a Spanish flamenco show.

Day 5 – A picturesque drive through beautiful villages and brilliant sunflower fields brings you to Granada. Your orientation tour includes visits to the Albaicin quarter, which boasts of stunning architecture. You may also choose an optional excursion to the Alhambra Palace and gardens, subject to ticket availability.

Day 6- We witness the scenic beauty of Sierra Nevada while crossing the Mora Pass. You can stop to take pictures at the cave dwellings in Guadix. We continue our journey through Murcia and the Elche to Valencia forests, which are renowned for their orange groves. The orientation tour will also cover the bull ring, the great cathedral and the Towers of Serrano and Quart. At night, you can enjoy a quiet dinner with your fellow travelers at the hotel.

Day 7- We then head up north along the coast through the Levant region making a pit stop at Peñiscola to view the ancient castle of the ‘Spanish Pope’, used in the film El Cid. Continuing along the Costa Dorada, we reach Spain’s most cosmopolitan city, Barcelona. Embark on a local city tour, which includes Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Church and the Plaza Catalunya, the magnificent local cathedral and the lively Ramblas. Tonight, visit a Catalan-style restaurant for a delicious dinner of local specialties.

Day 8 – Today you are free to explore Barcelona on your own. You can consider an excursion to the monastery located at Monsterrat Rocky Mountains to see the Black Madonna. In the evening have a quiet get-together with your travel mates to remember the high points of the trip.

Day 9- On the last day, bid ‘adios’ to Spain, your Travel Director and fellow travelers. Transfers are available for travel up to Barcelona Airport. Conditions, however, do apply.