Best of Spain Tour in Two Weeks

Madrid brims with life and culture as the capital of Spain with the splendor of the country found along the elegant streets. The city is a showcase for the evolution of Spain within Renaissance masterworks and architecture that span the age of the empire. The modern metropolis provides a sample of contemporary life in Spain with gorgeous parks amid the urban sprawl and nightlife that brings the endless buzz to the streets during the cherished ritual of the paseo por la noche, the traditional evening stroll.

Your flight will arrive at Madrid Barajas International Airport, where your private transfer will greet you at customs. After settling into the comforts of your luxury accommodation at the heart of the city, you will visit the Gran Via for an introduction to the contemporary history of Madrid. The popular shopping street has a collection of theaters, hotels, and restaurants spread through the notable architectural achievements of the early 20th century that connects Vienna Secession style with Noe-Mudéjar and Art Deco. As your walk off any jet lag, your love of the city will begin.

The morning sunlight spreads across the serene greenery of La Montaña Park where a hidden ancient Egyptian temple reflects in the stoic pond. The trickling of the nearby fountain adds a majestic soundtrack to the peaceful ambiance accentuated by the preserved original decorations. After breakfast, your guide will greet you in the hotel lobby and escort you into the city for a full-day tour of the city’s most remarkable sites including a visit to the famous Prado Museum.

The world-class gallery was established in the early 19th century and has a collection of more than 7,600 paintings and 1,000 sculptures spanning 235,000 square feet. Once inside the exhibits, your guide can introduce you to some of the most famous works of European art produced between the 12th and 20th centuries with numerous works of Francisco Goya, Diego Velázquez, El Greco, and Titian.

Hot chocolate together freshly made churros dusted with cinnamon and sugar swirl through the air of the hotel dining room at breakfast. You can find many Madrileños enjoying the customary sweet breakfast at cafes throughout the city and fill the breeze with a mixture of chocolate, spiced, and coffee aromas. Your guide will meet you at your hotel and escort you outside of Madrid for the day to reach the moody masterpiece of preserved medieval charm at Toledo. The inspiring city rests dramatically above the cliffs of a gorge overlooking the rushing waters of the Rio Tajo.

Toledo has a beautiful combination of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish influences as each community coexisted and flourished in a unique cultural fusion. The cobbled, narrow alleyways reflect Moorish architecture while also revealing structures with Visigothic detail and Roman roots. Museums house the colorful and vibrant works of El Greco who famously captured the essence of the city in his works eventually becoming synonymous with the city itself. Traditional crafters create fascinating swords, works of armor, and leather goods inspired by antique tradition and the aroma of marzipan filters through the doors of quaint confectionaries.

Your guide will take you to the atmospheric lanes of the former Jewish quarter where artisan shops lead to hidden cafes along the quiet courtyards. Ceramic tiles with bright colors pave the streets among the paving stones until you reach the Sephardic Museum. The gallery illuminates the daily lives of members of the Jewish community in Toledo before the Inquisition. Continue to the Monasterio de San Juan de los Reyes, which was founded in 1476. The façade of the historical establishment remains the chains of Christian captives freed from their Moorish imprisoners connoting the change in the relationship between the Moorish occupation of Spain and the Christian Reconquista.

The beauty of Segovia is the sum total of a preserved fairytale castle, a fascinating monastery, remarkable Romanesque churches, and majestic monasteries perched atop a rocky hill with preserved historical walls. The legacy of the city dates back to the Roman settlement in the 1st century BC with the streets acting as a reminder of the layers of culture that range from medieval Moorish occupation to Queen Isabella’s Reconquista of Spain. Upon arriving in Segovia, the scent of chocolate and marzipan emanate from elaborate confectionaries for which the city is known, and your guide will lead you to the heart of town where the Roman aqueduct continues to stand.

The feat of ancient architectural engineering contains 20,400 granite blocks held together without cement across 168 rows of arches reaching up to 92 feet tall. The stunning water feature ends at the Alcázar when it reaches an underground tunnel. The Alcázar resembles a storybook structure with turreted towers rising above a craggy cliff adorned with trees. The fortress was erected in the 12th century with Gothic decorative adornments added in the 13th century. The rooms of the castle hold period furniture that returns the interior to its glory as the stronghold of the city showcasing sophisticated tapestries and lavish armor. The Throne Room glistens with a gilded coffered ceiling soaring above the two seats positioned on an elevated platform.

After breakfast, you will travel by train to Cordoba for a relaxing and scenic ride. Your guide will greet you at the station eager to introduce to the enchanting city, which was once the greatest capital in Europe with incredible artistic, architectural, and academic achievements. The maze of the historical Jewish quarter has winding, narrow streets that lead to the tranquil plazas set beneath whitewashed houses with colorful patios that brim with blossoming flowers. The scent of salt cod with olive oil and oranges drifts through the doors of hidden taverns before fading beneath the aroma of pastel Cordobés, a pastry stuffed with citrus-infused creamed.

You will then make your way to La Mezquita, the Great Mosque. Often considered a masterpiece of Islamic architecture, the striking structure contains a soothing fragrance emanating from the picturesque Patio of Oranges where fragrant orange and palm trees grow. The patio acted as the site of the ablutions required by Islamic law before entering the holy grounds. The prayer hall captivates you with a forest of marble and jasper columns reaching 856 supporting colorful red and white horseshoe arches. Your guide will lead you through the room to reach the Mihrab Nuevo, which was carved from a single block of marble. The gorgeous work of art contains floral and geometric patterns intertwined with graceful verses from the Koran.

The splendor of Seville acts as a gateway into the history of Andalusia as the morning fills with the subtle aroma of orange citrus. Your guide will greet you at your hotel after breakfast and whisk you into the sophisticated ambiance of the city decorated with palm-lined promenades, cobblestone lanes, and antique street lamps. The dazzling courtyards and winding alleyways highlight the quintessential architecture of Andalusia while the sounds of Spanish guitar emanate from the taverns as the bells from the 305-foot tall cathedral tower ring. The steeple was once a minaret connected to the twelfth-century mosque until the Reconquista when it was renovated as a bell tower for the central church.

In the evening, your introduction to Seville becomes more quixotic as you view an authentic flamenco performance. The dance embraces the passion of Andalusia telling the story of duende, a heightened state of emotion as the personality of the performers matches the grandiosity and enthusiasm of the music. The guitar player strums a soulful tune, the dancer stomps her feet to a heart-thumping beat, and you will find yourself clapping along to encourage the natural rhythm brought on by the spirit of flamenco.

In the morning, locals stroll around the greenery of Parque de Maria Luisa, which boasts the stunning Neo-Moorish architecture of the Plaza de España at the center. Horse-drawn carriages wind through the lanes in the afternoon and couples stroll beneath the exotic palms as orange groves lead to the colorfully tiled benches. Your guide will escort you outside of Seville for the day to explore the famous white villages of Andalusia beginning with Arcos de la Frontera. The charming town will immediately charm you with whitewashed houses that climb to the top of the hilly limestone ridge.

The old town contains a tangle of lanes that wind upwards to the crowning sandstone castle with a fantastic view of the town and rolling plains. The Moors settled the town atop foundations dating back to Neolithic, Bronze, Age, and Roman foundations who were attracted by the water and defensive position. After exploring Arcos del a Frontera, your guide leads you to the quiet town of Ronda to continue your immersion into the white villages of Andalusia.

After breakfast, you will travel by train to Granada. The unique ambiance derives from the dramatic image of the Alhambra with a backdrop of the rolling peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Serene Islamic architecture graces the labyrinth of lanes, and the Moorish influence retains a strong connection to the flavorful cuisine. Teahouses fill with the scent of mint and small bars resemble bohemian cafes serving traditional tapas with an Arab twist.

Your guide will greet you in the comforts of your luxury hotel and lead you to the top of al-Sabika hill located on the left bank of the River Darro. The masterwork of Islamic architecture was erected between the 13th and 15th centuries resulting in a complex encompassing 35 acres. The fortress ramparts and towers remain intact creating an open-air museum that reflects the architectural splendor of Moorish Spain. Your guide will lead you through the courtyards and salons of the stronghold eventually coming to the Patio de los Leones. The sunlight glints against the marble pavement with 12 regal lions forming the base of a fountain at the center of the courtyard. An arcade frames the fountain with 124 columns crafted with a unique sense of delicate latticework. The fountain was once a clock with the corresponding lion spouting water according to the time.

Your private driver will collect you after breakfast and lead you along the scenic coastline bound for the sensational city of Valencia. Travel through the winding lanes of the Sierra Nevada noticing the snowcapped peaks that drift past overhead. The easy distance and well-maintained roads take you quickly through the terrain to a mountain plateau overlooking Spain’s arid desert landscape before reaching Benidorm.

You can stop to stroll on the golden sands of Poniente Beach and revel in the roiling waves of the azure Mediterranean waters. A network of boardwalks creates a lavish promenade that connects to the main roads as high-rises grace the sky and a plateau looms above the reminds locals of where the historical castles once stood. You will soon reach Valencia to bask in the comforts of your accommodations, and the welcoming ambiance of Valencia at your leisure as palm trees fringe the plazas, and the cultural heritage emerges from the former homonymous kingdom.

As Spain’s third-largest city, the inviting streets share a ribbon of the verdant park that winds through the heart of the urban sprawl and contrasts the futuristic and modernist architecture. For insight into the true culture of the city, you can visit Mercado Central, the Modernist covered marketplace built in 1928. The aisles are filled with the aroma of fresh seafood, grilling sausages, bright fruits, and stunning vegetables produced along the fields outside of the city. The tapas bars inside the market offer customers glasses of local wine while absorbing the active ambiance indicative of the greater city.

At breakfast, you may find a selection of horchata, a traditional Valencian drink made with rice, and served with buns topped with icing. After enjoying it all thoroughly, your guide will meet you in your hotel lobby and take you on a fantastic tour beginning at the elaborate complex of the City of Arts and Sciences. The ultra-modern structures cover 3,767,386 square feet and overtake a portion of the dried Turia riverbed. The promenades wind between sparkling pools and around the exuberant display of modern design as locals ride bikes around the compound or paddleboard along the water.

You will continue to La Lonja to view the 15th-century silk and commodities exchange housed inside a stunning example of a Spanish Gothic civil building. The two main structures border a courtyard decorated with citrus trees while the main salon contains towering pillars with twisted branches reaching from the floor to the ceiling.

In the afternoon, you will meet a private chef who will guide you through the historical and cultural value of paella. While the dish remains one of Spain’s most famous, paella was invented in Valencia and remains special to locals who utilize rice, saffron, and other specific ingredients sourced from around the city. You will enter the private kitchen and find all of the ingredients prepared for your ease and enjoyment. Cooking becomes a social, cultural, and historical activity and at the end of the lesson, you will have made authentic paella.

In the morning, you will leave behind the surprising charm of Valencia and venture by train to the celebrated beauty of Barcelona. The seaside capital of Catalonia has a vibrant ambiance with palm trees lining the esplanade, avant-garde architecture decorating the skyline, and a contemporary ambiance filling the bars and cafés at night. Outdoor terraces and sandy beaches offer lively hangouts, and hidden squares fill with the sounds of locals playing Spanish guitar.

After settling into your centrally located accommodations, your guide will escort you on a tour of the fascinating Gothic Quarter and immerse you in the Old-World drama of the former kingdom hidden within the surrounding modernity. The winding streets narrow between the medieval buildings built on Roman foundations that date back approximately two millennia. Continuing through the old quarter will bring you to the Picasso Museum, where an impressive collection of the artist’s work is on display in the Late Gothic Palace of the Palau Berenguer d’Aguilar. You can walk around the artwork displayed in chronological order allowing you to witness the evolution of Picasso’s phases from lithographs to etchings, paintings to drawings accounting for the largest collection of the artist’s early works anywhere in the world.

The iconic image of Barcelona is Antonin Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia Basilica, and the impressive architectural style decorates the pockets of Barcelona to attract visitors from around the world. Your guide will lead you on a fantastic tour of the city that will embrace the unique perspective of Gaudi. Gaudi’s flamboyant aesthetic resembles a sculpture without any straight lines, instead of embracing rounded and curved angles adorned with railings resembling twining vines. The roof also has an undulating shape supporting the spouting chimneys.

Your tour focused on Gaudi’s unique perspective will end at La Sagrada Familia beneath the 18 spindly towers that reach 558 feet above the surrounding streets. While each entrance holds a unique décor related to a story from the Bible, the interior resembles a cave with pastel stalactites dangling from the ceiling, and opulent stained-glass windows provide radiant, ethereal color amid the immense space.

As you move towards evening, your guide will take you to reach the summit of Montjuïc for a grand panorama of Barcelona and a fantastic view of the Magic Fountain in the plaza of Palau Nacional. In the evening, the pool glows with 4,000 lights as the plumes dance with sensational acrobatics during a captivating light and music show.

After an early breakfast, you will set out along the stretch of 1,240 miles of coastline that create the picturesque Costa Brava. The popular seaside destination has attracted Europeans for centuries to relax in the comforts of the golden sands and the lapping waves of the Mediterranean Sea. The expansive coastline runs between Barcelona to the Spanish-French border with hidden coves and headlands shaped by the wine, the panoramic hiking paths, and the serene seaside towns.

Venturing to the top of the hill offers a mesmerizing panorama of the town, the coastline, and the remains of the fortress foundations. Walking along the beach allows you to dip your feet in the comfortable waters of Plage de Sa Tuna, which holds an unexpected majesty of transparent, turquoise colors beneath whitewashed homes clinging to a small precipice. The Old-World wonder of Pals becomes another draw of the Costa Brava acting like a timeless treasure brimming with natural and historical splendors among the cobbled lanes. Antique shops and hidden restaurants dotted with flowers add to the village’s colorful palette.

The bells from La Catedral ring in the morning above the richly decorated façade with stone gargoyles and the intricate décor of the antique European Gothic façade. The scent of coffee with milk filters out of the cafes opening around the city and blends with the hint of brininess from the sea breeze. After one last morning to enjoy it, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel lobby after breakfast to escort you to El Prat Airport for your flight home.