Spain’s Mediterranean coastline celebrates the country’s fascinating angles with a history that is alive in monuments and vibrant old quarters as localized cultures proudly bring exceptional cuisine, evocative design, and the laid-back atmosphere of a true getaway. This 10-day luxury tour will comb the Mediterranean coastline and explore the charms and contrasts found from Catalonia to Valencia to Murcia with a mix of both the famous and the unknown destinations via first-class train travel and...
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Barcelona – Arrive and Take In Fine Dining in the Catalonian Capital
Barcelona will impress you at first glance as so much energy bounces over the cobbled streets from centuries past to modern day. Wine bars are built into the facade of 500-year-old buildings, with Gothic ghouls look over their terraces. You can smell the cuisine as exotic aromas swirl through the mazy lanes to mix with the salty breeze of the coast. Barcelona is a city that is easy on the eye and excitable for the soul, deserving its place as Spain’s most iconic destination. You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to a hotel in the heart of Barcelona that is within walking distance of many attractions and restaurants. The afternoon is at your leisure before dinner reservations at one of Barcelona’s new breed of fine dining restaurants, where a Catalonian chef transforms traditional cuisine through molecular cooking.
What's Included:
Day 2
Barcelona – Wander the Roman Relics and the Gothic Grandeur
Day 3
Barcelona – Magic of the Modernista Movement Including La Sagrada Familia
Day 4
Sitges to Tarragona – The Seaside, Seafood and an Old Roman Capital
Day 5
Peniscola to Valencia – A Whitewashed Village From History and the Original Paella
Day 6
Valencia – Hidden Charms of Spain’s Third City
Day 7
Alicante – Through the Hills, Along the Beaches and Tapas in the Old Quarter
Day 8
Murcia – Proud Originality of Spain’s Smallest Province
Day 9
Cartagena – Forgotten Stories of the Phoenicians, Romans, and Moors
Day 10
Cartagena to Murcia – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Wander through the lanes of history to explore the charming old quarters of towns and cities found along the coast for perfect places to embrace the laid-back atmosphere of the country
- Explore how the culture changes as you travel from Catalonia to Valencia to Murcia, each with its own cuisine and sense of pride
- Uncover Spain’s most important Roman monuments with theaters and ruins that stand above the turquoise of the Mediterranean
- Take in some of Spain’s finest cuisine, including paella from Valencia, molecular fine dining in Barcelona, and historical quarters packed with tapas bars
- Spend days in Barcelona to connect the centuries that range from Roman remains to Gothic grandeur and the mesmerizing design of the Modernista art nouveau movement
- Settle into the soft pleasures of Coastal Catalonia with seaside villages, seafood restaurants and glasses of sparkling Cava
- Delve into the essence of Spain as you wander Valencia to discover an intriguing tale of history, culture, architecture mixed with the vibrant atmosphere of modern days
- Traverse the hills and the coastline of Spain’s smallest province, Murcia, for a compact celebration of how the country is divided into distinctive regions
- Celebrate the stories from a forgotten history with a visit to whitewashed Peniscola and a day in captivating little Cartagena
Detailed Description
It is along the Mediterranean coastline that you will find the dreamy essence of Spain. Vibrant cities overflow with old quarters that are perfect for tapas crawls alongside an atmosphere that is paradoxically both laid-back and energetic. Historical monuments remain at the heart of a town or city with the legacy of the Romans or the Moors demonstrating undaunted grandeur. Cuisine that celebrates the unique flavors of each region will be explored as you move between regions and towards the coastline with its golden sand and turquoise waters. You will enjoy the culture of regions that are proudly independent including Catalonia, Valencia, and Murcia as each celebrates their own ambiance.
Your exclusive 10-day tour will follow the coastline, and while you are never far from the sand, it is not a hop between beaches but a journey between both the world-renowned and the unknown destinations. You will travel via first-class train on short journeys that effortlessly connect the hearts of cities and towns alongside local guides who will ensure that you experience the very best of what is on offer. Journeys are relatively quick, and the relaxed mode of travel is ideal for taking in the very unique landscapes. A handful of restaurant reservations and food crawls will ensure that you taste the distinctive cuisine found along your journey as the route mixes the big and the small, the well-known and the local to bring out the contrasts of the coastline. While the Mediterranean provides the same backdrop at each stop, this part of Spain has an almost baffling assortment of stories and fables.
Start with several nights in Barcelona for a good amount of time to explore the art nouveau of Gaudi and the parts of the city that hark back to Roman and Gothic times. Sitges and Tarragona provide an insight into more rural Catalonia, a seaside fishing village and an old Roman capital to contrast with the bustling city. Peniscola is all whitewashed village charm, an old-world stop on route to two nights in Valencia, the home of paella and a great alternative to Spain’s more tourist-dominated major cities. Continuing south, you will spend a day in Alicante and Murcia, small cities of hidden highlights that really come alive with good guides. Conclude with one of Spain’s oldest cities to complete your journey as Cartagena still feels like the relaxed seaside stop of the Phoenicians.
Starting Price
$8,100 per person (excluding international flights)
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
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