Upon your arrival you are met and transferred to the hotel.
After breakfast, departure for a panoramic tour of the city on foot and by car.
In the evening, enjoy an insider's Tapas Tour with our guide.
After breakfast, transfer to the train station to board your train to Toledo, approx 35 minutes.
Your private guide will begin the visit by taking you to marvel at the overwhelming panoramic view of the former capital of Spain.
Toledo is a thousand-year-old masterpiece created by various cultures including the Romans, Moors, Jews and Christians. Its heyday was in the 16th century when it became the capital of the mighty Spanish empire.
Stop at the parish church of Santo Tomé at and marvel at El Greco’s famed Burial of the Count of Orgaz, considered to be El Greco’s finest work and one of the greatest masterpieces of all time. At the centre of Toledo, you will find the soaring Gothic Cathedral, the finest example of Gothic style in Spain.
This afternoon you will take the train back to Madrid.
The beautifully preserved buildings of this ancient town provide striking testimony of Toledo’s rich and colorful past. The city of Toledo, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, is located on a rocky headland, bordered by the river Tajo in the very heart of Spain, just 70 kilometers (42 miles) from the capital, Madrid. Although now completely overshadowed by Madrid, it is Toledo and it’s narrow, winding streets and steps, stone and brick houses and churches that embodies Spain’s past.
In the Middle Ages, Toledo was built on a “convergence” of Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and contains two of the few remaining medieval Spanish synagogues. The two synagogues, which stand in the city today, are powerful reminders of that period of religious tolerance before the Spanish Inquisition.
The collection of paintings is also important, above all the excellent collection kept in the Sacristy that contains Christ Stripped of his Garments and the Apostolate by Greco, paintings by Caravaggio, Titian, Van Dyck, Goya, Morales, Rubens, Bassano and many more. An impressive collection of medieval garments and textiles can also be admired.
Today you are met and transferred to the train station for your train to Granada (journey lasts 4 hours). Granada, located in the southern region of Spain, is a captivating city renowned for its rich history and stunning architecture. The crown jewel of Granada is the Alhambra, a magnificent palace and fortress complex, blending Islamic and Christian influences. Its vibrant streets, charming neighborhoods, and vibrant culture make Granada a must-visit destination.
Upon your arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel.
Today, meet your private guide and head to the Alhambra. Enjoy a private tour of the Alhambra, the best preserved example of a Moorish fortress palace in Europe, and one of the world’s most romantic monuments.
After the visit, the rest of the day is at leisure. There are several must-do activities. Explore the winding streets of the Albaicín neighborhood, enjoy tapas at local taverns, witness a flamenco performance, stroll through the colorful Alcaicería market, and marvel at the panoramic views from the Mirador de San Nicolás.
With our expert guide, go beyond the text in your guide book and discover a fascinating world that was home to the Nasrid sultans, rulers of the last Spanish Moorish kingdom. With its construction, Moorish architecture and art reached spectacular levels, yet as our guide will explain, the Alhambra reveals much about the life and culture of this lost kingdom. You will visit the Generalife, the country retreat of Moorish royalty just behind the Alhambra.
People come to Granada from all over the world to see and visit one of the world's most stunning monuments, the Alhambra. Dominating the skyline above the city, this Moorish palace was the jewel in the crown of the Moorish kingdom in Spain. With its spectacular location, high on a hill top with the Sierra Nevada Mountains rising in the background, the Alhambra is highly impressive from afar. Once within its walls, there are so many delights to revel in. The ornately decorated Casa Real, the intricately adorned chambers, the leafy gardens of the Generalife and the old walls of the fortress Alcazaba are just some of the treasures within.
Today you are met and transferred to Seville. (4 hour's drive). You will make a stopover in Ronda.
Ronda Half Day tour with private guide.
At the end of the visit you will continue with your private driver to Seville.
This town in the Málaga region sits on either side of the Tajo del Ronda, a narrow gorge more than 150 metres deep. Its old town has been declared a Property of Cultural Interest. Celts, Phoenicians, Romans and Arabs all inhabited these lands, which were reconquered by the Catholic Monarchs. The historic quarter, reminiscent of the Arab age and with a medieval layout is scattered to the south of the Guadalevín, while more modern Ronda, the part which sprang up after the 16th century, unfolds to the north of the river. Several bridges unite the two halves of what is one of the most interesting towns on the route of the Whitewashed Villages, in the heart of the Ronda hills, only a few kilometres from the Costa del Sol.
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After breakfast, meet your private guide and set off to discover the wonderful Sevilla by bike...
In the afternoon... An Insider’s Evening of Tapas & Flamenco.
Seville is possibly the best city in Spain for tapas. It is after all, the home of the tapas and has the largest number of bars per inhabitant anywhere, offering an amazing range of food. There’s something for everybody. The variety is extensive, encompassing seafood, salads, cured hams, cheeses, red pepper dishes, the obligatory Spanish potato omelette and so on. Tapear’ in Sevilla is a fun and recommendable alternative to the full-blown sit down meal. And who could be better than a local resident to show you the ropes into the world of Spanish food, introducing you to the intricacies and/or delightful simplicity of Spanish cuisine amidst informal, authentic settings. Enjoy some excellent food and wines… before combining the evening with another of Seville's defining art forms….Flamenco.
With roots tracing from Andalusian, Islamic, Sephardic and Gypsy origins, flamenco is a combination of intricate guitar playing, powerful singing ranging from the exuberant to the sorrowful, and passionate yet graceful dancing. A visit to Spain without a flamenco experience is not complete and your host for the evening will provide a deeper understanding of its origins, its meaning and its place in modern day Spain.
There is no better way to explore Seville and its sights than by bike. The city is flat, offers marked cycle lanes and is almost always sunny! Our bike tour is a fun and informative introduction to the city, the perfect way to get an overview and feel for Seville. Your bike guide will introduce you to the most interesting and alluring sights; the neighborhood of Triana, the Plaza de San Francisco, the Guadalquivir River, the old tobacco factory, Maria Luisa park, the Plaza de España and other key city monuments such as the Cathedral and the Alcázar.
Your bike guide will bring the city to life with fascinating stories and intriguing anecdotes. In just 3 hours you will see and learn so much about Spain’s most beautiful city! Fun and highly recommended.
Seville is possibly the best city in Spain for tapas. It is after all, the home of the tapas and has the largest number of bars per inhabitant anywhere, offering an amazing range of food. There’s something for everybody. The variety is extensive, encompassing seafood, salads, cured hams, cheeses, red pepper dishes, the obligatory Spanish potato omelette and so on. Tapear’ in Sevilla is a fun and recommendable alternative to the full-blown sit down meal. And who could be better than a local resident to show you the ropes into the world of Spanish food, introducing you to the intricacies and/or delightful simplicity of Spanish cuisine amidst informal, authentic settings. Enjoy some excellent food and wines… before combining the evening with another of Seville's defining art forms….Flamenco.
With roots tracing from Andalusian, Islamic, Sephardic and Gypsy origins, flamenco is a combination of intricate guitar playing, powerful singing ranging from the exuberant to the sorrowful, and passionate yet graceful dancing. A visit to Spain without a flamenco experience is not complete and your host for the evening will provide a deeper understanding of its origins, its meaning and its place in modern day Spain.
Today you are met and transferred to the train station for your train to Barcelona (journey time is 5.5 hours).
Upon your arrival in Barcelona you are met and transferred to your hotel.
Today meet your expert guide at the lobby and together you will explore one of Europe’s most fascinating cities.
Barcelona, with typical Catalan pride and creativity, remains determined to project itself as Spain’s most innovative city, and offers a staggering array of attractions. Our guided tour tries to give a little more than just a glimpse of how the city was reborn with the Olympics in 1992 and stresses the importance of Catalan history and culture in its development.
The tour takes in the Passeig de Gracia, the most stylish street of Barcelona, lined with boutique shops and art galleries. Also La Rambla, with its outdoor cafés, flower stands, exotic birds and equally colorful street performers. Just off La Rambla are the antique stalls at La Boqueria, Barcelona’s outdoor market considered to be one of the best markets in the world. Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter rests on the ancient Roman city of Barcino, today full of buildings from the 13th to the 15th century. The Quarter, where you’ll spend most of the tour, is full of interesting shapes, peaceful plazas and winding alleyways, with its medieval Cathedral and the Picasso Museum. The tour is flexible according to personal preferences and tastes.
Group Cooking Class in Barcelona
The cuisine of the various regions of Spain make some of the world’s finest dishes. Rich in tradition and history (Arab, Jewish, Roman, Aztec, and many other cultures have all contributed methods and ingredients) Spanish cuisine has an identity of its own. It is sensual yet simple, delicate but unpretentious, folklorist yet innovative. Enjoy a hands-on introduction to Spanish cooking with your host, instructor and chef whose infectious passion for food and Mediterranean cuisine will set the scene for a fun way to learn about traditional and contemporary homemade specialties.
Start with a walking tour around the famous Boqueria market, getting plenty of tips on picking local, seasonal products, and exploring in depth some of the extraordinary and delicious fresh food that is sold here. You’ll get so much more out of the tour with a chef than you ever would hope to get on your own.
From the Boqueria, head to a superbly laid out kitchen, located in the heart of the Gothic Quarter and just a few minutes’ walk from the market - a great spot to cook authentic typical dishes of Spain.
With your chef involving you as much as you wish in the preparation of the dishes, prepare a delicious starter, main course and dessert. Finish the adventure enjoying the menu prepared in a friendly and casual atmosphere.
The balance of the day is at your leisure.
Today you are met and transferred to the airport on time for your flights.
