Spain

Day 1 Madrid
Arrival at Madrid airport and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Madrid.

Day 2 Madrid
Half day sightseeing tour including Puerta del Sol, Plaza de España with its monument to Cervantes, the Parliament, Cibeles Fountain, elegant boulevard Gran Vía, and Paseo de Castellana. Afternoon optional tour to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen or visit the Prado museum. Overnight in Madrid.

Day 3 Madrid – Segovia (90 km/1,30h) – Burgos (200 km/3h) – Vitoria (120 km/1,30h)
Head into beautiful Castile, “the province of the castles.” Cross the rugged Sierra de Guadarrama on the way to Segovia, famous for its Alcazar and the 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct. In Burgos, see the magnificent limestone Cathedral of Santa Maria where the legendary El Cid is buried. Afternoon arrival in Vitoria with time for a stroll through this ancient Basque city’s delightful historic center.Overnight in Victoria.

Day 4 Vitoria – Bilbao (70 km/1h) - San Sebastian (100 km/1,30h) – Pamplona (80 km/1h)
Drive to Bilbao, the great port city of the Basque region for a guided visit to the Guggenheim museum, an amazing feat of construction created by the North American architect Frank O. Gehry. Stop in lovely San Sebastian, the “Pearl of the Cantabrian Coast,” before arriving in Pamplona at the foot of the Pyrenees.Overnight in Pamplona.

Day 5 Pamplona – Zaragoza (180 km/2,30h) – Barcelona (320 km/4h)
Enjoy vistas of Rioja wine country on the way to Saragossa. Stop on Plaza del Pilar, one of Spain’s grandest squares. Free time to visit the Basilica Our Lady of the Pillar where according to legends the Virgin appeared to St. James. Then to Barcelona, Spain’s second-largest city and the host of the Olympic Games of 1992.Overnight in Barcelona.

Day 6 Barcelona
Sightseeing tour including the Columbus monument, elegant tree-lined Ramblas and Plaza de Cataluna, Paseo de Gracia, Sagrada Familia, a panoramic view of the city and harbor from Monjuic Hill, and a visit to the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia. Afternoon at leisure or optional to Montserrat. Overnight in Barcelona.

Day 7 Barcelona – Valencia (350 km/4,30h)
Proceed along the coast to Valencia, once a royal capital. Valencia’s Roman, Moorish, and Spanish history comes alive when your local guide takes you on a tour including the Town Hall, La Lonja, the bull ring, the massive gateway towers of Serranos and Quart, and the new Arts and Science Complex designed by the famous Valencian architect Calatrava. Next visit the impressive La Seo Cathedral.

Day 8 Valencia – Granada (500 km/5,30h)
Further along the coastline to Alicante, and then inland towards the mountains. Pass troglodyte cave dwellings hollowed out of the soft tufa stone near Guadix and Purullena and cross Mora Pass on your way to the splendors of Granada. Overnight in Granada.

Day 9 Granada – Córdoba (200 km/3h)
A sightseeing tour features Granada’s main attraction, the Alhambra, a fantasy of “lace in stone” surrounded by arabesque gardens and fountains. Also amble through the exotic Water gardens of Generalife.Transfer to Córdoba. Know more about the history and traditions of this intriguing city, with its beguiling mix of Roman, Arabic and Spanish history. Overnight.

Day 10 Córdoba – Torremolinos (170 km/2,30h)
Transfer to Torremolinos at the Costa del Sol. Free time to explore the city on your own. Overnight.

Day 11 Torremolinos – Gibraltar (130 km/2,30h) – Sevilla (200 km/3,30h)
Drive to the Rock of Gibraltar, in British hands since 1704. Hear about its turbulent history and see the Moorish Castle, St.Michael’s caves and the colony of Barbary apes. Then on through the sunny sherry wine region on the Costa de la Luz to vibrant, festive Sevilla for overnight.

Day 12 Sevilla
City tour including Maria Luiza, Plaza de España, the Gold Tower on the Guadalquivir River, and the university that used to be the tobacco factory of Carmen fame. Visit the Cathedral with Columbus’ tomb and stroll through the narrow lanes of the charming Santa Cruz quarter. Free afternoon and optional flamenco show for the evening.Overnight in Sevilla.

Day 13 Sevilla – Toledo (480 km/5,30h) – Madrid (80 km/1h)
Through the arid landscapes of Don Quixote’s La Mancha to Toledo, spectacularly situated on a granite hill surrounded by a loop of the Tagus River. City tour covering the Moorish bridge, an early Synagogue,the 13th-century Gothic Cathedral, and the Church of Santo Tome with one of El Greco’s most famous paintings. Overnight in Madrid.

Day 14 Madrid
Transfer to the airport for final departure.