Day 1
(Fri.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight.

Day 2 – Arrival in Madrid, Spain.
(Sat.) Time to rest or to join the locals in El Retiro Park. At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions and have a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D)

Day 3 – Madrid.
(Sun.) The capital since 1561, Madrid today is a strikingly modern city, the showcase of a country resolutely turned towards the future. Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide takes you to the Puerta del Sol, Plaza de España with its monument to Cervantes, the Parliament, Cibeles Fountain, elegant Calle Alcala, and Paseo de Castellana. Then, the highlight: a visit to the palatial PRADO MUSEUM with its priceless art treasures. The afternoon is at leisure. Exciting optional excursions are available. (B)

Day 4 – Madrid–Barcelona.
(Mon.) From the Plateau of Castile, wind your way through three sierras to rustic Aragonian and Catalonian landscapes and arrive in Barcelona, the proud capital of Catalonia. (B,D)

Day 5 – Barcelona–Valencia.
(Tue.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide features the COLUMBUS MONUMENT, elegant tree–lined Ramblas and Plaza de Cataluna, Paseo de Gracia, the Church of the Holy Family, a panoramic view of the city and harbor from Montjuïc Hill, and a visit to the CATHEDRAL OF SANTA EULALIA. In the afternoon, enjoy a comfortable drive to Valencia, once a royal capital. (B)

Day 6 – Valencia–Granada.
(Wed.) Valencia’s Roman, Moorish, and Spanish history comes alive during your walking tour. Enjoy free time before driving 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. (B,D)

Day 7 – Granada–Seville.
(Thu.) Sightseeing with a Local Guide 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 THE GENERALIFE before you depart for vibrant, festive Seville. (B,D)

Day 8 – Seville.
(Fri.) Listen to your Local Guide’s account of the Andalusian city’s role in Roman times, its conquest by the Moors in 712 AD, and its contribution to the discovery of the New World. Admire MARIA LUISA PARK. Drive to the 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. The rest of the day is at leisure. For a truly Andalusian night out, reserve a seat at our optional flamenco show. (B)

Day 9 – Seville–Cordoba–Madrid.
(Sat.) A short drive down to Cordoba, where sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Alcazar, the Roman Bridge, and the medieval old Jewish Quarter. Tour the magnificent 8th–century MOSQUE OF THE CALIPHS, famous for its 850 pillars of porphyry, marble, and jasper, before returning to Madrid. Tonight, why not join an optional dinner outing to celebrate the success of your Spanish vacation? (B)

Day 10
(Sun.) Your homebound flight arrives the same day. (B)