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8-Nights Highlights of Spain - Small Group from $3,218
Insight Vacations
OFFER ID 1503954
Highlights Of Spain - Small Group, Winter
See the beautiful world of Spain during this 9-day guided tour. Begin in Barcelona, where a Local Expert will lead you along the city’s narrow lanes to the lively Las Ramblas and the Sagrada Família, a basilica built by the architect Antoni Gaudí. Paella was created in Valencia. Later, enjoy a private cooking demonstration at a family-run restaurant while sampling the local flavors. See glorious views of the Sierra Nevada before reaching Granada, where a Local Expert will guide you through one of the most remarkable fortresses ever built: the Alhambra. In Seville, learn the art of flamenco dancing during a private lesson, then be treated to a passionate performance by professionals. Visit the Prado Museum in Madrid with an art historian, who can share the stories behind Spanish masterpieces by artists such as Francisco Goya.
Dining Summary
- 4 Dinner with Wine (DW)
- 8 Breakfast (B)
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with a Local Expert and hear how the Jewish community has shaped the city's history.
- Seville: See the city's top sights on a panoramic tour with your Local Expert.
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
- Valencia: Learn the authentic recipe of paella when you join a local chef for a Cooking Demonstration. Savor the flavors of this classic dish for dinner, washed down with a glass of Sangria, during dinner.
- Madrid: Toast to your travels and enjoy local specialties in one of the city's elegant central neighborhoods.
- Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with a Local Expert and hear how the Jewish community has shaped the city's history.
- Seville: See the city's top sights on a panoramic tour with your Local Expert.
- Granada: Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. While others wait in line, you'll be exploring accompanied by a Local Expert, keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.
- Madrid: Witness the world's finest collection of Spanish paintings, plus an impressive international collection, as you tour the Prado Museum with an art historian.
- Seville: The Cristina Heeren Foundation aims to promote the teaching and conservation of flamenco and is a beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant. Meet the students of the foundation, learn some basic flamenco steps, and then feel the passion as they perform an emotional show. The school enables students access to cultural education that otherwise may not have occurred. TreadRights sponsorship has helped students to complete their studies in advanced guitar, singing and dance. As students complete their training, they will carry on and safeguard the traditional flamenco dance, contributing to the protection of Andalusia and Spain’s cultural heritage. The Cristina Heeren Foundation advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education and UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
- Barcelona: Venture inside Gaudí's extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família and marvel at the contrasts of architecture. Above see its giant, tree-like pillars and spectacular vaulting. Admire the wonderful rainbow of the incredible stained-glass windows.
- Barcelona: With your Local Expert, drive along the elegant Passeig de Grcia to witness some of the finest Modernist architecture as you journey through the Eixample district to see Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família.
- Peñíscola: See the seaside castle featured in the film 'El Cid'.
- Valencia: See the ultra-modern Center of Arts and Sciences and the huge gates of the old town, Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart.
- Seville: Guided by your Local Expert, see the Giralda Tower, former minaret of the Great Mosque and now the cathedral's belltower. Explore the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter and emerge by the great walls of the Alcazar.
- Seville: Visit the Seville Cathedral with your Local Expert. Pass the altarpiece dripping with gold and see the Tomb of Columbus, held aloft by four kings.
- Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Expert. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the fountain in the Plaza de Cibeles, the Cervantes Monument and Royal Palace, before crossing the Puerta del Sol.
- Córdoba: See the 2,000-year-old Roman bridge and spend some time exploring the town.
- Córdoba: Visit the incredible Mezquita with your Local Expert. Admire the forest of horseshoe arches and learn how this building symbolises many of Cordoba's religious changes o
8 nights from $3,218 per person
Insight Vacations: Highlights of Spain - Small Group, Winter
Day 1 - Welcome to Barcelona
Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodations: Hotel Hesperia Barcelona Presidente.
Meals: Dinner with Wine
Day 2 - Barcelona, the City of Gaudí Relaxed Start
With your Local Expert, drive along the Passeig de Grcia, adorned with elegant wrought-iron street lamps and some of the most flamboyant Modernist buildings. Continue through the Eixample district for a visit inside Gaudí’s extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família, to see the central nave with its giant, tree-like pillars, spectacular vaulting and the beautiful rainbows flooding in through the intricate stained-glass windows. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore or perhaps join an Optional Experience to Montserrat and The Black Madonna.
Accommodations: Meliá Barcelona Sarri, Barcelona
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 - Along the coast to Valencia Relaxed Start
Follow the sunny Costa Dorada, past the rice fields of the Ebro Delta. Stop at the seaside resort of Peñíscola and see the hilltop castle used in the film 'El Cid'. Pass through the famous orange groves to Valencia and see the City of Arts and Sciences. Later see the Old City and take in its medieval charm. Valencia is home to one of the world's greatest dishes, paella. Meet the chef of a local family-run restaurant in the heart of the Old City and learn how to make this local specialty during a Cooking Demonstration. Later, indulge in the delicious flavors of this classic dish with a glass of wine at your dinner.
Accommodations: Barceló Valencia
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 4 - Exquisite Granada and Alhambra
Travel south toward Andalucía, passing the castle at Lorca and troglodyte dwellings hollowed out of the soft rock near Guadix. Enjoy views of the Sierra Nevada mountains from a distance as you reach glorious Granada. This historic city was a Moorish kingdom for almost eight centuries and was the last stronghold to fall to the Catholic monarchs of Spain in 1492. Overlooking Granada stands the Alhambra, one of the most remarkable fortresses ever built. Led by your Local Expert, explore this exquisite palace, built as a citadel by the Moors in the 13th century. A fantasy of arabesque gardens, fountains and stone cut like lace. Later, stroll through the elegant exotic gardens of the Generalife, the Royal summer residence.
Accommodations: Gran Hotel Luna de Granada
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 5 - A Scenic Drive to Seville
The morning is at your leisure to explore as you wish. Perhaps join an Optional Experience and visit the Albaicín Quarter with a Local Expert. Here, in addition to falling in love with Granada, you will also uncover its pivotal role in European history. Continue your travels to Seville, past gleaming white villages and olive groves that stretch as far as the eye can see.
Accommodations: Meliá Sevilla
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Seville, the City of Carmen Relaxed Start
Visit the Seville Cathedral, the burial place of Christopher Columbus. Explore Seville with Insight Choice. Choose to embark on a walk through the old Jewish quarter. Alternatively, join a scenic drive around the city and enjoy panoramic views. This evening, visit the Cristina Heeren Foundation, a beneficiary of a TreadRight Foundation grant for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. This private dance school is dedicated to promoting the conservation of flamenco and supports young enthusiasts from all over the world with a special focus on new talent from the Andalusian region. Feel the passion behind the choreography as you put your rhythm to the test during a dance lesson before witnessing emotions come to life in a flamenco performance.
Accommodations: Meliá Sevilla
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7 - Moorish Córdoba and on to Madrid
Set off early along the Guadalquivir Valley, passing villages and towns studded with Moorish towers and fortresses. Stop in the perfectly preserved Moorish city of Córdoba and see the famous Roman bridge, built in the 1st century BC. Meet a local historian and visit the magnificent Mezquita, a beautiful 8th-century mosque with a Christian cathedral built inside it. Make the most of your time at leisure and stroll the narrow streets of the city. Follow in the footsteps of Don Quixote as you travel through La Mancha and on to the capital, Madrid.
Accommodations: NH Madrid Balboa
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 - Madrid of the Bourbons Relaxed Start
Enjoy sightseeing with your Local Expert, as they guide you through the most historic neighborhoods in the Spanish capital. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter to discover the origins of the city. Visit the renowned Prado Museum with an art historian who will guide you through the collective works of Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and more. The afternoon is at your leisure to relax at a cafe, shop in the trendy boutiques or perhaps travel to beautiful Toledo with an Optional Experience.In the evening, join your Travel Director and newfound friends at a local restaurant in the heart of the city. Toast your adventures as you enjoy a delicious dinner of regional favorites, served with wine.
Accommodations: NH Madrid Balboa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 9 - Depart Madrid
Today, your remarkable journey comes to an end as you transfer to the Madrid-Barajas Airport. Take a moment to reflect on the unforgettable experiences, meaningful connections and enriching encounters that have shaped your travels.
Meals: Breakfast
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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TravelDesign International
3838 Camino del Rio N. Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92108
USA
(619) 589-6700
(800) 586-6700