Cathedrals & Castanets

Day 1 – Depart USA – Barcelona

Your adventure begins as you fly to Spain.

Day 2 – Barcelona

Welcome to a world capital of art, architecture and culture! Explore Barcelona on a guided City Tour. See the Parque de la Ciudadela, Barceloneta and its beaches, Barrio Gotico, Plaza de España, Palacio Nacional and Montjuïc, site of the 1992 Olympics. Visit Gaudi’s surreal Church of the Sagrada Familia, an unfinished masterpiece in neo-Catalan style. The rest of the day is free to explore this attractive Mediterranean city. This evening your guide will lead you on an Evening Walking Tour along the Ramblas, a lively boulevard full of cafés, stands, and artists.

Day 3 – Barcelona

Travel to two seaside resorts, Sitges and Tarragona. Sitges, known as “the Golden Beach,” is one of the most delightful spots on the Mediterranean coast. Writers, painters and artists have chose it as a home and inspiration for their work for more than a century. Tarragona is a center of historic interest as well as a flourishing seaport. Bask on the beaches, then return to Barcelona.

Day 4 – Barcelona – Seville

Transfer to the airport for your one-way flight to Seville, the very heart of Andalusian culture. Enjoy a Seville City Tour conducted by an expert guide. See the landmarks of the city including the Torre del Oro, a Moorish tower located at the river. Also see the beautiful Parc Maria Luisa, the Casa de Pilatos, the Town Hall, and the Real Alcázar, a group of buildings whose origins date back to the Late Middle Ages. Visit the Mezquita-Cathedral that was placed on top of the Mosque of the Almohade Moors. It still keeps its minaret, named “La Giralda”. The rest of the day is free to explore the important monuments and fascinating history of this town.

Day 5 – Seville

Journey to Cordoba, a city founded by the Romans in 169 BC. When the Moors conquered Spain in 711, they made Cordoba their capital. A guided city tour introduces you the “Alcazar de los Reyes,” the summer palace of the King and Queen. Visit another unique mosque-cathedral built on the site of the original “Mezquita.” When the city was reconquered by the Christians in 1236, the new rulers of the city were so awed by its beauty that they left it standing, building their cathedral in the midst of its rows of arches and columns. Enjoy free time to explore the narrow streets, shady flower-filled courtyards and picturesque squares before returning to Seville.

Day 6 – Granada

Transfer to the foot of Spain’s highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada and a city almost unrivalled for beauty and architectural splendor. Granada was capital of an independent Moorish kingdom in the Middle Ages whose capture in 1492 ended centuries of Arab rule in Spain. A City Tour takes you up the “Red Hill” to the Alhambra, the fortress-palace of the Moorish rulers. This complex of “lace in stone” is straight out of Arabian Nights, with splashing fountains, acres of gardens, dancing waters, towers and palaces. See the 14th century Generalife, the garden summer retreat of the sultans. Also see the Albaycín (old Arab quarter), characterized by traditional whitewashed villas with luxurious walled gardens.

Day 7 – Madrid

Travel to Madrid by way of historical Toledo, a picturesque town with a ring of Gothic and Moorish walls. See the masterpieces by El Greco in the Cathedral, the Old Synagogue, the Royal Palace, the Church of Santo Tomé, and visit a sword workshop. Arrive in Spain’s capital and largest city for dinner and a Walking Tour to the Plaza Major, Madrid’s main square with its historic buildings.

Day 8 – Madrid

An expert local guide takes you on a Madrid City Tour to see the Plaza Mayor, Plaza España, Puerta del Sol, Palacio Real (Royal Palace) and other highlights, and a tour of the Prado Museum to see masterpieces by Goya, Velázquez, El Greco, and others. End your adventure with an optional Flamenco show tonight, complete with gypsy guitars, clicking castanets and colorful folk songs.

Day 9 – Depart

Return home with memories of your days among the cathedrals and castanets of Spain.