22 Days | Admire Spain on a tour via Madrid, Barcelona and San Sebastian.




Visit Spain's star attractions on a classic tour through its heart. Starting in Madrid, let your imagination unfold on a journey through this beautiful country oozing with charm, and visit the people and cities that reflect Spain's fascinating history and culture. Tour through Cordoba, Valencia, Barcelona and San Sebastian as you experience a fiery flamenco performance, follow your tastebuds to a tapas bar, admire unique architectural triumphs, worship the sun at the beach and sip some of the best red wine in the world. This 22-day adventure through Classic Spain is as colourful and diverse as the land itself.
Trip overview

- Start
- Madrid, Spain
- Finish
- Madrid, Spain
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- Spain
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Original
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- ZMSBC
- It's a pretty special thing to chill out on a beach in Andalusian Spain, knowing North Africa is just across the water. Explore the scenic Costa de la Luz and kick back with some tapas and sangria in Tarifa.
- Witness a spectacular Spanish sunset on a beach in Valencia, while feasting on a bowl of some of the world's best paella.
- The cosmopolitan city of Barcelona pulses with culture, art and an outstanding drinking and dining scene. Discover the eccentric architecture of Gaudi who made Barcelona his artistic playground – the unfinished masterpiece of La Sagrada Familia is particularly mind-blowing.
- Logrono is bursting with delicious local produce and wine, just waiting to be enjoyed on an included tapas crawl. Delicioso!
- Take a long siesta on the golden beaches of San Sebastian, one of Spain's most scenic coastal destinations. As the sun goes down, join the crowds as they come out to play among the city's exciting nightlife.
- The primary means of transportation on this trip is by train and bus. Spanish trains are comfortable and often decked out with air-conditioning. Toilets are always available. Some of the trains have snack bars (or vending machines) and power points next to the seats but that cannot be guaranteed on every journey. Train travel is a fast way to traverse long distances, allowing you to avoid traffic jams and arrive right into the city centre. Public buses are also comfortable and often air-conditioned, but there aren't always toilets on board. Please note that you will have to carry your own luggage on and off the train, and also up or down a few flights of stairs as some of the stations may not have lifts. Please make sure your luggage doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find this information in the 'Packing' section of the Essential Trip Information.
- Summer temperatures can be extreme in Spain (over 40°C), so it’s important to use sun protection, wear breathable layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Many hotels in Europe have fans, not air conditioning. In contrast, this trip also has departures during the winter months (mid-October to mid-March). This is the perfect time to see the highlights of Spain without any of the crowds, however the weather during this time of year is unpredictable, and possibly cold and rainy. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.
- Shops, attractions, sights and businesses may be closed for up to 5 hours in the middle of the day for siesta time. This gives the locals time to escape the heat and spend time with their families, eat a large lunch or simply sleep through the most uncomfortable time of day. This means of course that people work later into the evening and dinner time can seem quite late – 9.30 pm is not uncommon for family dinner time.
- On this trip you must pack as lightly as possible because you will be expected to carry your own bag and although you won't be required to walk long distances with your luggage (max 30 minutes), we strongly recommend keeping the weight between 15kg / 33lb. Most travellers carry their luggage in a backpack, although an overnight bag with a shoulder strap would suffice if you travel lightly. Smaller bags or backpacks with wheels are convenient although we recommend your bag has carry straps to accommodate the cobbled streets, uneven surfaces, stairs and steps you are likely to encounter while carrying your luggage. You'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water and a camera etc for day trips.
Itinerary
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024
Inclusions
11 breakfasts, 1 lunch
Train, Public bus, Metro, Bicycle, Taxi, Cable car
Hotel (17 nights), Hostal/Guest house (4 nights)
- Granada - Guided Visit to Alhambra Palace & Gardens
- Ronda - Los Molinos (Windmill Valley) Hike
- Seville - Evening Flamenco Performance
- Cordoba - Mezquita (Mosque-Cathedral) Visit
- Valencia - City Cycling Tour
- Valencia - Picnic
- Barcelona - Leader-led orientation walk
- Barcelona - La Sagrada Familia Cathedral visit
- San Sebastian - Monte Igueldo Funicular (Igeldo Funikularra)
- Logrono - Txikiteo of Pintxos (Tapas Crawl)
- Logrono - Winery Visit & Wine Tasting
- Madrid - Museo del Prado - EUR15
- Madrid - Museo Reina Sofia - EUR10
- Madrid - Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza - EUR12
- Madrid - Real Jardín Botánico - EUR6
- Madrid - Royal Palace - EUR11
- Madrid - Museo Taurino - EUR15
- Madrid - Tapas Urban Adventure - EUR82
- Granada - Jose Guerrero Centre - Free
- Granada - Mirador de San Nicolas - Free
- Granada - Catedral de Granada - EUR5
- Granada - Science Park Planetarium - EUR2
- Granada - Science Park - EUR7
- Granada - Capilla Real - EUR5
- Ronda - Santa Maria la Mayor Church - EUR4
- Ronda - Bandits Museum - EUR4
- Morocco - Day Trip from Tarifa - EUR66
- Tarifa - Whale Watching - EUR35
- Gibraltar - Day Trip from Tarifa - EUR48
- Tarifa - Castle - EUR4
- Seville - Andalusian Contemporary Art Centre - EUR3
- Seville - Casa de Pilatos - EUR8
- Seville - Indias Archive - Free
- Seville - Santa Paula Convent - EUR3
- Seville - Torre del Oro - EUR3
- Seville - Archaeological Museum - EUR3
- Seville - Cathedral & Giralda Tower - EUR10
- Seville - Museum of Fine Arts - EUR2
- Seville - Museum of Art & Popular Customs - EUR2
- Cordoba - Palacio Museo de Viana - EUR8
- Cordoba - Torre de la Calahorra - EUR5
- Cordoba - Museo Vivo de Al-Andalus - EUR6
- Cordoba - Casa de las Cabezas - EUR5
- Cordoba - Tablao el Cardenal - EUR23
- Cordoba - Museum of the Inquisition - EUR3
- Valencia - Fallas Museum - EUR2
- Valencia - Gonzalez Marti Museum - EUR3
- Valencia - Miguelete Tower - EUR2
- Valencia - Principe Filipe Science Museum - EUR8
- Valencia - The Silk Exchange - EUR2
- Valencia - Valencian Institute of Modern Art - EUR6
- Valencia - Museum of Fine Arts - Free
- Barcelona - National Art Museum of Catalonia - EUR12
- Barcelona - Tapas Tour in El Raval Urban Adventure - EUR70
- Barcelona - Old Santa Creu Hospital - EUR16
- Barcelona - Picasso Museum - EUR14
- Barcelona - Barcelona Cathedral - EUR11
- Barcelona - Museum of City History - EUR7
- Barcelona - Ethnological and World Cultures - EUR5
- Barcelona - Museum of Gaudi - EUR6
- Barcelona - Guell Palace - EUR12
- Barcelona - Casa Batllo (advance booking required) - EUR29
- Pamplona - Gothic Cathedral - EUR5
- Pamplona - Ciudadella Fortress - Free
- Pamplona - Taconera Park - Free
- San Sebastian - Catedral del Buen Pastor - Free
- San Sebastian - Grab Your Pintxo Urban Adventure - EUR73
- San Sebastian - Hiking the St James Way (Camino de Santiago) Urban Adventure - EUR63
- Bilbao - Guggenheim Museum - EUR16
- San Sebastian - San Telmo Museum - EUR6
- San Sebastian - Basque by Bike Urban Adventure - EUR43
- San Sebastian - Catamaran Boat Trip - EUR10
- Logrono - Museo de la Rioja - Free
- Logrono - San Bartolome Church - Free
- Logrono - Cathedral - Free
Dates and availability
Important notes
1. A single supplement is bookable on this trip, excluding Day 19&20. Availability is limited due to small property we use. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Please provide your full name and passport details at the time of booking so that we can secure Alhambra entrance tickets for you. Fees may apply for adding or amending details within 60 days of departure. In some cases, without these details, we may not be able to obtain entrance tickets for you.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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