Spanish Heritage - End Barcelona, Small Group
This 18-day guided tour takes you from Barcelona to Madrid - stopping at every charming town in between. Walk the narrow lanes of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter with a Local Expert, weaving your way to the lively Las Ramblas, where street performers put on shows. Paella was created in Valencia, and you will indulge in the savory rice dish after a private demonstration from a local chef. Stomp your feet in Seville during a flamenco dance lesson, then relax as the professionals put on a private show for you and your fellow travelers. Walk across the 2,000-year-old Roman bridge in Cordoba, then meet a local historian at the city’s 8th Century mosque with a Christian cathedral inside it. In Madrid, walk with a Local Expert through the city’s Old Quarter to the Prado Museum, where an art historian will reveal the stories behind the masterpieces of artists such as Goya and Titian.


Dining Summary

• 6 Dinner with Wine (DW)
• 17 Breakfast (B)
• 1 Lunch with Wine (LW)

Choice Highlights

• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with your Local Expert to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Seville.
• Seville: Explore Seville's top sights on a panoramic city tour with your Local Expert.
• Choose between two carefully selected activities
• Santiago de Compostela: Join a city tour with a Local Expert and visit Praza do Obradoiro to admire the cathedral facade festooned with architectural frills.
• Santiago de Compostela: Embark on a scenic walk on part of the Way of St. James with a Local Expert, through parks and gardens that transform with the seasons.

Additional Included Highlights

• : 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.

Authentic Dining

• 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 your Highlight Dinner.
• Barcelona: At a typical Catalan restaurant, savor a delicious Celebration Dinner that incorporates classic cooking with the freshest produce.

Insight Experiences

• 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.

Make Travel Matter

• Barcelona: Dine at La Pau, an acclaimed restaurant for the quality of its seasonal menu and social impact. This social initiative generates quality employment to young people and guides them through their transition to adult life. This experience advances United Nations’ Sustainable Development 10: Reduced Inequality. La Pau gives a voice and life opportunity to young people who have been marginalised from the traditional educational and social systems.
• 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.
• Gijon: Meet Flor, a local of Gijón, for a delicious meal of locally sourced produce that she has prepared just for you.
• Pamplona: In Barcelona, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a biodynamic farm whose secrets have been handed down through four generations. Take in the views of Catalunya and taste the flavor of the valley 'Terroir' in the form of a sparkling wine. Sample this light refreshment and follow the process from the vine to your glass, learning about the unique sustainable methods employed. Sparkling wine is essential to Catalan culture, flowing freely during celebrations it is the perfect way to start your adventure into Catalunya. This experience contributes to UN Global Goal 12: Responsible Production and Consumption.

Top Rated Highlights

• Barcelona: Venture inside Gaudi'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 down Las Ramblas and the elegant Passeig de Grcia to witness some of the finest Modernist architecture. Journey through the Eixample district to see Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece, the mesmerizing Sagrada Família.
• Peñíscola: See the 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: 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.
• Seville: Stroll through Barrio de Santa Cruz with your Local Expert to hear how the Jewish community has shaped the history of Seville.
• Seville: Explore Seville's top sights on a panoramic city tour with your Local Expert.
• Santiago de Compostela: Join a city tour with a Local Expert and visit Praza do Obradoiro to admire the cathedral facade festooned with architectural frills.
• Santiago de Compostela: Embark on a scenic walk on part of the Way of St. James with a Local Expert, through parks and gardens that transform with the seasons.
• Oviedo: Led by your Local Expert, see 1,000-year-old wall paintings in some of Europe's oldest churches. Admire the incredible altarpiece, one of the finest in Europe, when you visit the Cathedral of the Holy Savior.
• Picos de Europa: Visit the holy cave of Covadonga and see the tomb of Pelayo who is celebrated for winning the Battle of Covadonga against the Muslim Moors in 722 and later became the first King of Asturias.
• Picos de Europa: Venture into this magnificent national park to admire the stunning picturesque scenery and rocky trails.
• Santillana del Mar: Step back in time when you visit this perfectly preserved and 'most beautiful village in Spain.'
• Bilbao: See the spectacular modern Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry and sites of this Basque region gem during your orientation with your Travel Director.
• Getaria: See the rock known as El Ratón or the mouse.
• San Sebastián: Led by your Local Expert, enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Quarter including Plaza de la Constitucion.
• Pamplona: Spend free time exploring this city, known for its annual Running with the Bulls festival.
• Córdoba: See the 2,000-year-old Roman bridge and spend some time exploring the town.
• Córdoba: Explore 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 over the centuries.

Well-being

• : Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
• : Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.