Best of Spain

Day 1  – BARCELONA

Welcome to Barcelona, and transfer to our hotel in the city center. We’ll get checked into our centrally located hotel. At 6:00 pm, we’ll meet up for group introductions and we’re off to discover one of the trendiest neighborhoods of Barcelona, followed by a Pintxos gourmet restaurant for our welcome dinner. Here we try a selection of tapas, which are small typical Spanish savory dishes. Overnight Barcelona. D

Day 2 – BARCELONA

After breakfast, we’ll enjoy a private walking tour of the city. Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region, is known for its art and architecture. The fantastical Sagrada Família church and other modernist landmarks designed by Antoni Gaudí dot the city. Museu Picasso and Fundació Joan Miró feature modern art by their namesakes. We will visit the highlights and Casa Batló. We’ll have free time in the afternoon for lunch and to explore Barcelona on our own. We’ll find out more about anything that wasn’t covered on the morning tour. We can’t pass up the opportunity to just indulge in this charming city’s history, architecture, and culture. We’ll meet up this early evening for the wonderful experience of a cooking class and tasting of Spanish wines. We will have dinner based on what we´ve cooked…YUM.  Overnight Barcelona. B, D

Day 3 – BILBAO

After breakfast, we hop in our private transfer to Bilbao. We will stop on the way in Tudela for lunch and then on to Bardenas Reales, an amazing UNESCO Biosphere Natural Reserve. Bardenas Reales is a natural park covering 42,500 hectares, and is referred to as the ‘badlands’ of Spain.  Its flora and fauna are more typical of Africa than northern Spain, and it used to be home to crocodiles and turtles. Eagles, vultures, owls, foxes, wildcats, amphibians and reptiles can now be found in and around its scrubland. It’s like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert; but the opposite. The soils are made up of clay, chalk, and sandstone and have been eroded by water and wind creating surprising shapes, canyons, plateaus, tabular structures, and isolated hills, called cabezos (“heads” in english.) We’ll enjoy an approximately 5 mile hike through this area, rated easy. We then continue to Bilbao. On arrival, we check in to our hotel for two nights. We’ll get cleaned up and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Bilbao. B

Day 4  – BILBAO

After breakfast, we’ll discover the city of Bilbao. Bilbao has radically changed in the last 20 years, from an industrial city to an avant-garde one, where tradition and the contemporary go hand in hand. We’ll get to know the culture, customs and traditions through a local guide. Then we’ll have two hours on a kayak tour. We’ll paddle past the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the university, and at least one palace, as we marvel at the architecture from the river. A fun way to see the city from the land and the river. After our kayak tour, we’ll walk to the Old Town for lunch based on local “pintxos”, Basque tapas. After lunch, we enjoy a private visit to the famous Guggenheim Museum. This museum of modern and contemporary art designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, offers an exhibition of 250 contemporary works of art. Tonight, we will have dinner at a typical Basque cider house, where apart of having a great cider house menu, you can pour your own cider right out of the barrel. What’s not to love?  Overnight Bilbao. B, L, D

Day 5 – MADRID

After an early breakfast, we transfer south about 4 hours to magical Madrid. Madrid, Spain’s central capital, is a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks. It’s renowned for its rich repositories of European art, including the Prado Museum’s works by Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish masters. On arrival, we’ll check into our hotel for 2 nights. We’ll freshen up and have lunch. This afternoon, our local guide will take us on a special walking tour of historical women in Madrid. We track some of the most interesting female characters of the history of Spain, but also about the role of women across time. With their biographies (many of them quite impressive) we can understand how social and economical structures worked, and how some of these women broke the mold.  Next, we’re off to a flamenco tablao for show and dinner, “Corral de la Morería”, the best tablao flamenco in Spain. Overnight Madrid. B, D

Day 6 – MADRID

After breakfast, we hop in our van and drive less than an hour to Toledo for a half day tour. Toledo is a beautiful city-museum declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is one of the oldest towns in Europe, a journey back in time and a feast for all five senses. Centuries-old buildings line streets that the ancient Romans once walked. The story of Muslims, Christians, and Jews lives on around every corner. Rustic family-run taverns cook the hearty regional recipes that have sustained locals for generations. Whether you’re a foodie, a history buff, or simply eager to see another side of Spain, a Toledo day trip is a must. On the way back we will stop at San Lorenzo del Escorial for lunch and a short visit to a monastery where we can walk off our lunch by hiking a short but scenic route.  Back in Madrid, we’ll have some time to relax before dinner.  Overnight Madrid. B, L

Day 7 – GRANADA

After breakfast, we pack up, check out, and head to the train station. Yes! It’s so fun to travel with the locals and other tourists alike on the AVE speed train to Granada. This little over 3 hour train ride presents a unique experience that most US citizens are unfamiliar with. It’s a great way to feel like you’re really in Europe. Granada is one of the most charming cities in Spain.  On arrival, we check in to the hotel, have a quick lunch, and we’re ready to explore. We transfer to the Alhambra, another UNESCO Heritage site, for a private tour. The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex, and one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture. It is also one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture. We’ll return to our hotel to relax or walk about town. This evening we’ll regroup for a great Albaicín neighborhood walking tour. The Albaicín is Granada’s oldest Arab district situated on the hill across from the Alhambra. In the 13^th century, this was a prosperous district with many palaces and villas. The Moorish Albaicín district became a maze of narrow streets and squares combined with a multitude of whitewashed houses. We’ll have delicious local tapas for dinner. Overnight Granada. B, D

Day 8 – GRANADA – SEVILLE

After breakfast, we are off to tackle a bucket list activity! Today, we take the challenge of hiking the Caminito del Rey trail, one of the most spectacular and unique routes in Europe. The drive to get to the start point is about two hours.  This hike used to be considered dangerous, however with the recent renovations to the trail, it is now generally rated as a moderate hike. We will hike the five miles (7.7 km) for about three hours, taking frequent stops to enjoy the scenery and each other, along with snacks of course!  The Caminito del Rey route is spectacular from beginning to end, running through cliffs, canyons, and a large valley. It crosses the landscapes of Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, a gorge carved out by the river Guadalhorce, with walls 2300 feet high. The area is also inhabited by a wide variety of plant and animal species; with a little luck, we’ll see highland birds like Egyptian vultures, griffon vultures, or golden eagles, and mammals such as wild boar and Iberian ibex. After this amazing experience, we will then drive to Ronda, a beautiful town. Our reward is a great lunch at a local winery with a wine tasting. We can enjoy the awe inspiring scenery and some may want to nap on the 2.5 hour drive to Seville. We’ll check into our hotel for two nights, get cleaned up and decide on dinner. Overnight Seville. B, L (and snacks)

Day 9 – SEVILLE

After breakfast, we’ll discover Seville, one of Spain’s most popular destinations, home to some of the country’s famed traditions like flamenco and bullfighting. This picturesque town is world-famous for its enticing mix of Moorish, Christian and Jewish architecture and history, as well as some of the most delicious tapas found in southern Spain. We’ll enjoy a guided walking tour through some of the best highlights of the city including Alcazar, Cathedral, Giralda and the Jewish Quarter. We will have lunch together at a local restaurant before having our flamenco dance lesson! (Better than bullfighting, eh?)  We shall learn by the grace of a local “bailaora” (female flamenco dancer). Seville is home to tonas and sevillanas, Spain’s most famous flamenco styles. This dance was once banned in Spain. Let’s find out why. After this amazing experience, it’s time for our farewell dinner. We’ll enjoy this together at a traditional “patio andaluz” (Andalucian garden), at a local restaurant. As we sit around the table, sharing our stories and favorite memories from our time together, we are happy and grateful. Overnight Seville. B, L, D

Day 10 – SEVILLE – MADRID

After breakfast, we’ll check out, pack up and transfer to the train station to once again board the AVE speed train back to Madrid, and the airport. Train time is a bit less than 3 hours. Please book your departing flights for late afternoon, or stay and play in Madrid or points beyond. B

“Having everything written into the price is so perfect. It completely takes away from the burden of having to worry about what you can or can’t afford while on the trip.”
— Sandy R.

• 10 days/9 nights fully guided tour with an English-speaking Trip Leader and a US Canyon Calling Representative
• All transportation as outlined in this itinerary
• All hotels in double occupancy. Call for single room supplement and availability.
• All meals as noted in the itinerary (B=breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner)
• All activities, excursions, and activity gear as outlined in this itinerary
• All activity guide gratuities

• Transportation to Barcelona (airport code BCN) and from Madrid (airport code MAD)
• Alcoholic beverages (exception wine tasting), and meals not listed
• Travel insurance, and other items of a personal nature
• Gratuity to your local Trip Leader at the end of the tour