Northern Spain - Premium | End Madrid - 03 Apr 2027 to 16 Oct 2027

Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner in a local restaurant and enjoy an evening of typical madrileño flavours.

Enjoy sightseeing with your Local Specialist through the main historic areas of Spain’s capital, including the elegant districts known as Madrid of the Bourbons. Continue through the Old Quarter to uncover the city’s origins and learn how Madrid developed from modest beginnings into a major European capital. At the Prado Museum, discover masterpieces by Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and other influential artists with a local art historian, gaining new perspective through historic anecdotes and expert insight. This afternoon, relax at a cafe or browse the boutiques, or join an Optional Experience to Segovia to see its Roman aqueduct, medieval streets and turreted Alcázar.

Journey through the Guadarrama Mountains to the infinite horizons of Old Castile and pass the impressive Castillo de la Mota. Continue past historic Tordesillas, and on to Santiago de Compostela.

Explore Santiago de Compostela with your choice experience. Choose to join a city tour with a Local Specialist and visit the cathedral, festooned with architectural frills. Alternatively, embark on a scenic walk along the Way of St. James, through verdant parks and gardens. Relax during your free time, or explore the narrow streets and old city squares.

Pass through the ancient forests of Galicia and travel along Asturias’ Green Coast, named for the lush pine and eucalyptus trees that fringe its sparkling shoreline. Stop for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, where you’ll enjoy a homemade Farm-to-Table lunch and learn about traditional cider production, including a tasting. Continue inland past coastal views, old villages and deep valleys en route to Oviedo. On arrival, join a Local Specialist to explore the city’s 9th-century churches and visit the Cathedral of the Holy Saviour in Plaza Alfonso II, home to one of Europe’s finest altarpieces.

Visit the Holy Cave of Covadonga, a shrine to Pelayo, who achieved the first Christian victory over the Moors in 722. See the unique Roman bridge in Cangas de Onís as you head into the foothills of the Picos de Europa, a national park boasting spectacular mountain and gorge scenery. Enjoy views of the Costa de Cantabria while travelling to Santillana del Mar, arguably the most beautiful village in Spain. Stroll through the rustic cobblestone streets, admiring stone houses decorated with carved, heraldic symbols and reach the delightful church square. Continue on to the sophisticated beach resort of Santander where you have free time in the evening to enjoy this luxurious hotel.

In nearby Bilbao, admire the striking modern architecture of the Guggenheim Museum, one of the world's most spectacular buildings. Enjoy the views as you are driven along part of the Costa Vasca, dotted with small coastal fishing villages and pause in the seaside city of Getaria to see 'El Ratón', the mouse-shaped rock. Continue to San Sebastián and admire its beauty as you walk with your Local Specialist through the Old Quarter to see the Plaza de la Constituction. This evening, perhaps join an Optional Experience to sample traditional pintxos and discover txikiteo, the Basque custom of bar hopping over drinks and regional flavours.

Enjoy a day at leisure to stroll along San Sebastián's boardwalk and with the city harbour filled with fishing boats and pleasure crafts, you can enjoy several sporting activities on its large sandy beach. Perhaps you'll want to explore the nearby French villages of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, also known as Little Paris, and Biarritz. You could also stroll along the promenade of the famous La Concha Bay or enjoy the boutiques of the Old Town.

Journey to the famed town of Pamplona, known for its Running of the Bulls festival. With time free for you to explore, take a stroll to the famous Estafeta Street or visit Cafe Iruña, immortalised by Ernest Hemingway in his novel 'The Sun Also Rises.' Your travels continue to Barcelona, the vibrant capital of Catalonia, a land that retains its own distinctive language, culture and traditions.

Wake up ready to embrace the city’s artistic heritage. Join a Local Specialist and drive along the Passeig de Gràcia, adorned with elegant wrought-iron street lamps and the most flamboyant Modernist buildings. Continue through the Eixample district to behold Gaudí’s extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família*. As you venture inside, look up to see its giant, tree-like pillars and spectacular vaulting. Admire the wonderful rainbow of the incredible stained-glass windows. With the afternoon at leisure, you are free to relax or continue your exploration on your own. In the evening, join your Travel Director and newfound friends at a local restaurant. Raise your glass and toast your travels during dinner. *Please note that with the construction of the Sagrada Família nearing completion, access to the basilica may be restricted for special masses, pilgrim visits or official ceremonies, and we are unable to secure tickets to visit. Should this occur during your tour, you will visit the Hospital de Sant Pau instead, a striking example of Catalan Art Nouveau designed by Gaudí’s contemporary, Domènech i Montaner. Afterwards, join your Local Specialist in the gardens surrounding the Sagrada Família and take in the extraordinary exterior of Gaudí’s iconic masterpiece.

Today, bid farewell to your journey across Spain and Portugal as you transfer from Barcelona to Madrid.