Barcelona & Northern Spain to Madrid

Bienvenido a Espana! You will be met at Barcelona airport and transferred to our hotel. The rest of today is free for you to head out and explore the city. This evening there's a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant, giving you the opportunity to get to know your tour leader and fellow travellers over a delightful evening of good food and wine.

Please note: We recommend booking a flight that arrives no later than 17.00hrs.

We enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour in Barcelona this morning. Driving down the city's main streets, we will admire some of Gaudi's impressive modernist works, such as Le Pedrera and Casa Mila. We stroll through Montjuic Park to admire the surrounding views of the city and visit stunning La Sagrada Familia, the crown jewel of Gaudi's work. Then we continue to Port Vell to board a catamaran and sail along the beautiful coastline of Barcelona. We will be welcomed on board with music, a courtesy drink and a typical local tapa to start the experience in a Mediterranean style. You can sit in the shaded aft seats to feel the sea breeze, or lie on the forward nets to soak up the sunshine.

The afternoon is free for you to continue exploring Barcelona. Perhaps head for a walk along the beach, find some dinner along La Rambla, or head to Parc Guell to see more of Gaudi's work.

Barcelona - Zarazoga - Pamplona - Bilbao. We enjoy breakfast at the hotel before embarking on a picturesque journey from Barcelona to Bilbao, passing through enchanting cities along the route. Leaving Barcelona, we traverse the scenic Catalan landscape, characterized by rolling vineyards and olive groves, on our way to Zaragoza. In Zaragoza, there's free time to see the impressive Baroque architecture of the Basilic-Temple of Our Lady Pilar. Continuing north, the journey takes us to Pamplona, renowned for its annual Running of the Bulls and its charming cultural and architectural attractions, including its medieval old town and the Gothic-style Cathedral. The final leg of our journey takes us to Bilbao.

Bilbao - San Sebastian - Bilbao. After breakfast at the hotel we enjoy a Bilbao city tour, taking in the city's main highlights. The port city of Bilbao is surrounded by green mountains, and the de facto Basque capital is one of the prettiest cities in Spain. There's then time at leisure for you to explore the esplanade where the Guggenheim Museum is located in order for you to admire this modern architectural building.

This afternoon we head to nearby San Sebastian, an exclusive resort town known for hosting the International Film Festival and for La Concha, one of Spain's finest beaches. On a panoramic coach tour of the city we admire the extraordinary landscape dominated by the bay and the magnificent La Concha beach. We stop to enjoy the view over San Sebastian and the Bay of Biscay from Mount Igueldo and have some free time to stroll around this elegant city before returning to Bilbao for the evening. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant, where you can try pintxos, the Basque version of tapas.

Bilbao - Castro Urdiales - Santander. Leaving Bilbao, we head into the green mountainous region of Asturias, admiring the view en route to the fishing town of Castro Urdiales. There's free time to wander around, and you will be able to see the castle which dates back to the Middle Ages. Then it's onto Santander, a coastal city known for the popular Sardinero Beach.

Santander - Santillana del Mar - Covadonga - Oviedo. Our first stop today is Santillana del Mar, known for its Renaissance palaces, medieval towers and the beautiful Romanesque Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana. We then have a short stop in Covadonga where there's free time to see the Sanctuary and the Grotto. In the afternoon we travel on to Oviedo. The rest of the day is free to explore the many pedestrianized streets and you can see the hilltop Saint Maria de Naranco Church overlooking the city. The UNESCO-listed Cathedral is also worth a visit. We enjoy a group dinner tonight at a traditional cider house.

Oviedo - Mondonedo - Lugo - Santiago de Compostela. Today we head into Galicia, Spain's north-westernmost region. Our first visit is Mondonedo, where you can see the 13th century Cathedral and sample the local delicacy. Mondonedo Cake is made with puff pastry, sponge, almonds and fruit.

Stopping in Lugo, you will have time to admire the historic Roman city walls before we continue our journey to Santiago de Compostela. The UNESCO-listed Old Town is home to one of the most important pilgrimages in Christianity. It marks the end of the Camino de Santiago Route, which was constructed during the Roman Empire.

We spend this morning on a city tour of Santiago de Compostela. We will see the Praza do Obradoiro main square and visit the Cathedral, which is dedicated to the Apostle Santiago. After our tour, the rest of the day is free to stroll around the Old Town's cobbled streets.

Santiago de Compostela - Madrid. After breakfast, bid farewell to any fellow travellers who are continuing their journey to Portugal, and transfer to the train station to travel (unescorted) by high speed train to Spain's vibrant capital, Madrid. The rest of the day is free to spend at leisure, independently exploring the city.

Our tour ends after breakfast today with an included transfer to the airport.