Classic Italy & Spain - 17 day tour

Welcome to Italy! On arrival in Rome, there is an included transfer to our start hotel. Our tour begins at 19:45 so if you arrive early you will have time to do some independent sightseeing - perhaps head to the Colosseum?

When better to explore this most romantic of cities than with a sunset walking tour? Our expert local guide takes us to highlights including the Spanish Steps and the Piazza Della Rotonda, home of the Pantheon. Throw a coin into the Trevi Fountain for good luck and taste some authentic Italian gelato. After our tour ends, the rest of the evening is at leisure.

Please note: Pick-up from the hotel is at 19:45 for our evening walking tour of Rome, so please make sure you arrive in Italy in plenty of time on day 1 or before, to avoid missing the tour!
Overnight: Rome

Today we explore Vatican City, home to the Pope and technically an independent country - another one you can tick off your list!

Departing the hotel after breakfast, we'll enjoy a guided tour of the Vatican's museums and galleries with 'skip the line' tickets. Take in the Gallery of Tapestries, the beautifully decorated frescoes of Raphael's Rooms, and of course, the Sistine Chapel. We can also admire the stunning St Peter's Basilica from the outside. This iconic landmark dominates the Vatican and is one of the largest Christian churches in the world, as well as being the pinnacle of Renaissance architecture. It is allegedly where Saint Peter was buried and titans of Italian design including Donato Bramante and Michelangelo had a hand in its creation. The rest of today is at leisure in Rome.
Overnight: Rome  |  Breakfast

Rome - Assisi - Siena - Florence. It's an early start as we depart Rome at 7:15 and journey to the medieval walled town of Assisi. There's time to visit the picturesque Basilica of St Francis independently if you choose.

Then we continue to Siena, a UNESCO-protected town known for its incredibly narrow streets, medieval brick buildings and fan-shaped main square: Piazza del Campo. After a short visit we continue to our hotel in Florence, where dinner is included.
Overnight: Florence  |  Breakfast, Dinner

Today we enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of Florence, 'Cradle of the Renaissance' and home of Michelangelo. Take in the beautiful Duomo, formally known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Other highlights of the city include the town hall - Palazzo Vecchio and the Basilica of Santa Croce, burial place for illustrious Italians including Michelangelo, Galileo, and Machiavelli. We enjoy lunch in a typical Tuscan restaurant in Piazza Santa Croce.

This afternoon you can continue exploring Florence independently. We recommend pre-booking a visit to the Uffizi Gallery or the Academia (home to the original David). Alternatively, you can book an optional excursion to nearby Pisa, home to the iconic Leaning Tower.
Overnight: Florence  |  Breakfast, Lunch

Florence - Bologna - Padua - Venice. Departing Florence, we drive to beautiful Bologna, capital of the Emilia-Romagna region. Enjoy a walk through the elegant city centre to see some of the beautiful porticos and shopping streets. Stroll from Piazza Malpighi to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore in the heart of the city, and see the Basilica of San Petronio. There's free time to find a good restaurant for lunch.

In the afternoon we pay a short visit to Padua, a riverside city west of Venice. We'll see the Basilica of Saint Anthony, which is one of the most visited churches by pilgrims in the Catholic world. Then it's on to Venice, where we check into our hotel for the next two nights.
Overnight: Venice  |  Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast it's time to explore perhaps Italy's most famous and romantic destination. The floating city is a photographer's dream, and we'll be taking in the main highlights. Our tour begins in Piazza San Marco, in English known as St Mark's Square. It's the focal point of the city, dominated by St Mark's Basilica. We also see the Gothic Doge's Palace and the legendary Bridge of Sighs.

After our tour, we enjoy a glass of prosecco in our beautiful setting and there is free time for you to explore further - we strongly recommend a gondola ride on Venice's famous canals!
Overnight: Venice  |  Breakfast

Venice - Tuscany wine region - Rome. Leaving Venice, we head into Tuscany, one of Italy's most idyllic regions. A land known for its beautiful scenery, historic castles, and some of Italy's finest wines. We enjoy a stop in the medieval town of Montepulciano for lunch, where you can try a glass or two of the region's vino. Then we enjoy a short amount of free time to explore the town further, before returning to Rome for the evening.
Overnight: Rome  |  Breakfast, Lunch

Rome - Barcelona (Spain). Day 8 is free for you to unwind in the hotel or head out to visit any sights in Rome you haven't seen yet. At 19:30 meet in the hotel lobby for an included transfer to the port. Here we board the overnight ferry destined for Barcelona, Spain.

Spend day 9 relaxing on the ferry. There is a swimming pool, as well as a selection of lounges, bars, cafes and restaurants. You may also wish to make use of the onboard gym or internet cafe. We arrive in Barcelona at approximately 19:00 and there is an included transfer to our hotel.
Overnight: Overnight ferry (1) Barcelona (1)  |  Breakfast x 2, Lunch x 1

Today we enjoy a half-day guided sightseeing tour in Barcelona. On a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter we will stroll down La Rambla, glimpse the iconic and unfinished Sagrada Familia, visit the Gothic Cathedral and the Jewish Quarter.

Boarding our coach, we take in a wider section of the city. On our panoramic tour, we pass along the elegant Passage de Gracia, where two more of Gaudi's iconic buildings are located - Casa Battlo and Casa Mila. See the Arc de Triomf and the Olympic Village before we arrive at Montjuic Mountain, where many of the 1992 Olympic events were hosted. We also take in the Olympic Stadium, which is now a multi-purpose concert and events venue. Weather permitting, we ride the cable car over this part of the city. There is then free time in Poble Espanyol, a hip area with lots of bars, restaurants and craft shops. We then return to the city centre, where our tour ends at Catalunya Square.

The rest of the day is free. You may wish to pre-book a visit to Sagrada Familia independently, though you can purchase tickets on the day. Or you may wish to visit Parc Guell, home to many of Gaudi's famous ceramics.
Overnight: Barcelona  |  Breakfast

Barcelona - Madrid. Today we leave Barcelona after breakfast at the hotel. We travel to Madrid by high-speed train (ticket included in tour cost). On arrival in the Spanish capital, the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Overnight: Madrid  |  Breakfast

Madrid - Cordoba - Seville. After breakfast we depart Madrid for Seville. We pass through incredible scenery, including La Mancha, which was made famous by Don Quixote, a Spanish epic novel. We also cross Despenaperros Canyon into the Andalusia region, which stretches to the southern coast of the country.

We make a stop in Cordoba en route, where we tour the impressive mosque and stroll through the Jewish Quarter. We then complete our journey to Seville, where the evening is free to head out and find a good restaurant for dinner.
Overnight: Seville  |  Breakfast

This morning we embark on a panoramic city tour in Seville. There's an included visit to the Cathedral, which is the second-largest in the Catholic world after St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City. We stroll through the historic and artistic district of Santa Cruz and pretty Plaza de Espana in Maria Luisa Park. This is Seville's largest green space, stretching along the bank of the Guadalquivir River. After our sightseeing tour, the rest of the day is free for you to further explore Seville at your own leisure.
Overnight: Seville  |  Breakfast

Seville - Alhambra - Granada. Leaving Seville after breakfast, we travel through the lush olive groves of Andalusia to the iconic Alhambra complex. This famous 13th century palace and fortress is one of the best-preserved examples of early Islamic architecture anywhere in the world, as well as being home to important Spanish Renaissance architecture. We'll tour Alhambra and the adjacent Generalife Palace and Gardens. The gardens have historically inspired many authors, including Washington Irving. This American author wrote his Tales of the Alhambra in 1832 whilst visiting the area.
Overnight: Granada  |  Breakfast

Today is free for you to explore Granada at leisure. The city was once the capital of the Nasrid Kingdom, also known as the Emirate of Granada. This region was under Islamic rule from 1230 to 1492 and the Muslim heritage runs through the city to this day.

Perhaps you could visit the Cathedral, Spain's second-largest and a mismatch of Gothic and Renaissance architecture. Alternatively, there is an optional excursion to the neighbourhood of Albayzin. This UNESCO-listed area is where Andalusia's Muslim population re-settled after the last of the Nasrid Kingdom was conquered in the late 1400s by Spain. They were eventually expelled and the area's mosques were converted to churches. There's a pretty medina and beautiful tiling on the walls and floors
Overnight: Granada  |  Breakfast

Granada - Toledo - Madrid. We return to the Spanish capital of Madrid today, stopping in the imperial hilltop city of Toledo. This picturesque location is surrounded by the Tagus River and is protected by UNESCO. It's also something of a confluence of culture, with Christians, Jews and Muslims having lived side by side for centuries. We enjoy a short tour of the historic Old Town and visit a Damasquinado factory. The factory works to inlay gold and silver into iron to make beautiful art and jewellery. After our visit, we complete the short drive back to Madrid, where you final night is free to explore.
Overnight: Madrid  |  Breakfast