Captivating Spain

Your Small Group Discovery Begins!

At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel.

The Sun Also Rises

Join your small group for a guided tour that traces the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway, the Nobel Literature Prize-winner, who frequented Madrid over three decades with a fascination for the city and its culture. You can see Madrid's influence in works including For Whom the Bell Tolls, Death in the Afternoon, and The Sun Also Rises. Hear about the deep connections between U.S. and Spain through those who knew Hemingway in depth, such as John Dos Passos and Ava Gardner.

SMALL GROUP EXCLUSIVE - Your small group city sightseeing reveals the traditions and daily life of Madrid, featuring the painter's market where artists paint and showcase their works. Walk to Plaza de Oriente and the Old Town Hall where narrow streets lead to the Carboneras Convent of the Sisters of Corpus Christi Jerónimas, who bake and sell delicious sweets.

ENHANCED FREE TIME - Take advantage of the small group optional experience with an exclusive gastronomic experience. Browse different venues to taste culinary specialties, and feel free to imbibe in establishments chosen for their authenticity, local character, and quality.

The Artist Within

Board your AVE train and ride to Málaga to enjoy an intimate walking tour to explore the sights. Visit the Picasso Museum for a unique opportunity to explore the life and works of the artist in the city where he was born. Later join your small group for dinner at a local restaurant.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - Learn about the profound connection between Málaga and Picasso, as the city significantly influenced the early years of one of the 20th century's most renowned artists. Whether you're an art aficionado or a curious traveler, exploring Málaga through the lens of Picasso provides a unique and enriching experience.

Bandits & Bullfighters

Continue through the Guadalhorce Valley towards the Ronda Mountain Range en route to Setenil de las Bodegas, one of the most unique pueblos blancos (white villages) in Andalusia. Continue to Ronda, one of the most fascinating of Andalusian cities, with its dramatic landscape and legendary romantic tales of bandits, bullfighters, and artists throughout history.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - Stroll down the narrow, winding streets of Ronda and take in the well-preserved Moorish architecture. See The Plaza de Toros de Ronda, its famous bullring completely built in stone and dating back to 1784—considered the oldest in Spain.

Splendid Spain

Today, visit the Alhambra Palace and the Water Gardens of the Generalife.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - Granada's Alhambra Complex stands as one of the largest ancient aristocratic sites of Western Muslim culture. Its leafy lanes and streams enhance the grand water gardens of Generalife, at the once summer-palace and country estate of the Nasrid rulers.

Mint Condition

Join your guide through Granada's Albaicín district and taste a refreshing and traditional mint tea. Later, drive to the coast, to the vibrant city of Valencia.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - The legendary Albaicín district is one of the city's oldest centers of medieval Moorish culture. Discover the essence of Islamic Granada as you wind through the labyrinth of narrow streets past stunning architecture, public fountains, and charming terraces. Stop at the Mirador de San Nicolás for breathtaking panoramic views of the city, Alhambra, and Sierra Nevada mountains, then head to a local tearoom for a traditional tea break.

On the Water

This morning your sightseeing of Valencia comprises a panoramic drive with a photo stop at the City of Arts and Sciences, plus a guided walk in Old Valencia including a traditional Horchata beverage with a delicious fartón pastry. Later, take advantage of your small group size to explore Globus Local Favorite Albufera National Park, aboard a traditional albuferenc boat in the waterways where famed Valencian rice is grown for the local favorite dish, paella.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - Cruise the lake with an eye out for a menagerie of flora and fauna, including flamingos, herons, storks, and other water birds who migrate here. See the traditional barracks of local farmers and see eel-fishing stations as well. Later, enjoy a delicious dish of authentic paella.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT - Enjoy an authentic Spanish paella lunch with a traditional recipe of Paella Valenciana made with chicken, sweet paprika, and golden saffron in a slow simmered broth for a sumptuous, heart-warming hallmark of traditional Spanish cuisine.

Barcelona Beauties

Explore the hidden gems of the city of Barcelona with ease in your small group. Visit Mercat de la Concepció, located in l´Eixample neighborhood—easily recognizable for its geometric grid pattern and Modernist architecture—with designer shopping, dining, and bars in Barcelona and the famed El Nacional. Today, celebrate your adventures in Spain by sharing a traditional tapas lunch with your small group travel companions.

ENHANCED FREE TIME - El Nacional is a unique food hall housed in a symbolic place, full of history. The famous eatery has stood witness to Barcelona's industrial revolution to today since it was built in 1889. Initially housing a café theatre, a fabric-dye factory, a pre-Civil War car dealer's shop, and finally a garage, its remaining large windows and metal pillars lend a unique charm as a welcome respite to end an epic journey through Spain.

Safe travels until we meet again!

Your tour ends with breakfast this morning.