Easy Pace Spain

Airport transfers depart from Barcelona airport for your hotel. Join your Travel Director for dinner at local restaurant La Pau. This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports vulnerable youth through paid work and mentorships as they transition to independent living. As you dine, you'll gain new perspectives about life in Barcelona through the eyes of local youth.

The lively port of Barcelona boasts an impressive Old Town, although it’s the daring architecture of the Catalan Art Nouveau that really sets it apart. Sightseeing with your Local Specialist begins with a drive down the Passeig de Gràcia to Gaudí's Sagrada Família*. Venture inside the leviathan of the Eixample where a tree canopy carved from stone, holds up the roof as sun pours through stained glass. Then you are free to explore this amazing city at your own pace. *As construction of the Sagrada Família nears completion, access may occasionally be restricted due to special masses, pilgrim visits or official ceremonies. If tickets are unavailable during your tour, you will visit the Hospital de Sant Pau, a stunning example of Catalan Art Nouveau by Domènech i Montaner. You will then join your Local Specialist to admire the extraordinary exterior of Gaudí’s iconic basilica.

Enjoy a Relaxed Start and a full day at leisure to explore Spain’s most vibrant city. From its geographical location, boasting coastal vistas, to the city's extravagant architectural landscape, Barcelona is a delight to explore. Consider a stroll along the famous Las Ramblas or explore Gaudí's fascinating Park Güell.

Journey through the dramatic landscapes of northern Spain to Pamplona in the region of Navarre, famed for the Running of the Bulls. On arrival, enjoy free time to explore at your own pace — perhaps stroll along the storied Estafeta Street or discover a local cafe in the old quarter. Later, continue to the aristocratic seaside resort of San Sebastián. Nestled in the heart of Basque Country, this city is celebrated for its culinary excellence. In the evening, savour its rich gastronomic traditions in Lo Viejo, the atmospheric Old Town.

Few places have been able to reinvent themselves quite like Bilbao. The former industrial city has changed its ways and is now an example of urban redevelopment. Explore Bilbao with your choice experience. Choose to visit the spectacular Guggenheim Museum to marvel at its modern architecture and contemporary works of art. Alternatively, choose to join your Local Specialist and take the funicular to Mount Artxanda. Upon your return to San Sebastian, join a Local Specialist to admire the crescent-shaped La Concha Bay from the heights of Monte Igueldo. After taking in the views, enjoy a guided tour of the Old Quarter. See the balconies of the Plaza de la Constitución, a reminder of the days when bullfights were held in the square. Explore the Old Town during your progressive dinner with the locals, as you enjoy the gastronomic Basque tradition of pintxo, similar to tapas. Enjoy a variety of snack-sized treats and be sure to try some of the local Txakoli wine. Buen provecho!

Enjoy a day at leisure to stroll along San Sebastián's boardwalk. The harbour is filled with fishing boats and pleasure crafts, so you can enjoy several sporting activities on its large sandy beach. Perhaps explore the nearby French village of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, known as the Jewel of the Basque Country. During this Optional Experience you will explore this town with a Local Specialist and visit the church where The Sun King, Louis XIV, married the Spanish princess Maria Theresa.

Journey south through the Pyrenees foothills and the land of El Cid for a stop in Burgos, where you can see the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue along the Guadarrama Mountains to the plateau of New Castile and Spain's elegant capital of Madrid. In the evening, why not see the city lit up in all its glory, with a drive along the grand avenues and past the spectacular fountains?

Guided by your Local Specialist, visit the Spanish capital’s most historic neighborhoods. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter, discovering the origins of the city. Enjoy a special visit to the renowned Prado Museum with an art historian who will guide you through the collective works of Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and more.

Venture northwest to visit the fascinating city of Segovia. Walk the medieval streets of this fortified city with your Local Specialist and see the 14th-century Alcazar Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After returning to Madrid, you are at leisure. Make the most of your final night as you join your fellow travellers for dinner at a local restaurant. Enjoy delightful regional produce paired with the finest local wines, as you toast to a vacation done well.

After breakfast, bid farewell to Spain as your transfers arrive at Madrid airport.