CIE Tours: 2025 - 9 Day Best of Spain Tour
Day 1 Madrid Arrival
Meet your tour director at 5 pm for a welcome drink at your hotel with your fellow travelers. Then enjoy dinner at the hotel, savoring the first tastes of Spanish cuisine. (D)
Day 2 Madrid City Tour & Prado Museum
Soak in the vibrant atmosphere of Spain’s capital city on a tour of Madrid. See magnificent sights such as The Royal Palace and Almudena Cathedral, Gran Via, and Plaza de Espana. Next explore the world-renowned Prado Museum, one of the most important art collections in Europe, with masterpieces from artists like Goya, Velazquez, and El Greco. The rest of the day is yours to discover this friendly, diverse city as you wish. Stroll the elegant shops of the Golden Mile, people-watch in El Retiro Park, or savor the gastronomic delights on offer at the Mercado San Miguel. (B)
Day 3 Córdoba Walking Tour & Mezquita Cathedral
Board a train for a scenic, relaxing ride to Córdoba, where you’ll take a walking tour to discover the city’s Roman past and its Christian, Islamic, and Jewish cultures. Explore the labyrinthine streets of the old town, admiring the fusion of Moorish and Christian influences. Visit the magnificent Mezquita Cathedral, a former mosque and a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its stunning architecture and cultural significance. Continue on to Seville, where you will dine at your hotel. (B, D)
Day 4 Seville City Tour & Flamenco Performance
Discover the enchanting beauty of Seville on a guided city tour, exploring its charming streets and iconic landmarks. Marvel at the grandeur of Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Visit the Flamenco Museum (Museo del Baile Flamenco) to learn about flamenco culture and see a performance of this passionate, rhythmic art form. Your evening is free to dine independently in one of the Old Town’s many tapas bars and restaurants. (B)
Day 5 Granada & Alhambra
Journey through the Andalusian countryside to Granada to discover its rich history and Moorish heritage, set against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Then visit the breathtaking Alhambra Palace, a magnificent monument that showcases the artistic and cultural influences of the Moorish rulers who commissioned it in the 13th century. The exquisite details of this UNESCO World Heritage Site include intricately carved stucco, arabesque designs, reflective pools, and lush gardens. This evening, explore Granada on your own; you might visit a tapas bar or take a walk through the historic Albaicin neighborhood, known for its winding medieval streets and picturesque views. (B)
Day 6 Winery Tour & Valencia Panoramic Tour
Experience the delights of Spanish wine with a visit to Bodegas Viña Elena for a tour, tasting, and delightful lunch in the vineyards. This family vineyard grows Monastrell grapes along with olives and almonds. En route to Valencia, take a scenic photo stop at the picturesque Albufera, a lagoon known for its fields of rice, first planted by the Moors and now an essential ingredient in paella. In Valencia, enjoy a panoramic tour of the city before a traditional paella dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 7 Valencia City of Arts & Sciences & Barcelona Panoramic Tour
Explore Valencia’s futuristic architecture on a walking tour of its City of Arts and Sciences, a spectacular collection of modern buildings housing cultural and scientific institutions. Journey on to Barcelona, where you’ll take a panoramic tour of this exhilarating, artistic city before dining at your hotel. (B, D)
Day 8 Barcelona Walking Tour & Sagrada Familia Visit
Discover the enchanting Gothic Quarter of Barcelona with a guided walking tour, wandering through its medieval streets and hidden squares. The district was home to Barcelona’s Jewish Quarter, Picasso’s art school, and Antonio Gaudi’s first art project. Visit the iconic Sagrada Familia, an architectural marvel that is Gaudi’s masterpiece. Enjoy some free time to explore Barcelona independently before gathering for a farewell dinner with your group. (B, D)
Day 9 Tour Ends in Barcelona
Your tour ends after breakfast. (B) >
Barcelona
Barcelona, the self-confident and progressive capital of Spain, is a tremendous place to be. Though it boasts outstanding Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings, and some great museums – most notably those dedicated to Picasso and Catalan art – it is above all a place where there's enjoyment simply in walking the streets, stopping in at bars and cafés, drinking in the atmosphere. A thriving port and the most prosperous commercial centre in Spain, it has a sophistication and cultural dynamism way ahead of the rest of the country. In part this reflects the city's proximity to France, whose influence is apparent in the elegant boulevards and imaginative cooking. But Barcelona has also evolved an individual and eclectic cultural identity, most perfectly and eccentrically expressed in the architecture of Antoni Gaudí. Scattered as Barcelona's main sights may be, the greatest concentration of interest is around the old town (La Ciutat Vella). These cramped streets above the harbor are easily manageable, and far more enjoyable, on foot. Start, as everyone else does, with the Ramblas.
Excursions
Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours
Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours
Your chauffeur and your guide will
be waiting for you at the port. They will be at disposal for 8 hours. Your chauffeur will drive you to the city center of Barcelona.
A Walk Through Barcelona
You will start your day by an exciting 2-hour walking tour of the oldest parts of Barcelona: the Barri Gothic and Born neighborhoods. You will follow your guide as he/she leads you into the small, narrow streets to discover the vibrant, trendy ambiance of Born and the historical atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter. You will see the Santa Maria Del Mar church, the Royal Palace and the world famous “Las Ramblas” avenue. The fun facts and stories
told by our guide will keep your children highly engaged. The children will each get a game booklet to keep them engaged and entertained. After this tour, you will enjoy a
lunch break. Your guide will be there to give recommendations depending on your taste.
Included:
- A Walk Through Barcelona:
- Private certified guide
- 2 hour walking tour
- Game booklet for
- each child
- 2-hour experience
The Sagrada Familia and Park Güell
In the afternoon, you will enjoy a 3-hour tour inside the two iconic Gaudi sites in Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia and the Park Güell. You will follow your guide inside the
jaw-dropping and daring church and listen to the stories about its architecture, construction and future. After 1,5 hours spent in the Sagrada Familia, you will head out to
Park Güell. There you will witness the beauty of Gaudí’s mosaics as well as enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Barcelona. To keep the children entertained during this 3-hour tour, they will all get their own fun-filled game booklet. A perfect way to combine both educational discovery and fun!
The Sagrada Familia and
- Park Güell:
- Private certified guide
- Skip-the-line tickets to
- Sagrada Familia and
- Park Güell
- Transfer in a private
- mini van
- Game booklet for
- each child
- 3-hour experience
At the end of the tour, depending on your cruise departure time, your chauffeur will drive you back to the port.
Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)
Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)
Highlights:
An architectural delight awaits you today in Barcelona, one of the most exciting cities in Europe. Receive a warm greeting at the port by your private guide and driver and commence your full-day tour with a visit to Gaudi's masterpiece, the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia. Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be complete until 2028!
Next, visit Parc Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi's most colourful creations. Continue along Passeig de Gracia, to view Gaudi's Casa Batlló and Casa Mila from the outside, with its brilliant wave-like façade.
After lunch, lose yourself in the narrow streets of the true heart of the city - the medieval Gothic Quarter. Here you will visit the magnificent 13th-century Cathedral, and the Picasso Museum, where some of the painter's earliest works are housed. At the end of your tour you are transferred back to the port.
- Walk the labyrinthine alleys of the medieval Gothic Quarter to find architectural gems like the Church of Santa Maria del Mar
- Admire the Sagrada Familia and the Picasso Museum, where some of the artist's earliest works are housed.
Tour Duration: 8 hours
Tour can operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
Not Included:
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Gaudi’s Barcelona (4 hours)
Gaudi’s Barcelona (4 hours)
Highlights:
Receive a warm greeting at the port from your private guide and driver and commence your half-day tour with a visit to Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece; the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia. Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be completed until 2028!
Continue on to Parc Guell, a beautiful municipal garden with a superb panoramic view over the city; the focal point is a colourful sea-serpent-shaped central terrace. Visit the gatehouse where Gaudi lived during his later years which is now a museum dedicated to him. Transfer back to the port at the end of your tour.
- Visit the impressive, but still unfinished Sagrada Familia, masterpiece of the Catalan architect
- Wander through Parc Guell, the UNESCO World Heritage Site considered Gaudi's most colourful creation
Tour Duration: 4 hours
Tour can operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
Not Included:
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Granada
Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Andalusia, Spain. Granada has been inhabited by many empires for 2,500 years from the Greeks, Romans, Visigoths and the Moors. Remainder of each reigning era is prominent in Granada’s cultural and architectural influences. Imprints of the past can be found in Albaicin, an old Arabic quarter paved with cobble stoned streets, ogee arches, voussoirs, and decorative tile work. When the sun sets, Alhambra is at its most beautiful and radiant complimenting Byzantine courtyards and muqarna details. Homes also reflect the Mediterranean and Renaissance elegance long past. Present-day Granada attracts visitors by recapturing the past and evoking the co-existence of different cultures.
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