Your Local Specialist Travel Advisors For Custom Tours
Your Local Specialist Travel Advisors For Custom Tours
Andalusia is the land of olive groves and rolling hills of almond blossom, flamenco dancers and gypsy songs, bullfighting and fiestas. This captivating region offers the traveller an incredible medley of sights, sounds, tastes and scents. The enduring influence of the Islamic culture (which ruled much of the Iberian Peninsula until the 12th century...
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This very complete 11 night tour in Spain of Madrid, Andalusia & Barcelona features all of the services you need for a smooth, hassle free, private tour. All essential transport, private guiding, pre-booked entrance tickets, quality accommodation and more are taken care of. All you need to do is just show-up and Totally Spain will l...
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Daily Departures.
Flying into Madrid International Airport. Departure from Barcelona.
Totally Spain does not arrange International Flights so you have the flexibility to book the flights you prefer. We can recommend a travel agent with whom you can book your international flights if required. Otherwise a website such as Skyscanner is very useful for checking up-to-date flight schedules and prices.
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Madrid, Spain
Arrive in Madrid. You’ll be met at the airport by your private driver who will transfer you directly to your centrally-located Madrid hotel for 3 nights.
Madrid stands at the very centre of Spain –geographically, culturally and politically. This capital not only offers the culture and good times of a sophisticated, modern city but it also retains the charm and elegance of its early years. Among the splendid attractions of Madrid are the Prado Museum; home to masterworks of Goya, Velazquez and El Greco: the 19th century Villahermosa Palace now the Thyssen-Bornemizsa Museum; the Reina Sofia Art Centre showcasing more than 300 modern works by Dali, Miro & Picasso among others; the 18th century Royal Palace on the lovely Plaza de Oriente; the bustling Puerta del Sol with its many shops, restaurants and tapas bars; Rastro Market on Sundays one of the oldest outdoor markets in Europe; and Retiro Park for strolling while admiring local artists and buskers.
Take your time to settle in. Take a stroll in your neighbourhood that is bustling with atmospheric cafes, bars and restaurants.
For Madrid and for all the other places on this tour, we’ll provide you with our Totally Spain City Guides which highlight the best cafes, bars, restaurants along with museums, parks and other cultural spaces you can explore in your free time. Your Totally Spain agent will also make personal recommendations based on your final choice of hotel and the size of your party.
We can also assist with restaurant reservations and booking other attractions to avoid queues.
Activities & Services Included today
Madrid, Spain
After breakfast you’ll be met at your hotel by your expert local Madrid guide who will take you on an private tour of the historic city centre. You’ll enjoy visiting such places as the principal streets and squares including the Plaza del Sol, Plaza Santa, Plaza Mayor as well as the Mercado San Miguel, one of Madrid’s famous food markets. Remember this tour can be tweaked if you have other special interests. You only need to let your Totally Spain representative know this.
You will continue with your guide to Plaza de la Villa and the Plaza del Oriente. Visit the Royal Palace that stands on the site of an old alcazar fortress and a former Moorish castle. The current building was completed in 1764. With 3,418 rooms there’s something to represent every style (and every monarch) since its construction.
This afternoon visit the Prado Museum at your leisure as we have included pre-booked tickets for you that avoid lining-up. The museum is a wonderful space dating back to 1785 that now houses art from the 12th to the 19th century including large permanent collections by Goya, Velazquez, El Greco, Bosch, Titian, Van Dyck and Rembrandt.
This evening you’ll take part in a guided small group tapas tour with all food & drinks included. It’s a great way to experience Madrid’s most interesting and authentic bars and restaurants without the research or guesswork. Your guide will recommend the wines and other drinks to try and will order speciality tapas at each bar or tavern. Your guide will talk about the history of tapas, the types of tapas served in Madrid and elsewhere in Spain and will also give you a history of the neighbourhood you are visiting as well.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Madrid - Daytrip to Toledo, Spain
Today your destination is Toledo. You'll be transferred from your hotel to Madrid train station to board the high speed train to Toledo. Upon arrival you’ll meet our expert local guide who will first take you by taxi to the Cigarrales area for some magnificent panoramic views of Toledo city over the Tagus River.
The city of Toledo is the capital of the province of the same name, and is also the capital of the Autonomous Community called Castilla-La Mancha. The city is located at 529 metres above sea level, in the Castillian meseta (plateau), practically in the centre of the Iberian peninsula. and just 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Madrid. The monumental city centre sits atop a craggy rock, which is almost entirely encircled by the Tagus river. UNESCO declared Toledo a World Heritage city in recognition of its uniqueness and its past as a host to Christian, Islamic and Hebrew culture which the splendid architecture of the city still relects - being almost impossible to walk its streets without stumbling on a Gothic or Mudejar church, an ancient mosque, a Romanesque or Visigothic structure, a former synagogue or a Renaissance palace.
Your guide will lead you on a walking tour exploring the old city while you learn about the three cultures that lived side by side during the Middles Ages and see the most important sights in Toledo including Zocodover Square, Alcazar of Toledo, Santo Tome Church,Transito Synagogue, Santa Maria La Blanca and cathedral (entrance included).
Free time for lunch and sightseeing at your leisure before returning to Madrid by high speed train where you will be met by your driver and transferred back to your hotel.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Seville, Spain
This morning you leave Madrid, travelling by high-speed train direct to Seville. You and your luggage will be transferred privately from your Madrid hotel to Madrid Atocha train station. Then upon arrival in Seville, your private driver willbe waiting to take you to your centrally-located 4-star hotel.
Seville, where the sound of flamenco floats in the air, is the capital of Andalusia and one of Europe’s sunniest cities – hence the orange trees that grow there abundantly. The combination of Moorish, Mudejar, Renaissance and Baroque architecture through the city centre’s compact maze of narrow streets really is a sensory overload by day or by night. The entire city comes to a standstill for the Feria in April and Easter week when its love of tradition and sense of community is celebrated. For the rest of the year, it’s a perfect place to unwind, explore and of course, eat! You’ll find the same influences you see in the architecture has also trickled through to the food. Don’t be surprised to see film crews around. The Games of Thrones series has been filmed here and the city is attracting a lot of attention from a new fan base.
Enjoy lunch near your hotel where you can sample some of Andalusia’s delicious fish dishes, fresh vegetables and its world-class olive oils. After lunch, allow your nose to guide you – follow the evocative scents and colours. Enjoy the different light and the big skies you can only find in Andalusia.
This afternoon, your expert local guide will meet you at your hotel for a walking tour of Seville’s Barrio Santa Cruz (the old Jewish quarter). Visit the cathedral from 1506 that houses the remains of Christopher Columbus. Standing on the site of a great mosque, the structure features mudejar, gothic, renaissance, baroque and neo-classical styles, as well as the old minaret of the Arab mosque. It’s a wonderful space to visit. Enjoy the sublime Patio de Los Naranjos (Courtyard of the Orange Trees) beside the cathedral. Also tour the Alcazar, site of the marriage between Carlos V and Isabel of Portugal in 1526. Its two beautiful outdoor courtyards are spectacular and indoors the tapestries and furniture are superb.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Seville, Spain
More and more people are learning that Spain is a top culinary destination —not just the home of the famous paella, Spanish omelette and gazpacho. Spain now boasts some of the world’s best and most renowned chefs and restaurants, along with a great variety of styles.
Today you'll enjoy a great Cooking Class and discover the delights of Spanish cuisine.
This small group activity includes a visit to the Triana Food Market, where you will learn about locally grown products and participate in the selection of some ingredients that will be used later in the cooking class. You will also meet some of the vendors, who have been there for generations.
During the class, guests have the chance to get involved in the preparation of a 4 course menu, directed by an English speaking professionally trained chef. Classes are designed for both novice and experienced cooks that will be able to learn and develop new techniques and skills.
After the class, guests dine on what has been prepared during the class. The entire activity takes 4 hours approximately.
This evening, you’ll attend a live flamenco performance which influences are many including Jewish, gypsy and moorish along with European and African.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Granada, Spain
Today after breakfast you'll be transferred to Sevilla bus station to take the bus to Granada. Journey time is roughly 3 hours.
Your private driver in Granada will be waiting for you at the station to take you to your centrally located hotel. Today, after lunch, you’ll be met by your expert private guide at your hotel for your private tour of the Old Quarter of Granada. You’ll visit the cathedral and the Royal Chapel where your guide will give you an overview of the history of the cathedral and point out the lead coffins of the Catholic Monarchs, Fernando and Isabella, who re-conquered and unified Spain in 1492.
You’ll walk through the Albaicin – the old Moorish quarter that has hardly changed since the 15th century - with its gypsy population and its narrow, twisting alleys and white-washed Moorish style houses. From the Plaza San Nicolas you can contemplate, on a hill in the distance, one of the finest views of the entire Alhambra Palace complex. Continue on to the area of Sacramonte and see its mysterious cave-houses.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Granada, Spain
Today, following breakfast, transfer from your hotel to meet your expert private guide again for a private guided visit of the Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens.
This complex of palaces built around courtyards of flowering trees, pools and fountains is often hailed as the most exciting, sensual and romantic of all European monuments. It’s beauty shows the brilliance and spirit of the Moorish culture in Andalusia at a time when the rest of Europe was only just beginning to emerge from the Dark Ages. You will also tour the Generalife - the Summer palace and gardens of the Sultans. It is one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens. Prepare to be wowed by the water features and courtyards.
The hill of La Sabika, overlooking the Darro valley, was the site chosen for the construction of this colossal palatial city used by Nasrid Sultans as their residence. Built between the 13th and 15th centuries, the monumental complex, enclosed by solid walls, is an expression of the artistic styles which flourished in the late Muslim period in Spain. The Alhambra complex includes four different parts: the Arab Palaces, such as that of Comares, which contains Los Arrayanes courtyard and the Hall of Ambassadors; Los Leones, which includes the famous courtyard of the same name and halls such as Las Dos Hermanas and Los Reyes, beautifully decorated with intricate plasterwork and mocarabes (geometrical patterns which the Arabs decorated domes and ceilings); the military zoe or Alcazaba; the city or Medina; and the Generalife Gardens. Loyal to their traditions with the use of water, the Muslims provided the Alhambra with paradise-like gardens in which fountains and water are the central feature. In addition, remains of the Arab Baths still survive. The Alhambra captivated Christian Emperor Carlos V, who ordered the construction of his renaissance palace inside the complex. The palace today houses the Alhambra and Fine Arts Museums. For its extraordinary artistic and historic importance, both the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
This afternoon is at leisure to relax and enjoy Granada. Perhaps go for lunch at a ‘Carmen’ (a traditional country house in the Albaicin) with stunning views of the Alhambra or maybe enjoy refreshments in the open air with some of Granada’s legendary tapas.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Cordoba, Spain
Today following breakfast you'll be transferred from your Granada hotel to Granada train station for your high-speed train to Cordoba famous for its well-preserved Jewish quarter and the mighty Mezquita (mosque-cathedral). A driver will meet you upon arrival and transfer you to your centrally located hotel.
After lunch you'll meet your expert local Cordoba guide at your hotel and spend the afternoon exploring the city that was the great Moorish capital of Al Andalus. A walk around the old Jewish quarter gives the sensation that little has changed since the 10th century. Visit the Mosque-Cathedral or Mezquita which is without doubt one of the most famous constructions in all of Andalusia and is one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world. The original Mosque was built between 786 and 788 by Abd ar-Rahman, but over the centuries, many additions and extensions have been made. Following the Christian conquest it was consecrated as a Cathedral in 1236.
Visit the Synagogue built in 1314, a beautiful Mudejar building nearly perfectly preserved and the only synagogue in Spain from that time not to have been turned into a Christian building. See Almodovar gate or ‘Gate of the Jews’ as it is known locally and the monument to the great Jewish doctor and philosopher, Maimonides.
Later at your leisure we recommend a walk to the Roman bridge across the Guadalquivir river. You may wish to visit the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos (Fortress of the Christian Monarchs) a Mudejar palace from 14th century with a beautiful Moorish garden complex, which served as the seat of the Inquisition´s Tribunal in the 15th century. Try to see a number of the beautiful courtyard patios too which are throughout the Old Quarter.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Barcelona, Spain
This morning you and your luggage will be transferred to Cordoba train station to board the high speed train to Barcelona.
Arrive in Barcelona and meet your private driver who will transfer you to your centrally located 4-star hotel.
Barcelona is without doubt one of Europes most exciting cities. It is a place of extraordinary architectural dazzle, achieved by what has been called both Catalán Art Nouveau and Modernisme, by architects Gaudi, Domenech i Montaner and Puig i Cadafalch. Monumental sculptures by local masters like Joan Miró adorn public spaces, and museums house extraordinary treasures ranging from works of the ancient Romans to those of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí. The city is further enhanced by brightly colored outdoor markets, a magnificent Mediterranean port and a plentiful array of stylish restaurants. Needless to say, the nightlife is splendid.
This afternoon is at leisure to settle in to Barcelona and enjoy time to yourself. Visit the Gothic Quarter and the bustling Las Ramblas boulevard, with its numerous street entertainers. This lively tree-lined pedestrian mall stretches for 1.2 kilometres and is popular with both tourists and locals alike. Also just off of the Ramblas see the colourful Boqueria Food Market, one of Europe’s largest and most famous food markets.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Barcelona, Spain
Enjoy a hearthy breakfast before meeting your expert private guide and driver. Today you’ll see why Barcelona is the heart of architectural modernism and experience the work of Antoni Gaudi, the maximum exponent of this spectacular artistic movement.
You’ll visit the remarkable Sagrada Familia - one of the most famous and spectacular of Gaudi’s works. It’s a Christian temple where Gaudi worked on fulltime from 1915 until his death in 1926 – even living on-site in the year leading up to his death. His remains are buried in the crypt. Work continues to this day on the building!
You’ll also visit Parc Guell – adored for brightly coloured mosaic tiles in animal forms and its great views over the city. Gaudi lived here from 1906 until 1925 – his former residence is now the location for the Gaudi Museum. Finally you’ll see the private residences Gaudi worked on in downtown Barcelona including Casa Mila- La Pedrera on the Passeig de Gracia. This last building you will visit the interior on your own.
Enjoy the afternoon at leisure.
This evening you’ll take part in a guided small group tapas tour with all food & drinks included. It’s a great way to experience Barcelona's most interesting and authentic bars and restaurants without the research or guesswork. Your guide will recommend the wines and other drinks to try and order the speciality tapas at each bar or tavern. Your guide will talk about the history of tapas, the types of tapas served in Catalonia and elsewhere in Spain and will also give you a history of the neighbourhood you are visiting as well.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Barcelona - Daytrip to Girona, Spain
Today you travel just over an hour north of Barcelona to the colourful city of Girona known as the City of the Four Rivers. You'll be transferred from your hotel to Barcelona train station to board the speed train. Upon arrival you’ll meet your expert local guide for a sightseeing tour.
Your guide will begin the walkabout in the old quarter. Girona was a very important Jewish centre during the Middle Ages and it still has the best-preserved and most important Jewish quarter in Spain. Today, this neighbourhood is the heart of the Jewish Network in Spain and you can experience the Sephardi history as you walk beneath the archways, along narrow streets by medieval stone buildings.
Girona is full of interesting shops and architectural treasures including the Cathedral, the Arab Baths, the churches of Sant Feliu, Sant Pere de Galligans and Sant Domènech, and the city walls, which can still be walked on.
This afternoon you will have free time in Girona before returning to Barcelona by train. Meet your driver at Barcelona train station will will get you safely to your hotel for your last night in the city.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
Departure,
Following breakfast you will be met by your private driver and transferred to Barcelona International Airport for your departure.
Activities & Services Included today
Meals Included today
ORIGINAL AND RELATED POSTS FROM TOTALLY SPAIN'S BLOG
What to do in Madrid. 10 Things we love in Spain's Capital City
Guide to Gaudi's Barcelona
Must-Sees in Andalucia
Day Trips from Madrid
Best Cities in Spain
High-Speed Train in Spain
Best Monuments & Museums in Spain
Best Plazas in Spain
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Accommodation (based on 2 people sharing)
Meals
Transport
Private Guided Tours
Pre-Booked Entrance Tickets
Group Guided Tours
Special Highlights
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NOT INCLUDED
Flights, Personal Travel Insurance, Porterage (not commonly available in Spain), Tips, Meals, drinks or hotel extras other than those described above. Anything else not specified above.
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Then please contact us today so that we can customize this trip to suit your exact needs and dates of travel; and prepare a personalized proposal for you to consider.
