Northern Spain - End Barcelona, Classic Group - From £2,838

Europe Spain
OVERVIEW
See spectacular Spain on this 11-day guided tour. Meet a local on the Green Coast of Asturias — a verdant beach along the wild Cantabrian Sea — for a lunch made of locally sourced ingredients and cider. In Oviedo, join a Local Expert for a tour of the town’s 9th Century churches and the Cathedral of the Holy Savior. See the most beautiful village in Spain, Santillana del Mar, where you can wander cobblestone streets until you reach its scenic town square. Relax at your luxury beach resort in Santander, taking in views of the bay below. In Barcelona, allow a Local Expert to lead you through the city’s Gothic Quarter, through the Roman Gate and to the Sagrada Família, a spectacular basilica with towers that seem to touch the sky and stained-glass windows that are works of art.
EXPERIENCES
Madrid: Visit the Prado Museum with an art historian who places key works within their historical setting. With your historian’s expert guidance, you’ll examine paintings by Velázquez, Goya, Titian and Rubens, noting their connection to royal patronage and the broader European tradition. Learn how the museum, founded in 1819, became a principal repository for Spain’s royal collections and major works from across the continent.
DEPARTURE DATES AND PRICES
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25/04/2026 05/05/2026 £3,225 Book
30/04/2026 10/05/2026 £3,125 Book
07/05/2026 17/05/2026 £2,948 Book
16/05/2026 26/05/2026 £2,948 Book
21/05/2026 31/05/2026 £2,948 Book
30/05/2026 09/06/2026 £3,036   Book
06/06/2026 16/06/2026 £2,860   Book
13/06/2026 23/06/2026 £2,860   Book
20/06/2026 30/06/2026 £2,899 Book
04/07/2026 14/07/2026 £2,838 Book
11/07/2026 21/07/2026 £2,838   Book
25/07/2026 04/08/2026 £2,860   Book
01/08/2026 11/08/2026 £2,948   Book
08/08/2026 18/08/2026 £3,350 Book
15/08/2026 25/08/2026 £2,882   Book
27/08/2026 06/09/2026 £2,899   Book
03/09/2026 13/09/2026 £3,163 Book
05/09/2026 15/09/2026 £3,163   Book
10/09/2026 20/09/2026 £3,163 Book
12/09/2026 22/09/2026 £3,124 Book
17/09/2026 27/09/2026 £3,075 Book
24/09/2026 04/10/2026 £3,036 Book
03/10/2026 13/10/2026 £2,860 Book
17/10/2026 27/10/2026 £2,860   Book
ITINERARY

Join your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner in a local restaurant and enjoy an evening of typical madrileño flavours.

Enjoy sightseeing with your Local Expert as they take you along the main historical areas in the capital of Spain, known as Madrid of the Bourbons. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter, discovering the origins of the city. Learn about the growth of this city, from humble beginnings to a thriving European metropolis. A highlight of your escorted journey will be to visit the Prado Museum. Discover countless works by Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and others as you are guided by a local art historian. Gain new perspective on classic artworks as your art historian shares historic anecdotes and provides new insights into the Prado's collection. The afternoon is free for you to relax at a cafe or shop in the boutiques.

Journey through the Guadarrama Mountains to the infinite horizons of Old Castile and pass the impressive Castillo de la Mota. Continue past historic Tordesillas, and on to Santiago de Compostela.

Explore Santiago de Compostela with Insight Choice. Choose to join a city tour with a Local Expert and visit the cathedral, festooned with architectural frills. Alternatively, embark on a scenic walk along the Way of St. James, through scenic parks and gardens. Relax during your free time, or explore the narrow streets and old city squares.

Pass through the ancient forests of Galicia and travel along Asturias’ Green Coast, named for the lush pine and eucalyptus trees that fringe its sparkling shoreline. Stop for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, where you’ll enjoy a homemade farm-to-table lunch and learn about traditional cider production, including a tasting. Continue inland past coastal views, old villages and deep valleys en route to Oviedo. On arrival, join a Local Expert to explore the city’s 9th-century churches and visit the Cathedral of the Holy Savior in Plaza Alfonso II, home to one of Europe’s finest altarpieces.

Visit the Holy Cave of Covadonga, a shrine to Pelayo, who achieved the first Christian victory over the Moors in 722. See the unique Roman bridge in Cangas de Onís as you head into the foothills of the Picos de Europa, a national park boasting spectacular mountain and gorge scenery. Enjoy views of the Costa de Cantabria while travelling to Santillana del Mar, arguably the most beautiful village in Spain. Stroll through the rustic cobblestone streets, admiring stone houses decorated with carved, heraldic symbols and reach the delightful church square. Continue on to the sophisticated beach resort of Santander where you have free time in the evening to enjoy this luxurious hotel.

In nearby Bilbao, admire the striking modern architecture of the Guggenheim Museum, one of the world's most spectacular buildings. Enjoy the views as you are driven along part of the Costa Vasca, dotted with small coastal fishing villages and pause in the seaside city of Getaria to see 'El Ratón', the mouse-shaped rock. Continue to San Sebastián and admire its beauty as you walk with your Local Expert through the Old Quarter to see the Plaza de la Constituction.

Enjoy a day at leisure to stroll along San Sebastián's boardwalk and with the city harbour filled with fishing boats and pleasure crafts, you can enjoy several sporting activities on its large sandy beach. Perhaps you'll want to explore the nearby French villages of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, also known as Little Paris, and Biarritz. You could also stroll along the promenade of the famous La Concha Bay or enjoy the boutiques of the Old Town.

Journey to the famed town of Pamplona, known for its Running of the Bulls festival. With time free for you to explore, take a stroll to the famous Estafeta Street or visit Cafe Iruña, immortalised by Ernest Hemingway in his novel 'The Sun Also Rises.' Your travels continue to Barcelona, the vibrant capital of Catalonia, a land that retains its own distinctive language, culture and traditions.

Wake up ready to embrace the city’s artistic heritage. Join a Local Expert and drive along the Passeig de Gràcia, adorned with elegant wrought-iron street lamps and the most flamboyant Modernist buildings. Continue through the Eixample district to behold Gaudí’s extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família*. As you venture inside, look up to see its giant, tree-like pillars and spectacular vaulting. Admire the wonderful rainbow of the incredible stained-glass windows. With the afternoon at leisure, you are free to relax or continue your exploration on your own. In the evening, join your Travel Director and newfound friends at a local restaurant. Raise your glass and toast your travels during dinner. *Please note that with the construction of the Sagrada Família nearing completion, access to the basilica may be restricted for special masses, pilgrim visits or official ceremonies, and we are unable to secure tickets to visit. Should this occur during your tour, you will visit the Hospital de Sant Pau instead, a striking example of Catalan Art Nouveau designed by Gaudí’s contemporary, Domènech i Montaner. Afterwards, join your Local Expert in the gardens surrounding the Sagrada Família and take in the extraordinary exterior of Gaudí’s iconic masterpiece.

Today, bid farewell to your journey across Spain and Portugal as you transfer to the airport.
ACCOMMODATION
DAY 1: Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana, Barceló Torre de Madrid - Meals: Dinner
DAY 2: Barceló Torre de Madrid, Canopy by Hilton Madrid Castellana - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3: NH Collection, Santiago de Compostela - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 4: NH Collection, Santiago de Compostela - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 5: Barceló Oviedo Cervantes - Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 6: Eurostars Real, Santander - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 7: Barceló Costa Vasca, San Sebastián - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 8: Barceló Costa Vasca, San Sebastián - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 9: Labtwentytwo, Barcelona - Meals: Breakfast
DAY 10: Labtwentytwo, Barcelona - Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
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