Beyond Art & Architecture: Madrid, Bilbao, Barcelona
Your Tour:
9 nights
10 days
14 meals
Up to 4 miles miles / day
Tour overview
Program activities, schedules and personnel may change due to local circumstances.
In such an event, we will inform you as quickly as possible.
Arrive in Madrid, Orientation & Welcome Dinner. (D)
Royal Palace, Lectures on Spanish Masters of Art & 20th Century Spanish Painting (B)
Prado Museum, Reina Sofía Museum (B)
Transfer to Bilbao, Burgos Cathedral (B, L)
Panoramic Bus Tour, Guggenheim Museum, Independent Exploration (B)
Transfer to Barcelona, Winery visit and Tasting (B, L)
Lecture on Modernism, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell (B)
Dalí Theatre-Museum & Gala's Castle (B,L)
Gothic Quarter Walking Tour, Independent Exploration, Farewell Dinner (B,D)
End of program (B)
Day by Day
Day 1
Overnight: Madrid
The tour coordinator will greet everyone and we will review the program schedule, emergency procedures and answer questions. After orientation, we will set out with our tour coordinator to take a walk and explore the area around the hotel. At a restaurant, we´ll enjoy a welcome dinner with a delicious set menu.
Day 2
Overnight: Madrid
After breakfast, we will depart by private bus towards the Royal Palace, where we will meet a local expert who will lead our visit through this marvelous Palace. Although it is no longer the Royal Family’s Home, it continues to be the site of official ceremonies and state events. Built in the 18th Century, it was inspired by Bernini’s sketches for the Louvre in Paris with courtyards, galleries and a parade ground.
In the afternoon, at the hotel meeting room, a local expert will join us for a presentation on Spanish Masters of Art, in which we will learn about artists from the 17th and 18th centuries and the masterpieces of Velazquez and Goya. After a short break, we will have a second presentation where we will reach the 20th century of Picasso and Dalí.
Day 3
Overnight: Madrid
After breakfast we will take a private bus to the Prado Museum for an expert-led visit. The Prado National Museum is one of the world’s leading galleries, with a superb collection from the 12th century to the early 19th century. Among the masterpieces are works by Bosch, El Greco, Goya, Raphael, Rubens, Titian, Van Eyck, Velázquez, and many more. The Prado has become a prized destination for art lovers.
In the afternoon, we will join a local expert for a visit to the Reina Sofia Museum. The Reina Sofia opened its doors in 1990 and is considered Madrid’s Contemporary Art Center. Its collection of more than 21,000 works includes masterpieces by Dali, Miro and Picasso among others. Its most famous piece is Picasso’s “Guernica”.
Day 4
Overnight: Bilbao
Breakfast at hotel. After check-out, we will be transferred by bus to Bilbao. En route, we will stop in Burgos for an expert-led city walk, where we will visit the Gothic Cathedral, one of the most representative in the country and World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Afterwards, we will enjoy a delicious traditional lunch at a local restaurant. Then, we will continue to Bilbao, expecting to arrive in the late afternoon.
After checking in at the hotel and settling into our rooms, we will have an orientation walk.
Day 5
Overnight: Bilbao
After breakfast, we will enjoy a panoramic bus tour through Bilbao’s historic center and visit sites such as the Plaza Moyua, Jardines de Albia and Teatro Arriaga, among others. Afterwards, we will spend some time at the Guggenheim Museum, one of the most admired works of contemporary architecture, designed by Canadian American architect Frank Gehry.
In the afternoon, we will have free time to explore the city, and our tour coordinator will be happy to offer suggestions in that respect.
Day 6
Overnight: Barcelona
Breakfast at hotel. After check-out, we will be transferred by private bus to Barcelona. On our way, we will stop at a winery, where we will enjoy an expert-led visit and a wine tasting session. Then, we will have lunch at a restaurant in Logroño, capital of La Rioja region. After lunch, we will continue our journey to Barcelona.
Upon arrival, after checking in at the hotel and settling into our rooms, we will have an orientation walk.
Day 7
Overnight: Barcelona
After breakfast, a local expert will join us at the hotel for a presentation on Modernism as an Art and Architecture Movement. Then, we will depart from the hotel by private bus for a visit to two of Antoni Gaudí´s masterworks, the enormous basilica known as La Sagrada Familia (The Sacred Family) and the exotic Parque Güell, Gaudí’s outdoor residential project.
Day 8
Overnight: Barcelona
After breakfast we will set out with a local expert for a day trip to Figueres, the birthplace of Salvador Dalí. Upon arrival, we will visit the Dalí Theatre-Museum, the world’s largest surrealist art object. Then we will depart to Púbol to have lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, we will continue to Gala Dalí Castle Museum-House, where we will enjoy an expert-led visit. Afterwards, we will return to Barcelona with approximate arrival in the late afternoon.
Day 9
Overnight: Barcelona
After breakfast, we will meet a local expert for a walk through the Gothic Quarter and visit treasures such as Plaza Felipe Neri, the Roman Columns, and Plaza del Pi.
Then, we will have the afternoon free to pack, explore or just relax. We will gather together again later at the hotel to have our farewell dinner.
Day 10
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport at a designated time.
Tour Inclusions
- Bilingual Staff
- Expert Tour Coordinator during the entire program
- Local Experts for each visit
- Local Experts for each lecture
- Private ground transportation
- Entrance fees to Madrid's Royal Palace, Prado Museum, Reina Sofia´s Museum, Burgos Cathedral, Guggenheim Museum, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Dalí Theatre-Museum, Gala Dalí Castle-Museum House.
- Enriching Experiences: Winery visit & tasting
- 9 breakfasts, 3 lunch, 2 dinners
- Accommodation in 4* hotel at city center
- Worldwide Health Insurance for the duration of the program
- Tips are included throughout the program
- Taxes
Tour Pricing
- $3525 USD
Price per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement $700.
For a minimum of 15 pax.
Additional Experiences
Customize your trip according to your interests by adding any of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
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