Exhilarating Adventure to Barcelona & Madrid Tour

Cathedral of Madrid at sunset in Spain

What to expect on this itinerary

During this luxurious 7-day adventure through Madrid and Barcelona, you will experience some of the most exclusive experiences that these cities have to offer. Vivacious street life bursts from the central avenues and open-aired plazas of Madrid's downtown and local bands catch the attention of passersby. Meanwhile, in Barcelona, artistic whimsy emanates from every storefront and the intricate architecture amazes all its visitors.

Countries Visited

Spain

Places Visited

Barcelona, Valencia, Madrid

Suggested Duration

7 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Barcelona - Dinner in Placa Reial

You will arrive at the Barcelona airport, where you will meet your private transport who will escort you to your hotel. Soon, you will arrive at your luxurious accommodation in the heart of the Gothic Quarter. You can unpack your bags as the chatter below ensues. Then, later in the afternoon, you can venture into the city for some self-guided exploration. Later, as the sky begins to warm with the red-orange hues of sunset, you can indulge in dinner at the Placa Reial. Here, children play pick-up games of soccer and street vendors sell light-up toys and other souvenirs.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Day 2

Barcelona - Gothic Quarter and Sagrada Familia

Day 3

Barcelona - Architecture Tour of Park Guell

Day 4

Valencia - Paella Cooking Class

Day 5

Madrid - City Tour Highlights

Day 6

Madrid - Reina Sofia Art Museum

Day 7

Madrid - Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Dine in the moonlit Placa Reial and discover Barcelona's eclectic history when you stroll through the streets of the city's Gothic quarter
  • Marvel at the kaleidoscopic hues of La Sagrada Familia before visiting other masterpieces of famed architect, Antoni Gaudi, including Park Guell
  • Admire the futuristic designs of architect, Calatrava, at the City of Arts and Sciences before attending an authentic paella cooking class
  • Peruse the halls of Madrid's Royal Palace and indulge in an array of local tapas in the Plaza Mayor
  • Visit Picasso's masterpieces at the Reina Sofia Art Museum and stroll through the luscious public park that is known as Parque El Retiro

Detailed Description

Whimsical and fantastical architecture overflows from every alcove in the charming city of Barcelona. Ocean waves will lap against the sandy shore as gulls fly overhead. Moreover, families and couples will gather along the coastline in the moonlit Gothic Quarter for a relaxing dinner. Meanwhile, in Valencia, expert chefs mix perfectly seasoned rice, vegetables, and seafood in large cast-iron skillets. In the center of Spain, Madrid's locals and visitors meander through the Plaza del Sol, past the Royal Palace, and inside the Parque El Retiro.

When you arrive in Barcelona on your first day in Spain, you will be met by your private transportation for your exciting, 7-day expedition. You will settle into your hotel and indulge in an initial dinner at the Placa Reial. Then, the following morning, you will follow your expert guide along the cobbled streets of the Gothic Quarter as you learn about the city's history. Later, you will delve into the eccentric aesthetic of architect Antoni Gaudi at such famed masterpieces, such as the Casa Batllo, Casa Mila, Park Guell, and La Sagrada Familia.

As you set out towards Madrid, you will make a brief stop in Valencia, which is the third-largest city in Spain. Here, you will participate in an authentic paella cooking class and visit the one-of-a-kind designs at the City of Arts and Sciences. Afterward, in Madrid, you will fall in love with the quickened pace and the leisurely attitudes of outdoor cafes, restaurants, and parks. Your expert guide will lead you to attractions, such as the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, Plaza del Sol, and Parque El Retiro. Then, in the evenings, you can venture to the outlying neighborhoods of Malasana and Lavapies, where you can become lost in the vibrant arts and music scene.

Starting Price

$2,800 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 2506 reviews

Spain Tour Review: 1 Week

Zicasso’s travel specialist is absolutely A+—BEST IN CLASS!!!

Planning the trip with him was delightful. He listened carefully during our initial call and we had several conversations and emails to design the itinerary. His recommendations were spot-on and he was very flexible and supportive of our requested modifications, and incredibly responsive. It was an excellent experience planning the trip!

We LOVED the travel app he uses—it was truly helpful during the time we were in Spain. Everyone in our family really appreciated it!

When on the ground in Spain, we were in texting contact with him throughout the trip, including requesting additional add-on experiences the day before, which he made happen, and other small and meaningful adjustments! All of the drivers and guides selected were on time, professional, with deep knowledge, and delightful and fun to be with.

We absolutely loved our trip and it was just fabulous to work with a travel partner as excellent as him!

We highly recommend!!

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Morocco, Spain Travel Review: Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Alhambra Tour, Prado Tour, 10-Day Trip

Our family had an amazing time on our 10-day trip to Morocco and Southern Spain! The itinerary that was crafted for us was wonderful, where we saw multiple cities, with simple transfers.

The tour guides in each city were wonderful, with incredible knowledge of each city and site that we toured.

The hotels in Spain that were chosen for us were also great in quality and location—ideally situated in each city. In particular, our hotel in Córdoba was beautiful, located in an historic building.

All of the transportation services used had professional drivers in modern, clean vans.

In the event that we had an issue, question, or needed a recommendation, Zicasso’s tour company was very responsive and really helpful. We really were happy with our experience in the planning and execution of our family trip!

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Spain Vacation Review: Granada, Cordoba, Alhambra, 10 Days

It was a fantastic trip. Zicasso’s travel agent and her team planned everything meticulously. The guides were fantastic, all having grown up in the cities they were touring. When we wanted to make some last-minute changes, they happily obliged. They were available to us at all times, day and night, and helped us with restaurants. I will definitely want to use them again and highly recommend them!!

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Spain, Morocco Trip Review: 2 Weeks

Zicasso's travel specialist was very receptive and helpful. At times, there were hiccups with the plans, but she resolved them quickly.

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Spain Travel Review: Jerez de la Frontera, Cordoba, History, 17-Day Trip

Our 17-day itinerary of southern Spain was perfectly planned and a perfect pace for us (senior citizens). Zicasso’s travel company was extremely attentive, checking in to make sure all was going well. Our expectations were greatly exceeded and we had a fabulous trip.

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Spain Tour Review: Scenery, Local Cuisine, 2 Weeks

The trip was great. Zicasso’s travel specialist and her crew put together a great itinerary and left us plenty of downtime, so we were not exhausted each evening. The drivers were good and, although not guides, offered plenty of history along the way. All the guides were exceptional.

We loved all the hotels, especially our hotel in the mountains. That was very special.

The travel specialist had obviously passed along the note that we did not want to go shopping, like sometimes happens with the guides.

The food and restaurant suggestions were all good.

Overall, it was a very well-planned and articulated agenda. The software that they use to keep in contact worked very well once I understood it! Lol.

My only comment was that on trips in the past, the beginning of the trip started with a personal stop at our hotel by a representative from the company. I understood later that their headquarters is in a more remote area. But if I was a new traveler, I would have enjoyed putting a face with the name. Fortunately, the package they left at the hotel did indeed have all our tickets and passes.

I would definitely recommend this travel company and would use them again.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

30,000+ Verified Traveler Reviews