Itinerary 1 - Northern Spain

You will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

5 overnights at the Hotel Maria Cristina.

In the morning, take a guided tour of San Sebastian, including the Old Quarter, with its many fine churches, Plaza de la Constitución with its Neoclassical City Hall (now converted into the Municipal Library), the elegant Zona Romántica, and the lovely views at La Concha Bay.

If desired, add a visit to Museo de San Telmo.

Afternoon at leisure.

Today, you’ll take a full-day excursion to Bilbao (75 min. drive). You’ll enjoy a guided tour of the Guggenheim Museum, designed by North American architect Frank O. Gehry. The building itself is an innovatively designed architectural landmark that creates a seductive backdrop for the exhibition of contemporary art.

In the evening, return to San Sebastian.

Today, you’ll enjoy an excursion to the Basque villages. Your driver will meet you at your hotel and drive you through the beautiful landscape of the Basque country. You will have time at leisure to explore Pasajes and Fuenterrabia/Hondarribia on your own. Pasajes is a tiny port where Victor Hugo chose to spend one summer in 1843. The village is full of magic and charm, and is one of the most typical Basque fishing villages. Fuenterrabia/Hondarribia is a 14th-century walled town, full of aristocratic buildings, that has been declared a Historic Artistic Site. It’s a working seaport, with many seafront cafes in La Marina.

In the evening, return to San Sebastian.

This morning, you'll be driven to the city of Pamplona (75 min drive), where you’ll enjoy a walking tour with your expert local guide. You’ll learn about the city’s history, the festival of San Fermín (including the running of the bulls), and Pamplona’s connection with Hemingway. Pamplona is the capital of the “Old Kingdom” of Navarra – the streets and squares of its historic quarter still preserve a significant collection of monumental buildings, dominated by its churches and medieval walls.

If you are in Pamplona for the festival, you can observe the running of the bulls from the balcony of a private apartment.

Or: Instead of Pamplona, you may choose to go with your driver and guide to Biarritz, France (1 hr drive). Biarritz, known as “The King of Beaches and the Beach of Kings,” is a spectacular beach town. Walk the 190-step wooden stairway to the top of the hill to enjoy an incomparable view of the town, the sea and an endless string of beaches. Lunch at the wonderful Hotel du Palais.

In the evening, return to San Sebastian.

After checking out of your hotel, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Madrid. You’ll be met at the Madrid airport and driven to your hotel.

Afternoon at leisure.

3 overnights at the Hotel Villa Magna or Hotel Ritz

This morning, you’ll be taken for a private tour of Madrid. If you are traveling with children, they will spend the morning touring the Prado Museum with an MFA, who will teach them about Velazquez’s Las Meninas and other famous works of art. They’ll spend the afternoon at the artist’s workshop, where they’ll get to explore their creativity and create their own works of art.

Parents will visit Madrid’s Old Quarter with an expert local guide. This tour is a great introduction to Madrid’s history and its importance as the Royal capital of Spain. You will see the the Austrias quarter, the Plaza Mayor, the Spanish Parliament, the Statue of Cervantes, the Paseo del Prado and the beautiful Neptuno square. You’ll finish with a tour of the Prado Museum, accompanied by an expert art historian. The Prado houses one of the world’s most important collections of 16th and 17th century paintings.

In the morning, you’ll enjoy a private flamenco lesson. You will see a short dance first to get familiar. The lesson will show you the fundamentals of flamenco and teach you the basic movements.

In the afternoon, you’ll make a guided visit to Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art. Viewing the Guernica by Picasso and other masterpieces will help you understand the importance of Spain’s great 20th century artists.

Or: Enjoy an afternoon of shopping with a well-known Spanish fashion designer, who will take you to the shops of other local designers, as well as to her atelier if you wish.

In the morning, you’ll take a contemporary art gallery tour with a prominent Spanish painter. He will provide an overview of contemporary Spanish painters and their unique works at several of Madrid’s small art galleries.

In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a special lunch at the private apartment of Rene and Chef Pilar. The meal will be prepared by Chef Pilar, who is well-known in Spanish culinary circles and is privy to many secrets of the European cooking avant-garde. Her Swiss-born husband is a connoisseur of Spanish wines, and loves to present to you the different wines that accompany the meal.

After checking out of your hotel, you’ll be picked up by your driver and transferred to the Madrid train station, where you’ll board an AVE high-speed train to Barcelona. You’ll be met at the Barcelona station and driven to your hotel.

4 overnights at the Hotel Mandarin Oriental or Hotel Arts.

In the morning and early afternoon, you’ll take a guided tour of Barcelona, both on foot and by car. This tour is a great introduction to the city’s history and art. You’ll enjoy the beautiful views of the city from Montjuic, and take a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, where you’ll visit the Cathedral and its cloister and see the outside of the old medieval Synagogue at the Call (Jewish quarter). You will see the famous “La Pedrera” building by Gaudí on your way to the Sagrada Familia church, considered by many to be Gaudí’s masterpiece. Next, you’ll visit to the Barcelona Soccer Club Stadium, a.k.a. Nou Camp. It is the largest football stadium in Europe, home of Barcelona Football Club (“Barça,” as it is known locally). The tour of the stadium takes about 1 hr and includes the changing rooms, the tunnel and its chapel, the manager’s dug-outs and the trophy room. If time allows, you will continue to Cosmo Carixa Interactive Science Center.

Today, you’ll visit L’Aquàrium de Barcelona. Featuring 35 tanks, an 80-yard underwater tunnel, and Europe’s only Oceanarium, this aquarium is the most important marine leisure and education center in the world concerning the Mediterranean.

Next you’ll visit the Chocolate Museum, which takes you on a journey through the world of chocolate from its origins and arrival in Europe to the present day. You can participate in several workshops that help you understand the world of chocolate and its different varieties.

Or: You’ll be picked up in the morning for an 8-mile cable car ride to historic Montjuïc Castle, dating from 1640. The castle today is a military museum with extensive displays of ancient weaponry. The area around the castle offers spectacular views from its vantage point of 699 feet, and includes Fundació Joan Miró, Museo Arqueológic, Museo National de Art de Catalunya, Poble Espanyol, and the Olympic Stadium.

In the morning, you’ll visit Park Güell to admire Gaudi’s work; children and parents can take part in a Gaudi treasure hunt. In the afternoon, enjoy a special lunch at an authentic paella restaurant with Jeff Koehler, well-known food writer and author of La Paella: Delicious Authentic Rice Recipes from Spain’s Mediterranean Coast. Over a leisurely meal, you’ll learn the history of paella, its role in Spanish culture, and tricks on how to prepare it.

After checking out of your hotel, you will be transferred to the Barcelona airport for your return flight home.