18-Day Spanish Art & Architecture: Madrid, Andalusia and Barcelona

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Today, you'll be taken on a tour of the best sights to see in Madrid. You'll be focussing on the Hapsburg and Bourbon legacy which includes a visit to the magnificent Royal Palace, the largest palace in Europe and the official residence of the Spanish royal family. You'll also visit the Prado Museum, a huge collection of paintings dating back almost 200 years, and you'll enjoy dinner at the CEBO restaurant, a contemporary Spanish restaurant which prides itself on local produce.

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Today, you'll be taken on a tour of El Escorial, the historical residence of the King of Spain, which will include visits to the Monastery, Basilica, Royal Palace, Library, and the Habsburg apartments. In the afternoon, you'll venture out on a walking tour around the old town of Segovia including its famous Aqueduct and the Alcazar which dates back to the 11th-century. In the evening, you'll have dinner at Taberna El Sur, a popular tapas restaurant famed for its friendly service and ambience.

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You'll take the high-speed train from Madrid to Toledo for the day where you'll take a tour of the city stopping at the most wonderful viewpoints along the way. You'll then head out on a walking tour of the historic centre of Toledo where you'll visit the Cathedral, the Jewish quarter, the El Tránsito Synagogue and the San Juan de los Reyes Monastery, one of the most beautiful monasteries in the Jewish Quarter of Toledo. In the evening, you'll have the option to dine at the popular La Candela.

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Another train trip today to the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Cordoba where you'll be staying the night. Once you arrive, you'll be taken on a walking tour of the beautiful sights of Cordoba including a visit to the Mosque-Cathedral, the Jewish quarter, the Synagogue and the Royal Alcazar. The afternoon in Cordoba is free to do as you wish, you may want to visit Viana Palace or Museo Julio Romero De Torres, an art museum dedicated to the famous painter.

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Today, you'll be exploring the vineyards of the Montilla Hills where some of the most beautiful olive oil and wine is produced. You'll visit a local olive oil mill to learn about the extra virgin olive oil production. You'll also head to a local winery located right in the heart of the vineyards, where you'll also enjoy a traditional tapas lunch homemade by the winery owners. You'll have the afternoon free to explore Cordoba, before heading to a marvellous equestrian exhibition in the evening.

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Today, you'll be heading to Ubeda and Baeza, where you'll be staying for the night. You'll begin by taking a walking tour of the old town of Ubeda where you'll visit the main monuments of Renaissance and Baroque architecture together with the recently discovered Water Synagogue. In the afternoon, you will continue making your way to your hotel in Granada where you'll have the option to dine at the local's favourite Alameda Restaurant in the evening.

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Today, you'll have a few hours to explore the magnificent Moorish architecture of the Alhambra Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Spain's most famous and visited monuments, followed by a visit to the beautiful Generalife gardens. The afternoon and evening are yours to spend as you wish, you may want to indulge in the Hammam Experience at the Andalusian Arab Baths or perhaps visit the gypsy quarter of Granada where you can learn about the gypsy way of life.

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El Caminito del Rey is a daring and impressive walkway, pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge in El Chorro. You'll be dropped at the beginning of the trail which is roughly 7.7 kilometres long. The Caminito del Rey Hike is famous among adventurers, hikers and tourists of Spain and is definitely something to tick off your bucket list whilst in this region. The afternoon and evening are yours to spend as you wish in Ronda, you may want to visit the famous Ronda Bridge.

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Ronda is a mountaintop city set dramatically above a deep gorge and surrounded by lush river valleys, it is absolutely breathtaking. You will venture out on a walking tour which will include a visit to the old town, the cliffs, the New bridge and the bullring. You'll also visit the magnificent Cuenca Gardens, a series of gardens that cling to the edges of the El Tajo gorge. In the evening you may choose to dine at De Locos Tapas, a famous restaurant in Ronda.

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This morning you'll visit the white villages driving through the spectacular Grazalema Natural Park with sightseeing stops at the charming towns of Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra. Grazalema is a famous producer of honey, cheese and meat-filled stews and is home to the adrenaline-filled bull-running festival. After lunch, you can stroll the narrow streets of the Moorish old town of Zahara before heading to Seville where you will have the evening to explore this beautifully charming city.

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Your day will start with a walking tour to discover the main historic sites Seville including the Cathedral which is the third largest church in the world, the Royal Alcazar and the Santa Cruz Jewish Quarter. This is the perfect way to explore Seville's historical centre and in just a half day, you’ll be able to say you've visited the most important monuments of Seville and learned about the part they played in the history of this city. A fresh seafood dinner awaits at La Azotea if you wish.

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Continuing your southern Spain tour, you'll have a full day to explore Seville at your leisure, whether that be a trip to Triana the colourful riverside neighbourhood of the city or enjoying some shopping and lunch in Plaza Del Duque. In the evening, you’ll discover and taste why Seville is the true home of tapas and experience the mysteries, the emotion and the power of true flamenco in this evening tour. Your bellies and minds will be full to the brim after this experience.

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This morning you'll take a short flight from Seville to your final stop, Barcelona. Barcelona is known as the capital of Modernism and the place where the famous architect Antoni Gaudí, worked and lived. Gaudi, one of the greatest innovators of his time, has left behind numerous treasures in Barcelona for the discerning traveller to discover. Today, You'll enter Gaudi's fascinating world of geometry and visit some of his masterpieces including the famous unfinished church of La Sagrada Familia.

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Barcelona has a very old history and there are monuments of Romanesque, Gothic and Renaissance periods but what most defines its character is all that has been built during the last 100 years. Barcelona has been a centre of Modernist architecture and is especially distinguished by the works of the genius, Gaudi. Today, you'll have the day to yourself to explore Barcelona as you wish. You may visit Casa Batllo, another of Gaudi's creations, the Born Cultural Centre or relax on Barceloneta Beach.

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Today, you'll drive to Figueres, where you'll visit Salvador Dali's birthplace and the famous Dali Museum and Theatre, which houses the biggest and most diverse collection of Dali's work. After the museum visit, it's off to the lovely fishing town of Cadaqués followed by a trip to Portlligat where Dali spent many of his summers inspired by the bay here. In Cadaques, you'll have some free time to explore and have lunch in the Duran restaurant, an old inn which was a favourite of Salvador Dali's.

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Today, you'll venture out of Barcelona to one of the most popular sites in the region, the Montserrat Mountains. The drive to the mountain-top monastery is incomparable and full of breathtaking views. At the top, you will visit the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey which houses an ancient monastery and Royal Basilica and is famous across Spain for its shrine of the Virgin of Montserrat, who is known to perform miracles. You'll also have the option to explore the mountains further with a hike.