In this 13-day itinerary, you have a chance to explore Spain’s cosmopolitan cities, taking in the culture, history, architecture and food. We’ve also included some time to enjoy the countryside, and embark on some adventurous activities, like hiking, canyoning, kayaking, and more. We’ve also incorporated lots of leisure time so that you can explore and enjoy your time in Spain at your own pace!
Daily Itinerary
Day 1
Details for Today
Arrive: Madrid
Madrid:
- Walking tour of Madrid
- Private tapas tour
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Magna
Arrival in Madrid! Our representative will meet you in the arrivals lounge and you will have a private transfer to your hotel.
Madrid is one of the world’s most vibrant and seductive cities. It is a city with a charming and infectious atmosphere that the visitor can immediately sense, feel a part of, and most of all, enjoy. A city that takes unabashed pleasure in its past traditions, it is proud to display a wealth of cultural treasures and architectural glories.
Late in the afternoon, indulge in a walking tour of Madrid followed by a private tapas tour…In a nutshell, tapas in Madrid means tradition, and this includes the atmosphere, not just the food. In nice small bars in the heart of Madrid’s charismatic old Austrias area, hearty sample food in manageable portions, helped down with some pleasingly potent wines, and amidst the joyous hullabaloo of the welcoming Madrileños…… just a perfect introduction to the vibrant lifestyle of the city and the culture of tapas!
Day 2
Details for Today
Madrid:
-
A Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Madrid
- Visit the Prado
Accommodation: Hotel Villa Magna
Meals: B, D
After a good night’s sleep, head out and explore on A Half-Day Private Walking Tour of Madrid.
Enjoy a walking tour that includes some of the capital’s most impressive sights, such as the Plaza de Oriente and the historic quarter, including the 17th-century Plaza Mayor, a magnificent Baroque square lined with arcades filled with picturesque cafes.
Walk through the peaceful Plaza de la Villa where the City Hall stands and the narrow streets of Madrid of the Austrias, named after the Austro- Hapsburg dynasty which came to rule over in 1516. Much of the Austrias neighbourhood today is a gastronomic centre, with traditional favourites aplenty, including the famous Botin, the oldest restaurant in the world. The nuns of the Convento nearby occasionally offer their homemade cakes too!
The tour will also include an in-depth visit of the Prado No one would dispute the Prado’s claim to house one of the world’s greatest collections of paintings. Over 8,600 in number and with a value beyond price, the pictures often overshadow the Museum’s other works. But the Prado is not limited to paintings alone.
It was conceived as a museum of painting and sculpture and has significant collections of drawings (over 5,000), engravings (2,000), coins and medals (close to 100), over 700 sculptures (both complete and fragments), and almost two thousand objects d’art. Because space is limited, the museum displays only one-seventh of its paintings. The construction of The Prado began in 1785, under Charles III, to house the Science Academy next to the Botanical Gardens; nevertheless it was not until 1819, under Ferdinand VII, that it was used to display art, as “The Royal Painting Museum”. The Prado houses masterpieces from all the leading European Schools, and Spanish painting includes works from the Middle Ages up to the 19th century.
Day 4
Details for Today
Transfer to Toledo
Toledo:
- Tour of Toledo’s “Mystery and Legends”
Accommodation: Parador de Toledo
Meals: B
There is another Toledo… A Toledo that doesn’t appear in the regular tourist guides, a Toledo that is beyond the profane sciences… a Toledo of Mystery and Legend weaved when night falls, and we lose ourselves in the fascinating labyrinth of its historic city center.
There, in its twisting and turning streets, narrow alleys and dark sheds, the secrets, and legends of an unforgettable city come alive. There is a different Toledo… A Toledo of Templars, of alchemists, of necromancers, of witches and sorcerers, of forgotten caves where the Table of Solomon is kept, and of old parishes holding the secret of the Holy Grail…
This Toledo rises with the mental framework that dreams are made of, and as an ally of the Night, we invite you to get to know it better. Today you will meet your private driver at your hotel and depart for Toledo. The drive should take approx. 1 ½ hours.
Upon your arrival you will check in at the Parador de Toledo. This hotel in Toledo offers a unique panorama of the great silhouette, with its most fabulous jewels, the Cathedral, the Alcázar and the synagogues.
In the hotel, you can also enjoy the refreshing swimming pool and plan outdoor leisure activities. From the bedrooms, lounges, terrace and pool the beautiful views of the Imperial City dominate, while the interior is remarkable for its spaciousness and luxury. Comfortable furnishings combine with wooden beams, staircases and balustrades, and Mudejar elements in rugs and tiles.
The dining room offers typical dishes from Castilla – La Mancha, such as stewed partridge Toledo style. Roast lamb, cream cheese and honey ice-cream, and marzipans. Late in the afternoon (the later the better because of the heat)….. Enjoy Guided Tour of Toledos Mystery and Legends!
Day 5
Details for Today
Transfer: Train ride to Zaragoza
Boltana/Pyrenees:
- Afternoon and evening at leisure
Accommodation: Monasterio De Boltana
Meals: B
Today you will be transferred to the train station. Here you will take the AVE (high speed train) to Zaragoza.
Upon your arrival at the Zaragoza train station, your private escort/guide will meet you and drive you to your hotel in Boltaña. The drive takes approximately 2 hours.
Boltaña is located in the foothills of the highest section of the magnificent Spanish Pyrenees, perfectly situated for accessing all the most spectacular areas of the range.
Afternoon & evening will be at leisure.
Day 6
Details for Today
Boltana/Pyrenees
- Hike in the National Park of Ordesa Canyon and Monte Perdido
- Choices for afternoon activities: Kayaking, white water rafting, or a 4×4 excursion into the mountains
Accommodation: Monasterio De Boltana
Meals: B
After breakfast, transfer by 4×4 to the trailhead for a hike in the environs of National Park of Ordesa Canyon and Monte Perdido.
Fabulous views guaranteed of the highest peaks in the entire Pyrenees. Final route selection will be determined based on local conditions, group fitness, etc. One of the great advantages of Ordesa is that it offers a variety of hiking opportunities, from the relatively short and easy to the very challenging.
In the afternoon, you have your choice of the following activities: Kayaking on River Ara near the hotel, white water rafting, or a 4×4 excursion into the mountains.
Day 7
Details for Today
Boltana/Pyrenees:
-
Canyoning
- Afternoon & evening will be at leisure
Accommodation: Monasterio De Boltana
Meals: B
After breakfast transfer to start of route (approx. 30 –50 min) for your canyoning excursion.
The orography and geological composition of the valleys in Sobrarbe provide a wide variety of canyon routes of every kind and difficulty. Many rivers and canyons in Sobrarbe offer wonderful settings for this extreme sport. Enjoy the beautifully sculpted walls of the gorges in the northern valleys in our county, and those shady and spectacular gorges.
Day 8
Details for Today
Boltana/Pyrenees:
-
Via Ferrata
- Afternoon & evening will be at leisure
Accommodation: Monasterio De Boltana
Meals: B
Today you will embark on another incredible adventure – Via Ferrata! Much easier than climbing, these are relatively easy vertical routes. They will take us to beautiful places, fully equipped to guarantee safety. Level aimed at those who don’t know the activity or have never practiced it.
Afternoon & evening will be at leisure.
Day 9
Details for Today
Transfer to Barcelona
Barcelona:
-
Afternoon & evening at leisure
Accommodation: Hotel Arts Barcelona
Meals: B
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Lleida train station. The drive should take approx. 2 ½ hours. Here you will board on the AVE bound for Barcelona. The ride will take 1hour. Upon your arrival, you will check in at your accommodations at Hotel Arts Barcelona.
Afternoon & evening at leisure
Day 11
Details for Today
Barcelona
- Bike through the countryside of Girona
- Sail on a yacht in the afternoon, with swimming, and a stop at Arenys de Mar
Accommodation: Hotel Arts Barcelona
Meals: B
Today you will enjoy a day of adventure combining Biking and Sailing.
Meet your driver and guide in Barcelona and together depart to Girona. The drive should take approx. 1 hour. Whether it is excitement you are looking for or just a bit of peace and quiet, get up on your bike and let yourself be carried away by the beauty of the countryside and the forests, the greenways, the coves and the inlets of the Girona counties.
The Narrow-Gauge Railway Route stretches out 39.7 km. With a smooth incline from Girona to Sant Feliu de Guíxols (15 m), its highest point is at Cassà de la Selva (136 m). Following the old narrow-gauge railway line from Girona to Sant Feliu, you can get to know two of Girona’s regions – the Gironès and the Baix Empordà – from the Ter River basin, crossing the Selva depression and ending in the Ridaura valley.
The most salient feature of the railway line trail from Sant Feliu de Guíxols to Girona is the smoothness of its slopes and curves. The route is formed by a winding line that was mathematically mapped out over the rugged terrain. The paving is of a grainy granite sandtype material that blends in nicely with the terrain it crosses, although there are also urban sections at all the towns that it runs through.
After leaving Girona behind, the route passes the Selva depression, characterised by a patchwork mosaic formed by alternating croplands and forests. On clear days, you can enjoy an extraordinary panoramic view that encompasses the easternmost mountains of the Pyrenees range all the way down to the Montseny massif, including the coastal Serralada Transversal (El Far, Sant Roc, Rocacorba).
The second half of the section crosses the Ridaura valley, which separates the Cadiretes massif to the south from the Gavarres Massif, and runs gently down to the seaside town of Sant Feliu de Guíxols, the birthplace of the Costa Brava place name, which offers breathtaking seascapes and views of the surrounding countryside. Upon your arrival you will board a yacht for lunch.
You will have time for a swim in St. Feliu before departing for the sailing trip back to Barcelona. While en route, your skipper will also happily stop for you to hop off the boat for a dip in the ocean! Depending on weather and timing, the boat will likely make a stop at Arenys de Mar, which is a beautiful seaside town just up the coast from Barcelona.
In all, the sailing portion of your day will likely take 3-4 hours; it will be an enjoyable afternoon! Upon your arrival in Barcelona Port, your will be transferred to your hotel. The evening will be at leisure.
Accommodation
Hotel Villa Magna, Madrid, Spain
Arguably the best property in Madrid, the Villa Magna is a luxurious hotel that combines old world charm with modern elegance. Although the façade on this busy main street running through Madrid may seem surprisingly corporate (the 60s façade, architecture is protected by the City and cannot be touched), there is no mistaking the quality and impeccable service that ooze from every department in the Villa Magna. The leisure traveler is greeted with consistent politeness and above-and-beyond hospitality from the doormen to the cleaning staff to the bartender and the breakfast staff. Spacious rooms – many are connecting – with tasteful decor and furnishing. Great location for shopping as the major luxury and chain stores are located on Serrano right behind the hotel.
Set in a widespread, stone building, this hotel overlooking the old town lies 2.6 km from Puente de Alcantara arch bridge and 4.8 km from Museum of Santa Cruz, featuring artwork.The cozy, down-to-earth rooms and suites feature flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi and minibars, as well as balconies. A complimentary breakfast buffet is served in a restaurant offering seasonal cuisine.There’s also an outdoor pool.
Set in a 17th-century stone monastery nestled along the Ara River, this luxury hotel with an annex is 6 km from the town of Ainsa and 7 km from the Church of Santa Maria. The warm rooms, suites and villas with refined decor have hardwood floors, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs and minibars. Additional amenities include an outdoor pool, a spa and an exercise room.
Discover a luxury hotel on the Mediterranean in one of Europe’s most dynamic cities. A blissful retreat, cultural hub, meeting space and fine dining destination rolled into one. A place where exceptional service comes as standard, and every guest is made to feel part of the family. This luxe hotel occupies a high-rise building marked by a glass and exposed steel facade. It’s 2.7 km from Sagrada Família and Plaça de Catalunya.