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Northern Spain Highlights

with Santiago de Compostela Extension

Group Information

Departing From:
Omaha
Departing:
June 15, 2026
Returning:
June 26, 2026
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Hi! My name is Dinah Claus and I am a high school Spanish teacher. I have been traveling with students since 2009. I love working with this age group and seeing how excited students get when gaining new experiences. My leadership style is relaxed . . . but safety is ALWAYS my number one priority on tour!
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Tour Itinerary (Detailed)

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Day 1 Overnight Flight to Spain (Barcelona)
Day 2 Hola Barcelona
Meet your tour director and check into hotel
Las Ramblas scavenger hunt
Tapas dinner
Details: Las Ramblas scavenger hunt
Take interactive learning to another level with a Tour Director-led scavenger hunt of Las Ramblas, the most famous pedestrian street of Barcelona! Complete exciting activities and solve fun clues. Each clue and every activity is built to maximize on-tour experiential learning.
Details: Tapas dinner
Tapas purportedly originated when bartenders set a small plate (''tapa'') over patrons' glasses of sherry and wine to keep the flies out. The bartenders starting piling the plate with cold cuts, olives, or salad, and the bite-size snack was born. (We're unsure how they kept the flies out of the cold-cuts... maybe that's how the sandwich was invented?) Over time these working-class snacks have become more elaborate, with each region adding its own specialties and cooking techniques to create unique tastes and combinations.
Day 3 Barcelona landmarks
Barcelona guided sightseeing tour
Plaza de España, Gaudí’s Sagrada Família, Montjuïc Hill, Park Güell visit
Details: Barcelona guided sightseeing tour
Experience the best of Barcelona, a vibrant city where Gothic churches, colorful mosaics, and bold modernist architecture all blend together in unforgettable ways. Wander through lively streets lined with wrought-iron balconies and buzzing cafés as your local guide introduces you to the city’s most iconic sights. Take in an outside view of La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s astonishing unfinished basilica, before heading into the bright, imaginative world of Park Güell, where sweeping terraces and vivid tilework overlook the entire city. Then continue up to Montjuïc, the historic hill that has witnessed centuries of battles and later welcomed the 1992 Olympics, offering panoramic views and a perfect look at Barcelona’s mix of creativity, culture, and history.
Details: Gaudí’s Sagrada Família
This breathtaking basilica, widely regarded as Antoni Gaudí’s greatest masterpiece, has been rising slowly over Barcelona’s skyline since 1882. Its soaring towers, intricate façades and dreamlike geometry make it one of the most extraordinary architectural projects in the world, and with completion expected in 2026, you’ll witness a landmark still very much in the making.
Details: Montjuïc Hill
Travel to Barcelona’s mountain of Montjuïc, the focal point of two of the city’s key international events: the World’s Fair of 1929, of which many structures still remain; and the 1992 Olympic Games. Montjuïc features the largest "green zone" in the city with miles of forests and parks.
Details: Park Güell visit
Discover the whimsical world of Park Güell, one of the most iconic elements of the UNESCO-listed “Works of Antoni Gaudí.” This imaginative hillside park blends vibrant mosaics, organic forms, and sweeping city views. Highlights include the famous mosaic lizard, the colorful serpentine bench, and the forest of Doric columns ingeniously designed to function as part of Gaudí’s drainage system. It’s a place where architecture, nature, and artistry come together in unforgettable ways.
Day 4 Barcelona--Pamplona
Travel to Pamplona via Zaragoza
Basilica of the Virgin of Pilar visit
Pamplona tour director-led sightseeing
Plaza del Castillo, Pamplona Cathedral
Details: Basilica of the Virgin of Pilar visit
The Basilica of the Virgin of the Pillar in Zaragoza is believed to be the first church dedicated to Mary, built on the site where she is said to have appeared to Saint James in 40 AD. Over centuries, it has grown into a grand Baroque monument and remains a powerful symbol of Spanish faith, drawing pilgrims and visitors from around the world.
Details: Pamplona tour director-led sightseeing
Pamplona is the capital of Navarre Province in northern Spain. It’s best known for the Running of the Bulls (Feast of San Fermín) in July. During this legendary multiday festival, bulls are led through the city streets by daredevil runners. A major stop along the Camino de Santiago, a medieval-era pilgrimage route, Pamplona is also home to Gothic-style churches including fortress like San Nicolás.
Details: Plaza del Castillo
Often referred to as the "living room" of Pamplona, Plaza del Castillo has been the heart of the city for centuries. This bustling square has witnessed numerous historical events and is surrounded by elegant arcaded buildings. It's a perfect spot to start your tour, offering a glimpse into the daily life and vibrant culture of Pamplona. The square is also a hub for social gatherings, especially during the famous San Fermín festival.
Details: Pamplona Cathedral
The Pamplona Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral of Santa María la Real, is a stunning example of Gothic architecture. Built on the site of a former Romanesque church, the cathedral dates back to the 14th century. Its beautiful cloister is considered one of the finest in Europe, and the Diocesan Museum housed within the cathedral showcases a rich collection of religious artifacts, including medieval sculptures and paintings. The cathedral's historical significance is further highlighted by its role as a key stop on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.
Day 5 Pamplona--Cantabria
Travel to Cantabria via Santillana
Santillana del Mar city walk
Altamira Caves guided visit
Colegiata de Santa Juliana
Details: Altamira Caves guided visit
Adjust your eyes to some of the most perfect paintings by prehistoric man. (So perfect that even archaeologists wondered whether early man was capable of such a feat.) With nearly one hundred pictures of signs and animals such as bison, deer, horses and bulls decorating the walls and ceilings, it’s been given the name “The Sistine Chapel of Quaternary Art.” Because body heat and breath can damage the artwork, entry to the caves is restricted to 9,000 visitors per year. But don’t worry. A replica of the cave, true to the original, is open for all.
Day 6 Cantabria
Picos de Europa National Park excursion
Details: Picos de Europa National Park excursion
Visit Spain's first National Park situated between the regions of Asturias, Cantabria and León, in the heart of the Cantabrian Mountains, in northern Spain. Its history goes back to 1918, when don Pedro Pidal, Marquis of Villaviciosa, promoted the law to create the Montaña de Covadonga National Park, which was named Picos de Europa National Park on 30 May 1995. This natural area was awarded the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation in 2002.
Day 7 Cantabria--Basque Country
Travel to Bilbao via Guernica
Guernica city walk
Guggenheim Museum visit
Bilbao city walk
Day 8 Basque Country
Monte Igueldo Lighthouse visit
Chillida Leku visit
Details: Chillida Leku visit
Dedicated to sculptor, Eduardo Chillida, Chillida Leku feels less like a museum and more like an artist’s sanctuary, just as Eduardo himself envisioned. Take in the warm Spanish sun as you stroll along grassy plains and through rich woodland dotted with Chillida’s enormous abstract artwork. (Feel free to touch!) Then cozy up inside the farmhouse filled with smaller works made from granite, terracotta, wood and paper.
Day 9 Start extension to Santiago de Compostela
Travel to León via Burgos
Burgos guided sightseeing tour
Burgos Cathedral visit
Details: Burgos guided sightseeing tour
Step into the Middle Ages in beautiful Burgos. The remains of a medieval castle watch over the town from above, and the original city walls still trail down the hillside. Prickly Gothic spires mark the town’s enormous and elaborate cathedral, which contains the tomb of the famous Spanish hero El Cid. Less-historic ducks and backpackers congregate along the river. Explore this picturesque town with a licensed local guide.
Day 10 León--Santiago de Compostela
León city walk
León Cathedral visit
Travel to Santiago de Compostela via Astorga and Ponferrada
Day 11 Santiago de Compostela landmarks
Santiago de Compostela guided sightseeing tour
Details: Santiago de Compostela guided sightseeing tour
Get a true sense of this historical pilgrimage site as you explore the narrow streets of the well-preserved old city that lead the way to the impressive cathedral. See the different façades of the cathedral, the historic plazas, including Plaza Praterias, and visit the Monastery of San Paio de Antealtares.
Day 12 Flight home from Porto

Tour Fee Includes:

  • Round-trip airfare
  • 7 overnight stays (10 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms
  • Full European breakfast daily
  • Dinner daily
  • Full-time services of a professional tour director
  • Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
  • Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
  • Tour Diary™
  • Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
  • Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
  • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.