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Barcelona, Madrid & Andalusia

Group Information

Departing From:
Houston
Departing:
June 15, 2026
Returning:
June 24, 2026
:
Hello, My name is Shawn Lovely-Kennedy and I have led student travel since 1991. I take my travel groups mainly to Spanish speaking countries but have also led tours in Hawaii, Florida, Texas, Germany, and Italy. My Spanish speaking tours are Spain and Costa Rica. I would be happy to have you join our group and travel with us. We are mainly from Clear Lake High School in Houston, TX.
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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
Paella 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: Paella dinner
Paella is a Valencian rice dish with ancient roots that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near Albufera lagoon on the east coast of Spain.
Day 3 Barcelona
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--Madrid
Travel to Madrid via Zaragoza
Basilica of the Virgin of Pilar visit
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.
Day 5 Madrid
Madrid guided sightseeing tour
Gran Vía, Cibeles Fountain, Puerta de Alcalá, Columbus Square, Royal Palace visit
Optional  Toledo guided excursion  $80
Toledo Cathedral visit, St. Mary’s Synagogue visit, Sword factory visit
Tapas dinner
Details: Madrid guided sightseeing tour
Get a taste of Spain's cultural, political and economic center with a tour led by a licensed local guide. See Madrid's mix of traditional and modern as you visit the Royal Palace, an 18th-century masterpiece. The enormous Baroque palace currently has more rooms (2,800) than any other European palace, but it was originally supposed to be four times as large. The palace is dripping with porcelain, jeweled clocks, amazing ceiling frescoes—the most magnificent, in the Throne Room, was done by the Venetian artist Tiepolo when he was in his seventies. Next take a look at the Neoclassical architecture of the Prado Museum and the Puerta de Alcalá triumphal arch, built to honor Carlos III’s entry into Spain.
Details: Gran Vía
Stroll down the Gran Vía, Madrid’s lively signature boulevard featuring magnificent shopping and cafes.
Details: Cibeles Fountain
The Fountain of Cybele, one of the most recognizable fountains in Madrid, depicts Cybele, a Phrygian earth and fertility deity.
Details: Puerta de Alcalá
See the Puerta de Alcalá, the ceremonial gateway to Madrid commissioned by Carlos III. The Neo-classical structure is located in the Plaza de Independencia and is named for the old path leading from Madrid to nearby Alcalá de Henares.
Details: Royal Palace visit
Browse through the 3,418 rooms in the largest palace in Europe. Art lovers will marvel at the walls lined with priceless paintings, but don’t expect to catch a glimpse of the Spanish royal family—they reside elsewhere.
Details: Toledo Cathedral visit
Enter Toledo Cathedral, a Gothic landmark filled with remarkable art and history. Admire the dramatic Transparente, El Greco’s Twelve Apóstoles, and an exquisite alabaster Last Supper. Then see the famous 500‑pound gilded monstrance, believed to contain New World gold and still used in Toledo’s annual Corpus Christi procession.
Details: St. Mary’s Synagogue visit
Visit The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, the oldest intact synagogue building in Europe. As it was constructed by the Christian Kingdom of Castile and designed by Islamic architects for Jewish use, it is considered a symbol of cooperation among the three religions.
Details: Sword factory visit
Toledo is famous for its traditional crafts, especially sword-making. Find out more at a local Toledo sword factory.
Day 6 Madrid--Seville
Travel to Córdoba by AVE train
Mezquita guided visit
Travel to Seville
Details: Travel to Córdoba by AVE train
Race across the country in Spain’s fastest train, the high-tech AVE, which can reach speeds of over 180 miles per hour.
Details: Mezquita guided visit
The Mezquita of Córdoba is a breathtaking monument that showcases one of the world’s most remarkable blends of Moorish and Christian architecture. Its vast forest of columns and sweeping horseshoe arches create a hypnotic rhythm of light and shadow, while the intricate mosaics and gold‑adorned mihrab reveal the height of Islamic artistry. This rare fusion of styles, shaped between the 8th and 10th centuries, reflects the rich, layered history that has defined Córdoba for more than a millennium.
Day 7 Seville
Seville guided sightseeing tour
Plaza de España, Old Jewish Quarter (Santa Cruz and San Bartolomé), Casa de Pilatos visit, Seville Cathedral visit, Giralda Tower ascent
Flamenco evening
Details: Seville guided sightseeing tour
See the twisted alleyways and cobbled streets of this flamboyant Spanish city with a local guide. Discover the enchanting Plaza de España, the Giralda Tower, within the largest gothic cathedral in the world, and explore the Casa de Pilatos considered the prototype of the Andalusian palace.
Details: Flamenco evening
Originating from gypsy music and dance in Southern Spain, flamenco dancing has become a Spanish institution. Dancers use intricate footwork and elaborate arm gestures to convey the mood of the music, which can range from lamentation to celebration.
Day 8 Seville--Costa del Sol
Travel to Costa del Sol via Granada
Alhambra guided visit
Alhambra gardens, Summer Palace, The Medina, Royal Arab Baths, Alcazaba fortress
Generalife Gardens
Details: Alhambra guided visit
Granada sits on three gentle hills, which are dwarfed on a clear day by the majestic snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Atop one of these hills sits the imposing but delicate Alhambra palace. Golden pink hues give this sprawling renaissance gateway an otherworldly aura. One of the best rewards of climbing up to see it is the view of the city mixed in with orchards, tobacco fields and poplar groves. Please note the guided tour will include entrance to the gardens and halls surrounding the palace but entrance to the main palace building may not be accessible at all times due to limited availability.
Day 9 Costa del Sol
Optional  Morocco guided excursion  $150
Ferry to Ceuta, Ceuta panoramic coastal views, Tétouan sightseeing tour, Lunch included (instead of dinner)
Details: Ceuta panoramic coastal views
Ceuta, a Spanish enclave on Africa’s northern coast, offers incredible panoramic views. From here, you can see both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Strait of Gibraltar is also visible, and on clear days, you can even spot the Moroccan coastline.
Details: Tétouan sightseeing tour
Explore Tétouan and its rich culture. Wander through the historic Medina, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its winding alleys and bustling markets, the Spanish district, the Jewish Quarter, and the ancient Kasbah.
Details: Lunch included (instead of dinner)
Enjoy an authentic Moroccan lunch. Note that lunch will be served instead of dinner.
Day 10 Flight home from Malaga (Costa del Sol)
Limited air service from Malaga may cause flight itinerary changes

Tour Fee Includes:

  • Round-trip airfare
  • 8 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
  • High-speed Ave train
  • Visit 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.