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HIGHLIGHTS
A quick look about this trip!
DURATION
8 DAYS
COMFORT
LANGUAGE
RATING
  • Spain's top cities to create a sparkling, full-bodied eight-day adventure.
  • First, you'll experience the pride and energy of Barcelona
  • Rambling on the Ramblas, digging into delicious seafood, and marveling at architecture and art by Gaudí and Picasso.
  • Then, we'll hop a high-tech train to Madrid for its terrific tapas, masterpiece-packed Prado Museum — and a day in historic Toledo.
ACTIVITIES ON THIS TRIP
Primary: Local Culture & Cuisine, Historical Sites, Walking Tour
Other: sightseeing, museums
$2695USD
Prices vary by date. Make sure to pick your departure date.
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ONGOING PROMOTIONS
"Get 5% off when you book with AdventureLink before May 31st, 2012!"
SAVE 5%
Applies to Departures Between:
4/25/2012 and 1/1/2013
Promotion lasts :
From 4/25/2012 To 6/1/2012
TRIP MAP
See the locations you'll visit!

Best of Barcelona & Madrid in 8 Days Tour

We've combined Spain's top cities to create a sparkling, full-bodied eight-day adventure. First, you'll experience the pride and energy of Barcelona — rambling on the Ramblas, digging into delicious seafood, and marveling at architecture and art by Gaudí and Picasso.
We've combined Spain's top cities to create a sparkling, full-bodied eight-day adventure. First, you'll experience the pride and energy of Barcelona — rambling on the Ramblas, digging into delicious seafood, and marveling at architecture and art by Gaudí and Picasso. Then, we'll hop a high-tech train to Madrid for its terrific tapas, masterpiece-packed Prado Museum — and a day in historic Toledo.

Day 1: Welcome to Barcelona
Barcelona, the proud capital of Catalunya, may be the most festive city on the Mediterranean. Meet your guide and group at 6 p.m. at our centrally-located hotel for an orientation meeting — then we'll join the party with a stroll along the surprise-filled, people-packed Ramblas boulevard and have dinner together. Sleep in Barcelona (3 nights). No bus. Walking: light.
Day 2: Gaudí Day
Today is devoted to the swirling, Modernista architecture of Antoni Gaudí. We'll tour the greatest works of Barcelona's master builder, including the towering, dizzying Sagrada Família church and his Casa Milà apartment building. The remainder of your afternoon is free to explore more Gaudí delights throughout the city. This evening we'll wrap up our day learning about what goes into Catalan cuisine at the lively, legendary La Boquería market, then set you loose for dinner on your own. No bus. Walking: strenuous.
Day 3: Barri Gòtic and Picasso
This morning, we'll explore Barcelona's maze-like Gothic Quarter, from its Roman foundations to the spires of its candle-, relic- (and geese-!) strewn cathedral. We'll end our tour at the Picasso Museum, Europe's best collection of Picasso paintings, where we'll trace the story of this hometown boy-genius' art as he evolved from a kid who painted like an adult...to an adult who painted like a kid. This evening we'll toast to our last night in Barcelona with a paella dinner together. No bus. Walking: strenuous.
Day 4: Montjuïc and a Speedy Train to Madrid
We'll start today with a panoramic bus tour of Barcelona, beginning atop the historic Montjuïc Hill. After a visit to the Museum of Catalan Art, it's "all aboard" for one of Europe's newest, speediest trains (the AVE) to Madrid. Upon arrival we'll meet our bus for a tour of Madrid's major monuments and classy boulevards. Once we've gotten settled into our hotel in the heart of Madrid, we'll take a neighborhood orientation walk, ending with a tapas-style dinner together. Sleep in Madrid (4 nights). Train: 3 hrs. Bus: 4 hrs. Walking: moderate.
Day 5: Madrid's Royal Palace
Today, we'll take a historical walking tour starting at the very center of Madrid, the bustling Puerta del Sol. From there we'll walk to — and through — the sumptuously-decorated Royal Palace. With 2,000 rooms, tons of luxurious tapestries, and a king's ransom of chandeliers, this is truly one of the great palaces of Europe. You'll be free for dinner on your own tonight, but first we'll prepare your taste buds with a Spanish wine and cheese tasting. No bus. Walking: moderate.
Day 6: Masterpieces of Madrid
This morning we'll tour one of Europe's premier art museums — the masterpiece-packed Prado — where you'll see paintings by Velásquez, Goya, El Greco and others. Then we'll visit the Reina Sofía, Spain's greatest modern art museum, home to Picasso's Guernica. The rest of the afternoon is yours to stroll through the majestic Retiro Gardens (Madrid's most popular park), do a little shopping, and maybe even catch a performance of zarzuela, Spain's delightfully light opera. No bus. Walking: strenuous.
Day 7: Toledo
A short bus ride after breakfast will take us to Spain's old capital city of Toledo (and back in time about 500 years). We'll take a traffic-free walking tour that includes Toledo's magnificent cathedral, the historic Sinagoga del Tránsito and El Greco's The Burial of the Count of Orgaz in Santo Tomé. This afternoon you'll have time to enjoy the winding medieval streets of Toledo. We'll catch the bus back to Madrid for our final dinner together to share travel memories and toast new friends. Salud! Bus: 2 hrs. Walking: strenuous.
Day 8: Tour Over After Breakfast
Madrid's airport is an easy bus or taxi ride away — or you may want to continue your Iberian adventures on your own. Hasta luego!
Overall Rating
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Accommodation Rating
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Value Rating
Maureen
Federico was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable, well informed of the local happenings, charismatic in his presentation, extremely generous with his time. We could not have had a better guide and I would recommend him to anyone wishing to visit Spain.
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Linda
Nygil was an amazing guide! He was very good at letting us know what to expect on a daily basis, had good relationships with all local guides, and was very professional and attentive in all interactions. Being a first time Rick Steve tour member, I had such a great time that I'm already thinking about another trip!
Overall Rating
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Accommodation Rating
Itinerary Rating
Value Rating
TRIP INCLUDES
  • All breakfasts and half your dinners
  • All tips for guides and driver
  • An extra-small group, limited to 20-24 people — less than half the size of most tour groups 
  • Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art and culture of Barcelona and Madrid come alive for you
  • All tours and admissions — at no extra cost — covering at least 19 group sightseeing events • Ramblas walking tour • Barcelona Articket • Sagrada Família tour • Casa Milà tour • Gothic Quarter walking tour • Barcelona Cathedral • Picasso Museum tour • Barcelona panoramic bus tour • Museum of Catalan Art tour • Madrid panoramic bus tour • Madrid walking tour • Royal Palace tour • Prado Museum tour • Reina Sofía Museum tour • Toledo day trip and walking tour • Santo Tomé Chapel (El Greco's The Burial of the Count of Orgaz) tour • Toledo Cathedral tour • Sinagoga del Tránsito tour • Wine and cheese tasting...and more 
  • All group transportation by bus and train from Barcelona to Madrid 
  • 7 nights accommodations in memorable, centrally-located hotels 
  • Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken prior to 2012 
  • 50% discount on a consulting appointment with our in-house experts to assist with your pre- or post-tour travel plans 
  • Flexibility should you need to transfer, or cancel/interrupt your tour 
  • Free stuff including Rick Steves' Snapshot: Barcelona and Snapshot: Madrid & Toledo guidebooks, Spanish phrase book, map, day pack, moneybelt and earplugs 
  • Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE
  • Optional single supplements — this tour has a limited number of private rooms for solo travelers for an additional fee
  • Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. 
CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable

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