Best of Spain
Experience Overview
Don’t miss a thing as you explore the Best of Spain, featuring all the travel highlights and some surprises, from olive oil tasting on an Andalusian farm and learning all about Toledo’s three religions, to the treasured cities of Madrid, Barcelona and Seville.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 7 Dinner (D)
- 14 Breakfast (B)
Be My Guest
- Seville: Spend time at a family-run olive oil farm and learn how olives are grown, harvested and pressed. As you explore the property, hear stories from your hosts and enjoy a tasting of their signature oils. A relaxed and flavourful glimpse into local life.
Dive into Culture
- Toledo: Embark on a walking tour in the ancient hill-top city of Toledo, renowned for its medieval Arab, Jewish and Christian Monuments.
- Madrid: Visit the Prado Museum in Madrid, where you'll have time to admire its extraordinary collection of European art dating from the 12th to early 20th centuries.
Iconic Experience
- Madrid: Drive through central Madrid and see some of the city's famous features during an orientation with your Travel Director.
- Burgos: Join your Travel Director for a walk through Burgos, once the capital of Castile. Discover the medieval old town and see the city’s impressive Gothic cathedral, a key stop along the Camino de Santiago.
- Bilbao: Admire the striking exterior of Bilbao’s Guggenheim Museum, a modern icon of curved steel and glass that has transformed the city’s riverside. Designed by Frank Gehry, this bold building helped put Bilbao on the global art map.
- Pamplona: Explore the historic heart of Pamplona, a city known for its medieval walls, lively plazas and rich traditions. Best known for the Running of the Bulls, it offers much more, from quiet alleyways to vibrant local cafes.
- Zaragoza: See the impressive historic landmarks of this thriving Spanish metropolis.
- Barcelona: With your Local Specialist, see the elegant Passeig de Gràcia and admire some of the city's finest Modernist architecture. Journey past the beautiful façades of the Eixample district, where you will visit Gaudí's extraordinary masterpiece – the mesmerizing Sagrada Família.
- Peñíscola: See the castle featured in the film 'El Cid'.
- Valencia: See the ultra-modern Center of Arts and Sciences and the historic bullring of Valencia during an orientation drive with your Travel Director.
- Granada: Visit the famous Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens. Explore with a Local Specialist keen to share insights into this Moorish landmark.
- Gibraltar: Visit Gibraltar and delve into the typical British culture along Main Street.
- Seville: Guided by your Local Specialist, see the Giralda Tower, former minaret of the Great Mosque and now the cathedral's belltower. Explore the narrow streets of the Santa Cruz Quarter and emerge by the great walls of the Alcazar.
- Córdoba: Explore the incredible Mezquita with your Local Specialist. Admire the forest of horseshoe arches and learn how this building symbolises many of Córdoba's religious changes over the centuries.
- Madrid: See the highlights of the city with your Local Specialist. Visit the Old Town, traveling along the elegant Paseo de la Castellana, past the Cibeles fountain and Royal Palace.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Valencia: Taste authentic Valencian horchata from a local vendor. This rich and flavourful nut-based drink loved by many is produced here using only locally sourced and natural ingredients, and respecting traditional methods of production. Alongside the local and organic production, they have been bringing the vibrant tradition of horchata back to its glory days, giving employment opportunities to people at risk of social exclusion. They have also built over 10 street carts from recycling materials, all working on solar energy and ice. Your visit supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Barcelona, Seville, Córdoba, Toledo and Madrid
- Discover Burgos, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Pamplona, Peñíscola, Valencia and the Rock of Gibraltar
- Visit La Sagrada Família in Barcelona, the Alhambra Palace in Granada, the Cathedral in Seville, the Mosque of the Caliphs in Córdoba, the Synagogue and Santo Tomé in Toledo and Madrid's Prado Museum
- View the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, La Concha Bay in San Sebastián, the Cathedral of Zaragoza, the Castle of Peñíscola, the Serrano and Quart Towers and City of Arts and Sciences complex in Valencia
Trip Details
Product Code: 28152
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 237.287B
Starts: Madrid, Spain
Finishes: Madrid, Spain
Duration: 15 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $5377 ($358 /day)
Itinerary
Welcome to the fiery Spanish capital that is Madrid. Take in the vibrant essence of Madrid before meeting up with your fellow travelers and Travel Director for a memorable welcome reception and orientation drive to see some of the city's most iconic sights.
Accommodation: Rafael Atocha
Meals: Dinner
Leave Madrid and travel north through the Guadarrama mountains, crossing into the wide plains of Castile. Stop in Burgos, once the capital of the region and an important point along the Camino de Santiago, where your Travel Director introduces you to the old town where you’ll see its impressive Gothic cathedral. Your journey continues through changing landscapes into the Basque Country. In Bilbao, take in the bold, modern design of the Guggenheim Museum as you view its striking exterior beside the river.
Accommodation: Tres Reyes San Sebastián
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Spend the morning soaking up the laid-back charm of San Sebastián. Wander along La Concha beach, explore the old town or enjoy a coffee in one of the city’s elegant squares. Later, travel inland to Pamplona, known for its bull-running tradition and medieval streets. The rest of the day is yours to explore the city at your own pace. Follow in Hemmingway's footsteps on an Optional Experience that uncovers Pamplona's highlights, or try the local pintxos in one of Pamplona’s bars.
Accommodation: Tres Reyes Pamplona
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your journey continues through the Ebro Valley to Zaragoza where we’ll view the Basilica of El Pilar and Cathedral of La Seo. Later, arrive in Barcelona to soak up the charm of a city that professes two great loves – Gaudí and football. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Perhaps amble through the aromatic La Boqueria, or join us for an evening of discovery, rounded off with a traditional Catalonian-style dinner.
Accommodation: Leonardo Royal Barcelona Forum, Hotel Barcelona Condal Mar, Affiliated By Meliá , INNSiDE Barcelona Apolo by Melia
Meals: Breakfast
Consider joining a morning Optional Experience to the mountain-top monastery of Montserrat to see the shrine of the Black Madonna, the patron saint of Catalonia. Afterwards, the whimsical fantasy world of Gaudí is on display as you embark on a sightseeing tour to visit the inspiring, but as yet unfinished, La Sagrada Família* in the company of a Local Specialist. *Please note that with the construction of the Sagrada Família nearing completion, access to the basilica may be restricted for special masses, pilgrim visits or official ceremonies, and we are unable to secure tickets to visit. Should this occur during your tour, you'll visit the Hospital de Sant Pau instead, a striking example of Catalan Art Nouveau designed by Gaudí’s contemporary, Domènech i Montaner. Afterwards, join your Local Specialist in the gardens surrounding the Sagrada Família and take in the extraordinary exterior of Gaudí’s iconic masterpiece.
Accommodation: Leonardo Royal Barcelona Forum, Hotel Barcelona Condal Mar, Affiliated By Meliá , INNSiDE Barcelona Apolo by Melia
Meals: Breakfast
The sweet scent of oranges accompanies you on your journey along the Costa Dorada to fortified Peñíscola, where you'll see the ancient castle used in the film 'El Cid'. Continuing through fertile huertas, arrive in sunny Valencia where you will stay the night. Your orientation of this cultural city includes views of the modernist style Mercado de Colón, the Bullring, the Towers of Serrano and Quart, and the Art Nouveau Estación del Norte. Witness the modern verve of Valencia and view the City of Arts and Sciences, a large-scale urban recreation center for culture and science, designed by Santiago Calatrava. During one of our iconic MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences, enjoy horchata, the celebrated drink of Valencia.
Accommodation: Novotel Valencia Lavant
Meals: Breakfast
Journey by the dramatic Sierra Nevada Mountain range to the city of Granada where you meet a Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of the spectacular UNESCO-listed Alhambra. Its golden façades and extraordinary Moorish architecture reflect centuries of multi-cultural history, which you will have a rare opportunity to explore as you wander through its palaces and exotic water gardens. Check in to your hotel later, where you will dine tonight.
Accommodation: Occidental
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Set your watch to Spanish time and enjoy a leisurely morning on your terms, or consider taking an Optional Experience to explore the medieval Moorish Quarter of Granada - the Albaicín - with its narrow winding lanes, churches, minarets and palaces. Then leave Granada behind for the sun-kissed shores of the Costa del Sol, where you'll spend the next two nights. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Stroll along the beachside promenade, relax at one of the nearby beach cafes or visit the picture-perfect whitewashed Andalusian village of Mijas - the choice is yours.
Accommodation: Meliá Costa Del Sol
Meals: Breakfast
Another day in paradise for you to kick back, worship the Spanish sunshine and taste la buena vida. Enjoy fresh seafood in Torremolinos, relax on the bleached beaches and soak up the Mediterranean atmosphere or consider an Optional Experience to the effervescent Andalusian capital of Málaga to explore centuries of history.
Accommodation: Meliá Costa Del Sol
Meals: Breakfast
A scenic drive takes you past the millionaires' resort of Marbella and on to La Linea. Cross to the Rock of Gibraltar for free time to explore or consider joining an Optional Experience to St. Michael's Cave to see the Barbary Macaques (Rock Apes). This afternoon, continue through the Andalusian countryside past Jerez - famous for its sherry production - to Seville. In the evening, connect with locals as you enjoy a Be My Guest experience, sharing dinner with Isaac at his family’s olive farm.
Accommodation: NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Join your Local Specialist this morning for a tour of Seville's leafy avenues. See the iconic Giralda Bell Tower and visit the Seville Cathedral, the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. Stroll through Maria Luisa Park, with its tiled fountains, pavilions, palms and orange trees, and explore the architectural gems of Seville's 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. Explore the Jewish history of Spain in Seville's former Jewish Quarter, where a wall separated the Jewish community from the rest of the city during medieval times. Tonight, consider soaking up the fiery flamenco atmosphere in the city that made this passionate dance famous.
Accommodation: NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas
Meals: Breakfast
Journey to Córdoba to meet a Local Specialist for a visit to the astounding Mosque of the Caliphs, a jewel of Hispano-Islamic art featuring striking arches and Byzantine mosaics. Then walk through the old Jewish neighborhood, passing by the remains of the 14th-century Mudéjar-style synagogue. Continue to Toledo for an evening in Spain's former capital.
Accommodation: Eurostars Toledo
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your Local Specialist takes you on a walking tour of Toledo where you’ll Dive into Culture as you explore this ancient hilltop city. Visit the Church of Santo Tomé, home to El Greco's masterpiece – 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz', and the synagogue, the oldest one still standing in Europe. Later, arrive in feisty Madrid, where you'll spend the next two nights. The grand plazas of Madrid welcome you as you join our Local Specialist for a sightseeing tour of Spain's capital city. See Gran Vía and the Cibeles Fountain before visiting the world-famous Prado Museum, featuring one of the world's finest collections of European art, including masterpieces by Velazquez.
Accommodation: Rafael Atocha
Meals: Breakfast
Spend today at leisure exploring the city. Visit the Royal Palace with its spectacular Goya artworks, relax in the leafy Buen Retiro Park or enjoy the flavors and aromas of jamon in the Market of San Miguel. This evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for an unforgettable dinner to celebrate an epic adventure through Spain.
Accommodation: Rafael Atocha
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Our time together has come to an end. For now it's a fond adiós to Spain and newfound friends.
Meals: Breakfast
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Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Trusted Customer - Traveled, July 2025
Best of Spain review. Really top notch! Our TD made sure everyone was taken care of and that we were comfortable and knowledgeable about what was coming up next. *personal info removed by Feefo* was just very knowledgeable and so passionate about sharing this country with us. I found her to be very kind and compassionate and capable of dealing with all sorts of situations as they came up. Trafalgar service is very professional. My daughter and I had a fantastic time on this very thorough tour of Spain. The itinerary was fast paced but we still had time to explore at our leisure in each city. The 3 days in beachy relaxing Costa Del Sol was a welcome break from the early morning starts and it was in the middle of the itinerary to that was nice. If you want to learn about the history, art, architecture and people of Spain this is the tour for you. Very educational and interesting. Our tour director Lydia was exceptional and our drivers were top notch. We also enjoyed the mix of group dinners and on our own meals. During the group meals we got to experience many foods that we probably wouldn't have tried on our own. I highly recommend this tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/16/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, July 2025
Informative with a great tour director. The information provided by the director was exceptional she took great care with everyone making sure they were enjoying every moment. I really enjoyed myself *Personal information removed by Feefo* the director was brilliant. I felt some of the hotels were not up to standard particularly in Teledo it was too far away from everything.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/07/2025
Rebecca Rocha - Traveled, July 2025
Trafalgar delivers! Excellent care of all travelers. First rate service getting visitors into sites of interest with no wait. Very knowledgeable about all aspects of the locations. Love traveling with Trafalgar. The architecture and historical background of the country was amazing. You get a very in depth look at the history of the country and see many beautiful places. The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and take excellent care of all travelers. However, there is a lot of time on the bus and not a lot of free time to explore the cities. Some of the hotels were not ideally located making it hard to enjoy the location to the fullest. The food in Spain was way more bland than I anticipated and the people of Spain were not very welcoming. In fact, of all the countries I have visited, the people in Spain have been the most rude.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/07/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, July 2025
Great sampling of Spain. Previously went on the Italy tour and this one to Spain was the same high quality of service, rooms, food, and optional tours. For guided land tours, you won't go wrong w/ Trafalgar. Itinerary was very good. Always a balancing act regarding visiting all of the "mandatory tourist spots" versus staying in a town an extra day. Taking the trip in mid July was challenging due to the hot temperatures, for me, it has detracted from the overall memories. Nonetheless, Cordoba and Gilbralter were stunning. Our tour director was knowledgeable and skillfull in managing all the personalities (particularly the troublesome ones).
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/03/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, July 2025
Great trip with one exception. Tour Director worked really hard to accommodate everyone, and there were a lot of moving parts to deal with. I admired his calm demeanor. This was an outstanding tour, with one exception. Our bus was without wi-fi for several days. It disappointed me that although we were in several major cities, it took nearly a week to get the part that was needed to repair this. The tour director’s comment that “10 years ago none of these buses had wi-fi, it’s no big deal” was not helpful. For those working remotely and needing to be connected, it was a big deal. Ten years ago, there was no remote work, and if it is advertised that this is available, people make plans based on that information. I ended up using time at the hotel that I could have been out exploring my destination, because I finally had access to wi-fi. Again, it was a great trip but I just wanted to level set about the importance of something that might be viewed as minor to others.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/04/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, July 2025
I would recommend that we spend a little more time in grenada and less time in Costa Del Sol. Our rooms weren't ready when we got there and we had to stand around for an hour and a half. Time better spent in Grenada where we didn't even have time to shop. Toledo wasn't a good hotel. One passenger had ants and it was very loud, especially on the floor below the dining area. This hotel makes me pause on whether to recommend Trafalgar or not. You need to find a better hotel. Our tour guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* was lovely and tried her best to help with everything. As a vegetarian, our options were limited and *Personal information removed by Feefo* had to constantly go to battle for us when it came to vegetarian foods with protein. Our Italy Trafalgar food wasn't an issue, which surprised me that Spain wasn't as educated on vegetarian diets. It is a busy trip so if you can't keep up, I wouldn't recommend it. It was perfect for me.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/26/2025
Trusted Customer - Traveled, July 2025
Memorable trip through the Spanish countryside and iconic cities. Our tour director was very attentive to everyone's needs. He kept us all well informed and on track. The hotels and restaurants were of good quality and the staff was welcoming. The lobby of the hotel Rafael Atocha was being renovated which made the breakfast service very challenging for patrons and staff. Might have been better to skip this hotel for this trip. The Best Of Spain itinerary takes you to all the highlights and must see places in Spain. The pace is fairly fast with not much free time in some locations. We went on all the optional experiences and they were great. Not taking them would mean missing out on a lot of local traditions and iconic structures. Make sure you budget this extra cost when planning your trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/26/2025
Ania Calderin Cardona - Traveled, July 2025
Excellent service. Trafalgar offers an excellent service with care . We had a wonderful experience. Hotels and food were excellent and the program for everyday was excellent! This was an amazing itinerary! Lots of beautiful and interesting places, great information about them. Excellent organization and excellent comfort during the drive. Local specialists were amazing! The Travel Director was the best; very knowledgeable and professional and the drivers excellent.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/23/2025
Robert Proverb - Traveled, June 2025
Very comprehensive in a Country with so much history. It is difficult to see everything that you want to, but we believe your itinerary did a great job of covering the highlights. The extra excursions added depth to tour and provided interesting background information that added to the experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/22/2025
Bridget McElroy - Traveled, June 2025
The trip and tour director were amazing!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/20/2025
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