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Call to speak with one of our Tour Experts 1-877-230-8747
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Brenda Moranx7218
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Jairus Mausx7365
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Susan Sniderx7323
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Heather Felicex7338
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Kaylee Toth
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- Day 1 Welcome to Madrid Join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner in a local restaurant and enjoy an evening of typical madrileño flavors. Locations Visited: Madrid ES.
- Day 2 Madrid of the Bourbons Enjoy sightseeing with your Local Expert as they take you along the main historical areas in the capital of Spain, known as Madrid of the Bourbons. Your drive continues through the Old Quarter, discovering the origins of the city. Learn about the growth of this city, from humble beginnings to a thriving European metropolis. A highlight of your escorted journey will be to visit the Prado Museum. Discover countless works by Velázquez, Goya, Titian, Rubens and others as you are guided by a local art historian. Gain new perspective on classic artworks as your art historian shares historic anecdotes and provides new insights into the Prado's collection. The afternoon is free for you to relax at a cafe or shop in the boutiques. Locations Visited: Madrid ES.
- Day 3 Through the Guadarrama Mountains to Santiago de Compostela Journey through the Guadarrama Mountains to the infinite horizons of Old Castile and pass the impressive Castillo de la Mota. Continue past historic Tordesillas, and on to Santiago de Compostela. Locations Visited: Madrid ES, Santiago de Compostela ES.
- Day 4 Saintly Santiago de Compostela Explore Santiago de Compostela with Insight Choice. Choose to join a city tour with a Local Expert and visit the cathedral, festooned with architectural frills. Alternatively, embark on a scenic walk along the Way of St. James, through scenic parks and gardens. Relax during your free time, or explore the narrow streets and old city squares. Locations Visited: Santiago de Compostela ES.
- Day 5 Along the Costa Verde to Oviedo Pass through the ancient forests of Galicia and travel along Asturias’ Green Coast, named for the lush pine and eucalyptus trees that fringe its sparkling shoreline. Stop for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, where you’ll enjoy a homemade farm-to-table lunch and learn about traditional cider production, including a tasting. Continue inland past coastal views, old villages and deep valleys en route to Oviedo. On arrival, join a Local Expert to explore the city’s 9th-century churches and visit the Cathedral of the Holy Savior in Plaza Alfonso II, home to one of Europe’s finest altarpieces. Locations Visited: Santiago de Compostela ES, Oviedo ES.
- Day 6 Picturesque Santillana del Mar and on to Santander Visit the Holy Cave of Covadonga, a shrine to Pelayo, who achieved the first Christian victory over the Moors in 722. See the unique Roman bridge in Cangas de Onís as you head into the foothills of the Picos de Europa, a national park boasting spectacular mountain and gorge scenery. Enjoy views of the Costa de Cantabria while traveling to Santillana del Mar, arguably the most beautiful village in Spain. Stroll through the rustic cobblestone streets, admiring stone houses decorated with carved, heraldic symbols and reach the delightful church square. Continue on to the sophisticated beach resort of Santander where you have free time in the evening to enjoy this luxurious hotel. Locations Visited: Oviedo ES, Covadonga ES, Santillana del Mar ES, Santander ES.
- Day 7 Bilbao, Costa Vasca and San Sebastián In nearby Bilbao, admire the striking modern architecture of the Guggenheim Museum, one of the world's most spectacular buildings. Enjoy the views as you are driven along part of the Costa Vasca, dotted with small coastal fishing villages and pause in the seaside city of Getaria to see 'El Ratón', the mouse-shaped rock. Continue to San Sebastián and admire its beauty as you walk with your Local Expert through the Old Quarter to see the Plaza de la Constituction. This evening, perhaps join an Optional Experience to sample traditional pintxos and discover txikiteo, the Basque custom of bar hopping over drinks and regional flavors. Locations Visited: Santander ES, Bilbao ES, Donostia-San Sebastian ES.
- Day 8 San Sebastián, Pearl of the Cantabrian Coast Enjoy a day at leisure to stroll along San Sebastián's boardwalk and with the city harbor filled with fishing boats and pleasure crafts, you can enjoy several sporting activities on its large sandy beach. Perhaps you'll want to explore the nearby French villages of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, also known as Little Paris, and Biarritz. You could also stroll along the promenade of the famous La Concha Bay or enjoy the boutiques of the Old Town. Locations Visited: Donostia-San Sebastian ES.
- Day 9 Pamplona and on to Barcelona Journey to the famed town of Pamplona, known for its Running of the Bulls festival. With time free for you to explore, take a stroll to the famous Estafeta Street or visit Cafe Iruña, immortalized by Ernest Hemingway in his novel 'The Sun Also Rises.' Your travels continue to Barcelona, the vibrant capital of Catalonia, a land that retains its own distinctive language, culture and traditions. Locations Visited: Donostia-San Sebastian ES, Pamplona ES, Barcelona ES.
- Day 10 Barcelona, the City of Gaudí Wake up ready to embrace the city’s artistic heritage. Join a Local Expert and drive along the Passeig de Gràcia, adorned with elegant wrought-iron street lamps and the most flamboyant Modernist buildings. Continue through the Eixample district to behold Gaudí’s extraordinary masterpiece, the Sagrada Família*. As you venture inside, look up to see its giant, tree-like pillars and spectacular vaulting. Admire the wonderful rainbow of the incredible stained-glass windows. With the afternoon at leisure, you are free to relax or continue your exploration on your own. In the evening, join your Travel Director and newfound friends at a local restaurant. Raise your glass and toast your travels during dinner. *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 will 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 Expert in the gardens surrounding the Sagrada Família and take in the extraordinary exterior of Gaudí’s iconic masterpiece. Locations Visited: Barcelona ES.
- Day 11 Depart for Madrid Today, bid farewell to your journey across Spain and Portugal as you transfer from Barcelona to Madrid. Locations Visited: Barcelona ES, Madrid ES.
Name: Northern Spain - End Madrid, Classic Group
Brand: Insight
Quality: Superior First Class
Tour Type: Escorted
Start City: Madrid
End City: Madrid
Location Summary: Madrid, ES
Santiago de Compostela, ES
Oviedo, ES
Covadonga, ES
Santillana del Mar, ES
Santander, ES
Bilbao, ES
Donostia-San Sebastian, ES
Pamplona, ES
Barcelona, ES
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Highlights
- Dining Summary - 10 Breakfast (B). 3 Dinner (D). 1 Lunch (L).
- Well-being - Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.. Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day..
- Additional Included Highlights - Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.. From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.. Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).. If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport..
- Authentic Dining - Madrid: Join your Travel Director at 18:00 for a Welcome Dinner in a local restaurant and get to know your fellow travelers over a beautiful evening of delicious food and wine.. Barcelona: Your final evening brings the group together around the table in Barcelona. It’s a chance to share dinner in the Catalan capital, reminisce over the days you’ve traveled and mark the end of your journey across Spain and Portugal with one last meal together. .
- Insight Experiences - Madrid: Visit the Prado Museum with an art historian who places key works within their historical setting. With your historian’s expert guidance, you’ll examine paintings by Velázquez, Goya, Titian and Rubens, noting their connection to royal patronage and the broader European tradition. Learn how the museum, founded in 1819, became a principal repository for Spain’s royal collections and major works from across the continent..
- Top Rated Highlights - Madrid: Explore Madrid’s Old Quarter with a Local Expert who outlines how the district developed from a small medieval citadel into the center of Habsburg Madrid. You’ll see the compact street grid, market squares and civic buildings that shaped the early city, and trace how each layer of expansion created the foundations of the modern capital.. Oviedo: Led by your Local Expert, see 1,000-year-old wall paintings in some of Europe's oldest churches. Admire the incredible altarpiece, one of the finest in Europe, when you visit the Cathedral of the Holy Savior.. Picos de Europa: Visit the holy cave of Covadonga and see the tomb of Pelayo who is celebrated for winning the Battle of Covadonga against the Muslim Moors in 722 and later became the first King of Asturias.. Picos de Europa: Venture into this magnificent national park to admire the stunning picturesque scenery and rocky trails.. Santillana del Mar: Step back in time when you visit this perfectly preserved and 'most beautiful village in Spain.'. Bilbao: See the spectacular modern Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Gehry and sites of this Basque region gem during your orientation with your Travel Director.. Getaria: See the rock known as El Ratón or the mouse.. San Sebastián: Led by your Local Expert, enjoy a guided walking tour of the Old Quarter including Plaza de la Constitucion.. Pamplona: The city is home to Cafe Iruña, a favorite of Ernest Hemingway.. Barcelona: Explore Barcelona with a Local Expert who sets out the city’s shape from street level — the long run of Passeig de Gràcia, the sharp grid of the Eixample and the way the skyline shifts as the Sagrada Família comes into view. The route ties together the city’s Modernista detail and its ongoing architectural change..
- Insight Choice - Santiago de Compostela: Join a city tour with a Local Expert and visit Praza do Obradoiro to admire the cathedral facade festooned with architectural frills.. Santiago de Compostela: Embark on a scenic walk on part of the Way of St. James with a Local Expert, through parks and gardens that transform with the seasons..
- Make Travel Matter - Gijón: Meet locals for a delicious Farm-to-Table meal of locally sourced produce that has been prepared just for you. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production..
- Choice Highlights - Choose between two carefully selected activities. Santiago de Compostela: Join a city tour with a Local Expert and visit Praza do Obradoiro to admire the cathedral facade festooned with architectural frills.. Santiago de Compostela: Embark on a scenic walk on part of the Way of St. James with a Local Expert, through parks and gardens that transform with the seasons..
