MADRID 55ºF

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Arrival. Transfer to the hotel.Welcome to Europe!!!. Upon arriving at the airport we will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. You can enjoy free time until your tour starts. Please, check the informative posters placed at the hotel reception area which have all the information about your upcoming services such as meeting place, time and the guide’s name.

MADRID 55ºF - LEON 46ºF - OVIEDO 52ºF

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Leon, Oviedo city tour. We will leave in the early morning and cross Castilla and Leon. We will have a stop in TORDESILLAS to learn the history of this small town and have coffee at its main square. Then we will continue on to LEON, a historic city on the Way of St James, where we will have time for lunch and to see the fantastic Gothic cathedral. After that, we will cross the Cantabrian Range mountains on our way to Asturias. Arrival in OVIEDO in the mid-afternoon. We will include (occasionally on Tuesday mornings) an hour-and-a-half visit of the city with a local guide in which we will visit its 9th century cathedral, Calatrava Congressional Palace, Campoamor Theatre and Calle de la Rua.

OVIEDO 52ºF - COVADONGA - SANTILLANA 52ºF - SANTANDER 52ºF

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Fantastic landscapes. Altamira National Museum. Panoramic city tour of Santander. We will travel to Picos de Europa. We will visit Basílica de COVADONGA, which is surrounded by beautiful scenery. Then, we will resume our journey following the coastline to SANTILLANA, one of Spain’s most beautiful towns, and we will visit its well-preserved medieval quarter. We will also visit the National Museum and Research Centre of ALTAMIRA (ticket included) located in the vicinity of this town. We will later travel to SANTANDER, the region’s capital, a coastal city with amazing views and beaches. We will explore and learn about this elegant city and beautiful bay on the included panoramic city tour. NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially in summer from May to mid September), some groups can be accommodated in Bilbao.

SANTANDER 52ºF - BILBAO 52ºF - FORONDA SERVICE AREA (REFRESHMENT BREAK) - RIOJA 52ºF - ZARAGOZA (SARAGOSSA) 52ºF

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Bilbao. Wine Museum in La Rioja. Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Dinner in Zaragoza. We will follow the motorway along the Cantabrian coast; some of the scenery we will go through as we travel between the mountains and the sea is of special beauty. BILBAO. We will arrive in the Bask Country’s largest city and, upon arrival, we will go on a short tour of the city with a local guide which will cover: Guggenheim area, old quarter, Cathedral… then there will be free time for some “pintxos”. We will then travel to La Rioja region, an outstanding wine region. We will visit the Wine Museum in Briones and learn about the importance of wine making from time immemorial. Later on, we will stop in SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA, a historic town on the Camino de Santiago, whose cathedral houses a hen and a rooster. ZARAGOZA, we will arrive in the late afternoon. Dinner included.

ZARAGOZA (SARAGOSSA) 52ºF - POBLET - MONTSERRAT 70ºF - BARCELONA 64ºF

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Zaragoza Sightseeing tour. Rack railway to Montserrat Abbey. We include a morning sightseeing tour of the city of ZARAGOZA with a local guide. We will visit the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. We will also learn about Goya, the famous painter (and see some of his works), visit a Roman theatre, a Renaissance palace and walk by the Aljafería Palace. After lunch, we will continue our journey and head to the POBLET MONASTERY, a walled monastery surrounded by beautiful scenery. It is one of the best preserved medieval monasteries in the world (ticket included with guided tour). We will later travel to MONSERRAT ABBEY where we will board the rack railway and take in the fantastic landscapes. We will resume the trip and go to BARCELONA, where we will arrive in the late afternoon. Note: Due to the shorter days during the winter months and, in order to reach Montserrat during daylight hours, we will not visit the Monastery of Poblet in this season.

BARCELONA 64ºF

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfer to Las Ramblas district. Today we will explore Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Medi­terranean Sea. Starting by an informative city tour with a local expert (note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide.) We will also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neigh­bourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. We will also get the chance to see La Sagrada Fa­milia Basilica, the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This open-air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy the Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different regions that make up Spain. You will then have some free time to explore the city at your own leisure. In the evening we provide a transfer to Las Ramblas and the Plaza Cata­lunya area for dinner, where you can choose from a wide variety of restaurants. We will return to the hotel in the late evening.

BARCELONA 64ºF

After breakfast, end of our services.