Hola and welcome to Spain! After touching down at Barcelona-El Prat International Airport (BCN), you will be met at the airport and privately transferred into the region's spectacular capital, Barcelona. Admire the city’s soul-soaring architecture – including many of the notable creations by revered Barcelonan architect Antoni Gaudi – and a ronlling, forest-clad backdrop. Spend just a moment in Barcelona’s extraordinary streets and it becomes easy to see how this was the city that shaped Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali.
Upon arrival, check-in (from 3pm) at the five-star Nobu Hotel Barcelona, a luxury retreat located near the city’s ultra-hip neighbourhood, Eixample, and its diverse collection of stylish boutiques, bars and antiquaries. Depending on when you arrive, enjoy the afternoon at leisure – head up to the shimmering rooftop pool, savour a treatment at Nobu Spa or sip on Japanese cocktails at Kozara, the hotel’s ultra-cool onsite bar. At 7pm join your fellow travellers for a welcome meeting.
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, meet with a local chef at Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria – colloquially known as ‘La Boqueria’ – one of the city’s most iconic marketplaces. Following in the footsteps of this expert, discover the secrets behind selecting and making the most out of Spanish ingredients before using them to cook very your own paella lunch. An enduring highlight of Valencian cuisine, paella is loved throughout the world for its notes of fragrant saffron and warm spice.
In the afternoon, embark on a city tour and become enchanted by Barcelona's endless surprises and delights. See the Barcelona Pavilion, a minimalist delight built for the 1929 International Exposition, before visiting the mighty Sagrada Familia basilica, Gaudi's unfinished magnum opus and a shining symbol of Barcelona’s vivid past, present and future.
After breakfast, depart for Northern Spain and the country’s most name-dropped wine country. Stop in Zaragoza, where you’ll have the chance to explore ancient Roman ruins, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Pillar (historically recognized as the first church dedicated to the Virgin Mary) and some of the city’s acclaimed art museums.
Continue to La Rioja’s rambling, vine-covered hills and check in to your accommodation at Palacio Tondon, La Rioja Brinas, a repurposed 16th-century palace overlooking the waters of the Ebro River.
Celebrate your arrival with a degustation menu – with paired wines – at the hotel’s locally focused fine dining restaurant, Gran Reserva Restaurant. Named after the city’s most exceptional vintage, the oak-aged Gran Reserva which is usually aged for a decade or more, this is a magnificent introduction to the region’s delights.
After breakfast, visit the picturesque nearby town of Laguardia, where you’ll stop to sample a traditional pintxo, or light bite – local favourites include Jamon Iberico bocadillos, cured olives and brined white asparagus. Continue to Bodegas el Fabulista, a family-run wine cellar where you’ll learn about the traditionally-produced wine, or tinto, that comes from Rioja's rolling hills of mineral-rich, red soil. Taste the full-bodied, iron- and calcium-clad terroir of these grapes, then enjoy the afternoon at leisure – visit historic pilgrim's churches, seek out the Villa-Lucía Wine Museum or simply spend your time in the traditional way: with a siesta, enjoying as much of the region’s wine as you can.
After a hearty breakfast, move out to the charming city of Haro, the centre of one of Spain’s most legendary wine regions. Visit a local, award-winning, family-owned wine cellar for a taste of their signature product, before continuing to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a small, thousand-year-old village originally built to service pilgrims journeying towards Galicia in the Middle Ages. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a traditional Spanish lunch – matched, of course, with a glass of Rioja red wine.
In the afternoon, continue to Bilbao for the rest of your day at leisure. Get to know this beacon of Basque culture with some delicious ‘pintxos’ (bite-sized tapas) or take a stroll around the central Doña Casilda Iturrizar Park, the city’s green heart. Alternatively, marvel at the titanium, glass and limestone exterior of the world-famous Guggenheim Museum, designed by reputed artist Frank Gehry, and step inside for a glimpse of some of the world’s most inventive pieces of modern art.
After breakfast, head out today to visit Getaria, one of the Basque’s most charming coastal villages. Boasting an extraordinary position between the mountains and the Sea of Biscay, Getaria has been called ‘the world’s most perfect village’ – it’s a destination that begs to be photographed. Visit a historic 16th-century farmhouse and cider press, learning about the region’s rural culture, before taking the chance to stomp the apples yourself. Finish with a taste of the end product – a glass of crisp, tart and refreshing apple juice.
Depart Getaria for San Sebastian, one of Europe’s premier destinations, known for its beautiful beach, La Concha, and an internationally lauded culinary scene. Stroll the city’s old town and sample sophisticated pintxos in the Casco Antiguo neighbourhood before returning to Bilbao for the evening.
Your exploration of northern Spain doesn’t end in Bilbao – head approximately two hours south today to the magnificent medieval town of Burgos, famously one of Spain’s wealthiest cities. Begin by visiting the city’s cathedral – a standout example of Gothic design and the third-largest in the country – before continuing towards the heart of the spectacular Ribera del Duero D.O. wine region, originally declared in 1756 and now the oldest demarcated and regulated wine region in the world.
Stay overnight at Castilla Termal Monasterio de Valbuena, a repurposed Cistercian monastery turned boutique hotel, originally built in the 12th century and set among an unforgettable backdrop of rolling vines and terraced hills. Enjoy dinner at the hotel.
While it’s unarguable that all of the wines produced in Ribera del Duero's valleys are delicious, there’s one 15-kilometre stretch of countryside – dubbed the ‘Golden Mile’ – that stands above the rest. Today you’ll visit Finca Villacreces, one of the Golden Mile’s most celebrated wineries and an extraordinary place to picnic among the vines, surrounded by visions of the river, a far-reaching branch of the Douro River that terminates in Portugal, and the surrounding pine forest.
Return to your monastery accommodation in the afternoon, the perfect opportunity for a soak in the hotel’s natural hot spring baths.
After two magical evenings at the monastery, bid farewell to wine country as you journey two hours southwest to the university town of Salamanca. Tucked away among the hills, this medieval town is home to one of the oldest operating universities in the world. With free time to explore, you can immerse yourself in its architectural and artistic wealth, from the stained-glass atrium of the Casa Lis art museum to the shell-covered walls of Casa de las Conchas.
In the afternoon, stop to enjoy a traditional Castilian lunch (charges apply) before continuing to Caceres, originally founded as an outpost by the Romans and today offering a unique melange of Roman, Moorish, Gothic and Italian architecture. Explore its Plaza Mayor and Old Town, taking extra time to visit its famous Medieval Quarter.
Tonight you’re in for a treat – after checking in at the luxurious Hospes Palacio de Arenales & Spa, enjoy a fine dinner composed of avant-garde Extremaduran flavours at Las Corchuelas.
Following breakfast, say goodbye to Caceres with one final culinary highlight – a tasting of the region's specialty cheese, Torta del Casar. Lovingly crafted from unpasteurised Merino sheep’s milk and thistle rennet, the 'torta' is not unlike a molten lava cake – the interior is soft, funky and tangy, with just a faint hint of the thistle’s bitterness, encased in a savoury, semi-hard shell.
The delights don't stop there – today you’re bound for Jabugo, one of the country’s protected producers of Jamon Iberico, the cured pork beloved across the world for its high fat content and rich, savoury notes. Visit Cinco Jotas, a Jamon Iberico farm, and learn about the town’s intimate relationship with ham production among centuries-old curing cellars, acorn-fed Iberico pigs and secretive artisanal processes. Surrounded by the limestone bluffs and shadowy oak forests of the Sierra de Aracena y Picos de Aroche National Park, it’s a magnificent introduction to Jamon Iberico.
After tasting, continue to Seville, the capital of Andalusia.
Let your expert guide unlock the wonders of romantic Seville as you lose yourself in the complex blend of Christian and Moorish architecture epitomised by the Mudejar style of the grand palace of Real Alcazar. Considered one of the most beautiful palaces in Europe, the Spanish royal family still use this historic complex as their residence when visiting Seville.
Enjoy the afternoon at leisure. Explore the maze of narrow, tree-lined streets and blooming courtyards of Santa Cruz – the city’s picture-perfect Jewish Quarter – or spend your afternoon meandering through bright barrios and tree-lined gardens. Return in the evening for an authentic tapas dinner.
Fill up with a buffet breakfast at your hotel, then hit the road on your way to Cordoba. Founded in the 2nd century BCE, this historically Roman city has a fascinating history of diverse influences converging in a cosmopolitan blend of architecture and culture.
Visit the wonderfully unique Mezquita – a captivating mosque-turned-cathedral that stands as a testament to the compounding innovations of Islamic and Christian architects dating back to the 8th century. Over the next millennium, the complex would grow and evolve in unexpected ways, tied to the cultural exchange of Spain’s southern reaches. The enormous mosque is an intricately constructed masterpiece of striped arches and wide halls, while the 16th-century cathedral at its heart tells the story of a changing Spain.
Finish by wandering through the city’s picturesque Jewish Quarter, a powerful example of Spain’s tangible – and intangible – Jewish heritage. Check in to the exquisite NH Collection Amistad Córdoba, inhabiting two centuries-old, restored noble houses in the the city’s historic heart.
After breakfast, travel approximately two hours southward to Granada. It’s a tremendously scenic journey, moving you past ancient olive groves and rustic olive oil production facilities. Stop at Priego de Cordoba, a small town legendary for its olive oil production, for a tasting and lunch.
Arriving in historic Granada, make your way to the jaw-dropping Alhambra. This expansive hilltop fortress complex remains one of the most renowned examples of Islamic architecture in the world. Listen as your guide highlights the intricately carved Moorish architecture, punctuated by signs of the Spanish Renaissance in its layered distillation of a history shrouded in mystery.
Check in to your accommodation – the Meliá Granada – and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Today experience something truly special – a visit to Riofrio, a small mountain town that’s home to the world’s first certified producer of organic sturgeon caviar. Relish the opportunity to sample Riofrio’s best – rich, buttery and utterly delicious.
In the evening, convene with your fellow adventurers for an unforgettable traditional dance show held in the cave of El Templo del Flamenco over a delicious Spanish dinner.
Depart glorious Granada and travel back to Madrid, stopping along the way at the ‘Imperial City’ of Toledo. Spectacularly poised overlooking the Rio Tajo, Toledo’s reputation as the ‘city of three cultures’ dates back to the Middle Ages. Today, let your guide dig up the past on a tour of the historic narrow streets, where you can spot countless mosques, Gothic cathedrals and Sephardic synagogues.
Continue to Madrid and check in at your hotel, the impressive VP Plaza España Design, home to more than 300 original works of art, including ‘The Waterfall', a massive, waterfall-shaped sculpture created for the hotel by Pere Gifre.
Enjoy a buffet breakfast at your hotel, then set out for a morning tour of Spain's capital. From the Royal Palace to Plaza de Ramales and the Calle Mayor, discover the living history of this bustling metropolis under the direction of your expert local guide. Stop along the way to try some of the city's most delicious tapas, including Iberian ham, cheese, olive oil and wine at Ham on Market, followed by cava and pintxos among the stalls of Mercado de San Miguel and classic light bites with a taste of locally made white wine and herbal liqueur at Casa Pipi, a typical Spanish tavern.
After a morning of cultural immersion, the afternoon is yours to enjoy at your own pace. This evening, come together as a group for a farewell dinner at the acclaimed El Club Allard (recipient of one Michelin Star). Martin Berasategui’s flagship restaurant offers a ten-course tasting menu with wine pairings drawing on his personal experiences in Spain and abroad. Expect ingenious twists on established classics and soulful takes on Spanish favourites.
Savour one last breakfast and soak up the Spanish sun before transferring to Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), where your Iberian adventure comes to a close.