Spain and Italy - 2026

A dream comes true as your wide-bodied jet thunders off the airstrip, Europe-bound! Watch the sun rise up to meet your airplane, after a short night. Spain glides by beneath your airplane, in shades of sienna, as you head towards Madrid's Barajas Airport.
Get settled in your madrileño hotel and explore your surroundings.
For lunch, why not duck into a sidewalk mesón for a sopa de pescado or some calamares?

Tour director-led walking tour to Plaza Mayor

Follow your tour director on a stroll to the Plaza Mayor, the heart of the Old City.
Along the way, consider a small detour to the Chocolatería San Ginés, renowned for its chocolate con churros, the sweet, fluted sticks of fried dough served with a cup of rich, hot chocolate.

Half-day city sightseeing

On a tour of the city, you will be introduced to the sights and the city grand squares: Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de España with the Cervantes Monument, Gran Vía, Calle Alcalá, Plaza de Colón, and Plaza de Cibeles with its fountains.
A half-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Madrid and its surroundings, will accompany your group.

Visit to the Prado Museum

View world-famous paintings by El Greco, Goya, and Velázquez, and much. much more, at the magnificent Museo del Prado.

Excursion to Toledo

Toledo is surrounded on three sides by the Río Tajo, which has cut a deep gorge out of the encircling mountains. Christianity, Judaism and Islam coexist on the tiny streets of this ancient city, which was once the capital of Spain. Indeed, the entire panorama of Spanish history is embodied in its churches, synagogues, Moorish mosques and fortifications.

Guided walking tour in Toledo

Your guided walking tour starts at the main square, Plaza de Zocodover.

Visit to Toledo Cathedral

Visit one of the most impressive Spanish cathedrals, completed in 1492, after nearly 300 years. Its treasury contains an impressive display of gold and silver vessels and alabaster sculpture.

Visit to the Church of Santo Tomé (El Greco's painting)

Visit the Church of St. Thomas to view El Greco's Burial of the Count of Orgaz, a fresco commissioned in honor of a Spanish nobleman who was known for his generosity and charitable deeds.

Visit to a historic synagogue

Enjoy a visit to one of the city's two remaining medieval synagogues.

Excursion to Segovia

Today's excursion takes you to the beautiful city of Segovia, where Isabella, Christopher Columbus' sponsor, was proclaimed Queen of Castile in 1474. During the Middle Ages, thanks to its textile industry, Segovia was practically a city-state: it struck its own coins, with the Roman aqueduct as a mint mark. Nowadays, Segovia is said to resemble a "living museum."

Local Guide

A full-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Segovia, will accompany your group.

Photo stop at the Roman Aqueduct

Walk to the elegant aqueduct bridge built by the Romans c. AD 90 as part of a waterway that brought water to the city from mountains miles away.

Photo stop at Casa de los Picos

Follow Calle Juan Bravo, hailed as Segovia's most popular street, to have a look at one of the city's iconic landmarks. The 15th-century House of the Peaks owes its name to the 617 pyramid-shaped stones on its façade. It now houses the Segovia Art School: you may view its Renaissance Courtyard and Exhibition Hall if they are accessible at the time of your visit.

Visit to Segovia Cathedral

Enter a cathedral that has been called La Dama de las Catedrales Españolas for its beauty. Built in 1527 on the highest point in town, off Plaza Mayor, it's the Gothic cathedral built in Spain, it stands out with its dome and soaring tower as well as its interior ornamentation.

Visit to Segovia's Alcázar

Visit the most-photographed of all the Spanish castles, El Alcázar de Segovia. With its perfectly-proportioned features, it has become a symbol of Spain's medieval heritage.

Train to Barcelona

A Alta Velocidad train takes you at high speed across the semi-deserts of northern Spain and the plains of Castile on your way to the palm-fringed Mediterranean shores.
Enjoy a free evening in this Mediterranean town of parks and fountains.

Cooking class with dinner

Join a professional chef around a kitchen counter and learn tips and tricks as you prepare typical Spanish dishes. ¡Buen provecho!

Barcelona City Sightseeing

A tour will introduce landmarks such as the wide avenues called Las Ramblas, the medieval Gothic Quarter around the cathedral, Modernist landmarks such as the Basilica of the Sagrada Família, and Plaça de Catalunya, the lively heart of Catalonia's capital city.
A half-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of the region, will accompany your group.

Montjuïc Hill

You'll go up Montjuïc Hill for a panoramic view of the city, the colorful harbor district, and the Mediterranean coast.

Visit to Parc Güell

Enjoy a visit to Gaudí's most colorful creations on exhibit in Parc Güell, notably the mosaic-decorated pavilions and the cavernous Room of a Hundred Columns.

Visit to the Sagrada Familia Basilica

Visit the extraordinary-looking basilica whose construction was planned in the 1870s. Antonio Gaudí worked for more than forty years to create a unique and huge sanctuary still far from completion. The Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia combines elements of Gothic architecture and the tenets of the Modernista movement associated with Gaudí.

Guide for the Sagrada Familia

A guide will accompany you during your visit to the Sagrada Familia.

Flamenco show

Tonight, enjoy an evening of traditional entertainment. The poet Federico García Lorca called flamenco "the most gigantic creation of the Spanish people." You will long remember its complex and insistent rhythms, castanets, and clacking heels as the highlight of your trip to Spain.

Flight to Florence

Board your flight to Firenze, the "Jewel of the Renaissance." Never in the history of mankind has so much genius, in all its forms, been concentrated in one place as it was in Florence during the fifteenth century.

Visit to the Uffizi Gallery

Visit the Galleria degli Uffizi, which is home to the world's most impressive private collection of Italian Renaissance art. See masterpieces by Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Lippi, Giotto, Raphael and Tintoretto.

Visit to the Accademia

View a wealth of artwork from the 15th and 16th centuries at the Galleria dell'Accademia, including the best known of all Florentine treasures, Michelangelo's monumental David.

Guided walking tour in Florence

Get acquainted with the Medici family and the art of politics!
A local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Florence, will accompany your group.

Visit to the nave of Florence's Duomo (time permitting)

In the nave of the Cattedrale Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as the Duomo, visitors marvel at a cathedral begun in 1296 and consecrated in 1436 that remains one of the largest in Christendom. It houses precious masterpieces, notably Domenico di Michelino's 1320 painting titled Dante holding the Divine Comedy.

Visit to the church of Santa Croce and its Pazzi Chapel

Next on your program: the church that's the final resting place of luminaries such as Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. Santa Croce is also famous for its art treasures, notably the Cappella dei Pazzi, a chapel attributed to Brunelleschi that's hailed as a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture.

Stop at Leonardo's Leather Workshop (time permitting)

Watch a craftsman demonstrate steps used in the manufacture of the world-renowned Florentine leather goods.

Florentine Cooking Class and Dinner

Delve into the heart of Italian cuisine with a hands-on cooking class set in the romantic city of Florence. Immerse yourself in the fragrant smells of fresh basil, ripe tomatoes, and pungent garlic as you're guided by local culinary experts in the creation of your own authentic Italian dinner. From kneading the dough for your homemade pasta, to simmering your own Bolognese sauce, and crafting the perfect Tuscan dessert, you'll be engaged in a flavorful journey that's both educational and delicious. The best part? Sitting down at the communal table afterwards to savor the fruits of your labor. Surrounded by the warmth of new friends and the vibrant Florentine atmosphere, it's more than just a cooking class; it's an unforgettable Italian gastronomic experience.

Train to Rome

Enjoy a scenic ride aboard a fast train headed to the Eternal City.
Proceed to your centrally-located hotel, settle in and get ready to explore your surroundings.

Trevi Fountain

If your schedule allows, consider a visit to the Trevi Fountain, one of Rome's most celebrated sights, which was the terminus of the Aqua Virgo aqueduct. Throw a coin over your right shoulder and into the spray to ensure your return to this wonderful city!

Visits to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum

Walk through the best known monuments of Ancient Rome, the Colosseo and the Foro Romano. Once the heart of a vast empire, the Forum was filled with extravagant buildings and crowded with people from all over the known world.

Visit to the Colosseum

Step into the heart of ancient Rome with a visit to the majestic Colosseum. This iconic symbol of Roman engineering and architecture invites you to walk through the pages of history. As you stand within its towering walls, you'll be transported back to the era of gladiators, emperors, and epic spectacles. The Colosseum is not just a monument; it's a timeless narrative of Rome's glorious past. Marvel at its grandeur, imagine the roar of a bygone crowd, and experience a pivotal piece of history. Each stone of this ancient arena tells a story of triumph, tragedy, and enduring legacy.
Your combination ticket to the Colosseum and Roman Forum also allows entrance to the Palatine Hill archaeological site and its museum: should time permits, you may want to make your way up the hill to visit the oldest and most prestigious residential area of Ancient Rome.
A local guide, specially-trained on the history and culture of Rome and its surroundings, will accompany your group.

Headset receiver

A headset receiver is included.

Visit to the Vatican

Discover outstanding masterpieces collected for the Vatican Museums since the early 1500s. See exceptional statues from antiquity, such as Laocoön and His Son and the Apollo Belvedere, as well as stunning Renaissance paintings, notably the The School of Athens fresco in the Raphael Rooms.
A half-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Vatican City, will accompany your group.

Visit to the Sistine Chapel

Marvel at Michelangelo's Last Judgment and brightly-colored ceiling frescoes in the Cappella Sistina.

Visit to St. Peter's Basilica

Enter the sanctuary recognized as the world's largest church. The Basilica di San Pietro also houses priceless works of art, in particular Michelangelo's Pietà and Bernini's Dove of the Holy Spirit.

Ciao, Europa! Statistics show that visitors do in fact return to Rome, although it may not have anything to do with coins in a fountain. Race the sun and arrive home later today, eager to share your discoveries with family and friends.