Barcelona & Madrid: A Spanish City Break

Today you explore the extraordinary architecture of Antoni Gaudi. With reserved skip-the-line tickets, you step inside the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's still-unfinished basilica, where soaring columns branch like a stone forest and stained glass floods the vast interior with shifting blue and amber light, a genuinely breathtaking sight. You continue to Park Guell, wandering its mosaic terraces, undulating serpentine bench and fairytale gatehouses, with sweeping views over the city to the sea. Along the elegant Passeig de Gracia you admire the rippling, dreamlike facades of Casa Batllo and La Pedrera. The imagination and beauty of Gaudi's Barcelona are astonishing. As the day ends, you return to your hotel, your mind full of colour and form. This evening, enjoy Catalan cuisine and the buzz of the city. Rest well, ready to explore the medieval old town tomorrow.

Today you discover the historic heart of Barcelona on foot with your guide. You lose yourself in the Barri Gotic, the medieval Gothic Quarter, a labyrinth of narrow stone lanes, hidden squares and Roman remains, crowned by the magnificent Gothic cathedral. You stroll the famous Las Ramblas, alive with flower stalls and street life, and dive into the sensory feast of the Boqueria market, piled high with jamon, seafood, fruit and spices. You explore the fashionable El Born district, home to the Picasso Museum, and reach the sparkling harbourfront and the beaches of Barceloneta. The energy, history and colour of Barcelona are irresistible. As the day ends, you relax, perhaps with tapas and a glass of cava by the sea. This evening is yours to savour the city. Rest well, for tomorrow you travel to Madrid.

This morning you transfer to the station and board a high-speed AVE train to Madrid, whisking across the Spanish landscape at up to 300 kilometres an hour and reaching the capital in around three hours, a smooth and scenic journey. On arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of elegant Madrid, Spain's grand capital, a city of world-class art, regal architecture and irresistible energy. Spend the afternoon settling in and beginning to explore, perhaps strolling the Puerta del Sol and the arcaded Plaza Mayor, browsing the San Miguel market, or relaxing in a sunlit cafe. This evening, sample Madrid's legendary nightlife with a first taste of tapas, hopping between lively bars. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore the great museums and palaces of the capital.

Today you explore the grand treasures of Madrid with your guide. You spend time in the Prado, one of the greatest art museums on earth, admiring masterpieces by Velazquez, Goya, El Greco and Bosch, from Las Meninas to the haunting Black Paintings. You tour the vast Royal Palace, the largest in Western Europe, with its opulent throne room, frescoed ceilings and porcelain chambers, and stroll the leafy Retiro park and the arcaded Plaza Mayor. The art, grandeur and energy of Madrid are captivating, and you may add the Reina Sofia to see Picasso's Guernica. As the day ends, you return to your hotel. This evening, plunge fully into Madrid's tapas scene, hopping from bar to bar through lively La Latina, sampling jamon, croquetas and vermouth. Rest well, for tomorrow you visit imperial Toledo.

Today you take an excursion to Toledo, the magnificent former capital set on a hill above a loop of the Tagus river, just south of Madrid. A UNESCO World Heritage city, Toledo is a spectacular maze of medieval streets where Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures long flourished side by side, the City of Three Cultures. With your guide you explore its soaring Gothic cathedral, one of the finest in Spain, its beautiful synagogues and mosque, and admire masterpieces by El Greco, who made the city his home. You wander the atmospheric old lanes, famous for their marzipan and Damascene metalwork, and take in the breathtaking panorama of the golden city across the gorge. As the day ends, you return to Madrid. This evening is yours to enjoy a final taste of the capital. Rest well ahead of your departure tomorrow.

After a final morning in Madrid, perhaps a last stroll through the Retiro park, some shopping along the Gran Via, or a coffee and churros with thick hot chocolate, you are transferred to Madrid airport for your onward departure. You leave having experienced the best of Spain's two great cities, Gaudi's dreamlike Barcelona and the Mediterranean, the world-class art, palaces and tapas of Madrid, and imperial Toledo, all linked by a swift high-speed train and warmed by Spain's glorious food and sociable energy. The images stay vivid long after you land, the stained glass of the Sagrada Familia, the Boqueria market, Velazquez in the Prado, and the golden skyline of Toledo. Barcelona and Madrid offer beauty, culture and joie de vivre in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this captivating and welcoming land.