MADRID, SEVILLE, GRANADA, VALENCIA, BARCELONA
Discover Spain’s splendors from their delicious cuisine, the incredible legacy of art and architecture, dramatic history, and grand passions. Along the way, you’ll get a taste of Spanish delights from regional tastings, tapas, and paella! Explore bucket-list-worthy highlights like the Prado Museum in Madrid, Giralda Tower in Seville, Alhambra Palace in Granada, and the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. You’ll also enjoy a lovely Guadalquivir River Cruise, a tour of Cordoba, an idyllic visit to an olive grove, and a chance to explore PeñĂscola, a jewel of the Mediterranean. This tour serves up a multi-course feast of sights and experiences that are simply unforgettable.
Itinerary at a Glance
Tour Itinerary:
- 2 nights in Madrid
- 2 nights in Seville
- 2 nights in Granada
- 1 night in Valencia
- 3 nights in Barcelona
Tour Highlights
- Madrid Walking & Bus Tour
- Royal Palace (Madrid)
- Old Town Seville Walking Tour
- Guadalquivir River Cruise (Seville)
- CĂłrdoba Tour with Mosque-Cathedral of CĂłrdoba
- Olive Grove with Olive Oil Tasting
- Alhambra Palace (Granada)
- Valencia Walking Tour
- PeñĂscola, Mediterranean village, with paella lunch
- Barcelona Walking & Bus Tour with vermouth tasting
- Sagrada Familia (Barcelona)
- Las Ramblas (Barcelona)
Your Tour Includes
- Optional round-trip airfare from the New York area (varies by departure) including taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
- Airfare taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
- Ground transportation in air-conditioned motor coach
- High-speed AVE train ticket from Madrid to Seville
- Accommodations at first-class hotels
- 15 meals: 10 buffet breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 4 dinners
- Wine and mineral water with dinners
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours including admission fees as indicated in the itinerary
- Professional English-speaking Tour Director throughout
Passengers who purchase flights will depart 1 day before the tour starts and return on the same day as the tour ends.
Note: Flights are not available on departures.
You must book your own flights to the tour destination and you are responsible for making your own way to the tour starting point, where you will meet your Tour Director. This is normally the first hotel in your itinerary.
You can find more details on the Before You Depart page.
Welcome to Madrid, Spain’s grand capital and cultural heart! Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive package will be greeted at the airport and escorted to our hotel, where our Tour Director will lead a get-acquainted walk around the surrounding neighborhood. We'll enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure before coming back together for a welcome cocktail, orientation, and dinner.
Accommodations: Hotel Emperador Madrid or similar
Meals: Dinner
Our morning features a guided tour of this splendid city. As we travel along Calle Gran VĂa, Madrid’s equivalent to New York City’s Broadway, we'll marvel at the Opera district, Plaza de Colon, the monumental 18th-century Royal Palace (entrance included), Puerto del Sol Plaza and Plaza de España, Madrid’s main square, where we’ll see an imposing statue of Spain’s literary giant, Miguel de Cervantes. We'll end at the enormous, impressive Prado Museum, which holds one of the world’s top collections, including masterpieces by El Greco, Velázquez, and Goya. We'll also visit a local Iberian ham specialty shop to enjoy a jamĂłn tapa and a drink. The balance of the day is at leisure. Consider doing what the Madrileños do. Take el paseo (stroll) to the delightful Retiro Park and then stop at one of Madrid’s excellent restaurants or tapas bars.
Meals: Breakfast
Today we will take a high-speed train for Seville, the charming Moorish capital of Spain’s Andalusia Region. We'll drive to the Plaza de España, passing the elegant Maria Luisa Park. Tonight, enjoy a local Tapas dinner with drinks.
Accommodations: Hotel Ilunion Alcora Sevilla or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
On an included guided walking tour, we’ll discover the passions of the city that create the backdrop for the great operas Carmen and Don Giovanni. Highlights include the Seville Cathedral, the biggest Gothic cathedral in the world, and landmark Giralda Bell Tower, the remaining part of the mosque built by the Moors. Our tour winds through the narrow streets and plazas of the well-preserved Barrio Santa Cruz, the old Jewish Quarter, where we'll delight in the whitewashed buildings, quaint shops and colorful flowers. Enjoy some free time to enjoy lunch on your own or explore. This afternoon, we'll experience the beauty of Seville as seen from the only major navigable river in Spain, the Guadalquivir. We'll get a complete perspective of both riversides, confronting the old part of town with the most modern one. Tonight, consider catching a performance of the expressive dance form—flamenco! See optional excursions for details.
Meals: Breakfast
Today we'll visit Cordoba, one of Spain's cultural gems and home to some of the country's most impressive monuments. On our guided tour, we'll marvel at the Mezquita (Great Mosque) built in the 10th century during Cordona's glory days as the capital of Moorish Spain. The mosque was later converted to a cathedral, but the original architectural details are stunning. We'll also see the reconstructed Roman Bridge and the beautifully restored 14th-century synagogue that survived the expulsion of Spain's Jews. After our tour, we'll continue our journey to Granada, a former Moorish stronghold, stopping along the way at an Olive Oil Mill for a tasting. This evening, we'll enjoy dinner together at our hotel.
Accommodations: Barceló Allegro Granada or Meliá Granada or Hotel Santos Saray or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Today we'll visit Granada's crown jewel, the Alhambra. Sprawled over a hilltop overlooking the city, the awe-inspiring Alhambra is an impressive castle and fortress with its romantic Generalife gardens. Later today we'll have free time to explore the city and the mystic Albaicin Quarter.
Meals: Breakfast
We're sure to be captivated by the rolling terrain and groves of olives, almonds, lemons, and oranges on our way to Valencia, a city of great culture and beautiful gardens on the Mediterranean coast. On our guided tour this afternoon, we'll see architecture both ancient (Roman, Arabic, and the gothic cathedral) and modern—or should we say futuristic? Renowned architect Santiago Calatrava designed the City of Arts and Science, an eye-popping “city within a city” that gives us a peek into what the future might look like.
Accommodations: AC Hotel Valencia or similar
Meals: Breakfast
The next leg of our journey through splendid Spain hugs the coastline of Catalonia. We'll stop at PeñĂscola, a pearl of the Mediterranean. The old town—crowned by a 14th-century castle-fortress that was once the home of Pope Benedict XIII—stands on an imposing rock that rises 64 meters above the azure seas and is connected to the mainland by a thin sandbar that waves wash over during storms, turning the town into an ephemeral island. We'll enjoy a delightful paella lunch before continuing to Barcelona where we'll settle into our centrally located hotel.
Accommodations: Catalonia Atenas or similar
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
The capital of Catalonia, Barcelona mixes medieval charm with avant-garde style. We'll join a local expert for a fascinating tour that begins at the old harbor with a drive along Barcelona’s iconic boulevard, Las Ramblas. We'll see the city’s lively heart, Plaza Catalunya, and picturesque Plaza de España. Of course, a Barcelona tour isn't complete without admiring buildings designed by the celebrated Catalan architect Antoni GaudĂ. We'll see one of his most famous works, the unfinished Sagrada Familia Basilica (admission included), which has been under construction since 1882! Before free time this afternoon, we will stop at a typical bodega in La Barceloneta Quarter to taste vermut, a typical and popular drink in Barcelona. The rest of the day is free to visit a museum or relax at an outdoor cafĂ© independently.
Meals: Breakfast
Today you'll have a full day to explore vibrant Barcelona on your own. You can explore the enchanting Gothic Quarter and soak up its magical atmosphere of cafes, street musicians, and quaint shops. Seek out more of Gaudi’s masterpieces in the city center or stroll along Las Ramblas, stopping at the colorful Boqueria Market for freshly squeezed juice, a snack, or more tapas! We'll gather this evening for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Our tour comes to an end after breakfast today. Travelers who purchased our air-inclusive package will transfer to the airport for our return flight to the U.S.
Meals: Breakfast
Book early and save up to $600 per person.
Prices listed as “with flights” below include round-trip
airfare from one or more airports in the USA.
Travelers may choose to purchase the tour only,
and arrange their own arrival in destination.
Please note this may change your tour start date.
Rates are per person based on double occupancy.
Single supplement applies when not sharing a room. Select a
date above to see the rates for that specific departure.
For more information on this tour, please
contact us here
or call us during business hours (Monday-Friday from 9:00 am - 5:30 pm Eastern)
at 1.800.337.7773.
Reservations and Payments
Reservations can be made online or by phone
(1.800.337.7773)
and will be confirmed upon receipt of your non-refundable,
non-transferable deposit, which must be received at the
time of reservation.
Deposits are $300 per person.
Full payment is due 90 days prior to departure. Space and prices subject to availability.
Please see the
smarTours Terms and Conditions for complete
booking information.
Featured Accommodations
Calle Gran VĂa, 53 28013 Madrid, Spain
Website
Carretera San Juan a, Ctra. Tomares, Km 1, 41920 San Juan de Aznalfarache, Sevilla, Spain
Website
Avenida de Pulianas 10 18012 Granada Spain
Website
C/ Angel Ganivet, 7, Granada, 18009 Spain
Website
Paseo Profesor Tierno Galván, 4 18006 - Granada, Spain
Website
Avda. de Francia, 67, Valencia, Spain, 46023
Website
Av. Meridiana, 151, 08026, Barcelona
Website
Pre- & Post- Night Stays
Slow the pace of your tour with a pre- and/or post-night stay so you can
arrive refreshed, acclimate to the time zone if needed, and depart leisurely,
ensuring a seamless transition into and out of your journey.
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From $169 per person based on double occupancy
Start our tour off on the right foot! Arrive a day early and enjoy more time to recover from travel, adjust to any time differences, and feel well-rested and relaxed on our first day of touring.
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From $169 per person based on double occupancy
Extend your stay by one night at the end of our tour to make the most of additional free time for exploring our final city, shopping for last-minute souvenirs, or dining at that restaurant you’ve been wanting to try. Or, use this extra day to relax before beginning the journey home or to your next destination.
Optional Tours
Enhance your trip with these optional tours.
Indicated optional tours are available to pre-book
when you reserve your trip and can be added to your
reservation up to final payment. This is the best option
to guarantee your spot on your preferred optional tour!
Optional tours require a minimum number of participants.
Optional tours are non-refundable unless they do not operate.
Some optional tours can be purchased in-destination and
may cost extra. The payment methods and currency
information to purchase tours in-destination will be
provided on final documentation.
Day 4 Evening Tour
Immerse yourself in Spanish culture by enjoying an authentic flamenco dance performance. Our experience includes a three-course dinner with soft drinks, water, and sangria.
MUST BE PRE-BOOKED!
This tour must be pre-booked prior to final payment as
it is not available to book in-destination.
What to Expect
Max Group Size: 30 travelers
Activity Level: Level 2
Expect most included touring to require walking and standing periods up to 4 hours at a time (up to 2 times per day). Included touring may feature light hiking, and/or stairs on some hilly and/or uneven terrain. Learn More
Pacing Level: Balanced
Expect either half-day or full-day tours most days with a free day or free half-day to explore independently in most cities. There may be a few early mornings or long travel days by bus (don’t worry—there are always comfort stops!), and you may expect to stay in most accommodations for 3+ nights. Learn More
New in 2025: ETIAS Visa Waiver Required for U.S. Passport Holders
A valid passport is required for international tours. Effective for travel in 2025, U.S. passport holders are required to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver. Please visit our Passports & Visas page to learn more about any required actions, next steps, and additional costs.
Travelers will encounter some uneven surfaces, stairs, steps, and significant slopes
For more detailed information about this tour and destination, visit
our Before You Depart section.
Reviews
Sabrina Z
3 months ago
We absolutely loved this trip. We like the size of the group, not too large! The itinerary offers enough free time so we can customize the trip to our taste. The tour guide was excellent. Extremely knowledgeable about the country. We highly recommend Smartours and the Splendid Spain trip.
Valda B
5 months ago
economically priced beautiful tour of the highlights of Spain from old town Seville to futuristic Valencia. Also includes Madrid, Cordoba, Granada. Peniscola, and Barcelona and olive factory tour, Sagrada Familia, Montserrat and an optional wine tour! airfare to NYC included and two meals per day at quality comfortable hotels. Amazing tour director and 23 of the nicest people ever! Great tour
Trudy S
6 months ago
Good value for the money. Saw a lot of Spain, but sometimes in a rushed fashion. Tour guides were excellent and our tour director was professional, thoughtful and easy to talk with.
ivelyn p
6 months ago
splendid spain did a nice job covering most of the major cities in spain although i feel a 2 night stay in valencia is warranted as the city is vibrant and had lots to do. you get to cover a major site in each city. however, do your homework so you are able to see other sights on your own bucket list during your free time. use of the high speed train was a nice addition. smartours will accommodate any dietary restrictions you may have, just remember to tell them ahead of time so arrangements can be made. don't skip the monserrat excursion, it was breathtaking. the olive oil stop & the winery stop were educational and amazing.
June M
6 months ago
Had a good time even with problems that arose Laura dealt with it. For example, upon leaving Barcelona on our final day we waited and waited for our bus! Some of us we very worried that we were going to miss our flights home! Laura had told the bus to be at our hotel by 9:15 pm AM. By 9:30 AM when the bus never showed, Laura called for 5 taxis ( some people had left earlier by taxi) to come at once and pick us up! Hopefully, everybody made their flights!
A lot of walking in the city to get to restaurants etc. It was too much so a lot of us took taxis back to the hotel. Wish the Prada Museum was included in the tour. Walked there by myself at the end of the day because I couldn’t leave Madrid without going to the Prado. Stayed less than an hour because I didn’t want to walk back alone in the dark.
Jasmin V
7 months ago
This was a great tour for a great price. We saw so much and it gives you a taste of the highlights of each of the cities in Spain. The accommodations, tours and meals were excellent. Laura Dobrota, our tour director, was great. She made our trip fun, enjoyable and was accommodating. I would highly recommend this tour if you want to have a taste of Spain. It will not disappoint.
Carole V
10 months ago
Excellent touring of magnificent European cities with knowledgeable local tour guides to offer historical background. Outstanding tour quidditch that was efficient and extremely helpful; Having a tour quite that lives in Spain was a valuable asset.