Slideshow: The Best of Spain, Day by Day

  • View of the Alhambra, Granada, Spain

    Rick Steves' Best of Spain Tour, Day by Day

    From Gaudí and El Greco to tapas and flamenco, this tour captures the energetic diversity of Spain. Beginning in beautiful Barcelona and ending in sensual Sevilla, your Rick Steves guide will treat you to a sumptuous, two-week cultural buffet — with rich helpings of Catalunya's Gaudí, Toledo's El Greco, masterpieces of Madrid's Prado, and the Moorish and royal treasures of Granada and Sevilla. You'll also experience the delights of whitewashed Andalusian hill towns, prancing horses, tasty tapas, and fine sherry. Tag along on this day-by-day slideshow preview of our Best of Spain in 14 Days tour. Let's go!

  • waitress-with-tapas-in-spain

    Day 1: Welcome to Spain

    We'll gather at our Barcelona hotel for a "Welcome to Spain" get-together. Then we'll join the locals in their nightly ritual and head out for an orientation paseo (stroll) through our neighborhood. We'll finish by getting acquainted over a tapas-style dinner together.

  • Day 2: Lively, Artistic Barcelona

    This morning we'll explore Barcelona's stylish and modern Eixample neighborhood, home to many of Gaudí and his contemporaries' elegant homes. Then we'll make our way to his towering, dizzying Sagrada Família. Afterward you'll be free to experience more of this magnificent city on your own, from the Picasso Museum to Gaudí's playful Park Güell.

  • Day 3: Masterpieces of Madrid

    All aboard! After breakfast we'll take one of Europe's speediest trains (the AVE) to Madrid. We'll tour one of Europe's premier art museums — the masterpiece-packed Prado — where you'll see paintings by Velázquez, Goya, El Greco, and others. Later we'll stroll the lively streets of our neighborhood and enjoy dinner together.

  • Day 4: Madrid and the Royal Palace

    This morning we'll meet our local guide for a tour through the sumptuously decorated Royal Palace. With 2,000 rooms, acres of luxurious tapestries, and a king's ransom of chandeliers, this is truly one of the great palaces of Europe. Our walking tour will continue through Madrid's bustling Puerta del Sol to its elegant Plaza Mayor. Your afternoon and evening are free to visit the Reina Sofía, stroll through the majestic Retiro Gardens (Madrid's most popular park), and maybe even catch a performance of zarzuela, Spain's delightfully light opera.

  • Sevilla, Spain

    Day 5: Day Trip to Segovia

    We'll venture out of the city by bus to the history-rich town of Segovia and its beautifully preserved Roman aqueduct. After a walking tour of the aqueduct and town, you'll have free time to wander and visit Segovia's medieval Alcázar fortress. We'll regroup this afternoon for lunch to savor a Segovian specialty together — roast suckling pig. Then we'll return to Madrid in time for you to enjoy dinner on your own.

  • Day 6: Historic Toledo

    It's a short bus ride to Spain's old capital city of Toledo (and back in time about 500 years). We'll take a morning walking tour that includes Toledo's magnificent cathedral, the medieval Tránsito Synagogue, and El Greco's The Burial of the Count of Orgaz at the Santo Tomé Chapel. This afternoon and evening, you'll have plenty of free time to enjoy the winding streets and varied sights.

  • Windmills in Consuegra, Spain

    Day 7: La Mancha and Granada

    This morning we'll drive through windswept "Don Quixote country," stopping to sniff the saffron and admire a whitewashed windmill or two. Our destination is Granada, where we'll begin with a visit to the ornate tombs of world-changing Ferdinand and Isabel, who reigned over a new age of religious zeal at home and exploration of the "new" Americas. Then we'll head up the Albayzín hill for dinner together and enjoy a sunset view of the Alhambra.

  • Tour members toast with a view of the Alhambra in Granada, Spain

    Day 8: Moorish Treasures of Granada

    Today you'll learn about Spain's Islamic legacy with a visit to the sprawling palace and garden complex of the Alhambra (when available). This last and greatest of Europe's Moorish palaces will awe you with its grace and artistry. You'll also have free time to make your own discoveries along the colorful streets and alleyways of Granada's Old Town.

  • Day 9: Ronda

    Today's destination is the hill town of Ronda, home to Spain's oldest bullring and its most breathtaking gorge. This afternoon, we'll visit the 5,000-seat bullring and have free time to explore Ronda's Moorish and Mercadillo Quarters, linked together by the famous gravity-defying stone bridge (towering over the rubble of an earlier one that wasn't). Then we'll enjoy dinner together at our hotel.

  • Day 10: Spain's "Pueblos Blancos"

    Today we'll wind our way between the olive groves and whitewashed villages of Spain's pueblos blancos. We'll head into the countryside to visit a bull farm and learn about Spain's most controversial pastime. Then we'll tour an olive oil mill, where we'll discover the traditional methods of producing this extra-virgin export. After a rustic lunch together, we'll press on to the quintessential Spanish hill town — Arcos de la Frontera — where we'll share dinner together.

  • Day 11: Sherry and Horses

    We'll start our day with a visit to a local Andalusian horse farm. After learning all about these magnificent creatures and their connection to the local culture, we'll take a short drive to your guide's favorite Andalusian town. You'll be set free to explore and find a tasty tapas lunch before we regroup to sample the region's other famous specialty, sherry. This evening, we'll return to lovely Arcos with time to relax and enjoy dinner on your own.

  • Flamenco dancer, Sevilla, Spain

    Day 12: Sevilla's Barrio Santa Cruz

    This morning we'll drive directly to Sevilla, Spain's most flamboyant and atmospheric city. We'll begin our visit with a guided tour that takes us from the famous La Macarena (Weeping Virgin) statue to the world's largest Gothic cathedral. You'll have time to do more exploring on your own before we regroup tonight for a performance of sultry, swirling flamenco.

  • Day 13: Sevilla's Royal Alcázar

    Today we'll start with a tour of the beautifully Moorish-style Alcázar palace, the Sevilla home of the Spanish royal family for the past 500 years. Afterward, you're free to walk in the footsteps of Carmen and Don Juan, linger in Sevilla's charming squares, or stroll along the romantic Guadalquivir River. This evening we'll share travel memories and toast new friends at our final dinner together, capped off with a carriage ride through the streets of Sevilla. Salud!

  • ladies-coffee-and-orange-juice-in-spain

    Day 14: Tour Over After Breakfast

    Sevilla's airport is a bus or taxi ride away with easy connections throughout Europe. Alternately there is an AVE train to Madrid to continue your Iberian adventures on your own. Hasta luego!

    We still have a few seats available on our 2023 Best of Spain tours. Learn more and sign up at Best of Spain in 14 Days tour!