DAY 1: Madrid

Private transfer from Madrid airport to the hotel.

Leisure time to enjoy the unique atmosphere of the capital city.

Overnight at the hotel in Madrid.

DAY 2: Madrid

Breakfast at the hotel.

Madrid sightseeing based on a hop on-hop off bus.

Hop on the bus, put on your earphones, listen to the recorded commentaries and enjoy the streets, monuments and places of interest that you pass by.

During the different historical periods the city grown from the old Hapsburg and Bourbons quarters to the present city.

Highlights of the tour include Gran Vía, Plaza de España, University, Moncloa, Habsburg old quarter, Calle Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Puerta de Alcalá.

* audio guide available in: English, French, German, Russian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish

Overnight at the hotel in Madrid.

DAY 3: Madrid – Barcelona

Breakfast at hotel and check out.

Guided walking tour with gourmet tapas.

Departure to walking tour with the guide to the old town, the so-called Madrid de las Austrias to know the important Plaza Mayor, walk down the Arco de Cuchilleros and winding streets around the Plaza de la Villa and the medieval streets of Madrid with the oldest buildings, houses and Torre de Lujanes where the French king, François I was held prisoner, the Casa de Cisneros, of Plateresque style, and the Casa de la Villa, Madrid city council until 2007.

After the walk through the old town, visitors can enjoy some typical Spanish tapas.

In the late afternoon check-out and private transfer from the hotel to Madrid train station to take the train toBarcelona.

Private transfer from Barcelona train station to the hotel. Check-in and

Overnight at the hotel in Barcelona.

DAY 4: Barcelona

Breakfast at the hotel.

Tapas walking tour in the afternoon. This tour is a combination of gourmet food and Catalan culture, having a walk through the city and stopping at Barcelona’s famous tapas bars. Visitors learn how to order tapas (bar snacks) and discover some of the best bars and cafes Barcelona has to offer. The tapas walking tour will lead guests through Barcelona’s most famous street, La Rambla, with tapas bars and local restaurants. Typical Spanish products will be tasted at one of the stops, accompanied by explanations of the guide.

From here it goes to La Boqueria, the city’s famous food market, which offers an array of fresh produce including fruit and vegetables, seafood, cheese and any type of meat imaginable. The tour continues at a restaurant offering a wide selection of local, delicious tapas. Here guests will enjoy some tasty tapas with a glass of wine, beer or cider, while a food-and-wine-guide provides insights into the flavours of wine, the cuisine and Spanish culture.

The tour continues through the Gothic quarter, where visitors will discover the architecture, atmosphere, language and gastronomy that are unique in Spain and some of the gourmet shops which are over 100 years old. The last stop will be in a bar where some more tapas and a glass of wine, cava or beer will be waiting for the participants.

Some typical tapas are:

PATATAS BRAVAS: The chips or French fries of Spain. These are small deep fried cubes of potatoes served warm with two sauces – aioli, a garlicky mayonnaise, and a spicy tomato sauce.

SPANISH OMELETTE: The tortilla Española or Spanish omelette is one of the most commonly served dishes in Spain. It consists of an egg omelette made with potatoes and onions and fried in vegetable oil. Tortilla originally meant just “small pie/cake”, as it is often served as a piece of cake.

CROQUETAS: Croquetas, the Spanish croquettes are often made with ham, fish, chicken or spinach. They are made from a sort of béchamel sauce, breaded and deep fried.

PA AMB TOMAQUET: Pa amb tomàquet, a typical Catalan tapa, consists of toasted bread, rubbed with tomato and seasoned with olive oil and salt. Sometimes garlic is rubbed on the bread before rubbing in the tomato. The dish is served accompanied with any sorts of sausages, Iberian ham, cheeses, omelettes, anchovies or other marinated fish.

HUEVOS ROTOS CON JAMÓN: “broken eggs” is a delicious tapa consisting of French fries covered with fried eggs with runny yolk and crispy bits of cured ham, bacon or chorizo sausage.

Overnight at the hotel in Barcelona.

DAY 5: Barcelona

Breakfast at the hotel and check out.

Barcelona sightseeing based on a hop on hop off bus.

* audio guide available in: English, French, German, Russian, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish

Highlights of the two different tours are:

• The Gothic cathedral, which has always been the heart of the city, located in the very downtown and flanked by the remains of the city walls.
• The Olympic Barcelona, which is spread all over the city. On the one hand side the Olympic port and the Olympic village are located on the Barceloneta, on the other hand the Olympic ring and the stadiums are located on the Montjuïc Hill.
• Passeig de Gràcia, with the highest concentration of modernist buildings in the city. Among others, enjoy an outside view of Antoni Gaudi’s Casa Batlló and Casa Milà.
• Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s greatest work and undoubtedly Barcelona’s most identifiable monument And Montjuïc hill, a dominant feature of the city’s skyline. In the afternoon, private from the hotel to Barcelona airport.