Highlights of Spain: Barcelona, Madrid & Andalusia

Today you explore the extraordinary architecture of Antoni Gaudi, the soul of Barcelona. 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 with its cloister and rooftop views. You stroll the famous Las Ramblas, the tree-lined promenade 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. The energy, history and colour of Barcelona are irresistible. As the day ends, you relax, perhaps enjoying tapas and a glass of cava. 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 is a city of world-class art, regal architecture and irresistible energy, and its wide boulevards, grand plazas and buzzing tapas bars are immediately appealing. Spend the afternoon settling in and beginning to explore, perhaps strolling the Puerta del Sol and the arcaded Plaza Mayor, or relaxing in a cafe. This evening, sample Madrid's legendary nightlife with a first taste of tapas. Rest well, for tomorrow you explore the treasures 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 stroll the leafy paths, rose garden and boating lake of the beautiful Retiro park, the green heart of the city, and tour the vast Royal Palace, the largest in Western Europe, with its opulent throne room, frescoed ceilings and porcelain chambers. You take in the Plaza Mayor and the bustling San Miguel market. The art, grandeur and energy of Madrid are captivating. As the day ends, you return to your hotel. This evening, plunge into Madrid's tapas scene, hopping from bar to bar through lively La Latina. Rest well, for tomorrow you visit 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, earning it the name City of Three Cultures. With your guide you explore its soaring Gothic cathedral, one of the finest in Spain, the 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 the capital. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey south to Seville.

This morning you board another high-speed AVE train, this time gliding south across the plains and olive groves of central Spain to Seville, the sun-drenched capital of Andalusia, in around two and a half hours. On arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel in the heart of the city. Seville is one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in Spain, a place of orange-scented plazas, Moorish palaces, tiled courtyards and passionate flamenco, and its warm southern atmosphere is immediately seductive. Spend the afternoon settling in and beginning to explore, perhaps wandering the whitewashed lanes of the Santa Cruz quarter or relaxing over a chilled sherry. This evening, savour Andalusian tapas in a lively bar. Rest well, for tomorrow you discover the great monuments of Seville and the fire of flamenco.

Today you explore the glorious monuments of Seville with your guide. You visit its immense Gothic cathedral, the largest in the world, home to the tomb of Christopher Columbus, and climb the Giralda, its elegant Moorish bell tower, for sweeping views over the city. You wander the Real Alcazar, an exquisite royal palace of intricate Moorish and Mudejar craftsmanship, with dreamlike tiled halls and lush gardens of fountains and orange trees. You lose yourself in the whitewashed lanes and hidden patios of the Santa Cruz quarter and admire the tiled splendour of the vast Plaza de Espana. The beauty and romance of Seville are intoxicating. As the day ends, you gather for a special evening, feeling the raw passion of live flamenco over an Andalusian dinner in an intimate tablao. Rest well, for tomorrow you journey to Granada and the Alhambra.

Today you journey east to Granada, cradled beneath the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada, the last stronghold of Moorish Spain. On arrival you are transferred to your hotel, and with reserved tickets you visit the incomparable Alhambra, one of the most beautiful buildings ever made. You explore the Nasrid Palaces, where filigree stucco, honeycomb ceilings, reflecting pools and delicate arches create an atmosphere of impossible refinement, and wander the paradisal gardens of the Generalife, with fountains, cypresses and roses. As evening falls you climb through the atmospheric Albaicin, the old Moorish quarter, to the Mirador de San Nicolas for a sublime view of the floodlit Alhambra against the mountains. The beauty is breathtaking. This evening, enjoy tapas in Granada, where they still come free with a drink. Rest well, for tomorrow you depart, your journey through Spain complete.

After a final morning in beautiful Granada, perhaps a last stroll through the Albaicin or a coffee in a sunlit plaza, you are transferred to Granada or Malaga airport for your onward departure. You leave having experienced the very best of Spain, Gaudi's dreamlike Barcelona, the art and tapas of Madrid, imperial Toledo, the cathedral, Alcazar and flamenco of Seville, and the incomparable Alhambra of Granada, all linked by superb high-speed trains and warmed by Spain's easy, sociable charm. The images stay vivid long after you land, the stained glass of the Sagrada Familia, Velazquez in the Prado, the Giralda rising above Seville, and the floodlit Alhambra against the Sierra Nevada. Spain offers beauty, culture, history and joy in extraordinary abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return to this captivating and welcoming land.