Spain Explorer
7 Days
from
$1,939
to
$2,219
per person*
Highlights:
Spain
(Barcelona, Madrid)
Trip Start/End:
Barcelona
/
Madrid
Forever vying for the accolade of being the 'Number 1' city of Spain, Barcelona and Madrid are neck and neck when it comes to what they have to offer visitors. Strategically located on the Mediterranean, Barcelona enjoys a temperate climate, a magnificent historical gothic center, is the epicenter of all things gastronomic, and is somewhat of an architect's dream with the many art deco buildings scattered throughout the city. Madrid, home of the Royals, the enormous city center public garden known as El Retiro, the Prado gallery and the Plaza Major (one of the finest squares in Spain) also has many alluring qualities to attract the visitor. Enjoy three days in Barcelona, before making your way to Madrid by train. Here, spend two days and a half immersing yourself in the city and discovering the beauty of nearby Toledo, one of the oldest cities in Europe.
Overview
| Day | Activities | Hotel |
- Day 1
- Barcelona
| - Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Driver
- Spain - Welcome Package
- Articket (7 Museums & Galleries) - Articket
- Dinner (not included)
| Balmes (3*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 2
- Barcelona
| - Shared - 1/2 Day Barcelona Highlights (5 hrs) - Coach/Guide
- Lunch (not included)
- Dinner (not included)
| Balmes (3*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 3
- Barcelona
| - Morning at leisure
- Lunch (not included)
- Shared - 1/2 Day Monastery of Montserrat (4 hrs) - Coach/Guide
- Dinner (not included)
| Balmes (3*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 4
- Barcelona - Madrid
| - Transfer - Private - Train Station - Vehicle/Driver
- Train - Barcelona - Madrid [3 hrs] - 2nd Class Train Ticket
- Transfer - Private - Train Station - Vehicle/Driver
- Lunch (not included)
- Shared - 1/2 Day City Sights (3hrs) - Coach/Guide
- Dinner (not included)
| Regente (3*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 5
- Madrid
| - Self-Guided - 24hr Madrid Card (40 Museums) - 24 hr Card
- Lunch (not included)
- Unescorted: Dinner & Flamenco Show (2 hrs) - Dinner/Show
| Regente (3*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 6
- Madrid - Toledo
| - Train - Madrid - Toledo [33 mins] - 2nd Class Train Ticket
- Private - 1/2 Day Walking Tour (3hrs) - Guide/Taxi
- Lunch (not included)
- Train - Toledo - Madrid [33 mins] - 2nd Class Train Ticket
- Dinner (not included)
| Regente (3*)
Standard (B)1 DBL (2 Adults)
|
- Day 7
- Madrid
| - Transfer - Private - Airport - Vehicle/Driver
| Depart (Int`l Airport)
|
| B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, 1/2d = Half Day, Al = All Inclusive |
Trip Itinerary
Barcelona
Picasso Museum
Balmes Hotel
Day 1: Barcelona
Meet your driver for a private airport transfer.
A welcome package with your vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.
Visit the art galleries and/or museums of your choice in Barcelona with this Articket which entitles you to free admission to seven of the most important and remarkable museums and art centres in Barcelona: Picasso Museum, Fundacion Joan Miro, Casa Mila, Fundacion Antonio Tapies, Museo Nacional de Arte de Catalunya (MNAC), Museo de Arte Contemporaneo de Barcelona (MACBA) and Centro de Cultura Contemporanea de Barcelona (CCCB). The Articket can be used once at each museum and at any time during a period of six months, so you can use it whenever you like throughout your stay in the city. Exchange your voucher for the Articket at any of the included museums during their opening hours.
Accommodation: Balmes (3*) Balmes (3*) is an economy class hotel, situated next to Paseo de Gracia, is located in the Eixample area. A location 25-kilometers from the airport makes this hotel perfect for international travelers. Guests will enjoy easy access via the metro to a myriad of historical, cultural, and tourist attractions, including the Ramblas, Born Quarter, the Olympic Village, and La Sagrada Familia Church. The Liceo Theatre, Guell Park Gothic Park, and the Picasso Museum, are only a stroll away. The hotel features 100 cozy rooms that are adorned with standard amenities, and a distinctive color scheme that uses neutral hues to promote peacefulness. The Balmes Hotel is perfect for travelers that want central city accommodation for a reasonable price.
Parc Guell
Day 2: Barcelona
Embark on a 5 hour shared sightseeing coach tour of the city with a guide. This tour provides an insider's view into Barcelona’s culture and history, from its roman origins through the medieval ages to the modern Barcelona of the 20th and 21st centuries. Discover Barcelona's main attractions such as Montjuic Hill and the Olympic Ring, Columbus Monument, the Port, the Cathedral and Gothic Quarter, Gaudi's "Modernista" buildings in the Paseo de Gracia, the Park Guell and the piece de resistence - the church of the Sacred family - La Sagrada Familia.
Accommodation: Balmes (3*) 
Monserrat monastery
Day 3: Barcelona
Sleep in this morning and relax at your hotel.
Visit one of Catalonia's most interesting destinations, the Benedictine Monastery of Montserrat. Located near the top of a 4,000-foot rugged mountain at about 50 km northwest of Barcelona, the Monastery is home to about 80 monks.The Basilica, next to the monastery, is the Sanctuary of the Virgin of Montserrat, popularly called the Moreneta as she is black, patron saint of Catalunya and a presence strongly felt and revered, and also holds one of the monastery's most noted attractions, the 50-member Escolanía, one of the oldest and most renowned boys' choirs in Europe, dating from the 13th century. (Museum entrance fees to be paid upon arrival, not included in tour price).
Accommodation: Balmes (3*) 
Madrid
Hotel Regente
Day 4: Barcelona - Madrid
Meet your driver for a private train station transfer.
Enjoy your train ride from Barcelona to Madrid. The train ride takes approximately three hours.
Meet your driver for a private train station transfer.
Enjoy half day shared tour of the city with a guide, and admire the principal sights of the city, and discover Madrid under its different historical periods. Drive through the Madrid of the Habsburg epoch, going past the squares Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. Continue to drive through Madrid of the Bourbon period, gazing at the Palacio Real (Royal Palace)(no stop), the Teatro Real (Madrid’s opera house), the Museo del Prado (El Prado Museum), Atocha railway station, the Puerta de Alcalá (triumphal arch) and the city’s beautiful fountains of Neptuno and Cibeles. Drive past squares such as Plaza de Colón, Plaza de Castilla, and Plaza de España, with its unmistakable monument to Cervantes. Visit the aristocratic quarter of Salamanca, where distinguished designers have their boutiques in Madrid and drive along the elegant avenue of La Castellana, which leads to the city’s financial quarter, with the Torre Picasso (tower) or the Estadio del Bernabéu (Real Madrid’s stadium), without forgetting the Plaza de Las Ventas (Madrid’s most important Bullring) and the Parque del Retiro.
Accommodation: Regente (3*) The Hotel Regente (3*) is a hotel in Madrid located on Gran Vía street and only a few minutes walk from the Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Madrid de los Austrias old. Featuring 154 rooms, this hotel displays traditional hispanic charm. The hotel is surrounded by theaters, cinemas, restaurants and boutiques and public transport, either by metro or city bus is close and convenient.
El Prado
Flamenco dancer
Day 5: Madrid
See and do exactly what you feel like today with your 24 hour Madrid Card. The Card is an electronic smart card offering free admission to more than 40 museums in and around Madrid, including the major ones. Your ticket can be used on the 'Madrid Vision' sightseeing bus, allowing you to get on and off the bus as many times as you wish for a day. The card also entitles you to visit the Planetarium, a guided walking tour from the "Discover Madrid Program", use of a Cable Car, visit Faunia Biologic Park and Imax Cinema. You can also benefit from discounts in more than 100 establishments including shops, restaurants, shows, rent a car and leisure centres for adults and children. You will also obtain a guidebook with information on the museums and establishments that are included on the scheme and a map of the city. Exchange your voucher for a Madrid Card at: Madrid Tourist Board, Plaza Mayor 27 between 9.30am and 8.30pm or at Metro Travellers Information Centre. Your pass is valid from 9am until 7pm.
Enjoy a three course typical Spanish dinner before watching a breathtaking perfomance of Flamenco. Located in the Old Quarter of Madrid, Corral de La Moreria Flamenco is an authentic tablao (place where flamenco is performed) where singers, guitarists and dancers share their talent to make you feel the art of 'Flamenco'. Enjoy a three course dinner including wine and mineral water before the performance.
Accommodation: Regente (3*) Day 6: Madrid - Toledo
Enjoy your day trip to Toledo by train. The train ride takes only 33 minutes one-way.
Enjoy a half day walking tour through the streets of Toledo and learn the history of this UNESCO heritage site.
"Holy Toledo" isn't just an expression! A unique and richly diverse city, Toledo features Arab, Jewish, Christian, and even Roman and Visigothic elements. A beloved national landmark, the Toledo that so inspired El Greco in the 16th century has remained relatively unchanged since his time. Old churches and houses fill the city, where you can still stroll through streets barely wide enough for a man and his donkey, let alone an automobile. (No entrance fees included.)
Enjoy your visit to Toledo. The quick journey takes only 30 minutes one-way.
Accommodation: Regente (3*) Day 7: Madrid
Meet your driver for a private airport transfer.
Accommodation: Depart (Int`l Airport)
Accommodations
- Balmes Hotel
Balmes Hotel Guest Room
Balmes (3*) - Barcelona
Balmes (3*) is an economy class hotel, situated next to Paseo de Gracia, is located in the Eixample area. A location 25-kilometers from the airport makes this hotel perfect for international travelers. Guests will enjoy easy access via the metro to a myriad of historical, cultural, and tourist attractions, including the Ramblas, Born Quarter, the Olympic Village, and La Sagrada Familia Church. The Liceo Theatre, Guell Park Gothic Park, and the Picasso Museum, are only a stroll away. The hotel features 100 cozy rooms that are adorned with standard amenities, and a distinctive color scheme that uses neutral hues to promote peacefulness. The Balmes Hotel is perfect for travelers that want central city accommodation for a reasonable price.
- Hotel Regente
Regente (3*) - Madrid
The Hotel Regente (3*) is a hotel in Madrid located on Gran Vía street and only a few minutes walk from the Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Madrid de los Austrias old. Featuring 154 rooms, this hotel displays traditional hispanic charm. The hotel is surrounded by theaters, cinemas, restaurants and boutiques and public transport, either by metro or city bus is close and convenient.
Travel Info
Travel tips of Spain
VISA/PASSPORT
Spain is a party to the Schengen Agreement. As such, U.S. and Canadian citizens may enter for up to 90 days for tourist or business purposes without a visa. The passport should be valid for at least three months beyond the period of stay.
Citizens of other countries may require a visa. Please ask your Sales Advisor. These requirements change often and therefore it is best that you check with the Embassy of Spain for the most up to date visa information.
HEALTH
Health insurance is recommended. Medical facilities are good quality. We recommend that you see a health-care provider who specializes in Travel Medicine. The doctor or health-care provider will determine what vaccinations and medication you will need, depending on factors such as your health and immunization history, areas of the country you will be visiting, and planned activities. For more information on travel requirements, visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/spain.aspx
COUNTRY INFO
Capital: Madrid.
Government: Parliamentary monarchy since 1978.
Language: The principal language is Spanish (Castilian or castillano). Catalan (in the northeast, with variations spoken in Valencia and The Balearics), Galician (in the northwest) and Basque (in the north, bordering France) are also spoken.
Religion: There is no official religion, but the majority of the population is Roman Catholic.
Time: Mainland Spain/Balearics: GMT + 1 (GMT + 2 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October). The Canary Islands: GMT (GMT + 1 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 220 or 225 volts AC, 50Hz. Generally, round two-pin plugs and screw-type lamp fittings are in use.
Telephone: Country code +34.
Mobile Telephone: Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is good throughout most of the country.
Internet: There is a variety of Internet cafes in most urban areas.
What's Included:
- Guaranteed departure - Accommodation, Activities, Transfers, Meals, Fees where indicated as per the itinerary - Local and international traveler assistance during your tour - Specialised and personalised services
What's not Included:
- Tips - Laundry - Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages unless explicitly noted - Optional activities/extras – Visas (unless noted) - Vacation insurance
Trip Terms & Conditions
- Your deposit is due immediately on booking (30% of program price, minimum $350). The balance is due 90 days prior to departure.
- Cancellations of confirmed bookings 90 days or more prior to departure will receive full refund minus a $350 (per person) administrative fee and any non-refundable paid fees (e.g. non-refundable airfare, cruise or hotel deposits). 60-89 days will be subject to loss of 30% of program price. 30-59 days will be subject to loss of 50% of program price. 29 days or less will be subject to loss of 100% of program price.
- Tour quotes do not include airfare to/from the trip start point unless noted on the itinerary
- Cost increases in currency exchange, government fees, taxes, surcharges or hotel/lodge tariff increases between quote date and start date are payable by the client.
- Availability cannot be guaranteed until booked. We will exercise best efforts to book hotels per the itinerary, however, in busy seasons and with client bookings made within 90 days of tour date we may be forced to offer substitutes.
- Payment of the program price constitutes your acceptance of the terms and conditions set out at www.kensingtontours.com/terms-and-conditions
- Living Standards and practices at destination may differ from those in North America with respect to provisions of utilities, services and accommodation.
Stay in the know: Subscribe to our newsletter to have our hand-picked trips & specials delivered to you!