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Cuisine & Culture: Barcelona, Madrid & Seville

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4.7 stars(6 reviews)
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Cuisine & Culture

Whet your taste for adventure on this 9-day Spanish expedition that immerses travelers in the vibrant local culture through food, wine, and authentic local experiences.

You are viewing the 2023 itinerary. Select your departure year
202320242025
9 days From $1,890 per person
Travel on your own following a well-planned itinerary

2023 Tour code: CI-BMSA-23

About the tour

Sunny Spain, where a colorful atmosphere is cultivated through flavorful cuisine and centuries of tradition. Your fascinating rail vacation take you to Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, and Seville, where independent sightseeing and optional excursions pair with guided touring to enrich each day and make it one to remember. Enjoy a paella cooking demonstration overlooking the city and a visit to the famous La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Tour the Royal Palace and Prado Museum in Madrid. Take a deep dive into the art and culture of Seville with a guided tour by boat and a traditional flamenco performance. Each new city becomes a platform for adventure, allowing you to immerse yourself in the unique Mediterranean essence of the country.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - Barcelona

Arrive in Barcelona and meet your English-speaking driver at the airport for your private transfer into the city. En route to your conveniently located hotel, get acquainted with the city on a 2-hour driving tour. Look upon Barcelona's gorgeous Spanish architecture, intricate neighborhoods and well-known sites as your driver meanders through the centuries-old streets. Overnight Barcelona.

Day 2 - La Sagrada Familia

The morning is at leisure for you to explore Barcelona independently. Enjoy a morning coffee in one of the cafés throughout the city or head to a landmark site presented on yesterday's driving tour for an up-close view. Later, visit two of Barcelona's famous landmarks: La Sagrada Familia and Park Guell. Learn about the symbolism in Gaudi's works as you skip the line and discover the incredible detail within the basilica, presented through artwork and the structure itself.

End your day as you please - perhaps by joining an optional tour through Barcelona's beloved bars and taverns. Live like a Catalonian, tasting tapas of all varieties, sipping local wine, and soaking in the city's undeniable ambiance as a guide escorts you between tapas joints. Overnight Barcelona. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch
  • Excursions
Day 3 - Barcelona Your Way

Today brings a choice of excursions that allow you to experience the Barcelona region in new and exciting ways. You can join a half-day expedition to Montserrat. Begin with a visit to Santa Maria de Montserrat to follow in the footsteps of monks from hundreds of years ago. Surrounded by the soft curves of rock formations and lush greenery, this Gothic Basilica is a true sight to behold. The main attraction here is the Black Madonna statue, located on the church's altar. Your excursion continues through the countryside, surrounded by the most incredible views, to Montserrat Mountain for a ride aboard its cogwheel railway. Picturesque views over the scenic region abound during the 15-minute ascent into the heart of the mountains.

Alternatively, explore the city through its flavors. Venture to a picturesque terrace overlooking the sea and savor authentic Spanish paella and breathtaking panoramic views. Overnight Barcelona.

Includes
  • Breakfast
  • Free Day
  • Excursions
Day 4 - Madrid

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Barcelona's train station to board a train bound for Madrid. The journey inland takes under three hours to complete, and on arrival, a driver awaits to transfer you to your conveniently located hotel. This city is all stunning architecture, charming boulevards, and vibrant culture, all of which are yours to explore at leisure. You may wish to relax in one of the parks, such as El Retiro, or savor the sights and smells of the famous San Miguel Market. Overnight Madrid.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 5 - Madrid Sightseeing

Through art and history, immerse yourself in Madrid's rich heritage today as you experience the highlights of Madrid, ranging from its most notable landmarks to its pretty plazas, on a guided tour. Each area of the city has a distinct feel which, together, illustrate Madrid's vast offerings. The tour also includes skip-the-line access to the largest palace in Western Europe - and one of the largest in the world - Madrid's Royal Palace. During your visit, look upon exquisite furnishings and magnificent works of art as you venture between the palace's most famous rooms, including the royal armory, the throne room, the Gasparini Room, the chapel, and the beautifully preserved royal kitchen. The grand staircase steals the show during any visit with its unmatched opulence.

For a more intimate touring experience, upgrade to a private city tour. Your driver escorts you through the city's winding boulevards, lined with history, and to the beloved Prado Museum, which houses an extensive collection of Spanish artwork and countless other masterpieces from across Europe. Home to over 8,500 paintings, as well as various sculptures, drawings, prints, and artifacts, there is no shortage of things to discover.

After your chosen adventure, continue your day with a culinary experience highlighting Madrid's unique fare. A local guide leads you between resident taverns to sample three different types of wine and several varieties of ham and cheese. Overnight Madrid. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
  • Guided City Tour
Day 6 - Madrid Your Way

The day is yours to continue experiencing Madrid independently, or you may elect to join an optional excursion. The first takes you to the ancient city of Toledo. Spend half the day delving into this riverside destination's arts, history, and cuisine. Known as the "city of three cultures," you will see influences of the Christian, Hebrew, and Islamic cultures as you visit popular places throughout the city, including its UNESCO World Heritage historic quarter, complete with medieval buildings. Entrance to its intricate Roman Catholic cathedral is also included.

Alternatively, a guided tour of the Prado Museum, with skip-the-line access, allows you to experience Spain through its art. Overnight Madrid.

Includes
  • Breakfast
  • Free Day
  • Excursions
Day 7 - Seville Sightseeing

Transfer to the Madrid rail station this morning and board your train to Seville. Set alongside the River Guadalquivir, Seville is an artist's dream. From its architecture to its dancing and music, the city is a joy to discover. Your explorations begin on the water as you join a river cruiser on the Guadalquivir to see the sites from a unique perspective. Slow and steady, the vessel navigates along the shoreline, presenting a plethora of beautiful buildings and bridges constructed in styles spanning the centuries. Following your cruise, the tour proceeds to the Plaza de Toros de La Maestranza to visit the famous bullring and learn more about the sport at the onsite museum. A minibus then takes you across the lovely Isabell II Bridge to the Triana District. Once home to potters and sailors, this thriving neighborhood is now one of the most interesting places to visit in the city. Colorful old buildings collide with ancient chapels, lively markets and ceramic studios that utilize techniques that date to the Romans. The tour wraps up at the Basilica Macarena, built in 1949 to honor the Virgin Mary and home to one of the most impressive Madonna statues in the city. The remainder of the day is yours to explore Seville's hotspots and attractions as you please. Overnight Seville. 

Includes
  • Breakfast
  • Guided City Tour
Day 8 - Seville

Spend your day in Seville marveling at Mudéjar architecture and visiting sites that speak to history buffs, artists, and globetrotters alike. Seville is brimming with UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the grandiose Seville Cathedral, the remarkable Royal Alcazar and the General Archive of the Indies, home to more the 43,000 documents. The city has stunning plazas, including the Plaza de España, beloved for its beauty and cultural significance. In fact, it was even featured in "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones" and "Game of Thrones." Taste tapas in a bar that dates to 1670, El Rinconcillo, or meander through the museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts. Alternatively, you may choose to join an optional wine tasting tour that presents Seville's fine wines. An expert leads the way, pouring delicious varietals that speak to the nuances of the region.

However you choose to spend your day, the evening concludes with a showcase of color, movement, and excitement with a traditional Flamenco performance. On a private patio, watch the graceful movements of dancers while listening to rhythmic music and dining on a delicious meal of tapas. The combination of elements makes for a memorable conclusion to this wonderful journey. Overnight Seville. 

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
  • Free Day
  • Excursions
Day 9 - Tour Conclusion

After eight days of beauty and culture, your Spanish expedition concludes this morning. A driver meets you at your hotel for a private transfer to the airport for your return flight home. 

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Departure times

Departure times vary based on selected rail vacation. This information will be provided in your final documents. For more information please speak with your rail specialist.

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Reviews

4.7 stars4.7 / 5 · 6 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (4)
  2. 4 stars
    (2)
  3. 3 stars
    (0)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

BYRON ALAN BONER

5 stars

Submitted 06 Mar 2023

What an amazing adventure. Just the right amount of touch, we had plenty to do, but still had time to seek our own adventures. The team was reachable at all hours, even on the weekends. Thank you, Eric H., and team for an amazing vacation. We will use them again for future vacations.

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TIFFANY LEIGH RETZLAFF

5 stars

Submitted 23 Oct 2022

This was my first trip to Europe so I didn't really have a frame of reference for what to expect, but everything with Vacations By Rail was great and a very smooth experience! The hotels booked for us were lovely and in excellent parts of town, the trains between cities were easy to navigate, clean, and comfortable, and we loved the optional add-on experiences! We particularly enjoyed the sightseeing tours we took on the first day that we traveled to each city - these helped us to get a feel for the area and plan for the thing we wanted to see and the places we wanted to eat! We had a lovely trip overall and would happily recommend Vacations By Rail to others who like a little bit of structure on trips but a good amount of free time to do as you please!

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Sharen Schwartz

4 stars

Submitted 14 Oct 2022

Excellent trip except final evening.

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Bill --

5 stars

Submitted 20 Sep 2022

We really enjoyed this tour. We took the self-directed option, which gave us plenty of time to explore on our own. We took a few group tours, which were OK, but enjoyed the private tours much more. We upgraded hotels and were very pleased with every place we stayed. We arrived in Barcelona a day early, giving us an extra free day there, and extended our tour to include Granada - both were great additions to our tour. The food was superb everywhere we went!

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Steve Travis

5 stars

Submitted 16 Sep 2022

Well organized diverse venues. Could have added a few more cities.

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ANH TRAN

4 stars

Submitted 20 Aug 2022

Everything is great except for the city tours that we received with the drivers picking us up from the airport or train stations once we arrive at a city were average at best. The drivers drove us around the city but they were not able to verbally communicate everything very well because of the constraints associated with their English vocabularies.

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