From the festive squares of Madrid to the Sierra Nevada foothills and the Mediterranean coastline, this journey through Spain showcases a landscape as intricate as its history and people. Immerse yourself in the unique culture and traditions of each region.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Madrid

Begin your trip with an overnight flight to Madrid.

Day 2 - Madrid

A Go Ahead representative greets you at Madrid’s airport and then escorts you to your hotel. Meet the rest of your group at this evening’s included dinner.
Included meals: breakfast (in flight), dinner

Day 3 - Madrid

On your guided tour of Madrid, view the collection of Spanish art at the Prado museum and tour the 2,800-room interior of the Royal Palace. For a delectable Castillian meal, opt for our Traditional Spanish Evening.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Prado, Royal Palace

$99 CAD

Traditional Spanish Evening Enjoy conversation and camaraderie—true to the Castilian culture—while dining in a restaurant situated in the historical Plaza Mayor. Revel in the traditional atmosphere while you indulge in an evening of succulent Castilian cuisine.

Day 4 - Madrid

Enjoy a free day in Madrid. Relax in one of Plaza Mayor’s many cafés, or visit the Parque del Buen Retiro, featuring an Egyptian fountain at its center. Or join an optional excursion to the former Spanish capital of Toledo.Included meals: breakfast

$89 CAD

Toledo Your guided tour begins at the massive Gothic cathedral, which houses 750 medieval stained-glass windows and a treasury rich in vessels made from the gold that Columbus brought back from the New World. Gaze at the sacristy, containing masterpieces by the likes of van Dyck, El Greco, Rubens and Titian. Please note: This tour involves some difficult walking over uneven terrain. Also, depending on the day of the week, the sites visited are subject to change. Sundays when the Synagoga of Transito is closed, you’ll visit the Synagogue St. Maria la Blanca.

Day 5 - Cordoba

Travel via high-speed AVE train to Córdoba. Upon arrival, you’ll have a guided tour and visit the 8th-century Mezquita, a fascinating blend of Christian and Moorish architecture. Continue on to sunny Seville. Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Mezquita

Day 6 - Seville

Visit Seville’s massive cathedral and the dazzling Alcázar, an excellent example of mudéjar architecture, during today’s guided tour. The afternoon is free to discover Seville on your own.

Tonight, enjoy a night of dance at our optional Flamenco Evening, followed by a carriage ride.
Included meals: breakfast
Included entrances: Seville Cathedral, Alcazar

$75 CAD

Flamenco Show & Carriage Ride Experience the drama of flamenco dancing, one of Spain’s most celebrated traditions. Flamenco is a unique and colorful Andalusian art form, combining guitar playing, singing, clapping and dancing. Also included in this excursion is a carriage ride.

Day 7 - Costa del Sol

En route to Coasta del Sol, stop in the unique British colony of Gibraltar—at the very tip of the Iberian Peninsula—for a guided tour. Known for its namesake limestone rock that towers 1,396 feet above the countryside, Gibraltar boasts an unusual natural, cultural and political history for a territory of only 2.53 square miles. Visit the Pillars of Hercules, St. Michael’s Cave and the Apes Den, and keep an eye out for the 160 semi-wild Barbary apes that call Gibraltar home. Continue on to your hotel in Costa del Sol.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Pillars of Hercules, St. Michael’s Cave and Apes Den

Day 8 - Costa del Sol

Enjoy a free day in Costa del Sol, or opt to travel across the Straits of Gibraltar to Morocco.
Included meals: breakfast

$175 CAD

Morocco Venture to mystical Morocco, a country that sits on Africa's northern tip.

Day 9 - Granada

Transfer to Granada, the last bastion of Moorish rule in Spain, and tour the opulent 14th-century Alhambra, the hilltop fortress palace of Spain’s last Muslim rulers. Washington Irving collected local legends—set in the Alhambra’s courtyards—while living nearby.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: the Alhambra

Day 10 - Valencia

On the way to Valencia, stop in the district of Guadix, the Andalusian town where many of the residents live in underground caves. Continue on to Valencia, known for its orange groves and annual Fallas celebration, a fiesta of bonfires, music and fireworks.
Included meals: breakfast

Day 11 - Valencia

On today’s guided tour of Valencia, travel along the city’s boulevards and past its bell towers to the cathedral, where you can view the chalice said to be the Holy Grail.

Then continue on to the Fallas Museum and the City of Arts and Sciences, to observe its incredible architecture from the outside.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner
Included entrances: Valencia cathedral, Fallas Museum

Day 12 - Barcelona

Continuing north along Spain’s Mediterranean coastline, pass through Peñiscola, a fortress built between the 13th and 15th centuries that appears to rise out of the sea. Arrive later in Barcelona, where dinner is included tonight.
Included meals: breakfast, dinner

Day 13 - Barcelona

A professional local guide leads a sightseeing tour of Barcelona. Stop to view La Sagrada Familia (Church of the Holy Family), Gaudí’s famous landmark. As you travel through the city, take in panoramic views of the Columbus Monument, the 14th-century Barrio Gótico and Montjuïc Hill, where much of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games took place. You’ll also visit another of Gaudí’s creations, the Parque Güell, a garden village nestled in the heart of the city. This afternoon, join an optional excursion to Montserrat.
Included meals: breakfast

$75 CAD

Montserrat Journey to the picturesque town of Montserrat, which inspired the composer Richard Wagner as he wrote Parsifal. During your visit, you might catch the strains of the world-acclaimed boys’ choir based here.

Day 14 - Barcelona

A Go Ahead representative escorts you to the airport for your return flight home.
Included meals: breakfast

(In the case of early morning departures, breakfast may not be provided.)

Protect your investment with affordable travel protection

Basic Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage
Protect yourself in the event you need to cancel your trip or leave your tour unexpectedly due to an emergency. Or choose one of the comprehensive packages below, and receive a discounted rate!

TravelSafe Plus — For one low price, you’ll receive:

• Trip cancellation & interruption protection
• Medical & accident protection
• Baggage & property protection

TravelSafe Gold with Flight Cancellation Protection
Take advantage of the best possible deal for your investment dollar. For $60 CAD more, you’ll get all of the above plus additional coverage (up to $1,000 CAD) if the flight to your tour is cancelled due to reasons beyond your control.

Purchase your travel protection package early and receive an added benefit!
Purchase one of the above TravelSafe packages within 14 days of reserving your tour, and you’ll automatically receive AnyTime Travel Protection at no additional charge. This means you can cancel for any reason up to 72 hours prior to the departure of your initial flight and still protect your investment. You will be provided with a credit voucher towards your next Go Ahead tour.

What’s unique about these protection plans?

• Most primary travel protection companies don’t cover international travel.
• Under the AnyTime Travel Protection Plan, you can cancel for any reason and your investment is protected in the form of a credit voucher.
• Efekta travel protection covers lost or stolen cash while on tour.
• Efekta travel protection covers the cost towards replacement of valuable documents—such as passports, airline tickets and visas while on tour.
• In the event that your roommate cancels for a reason covered under the policy, you will be reimbursed for the single supplement fee, should you still choose to travel.
• The following policies are also available to be purchased separately:
  • Medical & Accident: $70 CAD
  • Baggage & Property: $60 CAD

Extended Protection Plan
The Extended Protection Plan allows you to purchase extended coverage for any travel you do before or after meeting up with your Go Ahead Tours tour group (with flights arranged by Go Ahead Tours).

For more detailed descriptions of the benefits available under Efekta Insurance International LTD's Travel Protection Plans please call 1-800-597-0350 or download a PDF copy of the Efekta Travel Protection booklet here.

Passport & Visa

In order to enter Spain (and Morocco, on optional excursion), U.S. or Canadian citizens need a valid passport. The expiration date must extend at least six months beyond the date of your return home. No visa is required for U.S. or Canadian citizens. If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must
contact the Spanish consulate for your specific entry requirements.

Health

There are no major health risks when traveling to Spain. During the summer months, travelers should take extra care for sun exposure, particularly in Southern Spain. It is always advisable to check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and overseas travel requirements.

Transportation / Walking on tour

Round-trip flights arrive in Madrid and depart from Barcelona. Included transportation on “Journey through Spain” is by AVE train (from Madrid to Córdoba) and private motorcoach. When traveling by train there may be times when you will have to handle your own luggage, and you’ll find that lightweight luggage provides a distinct advantage.

In your free time, you may wish to explore the main cities by public transportation.

Madrid’s main center is compact and walkable, but you’ll want to take advantage of the fast and efficient metro system for most attractions. Buses and taxis (which are inexpensive compared to most European cities) are also readily available and well-regulated.

The city centers in Seville, Córdoba, Granada and Valencia are all easily accessed on foot. Take local buses and taxis to reach outlying areas.

For the novice traveler, navigating Barcelona can be a little daunting, due to the spread-out and ever-expanding design. However, most of the main attractions and tourist hangouts are near the area known as La Rambla (or Las Ramblas, actually a collection of streets) and the Barrio Gótico. Use La Rambla as a base—it runs all the way down to the Columbus Monument and the harbor. For access to the other attractions and the charming neighborhoods of Barcelona, use the excellent metro system.

Clothing & Packing Tips

Light, loose-fitting clothing that provides comfort when exploring the sights is essential for your tour. A sun hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers are recommended for sightseeing. It’s always a good idea to be prepared for any eventuality—a lightweight sports jacket and emergency rainwear are advised. If you plan to visit an especially elegant restaurant or attend the opera or theater, you will probably feel more comfortable with something more formal to wear. Also, remember that it is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).

Be sure to visit www.travelsmith.com, official outfitter for Go Ahead Tours. Please enter JY9220 in the field for Catalog Key Code when creating your account!

Currency

The euro is the currency you will use on tour. Better rates of exchange are usually available in Spain rather than in the United States, although it is worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive. We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks, as needed. You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the Cirrus and Plus networks, but make sure to check with your bank about withdrawal fees. We suggest that you inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans, so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.

Please note: With the conversion to the euro, it has been increasingly difficult to exchange traveler’s checks outside of Europe’s major cities, and they often attract higher fees.

Tipping

At the conclusion of your tour, it is customary to offer your Go Ahead Tour Director and driver a gratuity. We recommend tipping in your tour country’s currency, the equivalent of $3USD/CAD per person per day for your driver and $6USD/CAD to $9USD/CAD per person per day for your Tour Director. If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD/CAD per local guide. Tips can only be paid in cash. Please keep current local currency exchange rates in mind when tipping.