Greet the new year in the vibrant Spanish capital.
Within the borders of one country, uncover three distinct destinations. Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville display intriguing distinctions, from Catalan castells to Andalusian architecture. Explore Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and Modernist landmarks. Then, see Madrid’s illuminated streets as you ring in the new year during a celebratory Spanish evening. Cap off your trip in Seville, where Moorish architecture shines.
Your tour package includes
8 nights in handpicked hotels
8 breakfasts
4 dinners with beer or wine, including a memorable New Year’s Eve dinner with live music
4 sightseeing tours
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach
2 train rides
Included highlights
Sagrada Família
Prado Museum
New Year’s Eve in Madrid
Córdoba
Olive oil tasting
Royal Alcázar
Itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day
Board your overnight flight to Barcelona today.
Barcelona3 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Barcelona
Included meal: Welcome dinner
Welcome to Spain! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.
We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
This contemporary hotel is located in the Sant Gervasi Galvany neighborhood. Guests enjoy a gym, terrace, and spa. Nearby you’ll find La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, and Mercat del Ninot.
Novotel Madrid Center
This spacious hotel is located in the heart of Madrid. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, and a fitness center. Nearby, you'll find the Prado Museum, Royal Theater, and Retiro Park.
NH Collection Sevilla
This stylish, modern hotel is located in the Nervión district in eastern Seville. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, as well as a swimming pool, gym, and restaurant. Nearby, you'll find Barrio de Santa Cruz, Plaza de España, and the...
Hotel Alay
This coastal hotel is located in Benalmádena. Guests enjoy a bar, gym, and outdoor pool. Nearby you’ll find the marina, Malapesquera Beach, and Benalmadena Beach.
Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
Add our airfare and you’ll get:
Round-trip flight for your tour
Airport transfers at your destination
A great price locked in today
24/7 support from our dedicated service team
Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
In order to enter Spain, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2025, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center.
If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code SM8.
You will walk for at least 1 hour daily across moderately uneven terrain, including paved roads and dirt paths, with some hills.
Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times, as well as getting in and out of trains.
Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in Barcelona and depart from Seville (or Málaga on the tour extension). A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost.
Train rides from Barcelona to Madrid and Madrid to Córdoba are included in the price of your tour.
All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one personal item per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
Porterage is not included for the train transfers. Travelers must be comfortable lifting and carrying all luggage over steps, onto platforms, and into luggage storage. The storage space on the train is extremely limited, so we recommended traveling with only one suitcase per person (and a personal item, such as a backpack or purse).
Winters in Spain are generally mild. However, to ensure you’re comfortable for outdoor sightseeing and celebrations, we recommend packing a warm coat, hat and gloves, as well as rainwear.
We also suggest packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered.
A sturdy pair of walking shoes, sneakers or winter boots is recommended for sightseeing.
You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code SM8.
In Spain, breakfast like a local with just a pastry and coffee. Then, tuck into a three-course lunch featuring a Spanish staple like savory seafood paella or grilled meat and fried potatoes. Dinner is less hearty than lunch and is served late, between 9pm and midnight. Snack on small plates called tapas any time of day.
Catalan cuisine, which can be found in Barcelona, is markedly different from food in other parts of Spain. Nearly every restaurant will offer pa amb tomàquet—toasted bread with tomato and olive oil. Fresh seafood, hearty meat dishes, cheeses, and locally grown vegetables, such as wild mushrooms, are culinary mainstays.
Cuisine in Spain's southern Andalusia region is heavily influenced by surrounding countries, and has many Arabic elements. Kebabs are popular, and desserts are often prepared with almonds, honey and cinnamon. Be sure to try Serrano ham, which is considered a regional delicacy, as well as the famous chilled soup known as gazpacho.
Spain operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C, E, or F plugs with two small, round pins.
We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
Your hotels may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
Spain is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
When it’s noon in New York, it’s 6pm on tour.
You will use the euro on this tour.
Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s 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 international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
At the conclusion of your tour, it’s customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
Tips can only be paid in cash.
Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour.
Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.
Everything about this tour was beautifully organized! The cooking class was my fav. Although full days may have been a challenge for a few, I loved every bit of it because I'm a believer in getting my money's worth 🙃. I can't just pick one thing about this trip that made it so...
AMAZING
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Tina, traveled in Dec 2022
Our tour guide Leonor made this one of our most exciting and fascinating trips! She was absolutely attentive, patient, understanding & knowledgeable! Leonor is definitely a true GEM! 🥰
Voyager
5 out of 5 stars
9th-time traveler Louise, traveled in Dec 2022
I'm a voyager this is my 9th tour with goaheadtour and looking forward for my 10th next year love to travel with peace of mind no worries gohead do all the worries for me I just sit back and enjoy I just love it.
Great company amazing tour guides and worth every penny
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Rama, traveled in Dec 2021
Well thought out itinerary. Very supportive staff. Guide who is detail oriented and went above and beyond from beginning to end of the trip.
Helped create a trip of a lifetime. Worth every penny!!!😀
EF Go Ahead Tours
Dear Rama,
Thank you for leaving a review! We are thrilled to hear you enjoyed your tour and felt you got your monies worth! We very much...
New Years Eve
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Wayne, traveled in Dec 2021
Overall the trip was fantastic our tour guides are awesome especially Bernardo.
EF Go Ahead Tours
Dear Wayne,
We are delighted to hear you enjoyed ringing in the New Year in Spain! Let us know when you are ready for your next adventure!
