Classic Barcelona to Madrid

7 days
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Small Group Tour
Make your way southbound along the beautiful eastern coastline of Spain on your way from Barcelona to Madrid. This seven-day adventure will be a food and culture lover's dream, with stops in the birthplace of paella, a trip to a cava winery in the heart of the Catalonian wine region, visits to ancient oceanside amphitheatres, behind-the-scenes looks at the co...
21%
$3,670
From$2,902
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy

Highlights

    • Travel from Barcelona to Madrid along the eastern coast of Spain, taking in Tarragona’s Roman amphitheatre and perhaps an agua de Valencia in Valencia along the way.
    • Learn about the history and artistry of the unique Fallas festival of Valencia by meeting a professional artist in their workshop to find out how they construct these intricately detailed statues, often of enormous sizes.
    • Enjoy glasses of locally produced cava – a Spanish sparkling wine produced in the Catalonian wine region. Sip on samples while strolling through a vineyard and enjoy a tapas-style lunch of cured meats, cheeses, and other delectable dishes.
    • Look out over the Mediterranean Sea and the sprawling ‘City in the Sea’ from the walls of Peniscola Castle. Built on the highest point in the city, it juts out into the ocean on its clifftop position, giving you an uninterrupted view of the city below.
    • Savour a Spanish favourite at a Madrid insititution– cinnamon and sugar-dusted churros with velvety chocolate sauce from a churreria that has over a century of expertise.
    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll learn about our Intrepid Foundation partner, Casa Caridad. Donations help them provide basic needs such as food and shelter for people in need in Valencia. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

What's this trip about?

    Make your way southbound along the beautiful eastern coastline of Spain on your way from Barcelona to Madrid. This seven-day adventure will be a food and culture lover's dream, with stops in the birthplace of paella, a trip to a cava winery in the heart of the Catalonian wine region, visits to ancient oceanside amphitheatres, behind-the-scenes looks at the construction of festival statues, and more tapas than you can stomach! Explore Spanish beaches on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea and indulge in locally made churros. There’s a little something for everyone in this Spanish crusade.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityBarcelona
End CityMadrid

Travel Themes

  • High Adventure

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Spain

Attractions

  • Barcelona
  • Madrid
  • Valencia

Trip includes

    • Barcelona - Welcome aperitivo
    • Vilafranca del Penedes - Leader-led orientation walk
    • Vilafranca del Penedes - Cava vineyard with tastings
    • Tarragona - Roman amphitheatre (entrance fee)
    • Tarragona - Leader-led orientation walk
    • Tarragona - Les Ferreres Aqueduct
    • Peñiscola - Leader-led orientation walk
    • Peñiscola - Castle visit
    • Valencia - Fallero-guided workshop visit
    • Valencia - Fallas Museum
    • Valencia - Leader-led orientation walk
    • Madrid - Churros con chocolate
    • Madrid - Leader-led orientation walk

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Barcelona

Hola! Welcome to Spain. Whether you’re here for the architecture, the food, or the football team, there’s something for everyone in Barcelona. This evening, you’ll be meeting up with your leader and group for a welcome meeting at 6 pm. If you arrive early, there’s ple...

Day 2 Tarragona

Head south to the charming Catalan town of Vilafranca del Penedes. Today you’ll be stopping for lunch at a vineyard, where you’ll feast on cured meats, cheeses, and other local favourites. Wander through the vines and enjoy a tasting of cava (a Spanish sparkling wine)...

Day 3 Tarragona

Waking up in Tarragona, step out with your leader for an orientation walk through this beautiful coastal town. Stopping by Tarragona’s Roman Amphitheatre, you’ll have as much time as you’d like to explore the 2nd century BC structure. Overlooking the ocean, the amphit...

Day 4 Valencia

Your first stop today is at the Les Ferreres Aqueduct – an ancient Roman bridge and part of an aqueduct that supplied water to the region. Built in the 1st century BC, and at over 200 m long and 24 m high, you’ll take a stroll across this still-standing piece of histo...

Day 5 Valencia

Birthplace of paella, home to Gothic architecture, quirky galleries and museums, and more festivals than you can keep track of – there is no shortage of fun to get up to in the coastal city of Valencia. This morning, you and your group will make your way to the Fallas...

Day 6 Madrid

Today, you’ll be hopping on the train and heading off to your final destination on this Spanish adventure – Madrid. On arrival your leader will take you on an orientation walk, finishing up at a churreria where you’ll indulge in the local favourite – churros! The rest...

Day 7 Madrid

Your journey through Spain comes to an end today. Say adios to your leader and group before parting ways. In Spain, all roads lead to Puerta del Sol (Madrid’s busy central square), so it’s the perfect place to continue exploring. If you’d like to extend your time in Madrid, chat with your booking agent.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,902
Price per day$415
Last Updated: 10/11/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
13 Apr 2025
19 Apr 2025
$3,270
18 May 2025
24 May 2025
$3,530
14 Sep 2025
20 Sep 2025
$3,670

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Intrepid Travel Reviews & Ratings

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Michele Twigden

Aug 2024

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Completed 3 trips with Intrepid this…

Completed 3 trips with Intrepid this year. A prior last year. The Leaders are well organized, informative and fun. Travelling inland in Greece and the Greek Island...

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jasonemeraldrealestate.com.au

Aug 2024

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The intrepid group were excellent to…

The intrepid group were excellent to work with and were very helpful at all times and made organising the trip a breeze. This was an excellent trip, and was enjoyed ...

M

Michael Campbell

Aug 2024

Written on

Awful waste of time and money.

I’m aware that Intrepid responds to reviews, so here’s my updated take. I paid approximately $1,800 USD for a 9-day trip to Costa Rica. However, between the arrival...

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

Associations

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (6 nights),

Transportation & Flights

Private vehicle,Train,Metro,

Transportation & flights

Private vehicle,Train,Metro
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip. EUROPEAN LEADERS Intrepid trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. We also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • NH Madrid Ventas
  • C/ de Biarritz, 2
  • Madrid
  • 28028
  • SPAIN
Trip ID
intrepid-ZMKB

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