Spain's Cultural Capitals

Number of days Prior to departure and the related cancellation charge

• 90 days or more- $300
• 89-60 days - 10% of selling price or $300—whichever is greater
• 59-30 days - 65% of selling price
• 29 days–departure - 100% of selling price

Extensions

Pre-trip: Bilbao & San Sebastian, Spain

4 nights from only $995

Discover Basque culture on a tour of Bilbao

More than a third of our travelers have reserved this extension in 2016

Basque culture is known for its lively traditions, distinctive cuisine, and fierce regional pride. You’ll experience two of its gems, Bilbao and San Sebastian, in a four-night stay that introduces you to treasures of culture and nature. From Frank Gehry’s architectural masterpiece, the Guggenheim Museum, to seaside San Sebastian, the playground of kings, you’ll enjoy a rewarding blend of included features and ample time to experience the leisurely rhythm of Basque life on your own.

Post-trip: Malaga, Spain

4 nights from only $845

Discover Spain’s Mediterranean Costa del Sol in Malaga

84% of our travelers rated this extension "Excellent" in 2015

On Spain’s Mediterranean Costa del Sol, Malaga provides a warm welcome for all who seek the balmy pleasures of Europe’s southernmost major city. In a leisurely four-night stay, you’ll be introduced to its rich history, which stretches back to the Phoenicians, and experience the seaside charms that drew Roman guards and Moorish caliphs, inspired native son Pablo Picasso, and still beckons sophisticated travelers today.

Optional Tours

Segovia

Day 4 $85 per person

With its dramatic hilltop location and stunning medieval architecture, your full-day visit to Segovia might feel like a fairy tale come to life. Your tour of this UNESCO World Heritage Site begins with the city’s Roman aqueduct, which was constructed without the use of mortar and is still standing today, due to the efforts of the local community to preserve it. Then stroll through the charming, narrow streets of the old Jewish Quarter before visiting the Plaza Mayor, a picturesque square surrounded by many of Segovia’s most important buildings, including its Gothic cathedral, an imposing 16th-century church that was one of the last of its kind built in Spain. The last stop on your tour is the Alcazar, a skyline-dominating castle perched idyllically on the top of a hill, whose romantic gables and turrets inspired Walt Disney’s design for the castle of Sleeping Beauty. Later, enjoy lunch (included with the cost of the optional tour).

Toledo

Day 5 $75 per person

Your tour of Toledo starts in its Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), where you’ll visit the Synagogue of El Transito. The building is unique in that it was built during a period in the 14th century when construction of synagogues was generally forbidden in Spain. In 1492, Toledo’s Jewish community was expelled from the city, and the synagogue was converted into a church. Today, it is a museum. You’ll also stop at the Church of Santo Tome and the Gothic Toledo Cathedral, an important spiritual center of Catholic Spain since its construction in the 13th century. You’ll go inside to see its elaborate decor, including the magnificent altarpiece, a towering depiction of scenes from the life of Christ.

Montserrat & Codorniu Winery

Day 12 $80 per person

Explore Montserrat, a jagged mountain range outside the city which offers exhilarating hikes past peculiar rock formations and spectacular views of the Catalonian countryside below. The mountain is also home to a Benedictine abbey, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat, a Black Madonna statue which attracts many devout pilgrims.

Then continue on to Codorniu Winery, a major producer of the local Spanish sparkling wine called cava. You'll learn about the production process and tour the cellars, where you'll have the opportunity to sample some of the finished product. The wine isn't the only thing on display—the building itself is visually impressive, as it is designed in the Catalan Modernist style for which the area is so well known.