9-Nights Spain: Seven Cities - Connections Boutique Group Journeys from $7,705
Abercrombie & Kent
OFFER ID 1507530
Spain: Seven Cities
Experience the best of Spain on a wide-ranging journey of cultural, historical and culinary discovery, contrasting the sun-dappled and atmospheric Andalusia region with the vibrant cities of Barcelona and Madrid.
9 nights from $7,705 per person
Itinerary Details
Abercrombie & Kent: Spain: Seven Cities
DAY 1 Barcelona, Spain
Upon arrival, you are met by your A&K representative and escorted to your hotel. Get to know your fellow guests at tonight’s welcome dinner.
Grand Hotel Central
Meals: Dinner
DAY 2 Barcelona
Embark on a walking tour of culture-rich Barcelona. Let your inner foodie run wild on a stroll through La Boqueria — one of the finest food markets in Europe, where fresh goods have traded hands for hundreds of years. Peruse the vast array of produce, meats, seafood and sweet treats, and perhaps stop by one of its many eateries to sample something on the spot. Explore the narrow cobblestone streets and wide plazas of the Gothic Quarter and the fantastic Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall. You also experience a tasting of Spanish olive oil, an essential component of the local cuisine. Enjoy more of this captivating city with an afternoon at leisure. Perhaps stroll Las Ramblas, the pedestrian-friendly avenue that draws equal amounts of visitors and locals, and browse the inviting shops and cafés. As with other cities in Spain, Barcelona truly comes alive at night, and this evening is a perfect opportunity to experience it firsthand, as taverns and tapas bars spill over with spirited conversation.
Grand Hotel Central
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 3 Barcelona
Discover more of vibrant Barcelona, focusing today on the city’s one-of-a-kind architecture. Visit the wild Sagrada Familia Basilica, the most-visited monument in Spain, begun by Gaudí in 1883 and still unfinished today; it is currently scheduled to be completed in 2026, the centenary of its architect’s death. Drive past Casa Mil on your way to hilltop Montjuïc with its sculptural gardens and castle, a place with a checkered and often bloody history until it was designated a museum by Francisco Franco. Immerse yourself in the most notable creations of Antoni Gaudí, possibly the most famous Spanish architect of modern times. Gaudí was the premier proponent of Modernisme, a distinctly Spanish take on Art Nouveau, and his free-flowing, extravagantly detailed structures are unmistakable. After lunch, fly to Granada, an ancient Moorish capital.
Villa Oniria
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 4 Granada & Ronda
Begin your day with a visit to the ancient palace and glorious gardens of the Alhambra, an incredible example of Moorish influence and Islamic architecture. Occupying over 1.5 million square feet, this sprawling complex served as the seat of power for Islamic emirs throughout the 14th century, later becoming a royal palace for Ferdinand and Isabella. Explore Granada at leisure before departing for clifftop Ronda, where you check in to your boutique hotel opposite the bullring. Enjoy a short walking tour that introduces you to the city’s rich history, followed by dinner. Ronda is known for bullfighting, and its Plaza de Toros is the oldest bullring in Spain. Ernest Hemingway did much to popularize both this controversial sport and Ronda itself, and a paseo (scenic walkway) bearing his name begins near the plaza. Another, dedicated to fellow aficionado Orson Welles, is located nearby.
Catalonia Ronda
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5 Gibraltar, United Kingdom
Travel to the Rock of Gibraltar, the most famous feature of what is technically an overseas territory of Great Britain, and a symbolic bridge linking Europe and Africa. Visit St. Michael’s Cave and observe Gibraltar’s Barbary macaques, the only wild monkeys in Europe. Return to Ronda with time to relax and explore one of Andalusia’s most beautiful pueblos blancos (white villages).
Catalonia Ronda
Meals: Breakfast
DAY 6 Seville
Travel through the mountains to Jerez, home of golden sherry, a distinctive fortified wine eagerly consumed the world over. Only wine from grapes grown in this region can properly be called sherry, and aficionados have many varieties to choose from, ranging from light-bodied fino to robust oloroso. Sample some of these for yourself during a visit to a bodega. Continue to Seville, later departing in style on a horse-drawn carriage ride for an authentic culinary adventure. Prepare for an evening tapas feast to remember, savoring delicious tapas from two of the city’s traditional restaurants.
Hotel Colón Gran Meliá
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY 7 Seville
Explore the sites in this uniquely lovely city: the Royal Palace of the Alcázar, the enormous Gothic cathedral and, of course, the Santa Cruz district, with its sun-drenched avenues, venerable architecture and shaded squares. The afternoon is at leisure to venture out on your own. Tonight, stroll to a resplendent palace nearby, where the owners take you on a tour and host your private dinner. Then, enjoy a performance of flamenco dancing and singing on the patio of this historic home.
Hotel Colón Gran Meliá
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 8 Córdoba
Set out for Córdoba to visit the Mezquita, the cathedral and former great mosque of the city, and an extraordinary fusion of European and Moorish styles that encapsulates much of Spanish history in a single structure. Continue for a stroll down the famous Street of Flowers, a picturesque lane in the city’s Old Town where potted flowers dot the walls of the charming old houses. In the afternoon, board your high-speed AVE train to Madrid.
Nh Collection Madrid Palacio De Tepa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
DAY 9 Madrid
View the Prado Museum’s extensive collection featuring some of the greatest Spanish masters, including El Greco, Velázquez and Goya. Then, visit the Royal Palace, followed by a short walk to the Plaza Mayor and the marvelous iron-and-glass San Miguel Market, where locals have been hawking and buying since the early 19th century. Later, join your Resident Tour Director for a farewell dinner.
Nh Collection Madrid Palacio De Tepa
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 10 Madrid
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
Excursions
Historic Influences of Seville (8 hours)
Historic Influences of Seville (8 hours)
Highlights:
Explore the vibrant heart of Andalucía during your full day shore excursion today. You receive a warm greeting by your driver at the port in Cádiz prior to your private transfer to Seville (a 2-hour journey approximately). Upon arrival, you will be met by your expert guide who will take you on an absorbing walking tour.
Visit the 15th-century Cathedral, one of the most breath-taking in all of Christendom. Your guide also shows you Seville's most famous monument, the Moorish tower of La Giralda. Other highlights of your tour include the Alcazar, a magnificent 14th-century Mudejar palace and the labyrinth of streets and squares of the Barrio de Santa Cruz which are delicately perfumed with orange blossom. This area is the old Jewish Quarter and every street and courtyard offers a new story that your guide will bring to life for you. After your tour, your driver transfers you back to your ship in Cádiz.
- Discover Seville's most famous monument, the Moorish tower of La Giralda
- Visit Alcazar, a 14th-century Mudejar palace
Tour can operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Excursions
Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours
Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours
Your chauffeur and your guide will
be waiting for you at the port. They will be at disposal for 8 hours. Your chauffeur will drive you to the city center of Barcelona.
A Walk Through Barcelona
You will start your day by an exciting 2-hour walking tour of the oldest parts of Barcelona: the Barri Gothic and Born neighborhoods. You will follow your guide as he/she leads you into the small, narrow streets to discover the vibrant, trendy ambiance of Born and the historical atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter. You will see the Santa Maria Del Mar church, the Royal Palace and the world famous “Las Ramblas” avenue. The fun facts and stories
told by our guide will keep your children highly engaged. The children will each get a game booklet to keep them engaged and entertained. After this tour, you will enjoy a
lunch break. Your guide will be there to give recommendations depending on your taste.
Included:
- A Walk Through Barcelona:
- Private certified guide
- 2 hour walking tour
- Game booklet for
- each child
- 2-hour experience
The Sagrada Familia and Park Güell
In the afternoon, you will enjoy a 3-hour tour inside the two iconic Gaudi sites in Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia and the Park Güell. You will follow your guide inside the
jaw-dropping and daring church and listen to the stories about its architecture, construction and future. After 1,5 hours spent in the Sagrada Familia, you will head out to
Park Güell. There you will witness the beauty of Gaudí’s mosaics as well as enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Barcelona. To keep the children entertained during this 3-hour tour, they will all get their own fun-filled game booklet. A perfect way to combine both educational discovery and fun!
The Sagrada Familia and
- Park Güell:
- Private certified guide
- Skip-the-line tickets to
- Sagrada Familia and
- Park Güell
- Transfer in a private
- mini van
- Game booklet for
- each child
- 3-hour experience
At the end of the tour, depending on your cruise departure time, your chauffeur will drive you back to the port.
Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)
Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)
Highlights:
An architectural delight awaits you today in Barcelona, one of the most exciting cities in Europe. Receive a warm greeting at the port by your private guide and driver and commence your full-day tour with a visit to Gaudi's masterpiece, the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia. Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be complete until 2028!
Next, visit Parc Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi's most colourful creations. Continue along Passeig de Gracia, to view Gaudi's Casa Batlló and Casa Mila from the outside, with its brilliant wave-like façade.
After lunch, lose yourself in the narrow streets of the true heart of the city - the medieval Gothic Quarter. Here you will visit the magnificent 13th-century Cathedral, and the Picasso Museum, where some of the painter's earliest works are housed. At the end of your tour you are transferred back to the port.
- Walk the labyrinthine alleys of the medieval Gothic Quarter to find architectural gems like the Church of Santa Maria del Mar
- Admire the Sagrada Familia and the Picasso Museum, where some of the artist's earliest works are housed.
Tour can operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Gaudi’s Barcelona (4 hours)
Highlights:
Receive a warm greeting at the port from your private guide and driver and commence your half-day tour with a visit to Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece; the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia. Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be completed until 2028!
Continue on to Parc Guell, a beautiful municipal garden with a superb panoramic view over the city; the focal point is a colourful sea-serpent-shaped central terrace. Visit the gatehouse where Gaudi lived during his later years which is now a museum dedicated to him. Transfer back to the port at the end of your tour.
- Visit the impressive, but still unfinished Sagrada Familia, masterpiece of the Catalan architect
- Wander through Parc Guell, the UNESCO World Heritage Site considered Gaudi's most colourful creation
Tour can operate: Morning/Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information
Physical Activity Level: Light
Inclusions:
- Private transport by luxury car or minivan
- An expert local guide for 8 hours
- Entrance fees to all sights and museums
- All taxes
- All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
- Gratuities
Vacation Details
* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.
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