Itinerary: Barcelona
Day 1 - Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Departing on flight from USA or Canada.
Day 2 - Thursday, October 9, 2014
After arriving at the Barcelona airport, our private motorcoach will take us to our 5-star hotel, the historic Majestic Hotel & Spa Barcelona. The Majestic is situated on one of Europe's most fashionable streets, the Paseo de Gracia, and is just a short stroll from one of architect Antoni Gaudi's most famous works, the Casa Batllo, and in easy reach of vital attractions like Las Ramblas, the tree-lined, pedestrians-only avenue that is the shopping, dining, and heart of Barcelona.
Once checked in, we will be treated to a welcome reception and dinner accompanied by a live musical trio.
Day 3 - Friday, October 10, 2014
• Gaudi Tour. After a buffet breakfast, we'll embark on a fascinating and truly breathtaking tour of buildings and public spaces created by Barcelona's legendary Antoni Gaudi, one of the greatest artist/architect/designers who ever lived. His unique Art Nouveaus style is a never-failing source of pleasure and astonishment, and our tour will let us delve into several of his masterpiece, built in the latter 1800s and early 1900s. We start with the Parc Guell, designed as a private park but now the cherished possession of the city, a hillside extravaganza of elevated vistas, fountains, curving staircases and balustrades embedded with colorful ceramics, and the signature carved dragon; glinting with mosaic, whom everyone pats affectionately. Guell is an excellent intro to the imagination of its creator.
We'll see four more of his works starting with the nearby Church of the Holy Family (Basilica del Sagrada Familia), a vast, magical building still under construction a century after its first stone was laid. It is often said that those with time for only one sight in Barcelona should choose this one. Following a break for free time or optional lunch, we'll visit three buildings Gaudi created for wealthy patrons. We'll tour the Casa Mila apartment/office complex, also called La Pedrera, view the amazing facades of Casa Batllo, and see an earlier beauty, the fanciful Palau Guell designed in the 1880s as a showcase for private concerts and exhibits.
Evening Barcelona Dine-around. Tonight we choose from some of the city's best restaurants, several within walking distance of the Majestic, others easily reached via private motorcoach.
Day 4 - Saturday, October 11, 2014
Day at Leisure. Spend the day exploring or relaxing on your own, enjoying the facilities of the hotel, or choose an optional tour at extra cost, your choice. Excellent optional tours available include:
• Walking Tour of the Gothic Quarter; and the Picasso Museum. The Gothic Quarter is Barcelona's old town, originally protected by ancient Roman walls, and now a fascinating sector surrounding the city Cathedral. The neighborhood is rich in charm and surprises ... plazas, fountains, charming twisty streets, and the city's oldest antique markets. This tour also takes in Spain's second most-visited museum after the Prado in Madrid, the Picasso Museum, which showcases works from Picasso's boyhood to his Cubist period and beyond. Picasso donated many works to the Museum; he lived in Barcelona in his teen and young adult years and always felt a strong attachment to the city. The collection offers a unique chance to watch the process as a gifted young artist searches, and experiments, developing a completely individual way of seeing the world. The galleries occupy four renovated, connected buildings whose origins date back to the Middle Ages.
Dinner at La Barca Del Salamanca Restaurant. This popular restaurant is located in the Port Olimpic marina area, with a great view of the harbor. This sea-front area, the sailing-race venue for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, attracts wealthy yachters all during the sailing season, and vacationers looking for good food and nightlife year round. La Barca specializes in Mediterranean cuisine and fresh seafood.
Day 5 - Sunday, October 12, 2014
Today, after a full buffet breakfast at the Majestic, we'll check out and board our deluxe motorcoach for the Sants Railway Station for our trip to Madrid. The trip to Madrid via AVE high-speed train is slightly less than 3 hours.