Family Tour of Spain

(10 Days - Departs Daily on a Private Basis)
Seville, Marbella, Gibraltar, Granada
(plus optional extension to Barcelona)

Spain is an exciting, colorful country, ripe with distinctive culture, food, people and scenery. Experience the vitality of Spain on a tour specially designed to delight all members of the family.

Begin in Seville, the capital of Andalusia and a city flavored as much by the sounds of flamenco and the smell of orange blossoms as by its 500-year domination by the Moors. During private touring, explore sights such as the charming neighborhood of Santa Cruz; the world's largest Gothic cathedral, containing the tomb of Christopher Columbus; the Torre del Oro, a 13th-century Moorish watchtower; and the gardens and mosaic tile-covered rooms of the Reales Alcazares, a spectacular Moorish palace. Sample regional favorites such as gazpacho, as well as a range of meat, cheese and seafood tapas, and the ubiquitous tortilla española (potato omelet). During leisure time, perhaps rent a rowboat at Maria Luisa Park, or visit the Isla Mágica amusement park, which has 16th-century colonial Spain as a theme. You might also opt to enjoy a flamenco performance, or shop for colorful azulejos (tiles) and upscale silk shawls and leather goods. On a day trip, tour Jerez de la Frontera, the horse capital of Andalusia, where you will visit the renowned Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art and watch these magnificent horses being put through their paces. Alternatively, enjoy a private visit to one of Spain’s most prestigious bull-breeding farms, and learn more about the national fascination with bulls.

Continue to Marbella, the jewel of the sun-drenched Costa del Sol. Stay at the luxurious Marbella Club Hotel, once the private residence of a prince and now one of Europe's premier beach resorts. Enjoy the resort's wide range of facilities, including a beach club, swimming pool, thalasso spa, private golf course, riding stables and gourmet restaurant headed by a Michelin-starred chef. En route, visit Ronda, the most dramatic of Andalusia's famed whitewashed villages and a favorite of Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles. En route, visit a modern olive oil mill in the Andalusian mountains and taste a selection of oils from what is considered to be the best producer in the area.

One day, enjoy a private excursion to Gibraltar, famed for its breathtakingly steep cliff and colony of wild Barbary “apes.” Gibraltar contains some of the most extensive military fortifications in Europe, spanning over 1,200 years of Moorish, Spanish and British history. Depending on your interests, visit sights such as St. Michael’s Cave—a dramatic natural grotto filled with stalagmites and stalactites—and the Tower of Homage, the remains of a 12th-century Moorish castle. Perhaps stop for lunch at a British pub for a traditional meal of fish and chips or a steak-and-kidney pie.

Conclude in Granada, one of the richest and most populous cities in Europe during Moorish rule and still one of Spain's most breathtaking cities. During private touring, explore the extraordinary Alhambra—one of the highlights of Spain—a stunning Moorish castle, palace and garden complex on a hillside overlooking the town. Visit the Generalife, the country retreat of Moorish royalty just behind the Alhambra. With a local resident, wander the labyrinthine streets of the Albaicin—the old Arab Quarter—and discover a world full of winding, hilly streets and alleys; Moorish ramparts, fountains and cármenes (traditional villas); and restaurants, shops and teterías (Arabic tearooms).

*Recommended tour extension: We highly recommend extending this tour with several days in Barcelona, one of Europe's most dynamic centers of modern and contemporary culture. There, wander the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter and La Ribera. See Gaudi's fantastical buildings such as Sagrada Familia and Casa Mila. Visit excellent museums, such as the Maritime Museum and museums dedicated to Picasso or Miro. Perhaps also visit the Poble Espanyol (Spanish Village), a charming—if somewhat kitschy—collection of buildings, streets and squares that recreate the different architectural styles of Spain. One day, we recommend a private excursion to the Monastery of Montserrat. Cost: $4,935 per person (double occupancy) includes the flight to Barcelona from Granada, 3 nights at Hotel Arts Barcelona, private city touring, and a half-day excursion.