Art & Architecture Tour of Spain: Celebrating Masterpieces of Gaudi, Montaner & More

Casa Batllo by Gaudi in Barcelona, Spain

What to expect on this itinerary

Spain's architecture blends the centuries, fabulous sweeps of stone and marble connecting exquisite treasures from the past. Mudejar mosques, Romanesque relics, Gothic opulence, Iberian Judaism, medieval fairytales, Renaissance revival, and then you're in Barcelona, seduced by the art nouveau fantasies of Gaudi and Montaner. Surrealism merges with realism over these 15 days, enabling you to laugh and cry over the romantic history of this fabulous country on this art & architecture tour of Spain.

Countries Visited

Spain

Places Visited

Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Toldedo, Avila, Salamanca, Segovia, Madrid, Barcelona

Suggested Duration

14 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Seville – Easy Welcomes in a Vibrant City

Colorful tones ripple across the roof tiles as you start the journey in Seville, a vibrant city in the heart of Andalusia. The remnants of Roman rule still peek out on the streets, as do the exquisite relics from the Islamic Almohad Empire. Now comes Gothic and Renaissance sculpture on the narrow streets of the old city. The real exploring starts tomorrow, so for now, sit back on your hotel rooftop and admire the eclectic architecture that dominates the cityscape. You'll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Day 2

Seville – Walking Through the Centuries of Mudejar and Renaissance Brilliance

Day 3

Seville – Baroque and Aristocratic Tastes in the Heart of Old Seville

Day 4

Granada – Exquisite Religious Harmony on the Andalusian Landscape

Day 5

Granada – Flamboyant Gothic Styles and Exotic Palaces

Day 6

Toledo – Quixote's Windmills and La Mancha's Historic Villages

Day 7

Toledo – Gateways to the Architectural History of Spain

Day 8

Avila – Romanesque Charm in a Striking Medieval Town

Day 9

Avila – Renaissance Merges into Art Deco in the University Town of Salamanca

Day 10

Madrid – From Medieval Fairytales to Lavish Regal Retreats

Day 11

Madrid – Extraordinary Art in the Heart of Madrid

Day 12

Barcelona – Inspired by the Work of Another Modernista

Day 13

Barcelona – The World of Antoni Gaudi

Day 14

Barcelona – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Explore Spain's most idolized architectural destinations with an expert guide, each beautifully pertaining to a different era and style
  • Start with three days in Seville, where Mudejar flamboyance mixes with Renaissance brilliance and the baroque tastes of royalty
  • Tour the Andalusian towns of Cordoba and Granada, home to exquisite old mosques, Gothic cathedrals, and exotic Eastern palaces
  • Spanish history can be easily read in Toledo, a glorious medieval town that retains buildings that cross the centuries
  • As you're guided in a luxury vehicle you stop at some of Spain's most iconic postcard images, like Quixote's La Mancha windmills and the fairytale castle of Segovia
  • Indulge in the opulence of Salamanca and El Escorial, built when Spain was the intellectual and economic capital of the world
  • Discover pristinely preserved walled towns and lounge away hours on the medieval and Romanesque streets of places like Avila
  • Spend two days in Spanish capital Madrid, exploring fabulous art collections and an old city center of endless treasures
  • Complete the architecture journey with Barcelona's modernista movement and the renowned work of Gaudi and Montaner

Detailed Description

Spain has always welcomed the architectural pioneer: the wealth of eclectic old cities plundered on indulgent and opulent displays of power. As the cities grew rich they invested in a unique style; Mudegar Eastern exoticism in Andalusia, Gothic and Renaissance in the towns of Spain's Golden Age, art nouveau in modernist Barcelona, baroque and Romanesque designs favored by the church. When the various kingdoms' prosperity dissipated the buildings remained, each a glorious ode to wealth and artistic beauty. Viewed in isolation, each of these architectural monuments is a remarkable attraction. But as a collection they reveal so much more, taking you on a journey through the romantic history of Spain, allowing you to relive the conquests and the kings, the religious ideology and the intellectual glory.

The tour starts in Andalusia, where Islamic and Eastern influences exquisitely mark the cities of Seville, Cordoba, and Granada. The pre-12th century design has been repurposed and elaborated, the mosques converted into grand cathedrals as more recent Renaissance styles mingle on the streets. Spend three days in Seville, an eclectic start to the vacation, before two nights in Granada. All transfers are by luxury vehicles and a specialist architectural guide accompanies you; the guide narrates the hidden tales found in the corners of buildings and deserted towers.

From days six to ten you cross the Spanish kingdoms, reliving the tales of conquistadores and religious crusades from Toldeo to Avila. Spend the evenings in sublime medieval towns, lost in the secrets that hide behind 11th century city walls. And spend the days exploring the architecture that was erected during the Spanish Golden Age. Spend two nights in both Toledo and Avila, ancient towns seemingly straight from a fairytale and fulfilling all notions of old-world romance. As you continue north, you stop at the Segovia castle and the decadent El Escorial before arriving in Madrid in the late afternoon of day ten.

The final few days are dedicated to Spain's biggest cities. Explore the unrivaled art of Madrid and lose a few hours on the majestic Plaza Mayor. A high-speed first-class train takes you to Barcelona. But before seeing the works of Gaudi, the day is inspired by the city's other modernista, Montaner. Watch an evening performance in his Catalan music hall then complete the architectural journey with a whole day focusing on Gaudi's surreal work. This is a vacation that continually impresses both history and grandeur. For many centuries, Spain led the world in art and architecture; this itinerary connects the individual dots for a complete portrait of old-world glory.

Starting Price

$5,500 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

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We have been very happy with everything Zicasso's travel agent planned for us. All of the days were good, but some were just amazing. We enjoyed all of it.

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From beginning to end, Zicasso's travel experts took great care in taking care of everything. We received great communication, guides, hotels, transportation, suggestions, etc, and they were reliable before and during our trip

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The planning experience was wonderful overall. From the initial conversation about what my family was looking for to the final touches to the itinerary, Zicasso's travel expert was engaging, responsive, and helpful.

The accommodations he selected for us exceeded expectations; they were spacious, beautiful, and well-located. The tours/activities suggested were really fun and gave us a sense of the locale in a unique and memorable way that fit our family well. Once we were in-country, communications were easy and helpful. We felt very well cared for.

Payment to our travel company was easy and it was a real pleasure once we were in-country to have all the identified items already paid for. I would definitely book a trip with them again.

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William L.
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Zicasso's travel specialists did a great job for us. They clearly listened to us and curated an experience that was made specifically for us. It checked all of the boxes and more.

Highlights were the local tour guides in each city. It was great to meet and get to know local people, learn so much history, see the architecture (Gaudí in Barcelona and the awesome palaces and cathedrals that we visited), the Montserrat hike, Caminito del Rey (which was absolutely better with a guide), and the Marbella e-bike adventure.

The hotels were wonderful; all unique and all great choices. We came home happy and tired, which is the sign of a good trip for us (since we do not ever sit on beaches or at pools and relax!).

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My family and I loved Asturias. We considered it a “once-in-a-lifetime” trip. Zicasso's travel agent planned the perfect outings for us. Our guides were knowledgeable and helpful. Our agent also provided us with very helpful hints and suggestions for restaurants and shops. Both of the hotels he chose were located perfectly and staffed by friendly employees.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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