Northeastern Spain Tour by Train: Art, Culture, Food & Wine

La Concha, San Sebastian, Spain

What to expect on this itinerary

From tapas and paella to El Greco and Gaudí, Spain captivates you with its fascinating culture. This customizable tour covers Northern Spain’s most interesting attractions, where you will admire the amazing art, soak up the ambience and savor the cuisine. The tour begins in the energetic capital of Madrid, takes you to the UNESCO-listed medieval city of Toledo, continues on in the fun-loving Mediterranean destinations of Valencia and Barcelona. Finally you’ll travel to beautiful La Rioja wine country and the spectacular coastal resorts of the Basque Country. This tour will impress you with lifelong memories and will leave you wanting for more.

Countries Visited

Spain

Places Visited

Madrid, Catalonia, Toledo, Girona, Basque Country, Bilbao, Barcelona, Biarritz, San Sebastian

Suggested Duration

12 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Madrid - Welcome to Spain!

Welcome to Madrid, the bustling capital city of Spain. Upon arrival at the airport, a driver will greet you and provide a private transfer to your hotel. After checking into your hotel, you may begin to explore Madrid at your leisure. You might want to rest up first or just overcome jet-lag by exploring the sites. Start with the Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s main public square built during the Habsburg rule. Nearby you’ll find the city’s most famous square and most central location, the Plaza del Sol. Then visit an emblematic monument in Madrid, the magnificent Cibeles Fountain featuring a statue of the Roman goddess of nature. Another distinctive aspect of Madrid are the grand boulevards. Go for a stroll to take in the impressive boulevards and stately monuments around the Paseo del Prado and the Puerta de Alcala, which will give you a sense of Madrid’s grandeur under the rule of the great King Carlos III. Another interesting street is the Gran Via, a wonderful showcase of impressive 20th-century buildings.

What's Included:

Accommodation
Transfer
Day 2

Madrid - Guided City Tour and Leisure Time

Day 3

Madrid - Day-trip to Toledo

Day 4

Valencia - Travel to the Mediterranean City of Valencia

Day 5

Valencia - Private Guided Tour of Valencia

Day 6

Barcelona - Travel from Valencia to Barcelona

Day 7

Barcelona - Classic Sightseeing Tour and Artistic Tour

Day 8

Barcelona - Visit the of Girona and the Dalí Museum in Figueres

Day 9

Bilbao - Travel to Bilbao in the Spanish Basque Country

Day 10

Bilbao - Wine Tasting of Tour La Rioja Villages and Vineyards

Day 11

Bilbao - Visit Basque Seaside Resorts: San Sebastián, Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Biarritz

Day 12

Bilbao - Tour Concludes with Departure from Bilbao

Trip Highlights

  • Experience the art, culture, nightlife and hopping tapas bars in Madrid
  • Impressive Gothic churches and surreal Gaudí buildings in Barcelona
  • Amazing historical monuments and ambience in the UNESCO city of Toledo
  • Tour the renowned La Rioja wine region with a private vineyard visit and tasting
  • Explore the historic city of Girona and its perfectly preserved Jewish quarter
  • Visit the fashionable Basque seaside resorts of San Sebastián and Biarritz
  • See masterpieces of Impressionist art at the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao

Starting Price

$4,900 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.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 2554 reviews

Lauren S.
Spain Trip Review: Toledo, San Sebastian, Wine Tasting, Pintxos Tour, 12 Nights

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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Corinna S.
Spain Family Trip Review: Basque Country, 15-Day Tour

Our family was very happy with our trip. The experiences were excellent, the local travel guides were exceptional, and all of the logistics went off without a hitch. It was great to have someone always a text away!

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Michele M.
Spain Vacation Review: 2 Weeks

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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Olivia L.
Portugal, Spain Tour Review: Porto, Cangas de Onis, Sidecar Tour, History, 10 Days

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.
Spain Vacation Review: History, Architecture, Hiking, E-Biking, Barcelona, Caminito del Rey, Marbella, 2 Weeks

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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Junis N.
Spain Travel Review: Asturias, Covadonga, Shrine, Fishing Villages, 8 Nights

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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