Our city tour begins at 9 a.m. in the neighborhood where we are staying - the Quadrat d'Or (Quadrant of Gold). Barcelona's main avenue, the Passeig de Gràcia, runs through the Quadrant. Here the exceptional avant-garde buildings were inspired by the work of genius architect Antoni Gaudí and constructed in the late 19th century. We’ll see the exteriors of Gaudi’s most famous homes, Casa Batlló or Casa Milà (La Pedrera). A veritable open-air museum, it offers delightful surprises at every turn - ceramic art, stained-glass windows, wrought ironwork, decorative reliefs, mosaic, and statues. 

We’ll have a walking tour of Park Güell, an almost make-believe landscape: home to Barcelona’s famous mosaic lizard—plus spiral towers that look like fairground slides. The city’s grandest park was a collaboration between Antoni Gaudí and entrepreneur Eusebi Güell (hence the park’s name).

It’s practically illegal to go to Barcelona and not visit La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s extraordinary church, so we won't make you wait any longer! You'll be struck by the lavish exterior of this masterpiece, commissioned in 1883. Then we'll go inside to admire the awe-inspiring sacred space and its dazzling artworks. The ceiling sparkles with opulent decorative details, and colorful stained-glass windows allow ethereal light to flow in and color the walls. The overall effect is jaw-dropping. One of Europe's most unconventional churches, this amazing monument is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We’ll enjoy a lunch of delectable authentic Spanish foods at a nearby local restaurant.

After lunch, we’ll have a guided walking tour around the Sant Pau Hospital Art Nouveau Site. Built by legendary Modernist architect Lluís Domènech I Montaner, it was designed with extravagant domes, stained glass windows, and epic pillars to be a building that people enjoyed recuperating in. 

We’ll continue our city highlights tour with a panoramic tour along the waterfront. Here the old fishing village of La Barceloneta borders the long, wide Sant Sebastià Beach, where locals go to sunbathe, surf, and socialize in the many seafood restaurants and tapas venues that overlook the sea.

Last stop of the day will be at Montjuïc Hill to see the panoramic view of the city. A scenic wooded hill in the southwest of Barcelona, it was the site for the Castell de Montjuic fortification, first built in 1640. In the 1920s the hill was the site of developments for the International Fair 1929. 

We’ll return to our hotel, and you may choose to have the evening at leisure, or join us in an optional Tapas and Wine crawl.

This morning, our tour begins at 9 a.m., with a walking historical tour along Las Ramblas.

Las Ramblas, a wide tree-shaded avenue that divides the Old Town into two parts,  is the heart of Barcelona's social life. It stretches two-thirds of a mile from the Plaça de Catalunya, where the beautiful Romanesque 12th-century Convent of Santa Anna stands, all the way down to the port. 

This street features expansive pedestrian sidewalks, lined with shops, restaurants, and outdoor cafés, making it one of the most popular hangouts in the city. During the day, many locals are found here doing their everyday shopping at the amazing market, Mercat de la Boqueria. We'll stop along the way to taste some  delicious chocolate with churros. This walk way is crowded 24 hours a day seven days a week.

The Gothic Quarter has been the spiritual and secular center of the city for 2,000 years. Relics of ancient Roman buildings are still found here, and the Middle Ages are represented by the historic monuments packed into this quarter. 

Built between the 13th and 15th centuries, the Catedral de la Santa Cruz y Santa Eulalia is the heart of the Gothic Quarter. This medieval cathedral is a masterpiece of Catalan Gothic architecture with an ornately sculpted facade. The sanctuary contains magnificent works of art, including the Altarpiece of the Transfiguration by Bernat Martorell, a remarkable gilded, jewel-encrusted monstrance, and an exquisite Gothic choir and keystones that date to the 14th and 15th centuries.

After a tapas lunch in a local tavern., you will have the afternoon at leisure.

This evening, we'll attend a Flamenco Show with buffet dinner at the magnificent Palau de la Musica Catalana.. The auditorium is a kaleidoscope of roses, chandeliers, and stained glass. 

OPTIONAL AFTERNOON TOUR

During your free afternoon, you might choose an optional tour to see the interiors of the two most famous houses designed by Antoni Gaudi - Casa Batlló, and Casa Mila (La Pedrera). 

Casa Batlló has been likened to Claude Monet’s Water Lilies: Covered in shards of stained glass, it sometimes appears blue, then green, then shimmering like the glassy layer of a lake. Textile industrialist Josep Batlló commissioned Gaudí to design this home which has no straight lines, stone pillars that contort like animal bones, and a tall, ocean-blue stairwell that’s very Jules Verne. 

Casa Mila is Gaudí's most famous secular building. Affectionately known as "La Pedrera," ("The Stone Quarry") this flamboyant avant-garde dwelling was built between 1906 and 1912. It looks  like a sculpture. Every line of the natural stone facade is curved, with rounded windows and metal balcony railings twining around in plant-like shapes. Even the roof has an undulating form, complemented by the decorative chimneys.

We'll leave our hotel at 9 am for Montserrat, a huge rock formation 30 miles north of Barcelona, on which a Benedictine Montserrat monastery was built in the 11th century. We'll take a cable car up the the monastery, where according to legend, a group of shepherds found a statue of the Virgin Mary in the holy cave around 880. You can visit the stately basilica with the statue of the 'Black Madonna'', which is beloved by pilgrims. Montserrat is also home to one of the oldest boy choirs in Europe (14th century) made up of 30 boys who live in the monastery, and you can see them perform there.

We'll stop for lunch, wine tasting and vineyard tour in a lovely small family winery called Ca N’Estella. 

After lunch, we'll drive to the coastal town of Sitges, referred to as the Saint-Tropez of Spain! Located about 20 miles southwest of Barcelona, Sitges is known for its Mediterranean beaches and seafront promenade lined with grand mansions. Sitges and its collection of charming whitewashed buildings make for a picturesque getaway. We'll have free time in the delightful seaside city, and then return to the city for a festive farewell dinner.

Transfer from the hotel to the airport. 

Say goodbye to magical Barcelona.