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Tour highlights
Visit Gaud铆鈥檚 most renowned works in Barcelona, including Park G眉ell.
Relax onboard your ship, enjoying views from the Rooftop Garden and the hot tubs in the solarium.
Take a privately chauffeured tour through the glamorous city of Cannes.
Hunt for truffles in the Tuscan countryside outside Florence.
Take a walking tour through Rome鈥檚 best-known food market.
Price includes:
- In-destination transfers
- Activities and excursions as detailed
- All accommodations
- 24-hour support while you travel
Itinerary idea
Ask us if you would also like us to arrange your international flights at our preferred rates.
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On your arrival in Madrid, you鈥檒l be met by your private driver and taken to your hotel. After some time to settle in, head out for a city tour to get a feel for Spain鈥檚 capital.
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This morning sees you travel through the rolling hills that surround Madrid to the medieval city of 脕vila. With your private guide, explore the cobbled streets, the Gothic cathedral-fortress, and walk along a section of the city walls for panoramic views of the countryside. From 脕vila, continue to the city of Segovia, boasting a mix of historical architecture, including the double-tiered Roman aqueduct to the medieval Alc谩zar and a former royal palace for the Castilian monarchs. Once you鈥檝e had lunch in the central square and time to explore the city, your driver will return you to Madrid.
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Today you鈥檒l visit the 16th-century monastery palace of El Escorial and the 20th-century Valle de los Ca铆dos (Valley of the Fallen). Experiencing both sites with your expert guide will provide an insight into Spain鈥檚 history from the Spanish Golden Age to the military dictatorship that gripped the country for almost 40 years. Your guide will then bring you back to Madrid for your final afternoon in the city.
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A high-speed train will take you from Madrid to Barcelona, the hub of Catalonian art and culture. Spend the afternoon exploring the city at your own pace with a stroll through the city鈥檚 Gothic Quarter or sampling local delicacies at Mercat de la Boquer铆a food market.
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This morning, embark on a half-day private tour of Antoni Gaud铆鈥檚 playful architecture. You鈥檒l visit the Casa Mil脿 apartment blocks, the fairy-tale-like Park G眉ell, and finish your tour at the Sagrada Fam铆lia. Still under construction after more than 140 years, the basilica blends late Spanish Gothic, Catalan Modernism, and Art Nouveau style. The result is a medley of organic shapes, free-flowing curves, bright mosaic work, and soaring towers.
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Leave the city for the Pened猫s region, the home of Spain's signature sparkling wine, cava. Enjoy a small group tour and tasting at the Codorn铆u estate in their historic underground cellars. Enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant with views across the Catalan countryside before visiting Montserrat Monastery, an important site for pilgrims since the 11th century. The monastery is nestled in crags of the mountain with a golden Gothic interior.
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Before you embark on your cruise this afternoon, spend your final morning delving into the work of another artist influenced by his time in Barcelona. The Picasso Museum holds more than 3,500 works of art and provides its visitors with an in-depth look at Pablo Picasso鈥檚 formative years. Your driver will pick you up from your hotel to begin the rest of your European adventure.
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Make your first port of call in Cannes on the French Riviera. This glamorous city is best known for its film festival, but it鈥檚 a destination for the glitterati year-round. If you want to indulge fully in Cannes鈥 reputation for luxury, you might opt for a privately chauffeured guided tour through the narrow roads of the C么te d鈥橝zur. Alternatively, visit the medieval town of Saint-Paul de Vence, followed by a stop at a family vineyard for a wine tasting.
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You鈥檒l arrive in the pastel-painted town of Portofino to explore this morning. Here, you might opt to take a guided kayaking trip, following the shoreline and admiring the view from the water. Or you can join a small-group tour to visit two of the villages on the Cinque Terre. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this collection of five fishing villages is known for the sun-faded houses that seem to cling to the cliff sides over the water.
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Just an hour's drive inland from the Marina de Pisa, Florence is a compact gem of a city on the banks of the Arno. Today, you can take a guided tour through the city鈥檚 highlights, from the glories of the Pitti Palace, the fortress-like ex-Medici stronghold, to the open-air museum of the Boboli Gardens. Or, leave the city to drive through the sun-gilded hills of Tuscany to a traditional farmhouse, where you鈥檒l hunt for truffles with a trained dog.
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Today, you'll land in Civitavecchia, an ancient port city that鈥檚 served Rome for 2,000 years. Delve into the living history of Rome's gastronomic culture with a guided tour of Campo de' Fiori food market, followed by a small-group cooking class to learn to make pasta. Or take a guided visit to the Vatican, including Saint Peter鈥檚 Basilica and Square. Afterwards, you could unwind on board with a drink in your ship鈥檚 rooftop garden.
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Arrive today in the lively city of Naples. You might board a kayak for a guided paddle through the Bay of Naples or take a private motorboat cruise around the wave-carved grottoes and rocky shoreline of nearby Capri. The doomed city of Pompeii is nearby, and you can join a guided exploration of its haunting streets and villas.
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Time to unwind as your ship makes its way back to Barcelona. You鈥檒l have the whole day at sea to admire the sunlight bouncing off the Mediterranean and enjoy the ship鈥檚 many charms. With your newfound experience with European art, you might wander through the gallery or choose to be pampered at the salon, followed by a photo shoot at the ship鈥檚 studio.
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Enjoy your final morning on your cruise before returning to Barcelona for your flight home.
Accommodation
- Madrid
- Barcelona
- Cannes
- Portofino
- La Spezia
- Rome
- Naples
- Barcelona
The specialist who designs your trip to Spain will have explored the country many times and, in some cases, lived there. Their first-hand knowledge gives us the belief that no other travel company can match our expertise in helping you plan your trip.
When to go
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Portofino and Santa Margherita | ||
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