Grand Spain Tour (Barcelona, Madrid)

The group meets at the Turkish Airlines counter at Istanbul Airport at 5:00 AM and takes flight TK1853 at 8:00 AM to Barcelona, landing at 10:45 AM. In Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia and Spain's second-largest city, the tour covers the harbor area, Columbus Square with its monument, the Sagrada Familia Basilica, Plaza España and Plaza Catalunya, Gaudí's Casa Batlló and Casa Milà, La Rambla, and, time permitting, Port Olímpic. The group has dinner and stays overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, the group drives 350 km to Valencia. Spain's third most populous city and home to its largest port, Valencia blends old and modern architecture; the city tour includes the City Hall, the Gothic cathedral, the bullring, the Micalet bell tower, the Mercado Central market, and the old Silk Exchange. The group then travels 170 km to Alicante, which is used purely as an overnight stop and may be swapped for another city depending on availability. Dinner and overnight stay follow at the hotel.

After breakfast, the group travels 350 km to Granada. If open, the Great Mosque of Granada, opened in 2003, is visited, followed by a walk through the narrow white streets of the Albaicín up to the San Nicolás viewpoint for views of the Alhambra, then down on foot to the city center. Along the way the group passes the Caldereria Nueva (known as the Moroccan bazaar), Gran Vía, Plaza Isabel la Católica, Granada Cathedral (built on the site of the former Great Mosque after the city fell in 1492), and Plaza Bib-Rambla. The tour continues with an emotional visit to the art- and history-filled Alhambra Palace of the Nasrid sultans and the Generalife Gardens. The group has dinner and stays overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, the group travels 250 km to Seville. The city tour covers the Guadalquivir River, the Archive of the Indies building, the Turkish honorary consulate, the exterior of the Alcázar Palace, Seville Cathedral (Spain's largest, built after the mosque that stood there was demolished) with its minaret-turned-bell-tower the Giralda, the narrow lanes of the old Santa Cruz quarter, the former tobacco factory now used as the university's main campus, Plaza de España, and Maria Luisa Park. The group then travels 140 km to Córdoba, visiting the Guadalquivir River, the historic Roman bridge and gate, the Great Mosque of Córdoba (built 785-987, partly converted into a cathedral after Al-Andalus fell but still magnificent), the colorful flower-lined streets, old inns and houses, and the statue of the physician Muhammad al-Ghafiqi. The group has dinner and stays overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, the group travels 350 km to Toledo, which has been designated an open-air UNESCO museum since 1987. Built on a hill nearly encircled by the Tagus River, giving it an island-like appearance, Toledo housed Muslims, Jews, and Christians together until 1492 and has preserved much of its 16th-century architecture. The city tour includes Toledo Cathedral, the San Martín Bridge, a sword-making workshop, and the historic narrow streets. The group then travels 70 km to Madrid, where they have dinner and stay overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, the tour of Madrid, one of Europe's most populous capitals with 3.5 million residents, covers the bullring, the Alcalá Gate, Independence Square, Gran Vía, Puerta del Sol, the Cibeles Monument, Paseo de la Castellana, Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Plaza de España with its statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, Plaza Mayor, and the Royal Palace. The group then heads to Madrid Airport at 2:30 PM; after check-in and passport control, Turkish Airlines flight TK1860 departs at 6:25 PM for Istanbul, landing at 11:40 PM.