Northern Spain, The Rioja Valley and Madrid 2024
Dates & Prices
Start Date | End Date | Offers | Brochure Land Price | Quote |
---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday, Apr 10, 2024 | Tuesday, Apr 23, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024 | Tuesday, Apr 30, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Friday, Apr 26, 2024 | Thursday, May 09, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, May 01, 2024 | Tuesday, May 14, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Friday, May 03, 2024 | Thursday, May 16, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, May 08, 2024 | Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Monday, May 13, 2024 | Sunday, May 26, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | Tuesday, May 28, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Friday, May 17, 2024 | Thursday, May 30, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 | Tuesday, Jun 04, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Monday, May 27, 2024 | Sunday, Jun 09, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Jun 19, 2024 | Tuesday, Jul 02, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Jun 26, 2024 | Tuesday, Jul 09, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Jul 10, 2024 | Tuesday, Jul 23, 2024 | $7,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Aug 21, 2024 | Tuesday, Sep 03, 2024 | $8,590 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Aug 28, 2024 | Tuesday, Sep 10, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Friday, Aug 30, 2024 | Thursday, Sep 12, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Sep 04, 2024 | Tuesday, Sep 17, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Sep 11, 2024 | Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Friday, Sep 13, 2024 | Thursday, Sep 26, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Sep 18, 2024 | Tuesday, Oct 01, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2024 | Tuesday, Oct 08, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Friday, Sep 27, 2024 | Thursday, Oct 10, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Oct 02, 2024 | Tuesday, Oct 15, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Monday, Oct 07, 2024 | Sunday, Oct 20, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Oct 09, 2024 | Tuesday, Oct 22, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Friday, Oct 11, 2024 | Thursday, Oct 24, 2024 | $8,490 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Monday, Oct 14, 2024 | Sunday, Oct 27, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
Wednesday, Oct 16, 2024 | Tuesday, Oct 29, 2024 | $9,790 | Get Our Price | Get Quote |
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Tour Itinerary
Step back in time on a journey that spans centuries and borders... and creates an authentic sense of place. Northern Spain captivates with a diversity of landscapes and cultural riches... Nature lovers revel in the majesty of the spectacular Pyrenees and Picos de Europa. History buffs marvel at San Sebastián, and art and architecture aficionados find paradise in Barcelona and Bilbao. Pilgrims seek miracles along the Camino de Santiago; visitors, Hemingway included, have been invariably moved by the traditions of Pamplona; and lovers of food – and fun – savor the taste of tapas in neighborhood bars and cafés tucked in narrow medieval lanes from little rural towns to the modern metropolis that is Madrid. Linking people and places with history and charm, Spain's unique historic paradors and elegant resort hotels offer a legacy of genuine hospitality and service along the way.
Barcelona , Bilbao , Elciego , Madrid , Montserrat , Pamplona , San Sebastian , Santiago de Compostela
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Day 1
Arrive Barcelona
Tour begins: 5:30 PM, Le Méridien Barcelona. A transfer is included from Barcelona Airport or the Barcelona Franca train station to Le Méridien Barcelona, ideally located on Las Ramblas. Join us for a private welcome reception and dinner tonight at the hotel as you get your first taste of life in Northern Spain.
Meals: Dinner -
Day 2
Art and Architecture in Barcelona
Walk along the tree-lined pedestrian promenade of Las Ramblas this morning with a local guide who leads you through the cobblestone lanes of Barcelona's 14th-century Gothic quarter, Barri Gòtic, a medieval warren of Roman relics, hidden courtyards, shops and alfresco cafés, to the Plaça de la Catedral. Set apart from other churches, Barcelona's Cathedral was built between 1298 and 1460 – although its richly decorated façade, guarded by gargoyles, was added in 1870. Go inside to see its medieval origins, from its exquisitely sculpted choir stalls and elegant pillars to the fine workmanship depicted on the pulpit and the alabaster sarcophagus of the crypt of Santa Eulàlia. Your city tour continues with a drive through hilltop Montjuic, rewarding with panoramic views, and a visit to Gaudí's unfinished cathedral, la Sagrada Família, artistically and architecturally unique, and awe-inspiring in every detail. Spend the rest of the day exploring Barcelona as you wish.
Meals: Breakfast -
Day 3
Country Roads of Catalonia
Venture into the mountains today, stopping at the saw-toothed mountain of Montserrat, just northwest of Barcelona, to visit the Benedictine monastery and see the shrine of la Moreneta, the Black Madonna. According to the legend, the statue was discovered in the year 880 by shepherds who saw a strange light in the sky and heard music coming from a cave in the mountain. Since then, it has become one of the most famous pilgrimage sights in Spain. Continue on to Cardona for a visit to the Romanesque Church of Saint Vicenç, consecrated in 1047. Enjoy lunch in the medieval dining room at 9th-century Parador de Cardona, holding court over the countryside from its hilltop perch. Drive through the snow-capped Catalonian Pyrenees to your hotel in La Seu d'Urgell for a memorable two-night stay. Dinner tonight is at the hotel, with wine included.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 4
Pyrenees Pleasures in La Seu d'Urgell
This morning, enjoy a walking tour of Andorra followed by lunch at a local restaurant. You'll have a choice of activities this afternoon – a hike with a local guide or a walking tour on the cobblestone lanes of La Seu d'Urgell. Enjoy dinner tonight at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 5
On to Elciego in the Rioja Valley
Depart La Seu d'Urgell this morning and head to the town of Elciego in the province of Álava in the Basque Country of northern Spain, part of the renowned Rioja wine-producing region. After stopping en route for lunch at a parador in Zaragoza, you'll arrive late afternoon in Elciego (Eltziego in Basque), home to the Marqués de Riscal winery and the remarkable five-star hotel that will be your home for the next two nights – the visionary Hotel Marqués de Riscal, designed as a 21st-century chateau by world-famous Canadian-born American architect Frank Gehry, which opened in 2006. After settling in, enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 6
Wine Tasting & Haro in the Rioja Valley
Begin today's explorations in the Rioja Valley wine region (La Rioja) with a tour and tasting at the Marqués de Riscal winery, founded in 1858, whose "City of Wine" includes your ultra-modern hotel and the surrounding winery and vineyards. Next, head to Laguardia in Basque Country for a guided visit, where a walking tour reveals this old town's wealth of historic features, including its medieval ramparts, many Romanesque churches, and the Church of Santa Maria de los Reyes with its well-preserved Gothic tower. Dinner tonight is at a local restaurant.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 7
Laguardia, Pamplona & San Sebastián
Leave Elciego this morning and drive to famous Pamplona, immortalized in Hemingway's famous book, The Sun Also Rises; where you'll have the opportunity to walk the route followed during the town's celebrated annual running of the bulls. Then it's on to coastal San Sebastián in Basque Country, where your first view of this popular oceanfront town is from the top of Mt. Igueldo. Regarded by many as Spain's culinary capital, this ancient town also boasts great surfing beaches, stunning architecture and myriad pintxos bars tucked into the maze of medieval lanes in its Old Town (Parte Vieja). Have dinner at your elegant Belle-Époque hotel tonight.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 8
A day in seaside San Sebastián
Join a local guide for a walking tour along the cobblestone streets of the historic Old Town before spending the rest of the day and evening exploring more of seaside San Sebastián on your own as you please... perhaps sampling typical Basque food and enjoying the town's many waterfront activities, including world-class surfing.
Meals: Breakfast -
Day 9
Bilbao, the Guggenheim & the Cantabria region
Visit the iconic Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao this morning, discovering its collection of modern art as you wish. Designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry (who also designed the Hotel Marqués de Riscal, where you stayed in Elciego), the museum is a showcase for large-scale, site-specific contemporary works of art by international and Basque artists, as well as exhibiting a selection of modern art from the Guggenheim Foundation's collection. Continue on to the Cantabria region, stopping for lunch and time at leisure in the perfectly preserved medieval town of Santillana del Mar, then on for an overnight stay one of Spain's architectural gems, historic Parador de Leon – one of the most important monuments of the Spanish Renaissance.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 10
A Pilgrimage to Santiago
Explore medieval León on a walking tour this morning, seeing a mix of historic and artistic monuments from various periods across the centuries. Stop for lunch along the coast en route to the world-famous pilgrimage town of Santiago de Compostela before checking in to your hotel late this afternoon, the historic Parador de Santiago de Compostela (also known as Parador de los Reyes Catolicos). Considered to be one of the oldest hotels in the world, it has welcomed travelers since the 15th century. Dine tonight at your choice of restaurants in the parador.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner -
Day 11
Sights of Santiago de Compostela
When what was believed to be the grave of St. James the Greater was discovered in this region of what is now northern Spain in the ninth century, hundreds of thousands began making the arduous pilgrimage along El Camino de Santiago – the Way of St. James – on foot to visit it. Legend has it that a bright star led a shepherd boy to the forgotten tomb of the apostle; today your local guide leads the way on a guided walking tour of the town's historic quarter and a visit to the world-famous 11th-century Romanesque Cathedral of St. James, home to the relics of the saint. Following lunch at your historic parador, the rest of the day is free to spend as you like, walking in the footsteps of pilgrims who have made their way here from around the world for centuries.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch -
Day 12
Fly to Madrid for a Two-Night Stay
Depart Santiago de Compostela this morning and fly to Madrid for a two-night stay in Spain's historic capital city. Upon arrival, follow an orientation tour of the city with a guided lunch tapas tour through the historic Barrio de las Letras, a neighborhood that was home to Cervantes and other great Spanish literary lights during the Golden Age. Later, check into your genteel hotel, set within a former 19th-century palace within walking distance of Madrid's Royal Palace and the Teatro Real Opera House. Spend the remainder of the day and evening exploring Madrid on your own and enjoying dinner as you please.
Meals: Breakfast Lunch -
Day 13
Exploring Madrid & the Royal Palace
Join a local guide for a morning tour of Madrid's landmark sights that includes a guided visit to the Royal Palace. One of largest royal palaces in Europe, the opulent Baroque palace was home to Spanish kings from 1764 to 1931 and today is used for state ceremonies. The remainder of the afternoon and evening are yours to spend as you wish in Spain's storied capital city. We invite you to join us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner at your stylish Madrid hotel, converted from a 19th-century palace and boasting spectacular, historic gardens in the very heart of the Spanish capital.
Meals: Breakfast Dinner -
Day 14
Journey home
Tour ends: Madrid. Fly home anytime. A transfer from the Gran Meliá Palacio de los Duques to Madrid–Barajas Airport or Madrid Atocha train station is included. You should allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in at the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
Step back in time on a journey that spans centuries and borders... and creates an authentic sense of place. Northern Spain captivates with a diversity of landscapes and cultural riches...Nature lovers revel in the majesty of the spectacular Pyrenees and Picos de Europa. History buffs marvel at San Sebastián, and art and architecture aficionados find paradise in Barcelona and Bilbao. Pilgrims seek miracles along the Camino de Santiago; visitors, Hemingway included, have been invariably moved by the traditions of Pamplona; and lovers of food – and fun – savor the taste of tapas in neighborhood bars and cafés tucked in narrow medieval lanes from little rural towns to the modern metropolis that is Madrid. Linking people and places with history and charm, Spain's unique historic paradors and elegant resort hotels offer a legacy of genuine hospitality and service along the way.
- TAUCK'S YELLOW ROADS - Cultural charms and spectacular scenery entice during stays in a Frank Gehry masterpiece, an authentically restored castle, a former palace and a historic parador
- Explorations, winery tours and tastings in the famed Rioja Valley wine region
- A self-guided visit of the beautiful Benedictine enclave atop saw-toothed Montserrat
Health and Safety Protocols for Tauck Tours
Traveling with Peace of Mind
Our commitment never wavers – to earn your trust by always doing the right thing. As we explore the world together again, this will be more important than ever as we adapt to living and traveling in the presence of COVID-19.
Tauck is 97-years young this year, and our ability to weather many storms over the decades is a result of our values and beliefs – as a family and as a family-owned and led company. In addition to the guiding light of these values, our extensive experience, local knowledge and global support network help to ensure your safety on every Tauck journey. Building upon our bedrock of award-winning guest care, we have worked tirelessly to prepare for your return following the COVID-19 hiatus in travel. With guidance from leading experts, including the CDC and WHO, together with our internal Global Response Team and, most importantly, with feedback from thousands of our guests, we have redefined how we will conduct our experiences as we resume travel.
Tauck is Prepared for the Unexpected
For decades, Tauck has operated in over 70 countries in all 7 continents. Over this time, our staff and network of supplier partners have always been there to support our guests and team on the road. Our guests travel with a comprehensive, built-in support system that starts with the care and local knowledge of our Tauck Directors and extends to our network of partners around the world, including hoteliers and transportation companies.
At the core of our ability to quickly and effectively respond to the unexpected is our Global Response Team - a group of over 50 employees across all departments who stand ready to spring into action around the world. This team has plenty of experience, from weather events, high and low water on rivers, earthquakes, volcanic ash, civil unrest and work stoppages. They have also dealt with past virus outbreaks including the SARS and Zika viruses.
The Tauck Travel Well Pledge
Before we operate tours and cruises, all Tauck employees, our supplier partners and our guests will take Tauck’s Travel Well Pledge.
As a company, we will follow our enhanced protocols with diligence and rigor; review them frequently as the landscape changes and always make common-sense decisions grounded in purpose and pride. We embrace these new and necessary measures to combat COVID-19 and will do our very best to provide the Tauck care we have been honored to deliver for 97 years.
OUR NEW HEALTH & SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Consistent with our commitment to the well-being of our guests, we are implementing enhanced health and safety protocols. These protocols may vary by geographic regions and will certainly evolve over time, as science and society respond to new realities:
Tauck Staff
Prior to interacting with guests, each member of Tauck’s field staff is trained in enhanced protocols and participates in a personal health screening.
Once on tour, our Tauck Directors and supporting staff are responsible for maintaining these protocols with a special focus on cleanliness and physical distancing. They will relay critical information regarding requirements, advise when protocols are mandatory – such as wearing a face covering in group settings – and help facilitate guest care through communication with appropriate parties should a guest become ill on tour. All Tauck staff will adhere to the same requirements.
Guest Responsibility
When joining a Tauck journey, every guest is responsible for their own health and, in turn, the protection of their fellow travelers, the Tauck staff, our suppliers and the places we visit. Guests will pledge to follow the direction of the Tauck staff and adhere to health and safety protocols.
Guests are expected to wear face coverings in all group settings, to wash their hands frequently and to adhere to supplier and government regulations. While supplies of face coverings, gloves, and hand sanitizer will be available, guests are asked to bring such personal items for their own comfort.
Small is BIG
For many years, Tauck has emphasized and invested in more choices of activities, resulting in smaller groups for activities like sightseeing and events. This is consistent with our mantra that “Small is Big” – small groups and smaller ships with fewer guests.
We initially focused on these elements to improve the guest experience. Yet today they take on an additional dimension; small group experiences and more personal space are critical in providing the peace of mind our guests expect. Accordingly, we are offering even more small group experiences and limiting guest numbers across all of our journeys.
We have been working diligently with our partners to be prepared to welcome you back when the time is right.
Tauck has worked meticulously with our global supplier partners to plan for every itinerary following the hiatus in travel. All partners, whether they be a hotel, museum, small ship/riverboat, restaurant or other partner, have been thoughtful about how to provide a Tauck experience in this environment.
And while it's impossible to list all of the enhanced health and safety protocols for the hundreds of Tauck partners across the globe, we would like to share a representative sample of what you can expect:
Hotels
Our hotel partners all have world-class health and safety protocols. However, these guidelines may vary depending on local situations and regulations. Here are some typical examples:
- Upon-arrival, health questionnaires and temperature checks may be required. Some hotels may even require daily temperature scans.
- Social distancing may be required in public areas, bars and restaurants.
- High-touch areas such as railings, door handles and elevators will undergo enhanced cleaning.
- In-room measures may include removal of tent cards and magazines. Common use items, such as coffee makers and minibar amenities may be on demand.
- High-touch areas, such as light switches, thermostats, remote controls and door handles will be subject to enhanced and frequent cleaning.
- Guests will have the option to determine housekeeping frequency.
- All hotel staff will undergo daily health screenings.
Ships and Riverboats
We have worked closely with our cruise partners to ensure the best possible health and safety protocols and to ensure the care and service you expect from Tauck:
- Guests on cruises and river journeys will be required to complete a health questionnaire and will undergo a temperature check prior to boarding. In some instances, our ship partners will conduct daily temperature checks.
- Face coverings and physical distancing will be required in most public spaces for guests and crew alike.
- Meals may be offered at staggered times and self-serve buffets will be eliminated.
- In-cabin measures include removing common use items. Coffee makers, minibar amenities and housekeeping will be on demand at guest discretion.
- Ship staff will undergo daily health screenings.
- All vessels will have medical staff onboard.
Sightseeing and Local Activities
Many of our experiences are exclusive and/or private and that’s important in taking care of you. Whether it be a guided tour, a visit to an iconic museum or private home, a musical performance, or any other special Tauck activities, we are applying the same rigor to health and safety protocols:
- Tauck listening devices will be sanitized thoroughly and frequently.
- Sightseeing is being adjusted to ensure proper physical distancing.
- Admission times at venues may be altered to ensure no crowding.
- Paper tickets, handouts and the like may be eliminated.
Dining
Tauck has always been known for a la carte dining; having more freedom to decide when and with whom to dine now has more value than ever. Additionally, our partners whether they be hotels, ships, special venues or restaurants, are raising their already rigorous hygienic standards. Here are some examples:
- Waitstaff will likely be wearing face coverings and gloves.
- Seating will be adjusted to accommodate physical distancing.
- Self-serve buffets will be eliminated. Common use menus will no longer be used unless sanitized.
On-Tour Transportation
Keeping on-tour transportation safe is a major focus of our team who has worked with hundreds of partners to ensure continuity in health and safety protocols:
- On motorcoaches and other on-tour ground transportation, such as airport transfers, guest should expect physical distancing and will be required to wear face coverings.
- Prior to each trip, our motorcoaches, vans, airport transfer vehicles and on-tour aircraft will undergo a deep sanitizing process.
- Luggage may also be sanitized at each movement.
- Drivers will wear gloves and face coverings during all guest-facing interactions.
- Drivers will frequently clean handrails, door handles, arm rests, tables, seats, air conditioning/HVAC units, restrooms and overhead storage areas.
Our Supplier Partners are ready for you
Tauck is proud to have worked closely with our partners around the world, many of them for decades, to deliver the quality, comfort and safety you expect. Whether it be hotels and resorts, riverboats and small ships, restaurants, event venues or transportation companies, their meticulous health and safety protocols reflect their leadership and well-earned respect in the travel industry. The following are some select health and safety protocols. We will update these on a regular basis.
In addition to our supplier partners, we have also been actively engaged with global travel organizations to standardize health and safety protocols throughout the travel industry. TourCare is one example:
TourCare are health and sanitation guidelines developed by the tour industry's major global associations: the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), The Canadian Association of Tour Operators (CATO) and the European Tourism Association (ETOA). Tauck, and our supplier partners, meet and exceed these guidelines that require members to adhere to the highest standards in the industry.
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
Parador de Leon
Parador de Santiago de Compostela
Parador de La Seu d Urgell
Gran Melia Palacio de los Duques
Hotel Maria Cristina
Le Méridien Barcelona Hotel
Hotel Marqués de Riscal
OR Call Us For a Free Quote 1-800-935-2620
Question: How many suitcases can I take with me on my trip?
Question: Is Airfare Included in the Price?
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Can't go wrong with Tauck...outstanding!
We were very impressed with Tauck Tours and would book with them through you again!
We spent more money on this Tauck tour than a Luxury Gold trip to Spain and Portugal (top of the line) which required international travel and was for a longer duration. Also, I've said this before about Tauck. Although a good company, there is too much food offered and too much time spent sitting down to a meal when we could be sightseeing.
Our goals were met and exceeded by Affordable Tours.
Wonderful Tauck Tours..we will travel with them again..thank you for the suggestion..
This is our 7th Tauck tour/river cruise and they have never disappointed.
Our trip was amazing and we had to he most amazing guide Leah she went above and beyond
Ms Lawren Farias was our agent. She went out of her way to make sure that everything went smoothly and it did I would defiitely use her again. She was outstanding.
Maya was absolutely wonderful! I only want to book with her for any future travel.
The Tauck tour exceeded our expectations.Our tour director was exceedingly well informed and organized.She was the best.
The tour was one of our best. Tauck's attention to detail and covering nearly 100% of our costs or fees and booking 5* hotels is why we liked the trip.
Fantastic vacation! Exceeded all our expectations! Trip of a Lifetime!!!
Tauck delivered as promised and more. The tour director was very helpful and knowledgeable. We wouldn't hesitate to book with them again.
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Always enjoy traveling with Tauck, this trip was no different. Our tour leasder was one of the best we have encountered. Weather cooperated very well for a perfect trip.