Day 1: Fly overnight to France
Day 2: Paris
Meet your Field Director at the airportTake a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area
See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings
Enjoy dinner in the Latin QuarterDay 3: Paris
🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Place de la Concorde, a major public square
- Champs-Élysées, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques
- Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
- Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
- Hôtel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV
Explore art from around the world at the Louvre, home to over 35,000 objects including Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa
Day 4: Paris
Add this in-depth excursion:
Versailles
Welcome to the world headquarters of decadence—the grand palace of Versailles. The enormous estate was built to keep commoners far from its gilded doors and expansive gardens—but fortunately, you won’t have to win Louie or Marie’s notoriously fickle favor to get in. After spending the day in a maze of manicured shrubbery and the staggering Hall of Mirrors, continue the theme of indulgence by treating yourself at a local patisserie nearby.Day 5: Paris • Provence region
Travel by high-speed TGV train to Avignon
🔹 Cultural engagement: Take a tour of Avignon, the capital of the Provence region, with your Field Director
Visit the Palais des Papes, a sprawling residence in which he and his six successors lived, and view the Italian frescoes in the chapel and see the hidden vaults where riches were stored
Enjoy dinner in the Provence region
Day 6: Provence region • Arles
Take an excursion to Arles, a city with a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire
Visit the Arles or Nîmes Ampitheater, which were constructed in the 1st century and are the best-preserved Roman arenas in France
See Pont du Gard, an ancient aqueduct
See the Mémoires de Garrigue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features 15 acres of restored agricultural parcels
Day 7: Provence region • Figueres • Barcelona
Travel via Figueres, a Catalan town on the Costa Brava, to Barcelona
Visit the Dalí Museum, a one-of-a-kind museum featuring some of his most famous works, including Soft Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon and The Girl from Figueres
🔹 Guided learning: Tour Figueres with an expert local guide
Day 8: Barcelona
Take a guided tour of Barcelona
With your expert local guide you will see:
- La Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s masterpiece cathedral that is over 130 years in the making
- Gothic Quarter, a memory of the Roman Empire, now lined with shops and restaurants
- Barcelona Cathedral, a Gothic Revival church known for its gargoyles and other mythical animals
Visit Park Güell, a vast public park designed by Antoni Gaudí that features colorful mosaics and remarkable architecture
Add this in-depth excursion:
Barcelona Flamenco Evening
To better understand the soul of Spain, choose to attend a flamenco performance this evening. Born of Indian, Moorish, Arabian and gypsy influences, flamenco dance is a passionate display dramatic poses and colorful costumes, accompanied by song and guitar. Marvel at the intricate rhythms created by a dancer’s steps, castanets (wooden finger cymbals) and clapping. (Please note: A beverage is included in this optional.)
Day 9: Barcelona
🔹 Cultural engagement: Tour La Boquería, Barcelona’s central produce market, with an expert local guide to see limitless varieties of cheeses, meats, and sweets
Enjoy dinner in Barcelona
Day 10: Depart for home
Add 2 more days
Day 10: Barcelona • Madrid
Travel by AVE train to MadridWith your Field Director, take a walking tour of Madrid, Spain’s capital and largest city
Visit the Prado, Madrid's famed art museum where you can behold Velázquez’s Las Meninas and Goya’s paired canvases
Enjoy dinner in Madrid's Old Town, Puerta del Sol
Day 11: Madrid
Take a guided tour of Madrid
With your expert local guide you will see:
- Puerta del Sol, one of the city’s busiest squares
- Plaza Mayor, the center of old Madrid where you’ll learn about the grand square’s history of bullfights, royal weddings, and public executions
- Plaza de Oriente, the Royal Palace square, located across from the Royal Palace
Visit the Royal Palace and get a glimpse of regal Madrid, where you’ll wander the fabulous palace interior
Add this in-depth excursion:
Toledo
This half-day excursion will take you to the former Spanish capital of Toledo. Known as the “city of the three cultures,” this was a place of peaceful coexistence of Jews, Christians and Muslims. Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy in the form of churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques and synagogues. Enjoy a panoramic drive around the city and visit the cathedral that dominates Toledo’s skyline. Then continue on to the Church of Santo Tomé where you’ll view The Burial of Count Orgaz, one of El Greco’s most famous works. Step inside one of Toledo's synagogues and finish off your excursion with a stop at a local sword-making workshop.
Day 12: Depart for home
)