MADRID | TOLEDO | BURGOS | SAN SEBASTIAN | BILBAO | HARO | ZARAGOZA | BARCELONA
One of our favourite ways to explore small towns and villages is to rent a car and let the exploration begin. With our new Self-Drive Spain program, experience excellent Spanish roads and freeways with easy access to the beautiful beaches of San Sebastian in the North, wineries in La Rioja’s town of Haro and many sites in between. Enjoy our hand-picked charming hotels along the way, ending your journey in Barcelona.
Highlights:
- Shared tour of lively Madrid and the Royal Palace
- Shared tour of Medieval Toledo
- Private guided walking tour of San Sebastian and Bilbao
- Tasting of Catalan Cava in Barcelona
Package Includes:
- Total 10 nights accommodation at 4-Star hotels
- 3 nights each in Madrid, San Sebastian and Barcelona
- 2 night in Zaragoza
- Private transfers and shared tours as per itinerary
- Category B car rental for 9 days. Manual Transmission with unlimited milage, CDW*
- Continental breakfast daily
- Hotel taxes and service charges
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Optional Add-on Tours
- Flamenco show in Madrid
- Tapas walking tour in Madrid or Barcelona
- Spanish lessons with a private instructor
International airfare not included. Minimum 2 passengers travelling together.
*Additional insurance can be purchased locally. Upgrade to automatic transmission available upon request.
Some tour schedules vary based on seasonality. Not valid during special events, festivals or congresses. Blackout periods may apply. Pricing for other dates available upon request.
Rates are subject to availability at time of booking.
Itinerary
Day 1
| MADRID Arrive in Madrid and transfer from airport to hotel. Enjoy the rest of your day to explore the largest city in Spain on your own. |
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Day 2
Breakfast MADRID After breakfast,breakfast, discover Madrid during a half-day shared sightseeing tour through the most popular avenues, streets and squares to admire Gran Via, Plaza de España, Calle Mayor and Cibeles Fountain. Visit the beautiful Royal Palace, built in the 18th-Century which remains one of the best preserved palaces in Europe. Enjoy your afternoon at leisure to explore.
Day 3
BreakfastTOLEDO After breakfast, spend the morning in Toledo, Spain’s medieval capital and a treasure trove of El Greco artworks. On your half-day shared tour, discover a glorious city filled with amazing medieval architecture; step into the past while walking along its cobblestone alleyways. Return to your hotel in Madrid and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. Perhaps take an optional Tapas Walking tour this evening (not included).
Day 4
BreakfastMADRID – BURGIS – SAN SEBASTIAN After breakfast, pick up your car rental and drive to the seaside town of San Sebastian. Along the way, stop in Burgos for lunch (not included) with a short visit of this beautiful city which was once the capital of the unified kingdom of Castilla-Leon for five centuries. Continue your drive to San Sebastian and your hotel for overnight.
Day 5
BreakfastSAN SEBASTIAN After breakfast, meet your local guide for a walking tour of San Sebastian and its downtown area. Walking towards the Old Quarter, see the old walled city featuring the most interesting buildings including the Church of San Vicente, the Basilica of Santa Maria and the San Telmo Museum, a former 16th-Century convent. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.
Day 6
BreakfastSAN SEBASTIAN – BILBAO – SAN SEBASTIAN After breakfast, drive to Bilbao situated in the Western part of the Basque Country. Known as the financial and economic center of the region, Bilbao is a thriving city featuring a variety of unique sculptures, architecture and museums. Meet your local guide for a walking tour through Ensanche-Abandoibarra, showcasing its urban development and architecture from the 19th-Century to the present day. Afterwards, we suggest you take some time to visit the famous Guggenheim Museum, entrance fees not included. Drive back to San Sebastian and your hotel.
Day 7
BreakfastSAN SEBASTIAN – HARO – ZARAGOZA After breakfast, drive towards the famous town of Haro, capital of La Rioja’s wine-producing region. We suggest you spend a few hours discovering the wines of the area on your own, perhaps over lunch. Continue on to your hotel in Zaragoza and for your overnight.
Day 8
Breakfast ZARAGOZA – BARCELONA After breakfast, take some time to discover the vibrant city of Zaragoza. With over 2,000 years of history, find stunning monuments including Roman ruins such as the Circus and Aljafería Palace and Baroque gems such as the Pilar Basilica and brilliant artwork of artist Francisco de Goya. In the afternoon, drive to Barcelona to return your rental car.
Day 9
BreakfastBARCELONA After breakfast, begin your half-day shared tour of Barcelona. Highlights include Plaça de Catalunya, Via Laietana, the Cathedral and its cloister, Gothic Quarter and Plaça Sant Jaume. Continue on to the Villa Olimpica and the Port Olympic. Ascend Montjüic Mountain for a panoramic view of the city and harbour, tour the Olympic Stadium, Palau Sant Jordi and Calatrava Tower. Taste 'Catalan Cava', the renowned local sparkling wine. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.
Day 10
BreakfastBARCELONA AfterBreakfast at the hotel. Spend your day at leisure visiting local shops, cafés and parks in this beautiful city. Perhaps walk around the winding streets and hidden squares, fountains and palaces in the area of Cuitat Vella, the old city.
Day 11
BARCELONA – HOME After breakfast, transfer from your hotel to the airport for your flight home.
General Information & Maps
Not Included:
- International or domestic airfare; airport or departure taxes
- Gratuities to guides and drivers
- Items of a personal nature
- Travel insurance
- Reciprocity and/or local taxes if applicable
- Visas required for entry into the country as necessary. Please discuss this with your travel agent to determine your requirements prior to departure.
Gateways International Tailor-made Tours
View LargeThe Royal Palace, Madrid
View LargeGuell Park, Barcelona
View LargeSan Sebastian, Spain
