Private Tours of Spain : Art, Architecture, History and Heritage

Enjoy a walking tour that includes some of the capital's most impressive sights, such as the Plaza de Oriente and the historic quarter including the 17th-century Plaza Mayor, a wonderful Baroque square lined with arcades filled with picturesque cafes. Walk through the peaceful and the narrow streets of olde Madrid. Your guide will also provide an in-depth tour of either the Royal Palace or the majestic Prado Museum*, recently revamped and home to one of world's finest collections of European art.
*Can be substituted with either the ThyssenMuseum or the Reina Sofia.

Enjoy a private tour that covers the city’s famous boulevards, the narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter, the awesome central food market La Boqueria, and the neighborhoods that ooze avant-guard style and design. Barcelona is today renowned for being one of Europe's most dynamic and innovative cultural centers yet its Gothic Quarter rests on the ancient Roman city of Barcino, today full of buildings from the 13th to the 15th century. The Quarter is full of interesting shapes, peaceful plazas and winding alleyways, with its medieval Cathedral and the Picasso Museum. Plenty to explore!

It is Toledo, perhaps more than any other city, with its narrow, winding streets and steps, stone houses and churches that embodies Spain’s past. Explore the city’s splendid medieval heart, marvelling at the soaring Gothic cathedral, among the greatest of Gothic structures in Europe, and home to paintings by El Greco, Van Dyck and Goya. Later, enjoy El Greco’s finest work, the famed Burial of the Count of Orgaz. Explore the old Jewish quarter, which includes two of the few remaining medieval synagogues in Spain. At the beautifully crafted El Tránsito, you can visit the Jewish Museum, devoted to the history and legacy of Jewish Spain.

With a private driver, combine Segovia and El Escorial to make a fascinating full day touring.
The Palace of El Escorial, built by Philip II in the second half of the 16th century, contains the bodies of all but two of the kings of Spain from Charles V to Alfonso XIII. At close range the beauty of the palace's ornamentation and of its pools and gardens can be seen; but one can also view the small, bare and poorly furnished cell in which Philip chose to die. It is this mixture of royal grandeur and monastic austerity that makes El Escorial unique.

Segovia, declared as belonging to the Heritage of Mankind by UNESCO, is a natural fortress - a reflection of Castile at its best. The city's location atop a limestone elevation, dominates the Castilian serene grain-producing fields, spread out below. It possesses some outstanding architectural monuments, the Roman aqueduct, the cathedral and the Alczar being the highlights. It’s also the capital of Castilian cuisine, with some classic restaurants serving roast lambs and suckling pigs. A great day out, Segovia always surpasses expectations.

The Guggenheim, designed by Frank O. Gehry, is a masterpiece of design and a wonder of construction. Your guide will introduce you to titanium clad building and its extraordinary combination of interconnecting shapes. Indeed, for all visitors, the Guggenheim creates a sense of awe. Your guide will explain how it has sparked a renaissance in Bilbao, with creative urban projects transforming the landscape of this city. You will visit the museum with its intriguing collection of vanguard works from the 19th and 20th centuries.

Enjoy a private tour of the Alhambra, the best preserved example of a Moorish fortress palace in Europe, and one of the world’s most romantic monuments. With our expert guide, go beyond the text in your guide book and discover a fascinating world that was home to the Nasrid sultans, rulers of the last Spanish Moorish kingdom. With its construction, Moorish architecture and art reached spectacular levels, yet as our guide will explain, the Alhambra reveals also much about the life and culture of this lost kingdom. You will visit the Generalife, the country retreat of Moorish royalty just behind the Alhambra.

Captivating and beautiful, the capital of Andalucia intoxicates and excites. The city of flamenco, bulls, Carmen and Don Juan; its history and culture give rise to pride, tradition, passion and joy. With your guide stroll through its enchanting neighbourhoods lifted by the aroma of orange blossoms. Visit the enormous cathedral, featuring the tomb of Christopher Columbus and its 12th-century bell-tower, La Giralda, originally built by the Moors as a minaret. Visit the ornately decorated Alcazar Palace and its Andalusian gardens. Fom the Alcazar's gardens, wander through the Barrio de Santa Cruz: originally the Jewish Quarter and now regarded as the prettiest quarter of Sevilla.

While the rest of Europe was languishing during the “Dark Ages”, Cordoba thrived and, in the 10th and early 11th centuries, was the largest city in Western Europe; a period characterized by remarkable success in trade and culture. With our guide, explore the picturesque and evocative whitewashed streets in the well conserved heart of Cordoba, many houses revealing courtyards and patios with geraniums and bougainvilleas. The greatest monument of Cordoba: the Mezquita dazzles with its vast forest of hundreds of delicate marble columns and elegant arches. The tiny synagogue of Cordoba is located on a winding medieval road, and its cube-shaped, gem-like interior is one of the most beautiful synagogue interiors in Europe.

Santiago de Compostela possesses a mystical beauty rarely matched in Spain, and not surprisingly the medieval city has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the Cathedral, which stands on the Plaza del Obradoiro and dominates the whole town. It is considered to be one of the finest achievements of Romanesque architecture. You might also stop at the Museo das Peregrinacins, or museum of pilgrimage. Located in a Gothic mansion, the museum presents the history of the pilgrimage to Santiago through models, displays, and artifacts. Other sights include the many medieval plazas and monasteries near the cathedral.

We recommend an insight and comparison of the "old" Valencia and the "new" Valencia, a Mediterranean city now boasting some of the most innovative urban architecture in Europe. You might start at the cathedral where you can climb the Miguelete, the unfinished spire and enjoy a spectacular view of the city. Step inside the Mercado Central, one of Europe's largest covered markets. You might also wish to see the Instituto Valenciano de Arte Moderno (IVAM), and of course the tour would not be complete without viewing the major architectural works of local boy Santiago Calatrava at the "City of Arts and Sciences".

Girona's history dates back to the Roman era, and you will find the town full of magnificent monuments, museums and archives. Our guide will lead you through the winding medieval alleyways of Girona. The Call, the old Jewish Quarter, was home to a prosperous community until the end of the 15th century. To make it a full day tour, you might spend the afternoon exploring Catalunya's medieval villages or head to Figueres, and visit the Dali Theatre-Museu, full of the outrageous and surreal. Dali himself is buried in a crypt here, next to a series of gold cobra statues.