Barcelona, Andalusia & Southern Spain
Catalonia’s vibrant capital, Barcelona is a stunning seaside city that flaunts her beauty and sunny lifestyle. Gorgeous scenery, breathtaking architecture, and superb cultural attractions make for an alluring destination. Of course, the balmy Mediterranean climate adds to the charm. Barcelona has an atmospheric medieval quarter, the Barri Gòtic, with an almost magical old-world ambience, but it’s even more famous for its Modernist architecture. Antoni Gaudà left a lasting mark on Barcelona with his avant-garde Surrealist buildings; several are UNESCO listed
Trip Highlights
- Begin your trip in Barcelona and explore its stunning architecture, including Gaudi’s crowning glory – the Sagrada Familia
- Take in the joyous vibe of La Rambla street, or relax in the cafés of the Barri Gòtic
- Head south to Granada and marvel at the Alhambra Palace – the last bastion of the Moors in Spain
- Drive through the Andalusian towns of Malaga, Seville, Cordoba, Ronda – each as beautiful as the other – replete with history, architecture and culture
- Watch a flamenco show, taste the original Paella, take a cruise through cliffs and caves or relax on some of the finest Mediterranean beaches
- Return to Madrid via Toledo – a UNESCO world heritage city where daunting medieval walls conceal winding cobblestone streets, and umpteen churches, synagogues, mosques – symbols of Spain’s colourful history
Which Visa Do I Need
Indian citizens require Schengen Visa for visiting Spain. US & UK passport holders do not require visa.
Length of Stay
We recommend at least 8-9 days for this itinerary. 3-4 days in Barcelona and 4-5 days in the South (Andalusia). Depending on the days available, Madrid can be dropped or included.
Best time to visit
While Barcelona does get cold in the winter months, the south of Spain is fairly moderate. Summer months can get very warm, and we recommend visiting this region between March-June and Sep-November
stunning architecture, palaces & fortresses, medieval cities, scenic drives, warm beaches, culture & gastronomy
Did you know
- Barcelona was Gustav Eiffel’s preferred location to build the 300 meter-tall tower, or Paris’ Eiffel Tower, for the 1888 Universal Exposition, but was dropped as it was thought to be too radical for Barcelona.Â
- The FC Barcelona stadium known as Camp Nou is the largest stadium in Europe, and one of the largest in the world. It was built in 1957 and has the seating capacity of a whooping 99,354!
- Park Guell, one of Antoni Gaudi’s masterpieces is actually a failed housing project. Antoni Gaudi and Eusebi Güell intended it to be a ‘visionary housing complex’, unfortunately they received no interest from the investors and had to abandon the original idea. In 1984, the project was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site under Works of Antoni Gaudi.
- Andalusia has as many as 70 bullfighting arenas. Bullfighting is so deeply rooted in this Spanish region that even today the arenas brim with people. The legendary matadors can sometimes make up to 200,000 EUR for a single confrontation with an enraged bull!Â
- Christopher Columbus left for his famous 1492 journey, which led to the discovery of America, from the Andalusian harbour Huelva.Â
