Madrid & Barcelona with cruise to France and Italy

This morning sees you travel through the rolling hills that surround Madrid to the medieval city of Ávila. With your private guide, explore the cobbled streets, the Gothic cathedral-fortress, and walk along a section of the city walls for panoramic views of the countryside. From Ávila, continue to the city of Segovia, boasting a mix of historical architecture, including the double-tiered Roman aqueduct to the medieval Alcázar and a former royal palace for the Castilian monarchs. Once you’ve had lunch in the central square and time to explore the city, your driver will return you to Madrid.

Today you’ll visit the 16th-century monastery palace of El Escorial and the 20th-century Valle de los Caídos (Valley of the Fallen). Experiencing both sites with your expert guide will provide an insight into Spain’s history from the Spanish Golden Age to the military dictatorship that gripped the country for almost 40 years. Your guide will then bring you back to Madrid for your final afternoon in the city.

A high-speed train will take you from Madrid to Barcelona, the hub of Catalonian art and culture. Spend the afternoon exploring the city at your own pace with a stroll through the city’s Gothic Quarter or sampling local delicacies at Mercat de la Boquería food market.

This morning, embark on a half-day private tour of Antoni Gaudí’s playful architecture. You’ll visit the Casa Milà apartment blocks, the fairy-tale-like Park Güell, and finish your tour at the Sagrada Família. Still under construction after more than 140 years, the basilica blends late Spanish Gothic, Catalan Modernism, and Art Nouveau style. The result is a medley of organic shapes, free-flowing curves, bright mosaic work, and soaring towers.

Leave the city for the Penedès region, the home of Spain's signature sparkling wine, cava. Enjoy a small group tour and tasting at the Codorníu estate in their historic underground cellars. Enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant with views across the Catalan countryside before visiting Montserrat Monastery, an important site for pilgrims since the 11th century. The monastery is nestled in crags of the mountain with a golden Gothic interior.

Before you embark on your cruise this afternoon, spend your final morning delving into the work of another artist influenced by his time in Barcelona. The Picasso Museum holds more than 3,500 works of art and provides its visitors with an in-depth look at Pablo Picasso’s formative years. Your driver will pick you up from your hotel to begin the rest of your European adventure.

Make your first port of call in Cannes on the French Riviera. This glamorous city is best known for its film festival, but it’s a destination for the glitterati year-round. If you want to indulge fully in Cannes’ reputation for luxury, you might opt for a privately chauffeured guided tour through the narrow roads of the Côte d’Azur. Alternatively, visit the medieval town of Saint-Paul de Vence, followed by a stop at a family vineyard for a wine tasting.

You’ll arrive in the pastel-painted town of Portofino to explore this morning. Here, you might opt to take a guided kayaking trip, following the shoreline and admiring the view from the water. Or you can join a small-group tour to visit two of the villages on the Cinque Terre. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this collection of five fishing villages is known for the sun-faded houses that seem to cling to the cliff sides over the water.

Just an hour's drive inland from the Marina de Pisa, Florence is a compact gem of a city on the banks of the Arno. Today, you can take a guided tour through the city’s highlights, from the glories of the Pitti Palace, the fortress-like ex-Medici stronghold, to the open-air museum of the Boboli Gardens. Or, leave the city to drive through the sun-gilded hills of Tuscany to a traditional farmhouse, where you’ll hunt for truffles with a trained dog.

Today, you'll land in Civitavecchia, an ancient port city that’s served Rome for 2,000 years. Delve into the living history of Rome's gastronomic culture with a guided tour of Campo de' Fiori food market, followed by a small-group cooking class to learn to make pasta. Or take a guided visit to the Vatican, including Saint Peter’s Basilica and Square. Afterwards, you could unwind on board with a drink in your ship’s rooftop garden.

Arrive today in the lively city of Naples. You might board a kayak for a guided paddle through the Bay of Naples or take a private motorboat cruise around the wave-carved grottoes and rocky shoreline of nearby Capri. The doomed city of Pompeii is nearby, and you can join a guided exploration of its haunting streets and villas.

Time to unwind as your ship makes its way back to Barcelona. You’ll have the whole day at sea to admire the sunlight bouncing off the Mediterranean and enjoy the ship’s many charms. With your newfound experience with European art, you might wander through the gallery or choose to be pampered at the salon, followed by a photo shoot at the ship’s studio.

Enjoy your final morning on your cruise before returning to Barcelona for your flight home.