Arrive in Bilbao on suggested flights and make your way to the hotel. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including travel insurance (a condition of travel), a private hotel transfer, accommodation before or after the tour and a room category upgrade.

At 18:00, join your tour leader Claudia Chan Shaw and fellow travellers for a welcome briefing and talk at the hotel, followed by dinner.

(D)

This morning, visit Bilbao’s celebrated Guggenheim Museum, designed by acclaimed architect Frank Gehry. Rising from the banks of the Nervión river behind stunning sails of titanium, the museum has emphatically put the city on Europe’s cultural map with its impressive contemporary art and sculpture collection.

After lunch, embark on a walking tour of Bilbao’s El Ensanche quarter, developed in the 1800s as an extension to the historic centre. Stroll along broad boulevards lined with refined mansions and striking Art Nouveau façades – a testament to Bilbao’s industrial-era prosperity. Admire the intricate ironwork of the Bilbao-Concordia station, the elegant Campos Elíseos Theatre, Azkuna Zentroa as well as Casa Montero, locally known as ‘Casa Gaudí’ due to the strong resemblance to the works of the celebrated Catalan architect.

(BL)

Today, explore more of the Basque country on a day trip from Bilbao. Begin in the charming fishing village of Getaria with a visit to the Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum. Explore the life and work of the renowned couturier in his hometown and admire Balenciaga’s innovative designs.

Continue to the picturesque coastal city of San Sebastián. Despite its turbulent history, which included the total razing of the city in the years after the Napoleonic Peninsular War, San Sebastián is an idyllic seaside resort with an architectural flavour developed during the Belle Époque period.

Return to Bilbao in the late-afternoon for an evening at leisure.

(B)

Depart Bilbao and travel to Madrid by coach, arriving in the late-afternoon. Art Nouveau, known locally as modernismo, flourished in the Spanish capital from the late 19th to the early 20th century. While less exuberant than its Catalan counterpart, Madrid’s Art Nouveau is marked by an eclectic blend of French, Belgian, Italian, Viennese and Catalan influences.

Tonight, dinner is at a local restaurant.

(BD)

This morning, after a talk by Claudia, enjoy an Art Nouveau-themed walking tour of Madrid’s historic centre. Stroll along Gran Vía, where early 20th-century façades blend modernist and eclectic influences, and pause at the Metropolis Building, featuring lavish ornamentation, sculpted columns and a gilded dome, a striking example of French-inspired design from 1911. See the majestic Palacio de Cibeles, now serving as Madrid’s city hall, as well as the ornate façade of the Casa Ruiz de Velasco.

After lunch, the remainder of the day is at leisure.

(BL)

In the morning, stroll through the lively Chueca district to the remarkable Palacio de Longoria, designed in 1904 by Catalan architect José Grases Riera and considered the city’s most iconic modernist building. Then, visit the Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, which exhibits about 1,600 of its 70,000 pieces of furniture, ceramics and textiles, with a rich selection of Art Nouveau and Art Deco masterpieces.

The afternoon is at leisure to explore Madrid at your own pace.

Tonight, appreciate the sights, sounds and passion of a flamenco show at a local tablao.

(BD)

Today, enjoy a full-day excursion to Salamanca, one of the country’s most majestic cities, known for its golden sandstone architecture and vibrant university atmosphere. Explore the splendid Art Nouveau and Art Deco museum Casa Lis, housed in a beautiful, light-filled modernist stained-glass building. Exhibits include Majorelle furniture, Lalique glass, Limoges porcelain, Fabergé watches, bronze and marble figurines and a vast collection of 19th-century French porcelain dolls.

Return to Madrid in the late-afternoon for an evening at leisure.

(B)

This morning, visit the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. Highlights of the museum include superb collections of Spain’s foremost 20th-century masters, such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Salvador Dalí. Certainly, the most important masterpiece in the museum is Picasso’s celebrated Civil War painting Guernica (1937). The museum also displays fine collections of work by Juan Gris, Julio González, Eduardo Chillida, Antoni Tàpies, Lucio Muñoz and many other significant artists.

The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax or to further explore the Spanish capital at your own pace.

(B)

This morning, transfer to Madrid-Atocha station and board a high-speed train to Barcelona (included in tour price).

Arrive in Barcelona in the mid-afternoon and check in to the hotel.

Enjoy some time at leisure before dining at one of Barcelona’s vibrant restaurants.

(BD)

After a morning talk by Claudia, stroll along the elegant Passeig de Gràcia, lined with a parade of Art Nouveau façades. Visit Antoni Gaudí’s Casa Mila (La Pedrera), famed for its surreal chimneys and sweeping city views. Then, explore the Illa de la Discòrdia, a city block showcasing a striking collection of Art Nouveau buildings such as Josep Puig i Cadafalch’s Casa Amatller and the nearby Casa Lleó Morera, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, both leading figures of Catalan modernismo.

After lunch, step into Gaudí’s whimsical world at Casa Batlló, built between 1904 and 1906 for textile tycoon Josep Batlló, who gave the architect free rein to create “a paradise on earth”. Admire the façade’s sinuous curves and wave-like balconies. Inside, discover the elegant Noble Floor, a sculpted wooden staircase resembling the spine of a great sea creature, a blue-tiled atrium that fills the house with light, along with a rooftop evoking a dragon’s backbone.

(BL)

This morning, visit Gaudí’s iconic Sagrada Família, started in 1882 and set for completion in 2026 to time with the 100th anniversary of Gaudí’s death. Marvel at the fantasy spires that rise above the city, the drip-candle-like stonework of the façades and the double-twist columns inside that branch like trees to support the soaring ceiling. Every detail draws inspiration from nature, resulting in a space that feels both organic and deeply symbolic.

Then, visit the peaceful Hospital de Sant Pau, a landmark of Catalan Art Nouveau by Domènech i Montaner. Inspired by nature and light, its thoughtful layout features colourful pavilions, ornate façades and tranquil gardens, all connected by underground galleries, intended to create a healing environment and uplift patients’ spirits.

(B)

In the morning, visit the Picasso Museum, housed within five interconnected Gothic mansions in Barcelona’s El Born district. Wander through galleries that showcase more than 4,000 original works by the painter, with a focus on his formative years and Blue Period.

Then, discover the resplendent Palau de la Música Catalana, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed concert hall and a masterpiece of Catalan Art Nouveau by Domènech i Montaner. From the elegant foyer and the main staircase, discover the Lluís Millet Hall, an intermission space dedicated to nature with iconic stained-glass windows, and the majestic Concert Hall with its emblematic colourful glass skylight.

After lunch, enjoy a walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, where medieval streets meet early modernism.

(BL)

This morning, discover Gaudí’s early vision of Art Nouveau, starting at Park Güell, where winding paths, mosaic benches and whimsical pavilions blur the line between architecture and nature. Continue to Casa Vicens, Gaudí’s first residential house, known for its bold use of ceramics, intricate ironwork and nature-inspired motifs.

The afternoon is at leisure to relax or to further explore Barcelona at your own pace.

Tonight, enjoy a special farewell dinner with Claudia and fellow travellers at a local restaurant.

(BD)

Tour arrangements conclude after breakfast.

For those returning home today, make your way to Barcelona Airport for suggested flights to Australia or New Zealand. Renaissance Tours or your travel agent can assist you with your flights and other travel arrangements, including a private airport transfer, additional nights’ accommodation either before or after the tour and travel insurance (a condition of travel).

(B)