Spain and Italy Luxury Tour Barcelona to Naples

Barcelona is a city that arouses all the senses as it eases you into your vacation. Mediterranean waters shimmer while gothic buildings glow golden in the afternoon light. There’s exotic energy to the streets that’s different from home. Yet you can also feel a laid-back vibe. Nothing will be rushed and it seems like everyone is on vacation here along the Catalan coast. You’ll be greeted at the airport and transferred to a hotel in Barrio Gothic, which will be an easy walking distance to both the coast and the heart of Barcelona. The day will be left free for you to go out exploring.

Today will begin with a panoramic tour of Barcelona so that you can take in some stunning attractions while keeping things slow and easy. Take a walk through the Boqueria, where sweet aromas attract you to food stalls, and shocks of color delight the camera lens. Stop for lunch on an outdoor terrace then walk it off in Palau de la Musica Catalana, the finest of all the city’s Modernist buildings. Sample Spanish olive oils at a small bistro then explore Gaudi’s architecture and Montjuic, the hilltop castle and gardens. The city will come alive in the evenings and the guide will help you decide the best places to go to.

The next day, when you fly to Granada, everything will change. Time travels slowly here, as you will see on the streets of artisanal stores. The architecture is all Moorish charm with a maze of whitewashed buildings that lead toward the Alhambra, one of the greatest structures in Europe. The Islamic design is almost one thousand years old, and its geometry and calligraphy will keep you captivated for hours. This piece of Moorish Spain is the heartbeat of old Granada and it’s complete with gardens, fountains, and a sense of mystery. One full day will be an eye-opening experience as you dine at a small tavern in the Alcazar.

This morning, travel to rural Andalusia, where pueblos blancos cling to the high cliffs. These white villages were deliberately built in inaccessible locations to protect residents from pirates and religious crusaders. Ronda is a picture-perfect icon whose history incorporates the Moors into unified Spain, especially in the country’s first bullfighting arena. With a local guide, you can tour the main sights in two hours. This will leave half a day for you to walk around without a map and absorb the local atmosphere and living history.

The drive to Seville today will be exquisite. You pass through other small villages in the mountains before you drive out to the coast and Jerez. Sip sherry in the place it originated and take a walk through the old Moorish harbor. Then, arrive in Seville to absorb all the energy. This city has the largest old quarter in Europe and the guide will take you on an orientation tour of the taverns. Seville invented tapas and you will hop between local establishments, to try one or two tapas (lids or small plates of food) before you venture out to another street. It will be a laid-back and informal experience in a city that grows lively around dusk.

The following day you will discover the Seville sites, places of grandeur that never appear real at first glance. Similar to the Royal Palace of the Alcazar, each attraction has such intricate details interwoven into their facades. Then visit the enormous Cathedral, where gothic features drip from the walls, and Columbus is buried in the crypt. Early afternoon is downtime so you will relax after lunch before a horse and carriage ride to a historic home on the edge of the city. You’ll dine here, as you enjoy a flamenco performance. The art form has its roots in a small Seville neighborhood and there’s no more authentic place to witness a show where you will listen to elegiac singing along with the haunting strains of the acoustic guitar.

This morning, you will travel to Madrid by train. Cordoba is on the route, so jump out, meet a guide, store your luggage, and spend a morning in the extraordinary Mezquita. This building was once a mosque and centerpiece of the Moorish empire before it became a cathedral that preserved the original art. Today, the cathedral is a grand example of European architecture. Walk to it through flower-lined streets and surround yourself with one thousand years of artisanal design. This evening you’ll stay in the Spanish capital, as you take a walk across the Plaza Mayor and choose one of the outstanding restaurants.

In the morning, visit the Prado Museum, where Spanish masterpieces cover entire walls and the best of the old masters is on display. This is the place to see El Greco, Goya, and Velazquez before you take a journey into Flemish and Italian art. The Prado rivals Paris’s Louvre as the world’s finest old art museum. Afterward, take a walk through the iron and glass and sounds of San Miguel, a marketplace of hawkers that soaks you into the city’s history. Refresh and re-energize with chocolate and churros before another lively evening in the heart of Madrid. Tonight, you could go tapas hopping or try one of the very contemporary restaurants.

Today, you will begin the second half of your journey in Italy, starting with Sicily’s enigmatic capital Palermo. When you touch down, a guide will help orient you as they show you the where and what of the old Norman town. Tomorrow you’ll visit each of the sites but today is all about the atmosphere. On your first day in Italy, you’ll experience cafes on the water, tinkling church bells, families walking around at dusk, and a sultry breeze coming in off the sea as you observe the glorious sunset colors with a drink in hand.

A mosaic-laden chapel stands in the heart of a Royal Palace, and the art still shimmers after 1200 years. It’s the oldest palace in Europe, built by the Normans and embellished by various island heads. From this Palermo centerpiece, you will travel down the hill to Monreale, where the cathedral houses more than two tons of gold, and the mosaics are just as spellbinding. It will be a real highlight to compare Monreale with Granada and Cordoba, which will provide you with insight into the complex artistic histories found across Southern Europe. By early afternoon you will be back in Palermo, where more historical treasures can be enjoyed.

Travel across Sicily today, where roads curve over rugged mountains and small villages whisper of distant legend. This island was the famous home of the Cosa Nostra, or the Mafia as you may know them. In Corleone, where many Mafia bosses originate, you’ll discuss Sicily’s resistance to conformity over lunch at an olive oil farm. However, there is more than just an inglorious history on the island. Explore the Valley of the Temples to see what came before the Normans. Then, follow the smells to the seaside and the quiet old village of Taormina.

Of all the Italian villas in all of Italy, there is nothing to rival Romana del Casale. Its ostentatious size will greet you from afar. The opulence of its interiors knows no bounds. All over the walls, you find art that’s been plundered and purchased, and down some corridors you find mosaics untouched since the fourth century. It takes you three hours just to get around the place, so gather your thoughts afterward at the garden cafe. With Mount Etna as a compass point you’ll head into eastern Sicily, where panoramic views come from the road back into Taormina. With its sweeping beaches and undulating hills, the coastal town has been attracting visitors for over a century now. Yet, Taormina remains as authentic as ever.

Take in Taormina’s fabulous amphitheater for one final time this morning. Admire its cliffside perch as you enjoy breakfast with a view before you take a ferry to the Italian mainland. Spend a few hours in Calabria, a region of olive groves and hilltop villas, and continue through Southern Italy to Basilicata. In Spain you explored well-known destinations but in Italy, you sidestep famous places to focus on the country’s more charming and traditional places. Matera is built on a hill, a walled city that’s as old as almost any. It feels like a village and it’s a wonderful place to get lost without a map. Walk through a mazy jumble of stone houses and cave dwellings, as you pass eighth-century churches on the route. Then find your hotel, deep within the maze, a cross between a historical museum and a contemporary place to rest your head.

The next day, when you wake up you’ll continue the Matera exploration. There are a plethora of alleys and blind back-lanes where you’ll come across something new, like churches carved into the cliffs. The guide will ensure you don’t get completely lost and they lead you toward a small local restaurant, where the chef runs a Puglian cooking class. Prepare local delicacies, indulge in the fine foods, and spend the afternoon in Alberobello nearby. This town is famous for its trulli, traditional limestone dwellings with conical rooftops. There are hundreds of these houses and while it’s a popular tourist destination, it’s a remarkable sight.

Paestum is Greek and the remains of its temples are an indication of what took place some 2600 years ago. The temples and porticoes from the Doric order have been expertly restored. Today, they stand on the lush green fields of southern Italy. Those fields are home to livestock and that livestock helps produce cheese, so jump into the mozzarella-making process at a local farm nearby. As you travel northwest, the day will continue with another Italian legend, pizza. Tour the atmospheric streets of Naples in search of the world’s best pizza, a journey that will impress upon you the importance of good mozzarella. The Amalfi Coast is under an hour from Naples and you will check in to a hotel above the sea, in a village of brightly-colored houses.

On your last day in Italy, you’ll relax a coastal cafe with a cup of coffee before you take a boat trip to Capri or walk to other villages along this coastline. Enjoy the beautiful views, old-world cafes, serene churches, and an atmosphere that causes everyone to stop and slow down. A free day in Amalfi will help you recollect and reflect on this perfect tour to Spain and Italy. It gives you some space to rest up before the return flight and some time to remember all the wonderful destinations that have been featured.

You leave Italy from Naples so there are a couple of options today. You can choose between a morning transfer and some time in the city before heading to the airport or a late check out and a transfer directly to the airport.