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Overview

Train Journey through Spain

Relax, take a load off, and hop on a train, traveling from one great Spanish city to next: welcome to Madrid, Seville, Granada, and Cordoba, four of Spain’s greatest cities.

This train journey starts off in the heart of Spain with a visit to the country’s capital, Madrid. With some of the world’s best museums, many majestic town squares, and a rich and diversified history, this is one of Europe’s most popular travel destinations.

In Seville, you’ll be stunned by the surprising blend of Moorish and Western civilizations that sets Andalucía apart from the rest of the country. Visit the imposing cathedral, classified as a UNESCO world heritage site, and see how it compares to the prestige of the ruins of Alcazar, a palace that belonged to Arab rulers up until the Christian Reconquest. Almost impossible to drive through, the old town’s colorful maze of alleys will cast a spell on you as you make your way to the imposing Plaza Espana, a beautiful example of the area’s azulejo style.

Your train journey through Spain then takes you to Granada, where stands the mighty Alhambra, universally considered to be the most beautiful Moorish palace ever built. Take a stroll in its lush gardens, marvel at the beauty of the fountains, and you’ll feel like you’re in a scene from Arabian Nights.

Last, but not least, ride the rails to Cordoba for a visit to the mosque-cathedral and its forest of columns, a unique witness to Andalucía’s destiny. This city is so rich in history that the whole historical town center has been classified as a UNESCO world heritage site. Cordoba is the perfect place to wander aimlessly: just take a walk around the old town, and it will reveal its most intimate secrets.

With its perfect blend of cultural discovery and laid back Mediterranean lifestyle, this train journey through Spain will leave you with unforgettable memories. Contact Uniktour’s Spain expert for more information!

**You can add Barcelona to this train journey through Spain. Let us know if you’re interested!!

Itinerary

Day 1| International Flight
Flight from Montreal to Madrid.

Day 2| Madrid
Arrival in Madrid. A private transfer will be waiting for you at the airport to take you to your hotel. Settle into the Palacio San Martin (or similar) for three nights in a double room. Breakfast included.

Day 3| Madrid
Enjoy breakfast, after which your private English-speaking guide will take you on a day tour of the city, including visits to the Museo del Prado and the Royal Palace. Lunch is included.

Day 4| Madrid
Free time in Madrid. A quick stroll on the Gran Via will introduce you to this city’s bourgeois character and its flamboyant architecture. Madrid is also blessed with a varied and animated cultural life, with plenty of museums and art galleries scattered across the city. Head to the Plaza Mayor and choose one of the many terraces, sit down under a parasol, and sip some refreshing sangria.
Make sure to take the time to visit the Escurial Monastery, located 45 km north of the city: this incredible site houses a monastery, a museum, an art gallery, a library containing over 35 000 volumes, and serves as the final resting place for the kings of Spain! Built in the 16th century, the building itself doesn’t really exemplify Spanish design. This being said, once inside the walls of the Escurial, you will be stunned by the eclectic and majestic decorations that surround you.

Day 5| Madrid - Seville
This morning, after breakfast, a private transfer will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the train station for your train to Seville. Someone will meet you at the train station upon your arrival in Seville and take you to your hotel. Settle into your double room at the San Gil Hotel (or similar) for three nights, breakfast included.

Day 6| Seville
Enjoy breakfast. The rest of the day will be spent touring the city along with your private English-speaking guide, including the famous Cathedral of Seville. With its Hispanic and Moorish influences, this gothic cathedral is often considered the world’s largest, dominated by the 104-meter-high Giralda tower, which was taken from a Mosque that had previously had been built there. The interior is decorated with a dazzling blend of gold and silver representations of religious scenes, as well as multicolored stained glass and beautiful paintings by old masters. One of the aisles houses the tomb of none other than Christopher Columbus himself. Lunch is included.

Day 7| Seville
Free time in Seville. Take this opportunity to explore the historical city center, particularly the palace of San Telmo, where the autonomous Andalusian government now seats. Don’t miss the façade, a fabulous example of Seville’s Baroque influences. Just a few meters away, the palace of Alfonso XIII, built in the 1920s, was initially designed to be Europe’s most luxurious hotel. A treasure of luxurious decorative items is stored here: crystal and bronze chandeliers, delicate Artesonado ceilings, azulejos, etc.
Also, make sure you swing by the spectacular Plaza de Espana, facing the Guadalquivir river: its perfect blend of azulejos, colonnades, and fountains creates a monument unlike any other in Europe.

Day 8| Seville - Granada
After breakfast, a private transfer will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the train station for your morning train to Granada. A representative will meet you when you arrive in Granada and take you to your hotel. Settle into your double room in Monasterio de los Basilios Hotel (or similar), where you’ll be spending the next three nights. Breakfast included.

Day 9| Granada
After breakfast, your private English-speaking guide will meet up with you and take you on a day tour of the city, including the Cathedral and Alhambra. Alhambra is one of Spain’s most visited monuments. This fortified complex built in the highlands of the city includes many different monuments displaying an impressive variety of architectural styles. Built in 1238 by Nasrides rulers, it is one of the most stunning Moorish monuments in all of Spain. Highlights include the sophisticated courtyards and gardens of the Generalife, with superb fountains and walls covered with the most delicate carvings and inscriptions imaginable. Arcades, colonnades, and royal halls stretch over hectares, following one another in complete stylistic harmony, from the Convento de San Francisco to the Palacio de Carlos V. You’ll spend unforgettable hours strolling around the refreshing alleys that cut across this absolute architectural masterpiece. Lunch is included.

Day 10| Granada
Free day in Grananda. Make the most of it and visit the superb Cathedral of the Incarnation, the country’s finest example of Renaissance architecture. Construction began under the orders of the Catholic Kings Ferdinand II and Isabelle I in 1505, to celebrate the Christian Reconquest of the city a few years earlier. It is an interesting blend of gothic and baroque styles, particularly the majestic façade, whose construction only began much later in 1667. Make sure you also take a look at the baroque influences in the adjoining royal chapel, where these same Catholic Kings were laid to rest.
Each one of Granada’s neighborhoods has its own distinctive ambiance. The Realejo, know for its large upper-class mansions, is an old Jewish area with many convents and churches filled with students from well-established families. Its narrow streets are full of charm and make for a very pleasant stroll. In the Bib-Rambla district, you’ll find some of Granada’s best restaurants, offering delicious and authentic dishes, as well as a very diversified bazaar.

Day 11| Granada - Cordoba
After breakfast, a private transfer will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the train station for your train to Cordoba. A representative will meet you at the Cordoba train station and a private transfer will then take you to your hotel. Settle into your double room at the Casas de la Judería. Breakfast included.

Day 12| Cordoba
Enjoy an early breakfast, after which a private English-speaking guide will accompany you on your day tour of the city, including the Great Mosque and its forest of columns. Lunch is included

Day 13| Cordoba
Free time in Cordoba. This city is home to scores of stunning relics and monuments: Viana palace, the towers of Calahorra and Malmuerta, many Christian and Muslim fortifications, and numerous other sites of interest are part of the priceless cultural heritage of this veritable architectural encyclopedia.

Day 14| Cordoba - Madrid
After breakfast, a private transfer will take you from your hotel to the train station for your train back to Madrid. Once in Madrid, a private transfer will take you from the train station to your hotel. Settle into your double room at Palacio San Martin (or similar) for your last night. Breakfast included.

Day 15| Departure
After breakfast, a private transfer will pick you up at your hotel and take you to Madrid airport for your return flight back to Montreal.

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

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Lodging

Overview

Gone are the days when Spain is seen as a one-dimensional destination. A colorful land of powerful spells, Spain has much more to offer than paella and Almodovar. Its many riches and priceless heritage are now open to all, thanks to a wide variety of exciting itineraries. Nowadays, there’s something for everyone: winter sports in the Pyrenees, following in the footsteps of the Maures kings in Andalusia, R&R on Mediterranean beaches, or trekking in the National Parks of the Canaries – the possibilities are endless! Visitors can now discover untamed Galicia and its Celtic roots, feel the power of torrential rivers, and discover luxuriant forests. Discover the Human Castles, Dances of the Dead, and other secular traditions of Catalonia, a region whose identity has been valiantly defended over the years. The bustling cities of Barcelona, Seville, Saragossa, and Madrid are all constantly changing, proudly displaying their recent makeovers: museums, friendly town squares, and restored monuments all are signs that this country is aware of its treasures and is now ready to offer them to the world – in deal travel conditions.
With a lifestyle that includes meals that go on for hours, delicious and rich wines, and one of the continent’s most authentic and diversified cultures, Spain jumped into the third millennium with the same energy that drove the Conquistadores to foreign lands five hundred years ago. There’s only one thing missing from this endless celebration: you.

Geography

Spain is a Western European country with a population of about 46 million people spread over an area of 505 955 km2, with most of the population living in the coastal areas and big cities. It is bordered on the West by Portugal and on the Northeast by France and the Pyrenees. The political and administrative capital is Madrid, located in the center of the country, with an approximate population of 6 million, while Barcelona (4.8 million), on the Northeast shores, is the country’s cultural and financial capital. This is also one of one the most cosmopolitan cities in the continent, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors coming from all corners of Europe and the Americas every year. Other important urban centers include Valencia on the Mediterranean coast, Malaga, Bilbao, Saragossa, and Seville, the Andalusian capital, in the South. The national language is Spanish. The state religion, ever so influential in people’s daily life, is Catholicism.
Most of the territory is on the Iberian Peninsula, while the rest – roughly 12500 km2 – are islands (the Canaries and Balearics). Lying on the African coast, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla cover an area of about 32 km2.
Geographically speaking, the Spanish territory is divided into many different regions. The average altitude is relatively elevated at about 650 meters – double the European average. The highest peaks are Teide (3718 m) on Tenerife Island, and Mulhacen (3478 m), in the southern province of Grenada. The coastal areas differ greatly from each other, belonging to different weather systems centered on separate seas and oceans. The elevated central plateau (the Meseta de Castile) is itself further divided into two sub-plateaus (North and South), and fractioned by the mountains of the central range and the Toledo Mountains. The waterways of Castile-Leon offer visitors the chance to explore the country’s wilderness via a well-developed river network. One such interesting site to discover from the water is Arribes del Duero National Park, split between Salamanca and Zamora provinces in Southwest Castile. Some of Europe’s longest and deepest canyons can be found here, with gigantic walls rising to more than 200 meters in height. This vast central plateau is flanked by other mountain ranges: the Cantabrian Mountains in the North, where many magnificent caves are now open to the public, and the Sierra Morena to the south, next to Guadalquivir valley. Three other mountain ranges add to the country’s mountainous landscape: the Basque and Catalonian Mountains, and the Pyrenees, separated from the rest of the Iberian mountains by the Ebro valley. Aside from continental Spain, the Canary Islands form a mountainous archipelago of volcanic origin off the shores of Morocco whose highest peaks include Tenerife and Gran Canaria. As for the Balearics, they present a varied landscape that includes the Sierra de Tramuntana in Majorca, the lowlands of Minorque, and Ibiza’s gentle geography. These archipelagos are among Southern Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, offering a wide range of activities, including hiking in the islands’ wilder regions, golf, parasailing, spelunking, swimming, snorkeling, and other water sports, among others. On top of that, Spain has created a few National Parks across the country to protect its abundant, untamed, and powerful nature.

Culture

With such a rich variety of different peoples and cultures having settled here over the years, it’s no surprise that Spain’s culture is extraordinarily rich and varied. Visitors can take in all of the beauty and charm of these civilizations in the country’s many historical sites and prestigious museums.
The country’s two most visited monuments are in the South. The great Mosque of Cordoba, built between the 8th and 10th centuries, is the world’s second largest mosque, after Mecca. It is known for its forest of columns, an immense prayer room whose ceiling is supported by 854 pillars. The Mihrab dome (where seats the imam) is carved from a single bloc of marble and delicately chiseled. It stands as a masterpiece of Moorish art in Europe. In Grenada you’ll find what is often considered the most beautiful Islamic monument in all of Europe: the Alhambra. On its own, this acropolis of fortified gardens and palaces in the upper city summarizes three hundred years of Andalusian history, from the Nasrites all the way to Charles Quint. The Casas Reales, Lion Palace, and Alcabaza each display majestic and refined beauty that impresses all who are lucky enough to feast their eyes on them.
In the North, visitors discover monuments that date back to the Wisigoth and Maure occupations, particularly along the Way of St. James. Later on, the Baroque movement coincided with Spain’s ascent to power and left a heritage divided between two diametrically opposed styles: on the one hand, close to Madrid, we have the monastery of El Escorial and its austere character. On the other hand, there’s the rich ornamentation of the Churriguera, as manifested in Santiago de Compostela cathedral. This exuberant style was subsequently exported to Latin America during Spanish colonial times. World-famous Prado Museum and Madrid’s Reina Sofia National art museum both showcase works by great Spanish and International artists, such as Goya, Vélasquez, Dürer, Tintoretto, Titian, Murillo, and el Greco. Close to the Prado, the Thyssen Museum’s large private collection exhibits works from the 18th and 19th century. As for Barcelona, it is often associated with Miro and Picasso, who each have their own museum in this city. There’s also a contemporary art museum showcasing works by Gaudi, Spain’s most famous architect, whose designs can be seen everywhere across the city. From Park Guell to the incredible Sagrada Familia (whose construction has yet to be completed), by way of Casa Battlò and Milà in Eixample, Gaudi left his signature quasi-organic architecture everywhere, leaving behind all established dogma and replacing it with original and surreal creations. There’s plenty of other interesting places to visit in Barcelona, including the ancient 14th century shipyards, now converted into the Naval Museum, two modern art museums, and many interesting neighborhoods, such as Barri Gotic, and Montjuic, a hill that offers great views of the entire city. In Bilbao, the architect Frank Gehry’s Guggenheaim museum delights visitors with its surprising blend of classical art and contemporary and avant-garde works.
Of course, there’s much more to Spanish culture than visual arts. In this land of music and dance, Iberian souls light up at the sound of flamenco and castanets during improvised celebrations, or any other occasion to celebrate life. San Sebastian’s Jazzaldia, Cordoba’s guitar festival in July, and Benicassim International Festival in August are all great occasions to get a taste of the country’s festive ambiance. Countless carnivals, religious celebrations, and ferias make sure that the party goes on all year long.
Those looking for fine eating won’t be disappointed with this country’s incredible variety of rich and colorful dishes. Fresh or spicy, rich or delicate, Spanish cuisine has everything you need to light up your taste buds, with national treasures like paella, tortillas, Serrano ham, and plenty of regional delicatessen. Adding heaps of seasonings, herbs, and condiments to these dishes confers unique flavors that never fail to delight the palate. Nevertheless, nothing quite compares to sampling an assortment of tapas, probably the world’s most famous finger food, accompanied with a refreshing pitcher of cold sangria.

Climate

When we think of the weather in Spain, sun and heat immediately come to mind. And yet, the country’s varied landscape means that there are considerable weather variations between regions.
Thanks to the Mediterranean sea that borders the country to the South, most of Spain is blessed with a moderate Mediterranean climate: dry summers, temperate winters, little precipitation, and more than 3000 hours of sunshine every year. In Andalucía, the country’s southernmost region, temperatures are generally warmer in both winter and summer, with an average temperature of 10-13°C in January. Winter temperatures in the interior Andalusian plain are generally lower than those on the coasts. In July and August, temperatures range from 22 to 27°C on the coast, while they soar to 33-40°C and the humidity levels decrease as you travel towards the interior. The Mediterranean region is also characterized by warm and dry southern and eastern wind currents from Northern Africa. Summer afternoons are often synonymous with heat waves. Seville is the warmest city in Spain: here, temperatures can soar to 45°C.
In the North, in the Meseta region, the climate gets even more extreme: the summers and dry and sweltering, while winters and very cold and windy. Fall and spring are generally very pleasant here. In the mountains around Meseta, the climate is even harsher, with elevated precipitation throughout the year, including snow during the colder months. Summers are warm and cloudless, with temperatures close to 21°C in the North and 24-27°C in the South of Meseta. Lower in altitude, the Ebro basin is extremely hot in the summertime, where temperatures can rise to more than 43°C. Summer in central Meseta and the Ebro basin is dry, except for the right side of the river, where humidity levels remain high.
Spain’s Northern shores, which stretch from the Pyrenees to Spanish Basque country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia, the climate is temperate and tends to be humid and muggy. It is characterized by mild winters, warm summers, and lots of rain throughout the year. In the Northeast, Catalonian winters are also temperate and summers warm. In January, the coldest month, temperatures still stay above 10 °C, while summer temperatures are ideal, hovering around a pleasant 25 °C, (23 °C in the water). This being said, some sporadic heat waves can warm the air to over 30°C, though a cool breeze still manages to keep the air pleasantly fresh. Spring is probably the best time to visit Spain, in order to avoid the crushing heat of the summer (particularly in Andalucía and the heart of the country).