CITY HOPPING IN SPAIN BY TRAIN

The starting point of our Spanish epic is the capital itself, Madrid. Upon arrival in the city you can make your way to the first hotel of our trip. Check-in, drop off your bags and freshen up, before spending the afternoon exploring the surrounding area at your leisure. You’ll be introduced to the rest of the group, as well as our Local Insider – your guide for the trip – this evening as we head out for a three-course welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

After breakfast at the hotel we’ll start this morning with an introduction to the most iconic sights of the Spanish capital. Your guided tour of Madrid will take place mostly on foot, with a few bus rides in between, as we take in the Royal Palace, Cibeles Fountain and Las Ventas Bullring, as well as the Santiago Bernabeu, home of Real Madrid football club. All that sightseeing is hungry work, so we’ll follow it up with a lunchtime tapas tour of the city’s finest foodie establishments. We’ll stop off at three bars with a drink and a couple of classic Spanish dishes at each. The rest of the day is to be spent at your leisure, so you can tailor the remainder of your time in Madrid to your travel taste.

Today features our first foray onto the tracks of Spain’s high-speed train lines, as we hop on board a ride to Cordoba, one of Andalucia’s oldest and most historically significant cities. Its centre is Unesco-listed thanks to the diverse array of ancient architecture on display, from the Roman Bridge to the Moorish influence of the Alcázar gardens. This historical footprint is best displayed by the remarkable Mezquita-Cathedral. It was originally built as a mosque during Muslim rule, before later being adapted into a cathedral centuries later. The beauty of the Mezquita is that both architectural styles are very much on show. You’ll have a guided visit to this stunning building, plus a few hours to explore the rest of the city, before heading back to the station to hop on a train to Seville, where we’ll spend the night.

The capital of Andalucia is one of the most beautiful, vibrant cities in all of Europe. Architecturally it’s a blend of charming old and striking new, while culturally the city is as rich historically as it is thriving contemporarily. You’ll get to see all of this first hand on our morning tour of the city, featuring the Alcazar royal palace, the largest gothic cathedral in the world and the picturesque Santa Cruz neighborhood. Next up we’ll head across the Guadalquivir river to the Triana neighbourhood, the beating heart of authentic Seville, where magical little streets and colourful houses have produced countless bullfighters and flamenco dancers. It’s also the best place to sample Seville’s incredible tapas scene, so you’ll embark on a guided food tour, stopping off at multiple authentic Andalucian restaurants en route. The rest of the day is all yours – food-coma nap, anyone? – but you will have the chance to join an optional Flamenco show in the evening – there’s no place better to experience this fiery, passionate artistic dance in the flesh.

Another day, another marvellous Spanish city. This time we catch the train to Granada, a striking old Andalucian city at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You’ll have most of the day to explore Seville further before catching an evening train to Granada, which will look beautiful on arrival at night, with the city lit up by a constellation of city lights.

Today is centred all around one of the most beloved sights in all of Spain, the Alhambra Palace, which towers over the city of Granada. It’s one of Europe’s most striking monuments of ancient Islamic architecture and a Unesco World Heritage site. After breakfast you’ll have a guided visit of this palace-fortress complex, its splendid courtyards, impressive towers and babbling fountains, as well as the perfectly groomed Generalife Gardens. You’ll have some more time to explore the city below before we catch the final train of our Spanish adventure. Destination: Malaga.

Malaga blends the quaint old charm of Andalucia’s inland cities with what so many travellers love about southern Spain – the abundance of sun-drenched beaches and a cool ocean breeze. It’s also a heavily pedestranised city, ideal for a gentle city stroll, which is how we’ll start the day on a guided tour of the city that gave us Picasso. You’ll see the Cathedral, the Roman Theatre and Plaza de la Merced as you wander down charming side streets and discover beautiful open squares. The afternoon will be free for you to explore at your pace. Head to the Picasso Museum or discover contemporary gems at the Centro Cultural Fundación Unicaja de Málaga. Ascend to the Alcazaba (Malaga’s answer to the Alhambra) or simply hit the beach and soak up the sunshine. We’ll reconvene this evening for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Our rail odyssey through the cultural heartlands of central and southern Spain has reached its endpoint. The trip comes to a close after breakfast this morning but, if you’re not ready to head back to the airport just yet, you could always extend your stay and enjoy an extra few beach days on the Med. If your flight home is from Madrid, then the train back to the capital is only around three hours long.