Tauck Paradors of Northern Spain

Paradors of Northern Spain

Tauck Partners' Savings – Deduct $260 per person April – June and $190 per person July – October. Certain restrictions apply; ask at booking for details. Explore the mosaic of diverse regions and cities of the north on this Spain tour that includes a taste of Portugal. Catalonia has a very distinct culture and a proud tradition that differentiates it from other areas of Spain; even its primary language, Catalan, is not spoken elsewhere. The Basque region is fiercely autonomous and also has its own unique traditions, culture and language, and the region of Castile is central to Spain’s medieval history. From the magnificent Pyrenees Mountains to the rugged Basque coast, scenic wonders abound. You’ll enjoy overnight stays in historic paradors – restored palaces, monasteries and castles.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1 – Welcome to Spain
Your Spain tour begins at 6:00 pm at Le Méridien Barcelona. A transfer is included from Barcelona Airport to Le Méridien Barcelona, your hotel for the first two nights of our Spain tour. At a welcome cocktail reception and dinner tonight, we invite you to meet those who will join you to discover the cultural diversity of Spain’s northern regions and Portugal.
Meals: Dinner
Lodging: Le Méridien Barcelona, Spain

Day 2 – Beautiful Barcelona
Barcelona, capital of the unique Catalonia region of Spain, beguiles at every turn. Highlights include La Sagrada Familia, architect Antonio Gaudí's famous gothic-yet-modern cathedral and the Barrio Gótico, which dates from medieval times. In Montjuïc, see the 1992 Olympic Stadium, then spend the rest of the day as you wish in Barcelona.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Le Méridien Barcelona, Spain

Day 3 - Captivating Catalonia
Your Spain tour continues as you admire delightful rural vistas of Catalonia when you travel along the Yellow Roads to the amazing mountaintop monastery at Montserrat en route to Cardona, where an ancient castle stands guard over the village. Savor a taste of Catalan cuisine when lunch is served in the medieval ambiance of the dining room of the Parador de Cardona, a 9th-century castle. Journey on to the small town of Castellciutat and Le Seu d’Urgell in the Pyrenees, where you'll overnight at an elegant resort.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: El Castell de Ciutat, Seu d’Urgell, Spain

Day 4 –Pyrenees pleasures
You’ll be inspired by your visit to the 12-century Cathedral of Santa Maria d’Urgell, the only Romanesque cathedral that has been preserved in the Catalonia region of the Pyrenees. After lunch, choices of activities for the afternoon include a cooking demonstration focusing on Catalan cuisine and a spa treatment. A highlight of your Spain tour awaits this evening at a special 7-course dinner at the hilltop 9th-century castle located on the grounds of your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: El Castell de Ciutat, Seu d’Urgell, Spain

Day 5 – The beautiful Basque country
Today your Spain tour takes you through the marvelous mountains of the Basque country to Pamplona, the city best known for the annual running of the bulls. You’ll have time to explore and have lunch on your own before continuing on to the charming seaside town of San Sebastián. Your home for the next two nights is among the most fabulous Belle Époch hotels in all of Spain.
Meals: Breakfast, dinner
Lodging: Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastián, Spain*

Day 6 – Seaside San Sebastián
While in Spain tour the Old Town of San Sebastián with us if you wish. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you please. Further explore the medieval streets of Old Town, or enjoy the city’s many waterfront attractions, not the least of which is the famous beach popular with the international surfing set. You’ll have many opportunities to sample Basque cuisine on your own today.
Meals: Breakfast
Lodging: Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastián, Spain*

Day 7 – Bilbao and the Guggenheim
Modern art is flourishing at the spectacular Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, as you’ll see during a visit. Continue on up into the magnificent Picos de Europa (“Peaks of Europe”) and admire the scenic views of rural villages, gorges and valleys en route to Fuente Dé. Enjoy dinner à la carte this evening at your parador, set in the foothills of the Picos mountains.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Lodging: Parador de Fuente Dé

Day 8 – The plains of Castile

Prices
14 Days from $4,990 plus airfare

	Double	Single	Triple
2009 Price per Person	$4990	$6368	$4769

14 Days from $5,670 plus airfare - Small Group Departures

Small Group Departures with no more than 26 Tauck guests are available on June 5, August 28 and October 2 & 16; they are specially priced from $5670 per person double. Specific dates apply – see below or inquire at time of booking for additional dates and information.

	Double	Single	Triple
2009 Price per Person	$5670	$7048	$5449

30 meals included.

Tauck Partners' Savings – Deduct $260 per person April – June and $190 per person July – October. Certain restrictions apply; ask at booking for details.

International Airfare is additional. Call for special rates on international air for travel originating in the U.S. (subject to availability).

Please ask at time of booking about additional hotel nights before your tour begins and about our comprehensive Guest Protection Plan.

Note – Please note that dinner in Spain is usually after 10:00 PM. We’ve arranged for special availability as early as 8:30 PM in most restaurants.

Hotel Accommodations – Tauck’s price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. The Tauck standard is to provide the best available hotels without sacrificing value. Although the quality of accommodations may differ from place to place, this standard remains uncompromised. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort.

Single Hotel Accommodations – Since hotel rates are per room, the tour price for rooms occupied by one person is higher than those where two or more persons share the cost of a room. In Europe, most single rooms are smaller than double rooms and have only one bed.

Meals – Meals are included as specified in the itinerary. Meal codes are: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.

Tauck Director – Each tour is conducted by a Tauck Director who remains with the group throughout the duration. Your Tauck Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tauck.

Gratuities for luggage handling, bellmen, doormen, dining room servers, housekeepers, local guides, ship and train crew are included.

No Options Sold – Tauck’s price includes special dinners, entertainment, sightseeing and most activities. Tauck Directors sometimes assist with information on free-time activities, based on honest opinion and guidance, but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed, pleasant experience for you.

Not Included

Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included.
Airfare may be purchased from Tauck for travel originating in the United States.

Hotel Rooms Before & After Tours – Due to time schedules and the possibility of flight delays, many guests prefer to make hotel arrangements for the night preceding their tour. As a service, Tauck will make reservations before or after your tour. Rooms are reserved on a space-available basis and must be booked through Tauck to qualify for Tauck’s special rates. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. Note: In most cases, airport transfers are not included for these bookings. Being well rested when a journey begins adds immeasurably to the enjoyment of the trip. We recommend that you arrive in Zurich a day before your tour starts; we will be happy to make hotel reservations for you. At booking, ask about extending your vacation with a longer stay in Vienna.

Tauck Director and Driver Gratuities – The customary gratuity to the Tauck Director and driver is not included. Such gratuities should be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.

Personal Expenses such as phone calls, room service, alcoholic and bar beverages, laundry, airline excess luggage charges, visa fees and other optional incidental extras are not included and may be significant.

Luggage Responsibility – Although every effort is made to handle guests’ luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important that you have adequate insurance. Refer to Tauck’s “Guest Protection.”