La Tomatina

Arrive at Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, Madrid Spain. The third largest city in the European Union, this capital city of Spain is a hub of cultural, architectural and culinary diversity. This sports city has a little bit for everybody, including a rocking and happening night life. Meet the tour manager outside the airport who will lead you to your hotel. Check-in and relax. Wander around the streets of Spain, imbibing its thriving lifestyle. Get your first taste of Spanish culture later in the evening at a flamenco show. This fiery and powerful dance performance is a traditional folk dance of Spain. This exotic and sensuous performance will give you a hint of all that Spain has in store for you in the coming days. Continue your Spanish experience with your dinner. Return back to the hotel in Madrid for a peaceful night.

Begin your day with a mouth-watering buffet breakfast and then set off on your guided tour of Madrid. Begin with Puerta del Sol, meaning the gate of the sun. It is one of the busiest places in Madrid with various networks of Spanish roads interconnecting here. This square is also home to the famous clock, whose bell chimes at the onset of every New Year. Continue on to Cibeles Square (or Plaza de Cibeles), an iconic symbol of Madrid. This beautiful square is filled with examples of neo-classical architecture filled with marble sculptures all around and a magnificent water fountain. It also houses the cathedral like Cibeles Palace (or Palacio de Cibeles) built in 1,909, which is now the Madrid City Hall. Continue this cultural tour to Plaza de España, a popular tourist attraction; the centre of this large square holds a sculptural monument of Spain’s most prominent poets and playwrights, Miguel de Cervantes. It also has bronze sculptures of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, two famous characters from his books. Continue through the scintillating streets of Madrid and see the famous Neptune Fountain and experience the commercial side of Spain, with its Calle de Alcalá (longest street in Madrid) and Gran Vía. Then visit the Royal Palace of Madrid or Palacio Real de Madrid, the house of the royal family of Madrid. You will also visit the Las Ventas Bullring today - a metal structure with a brick façade in the style of Neo-Moorish design. You may choose to see a bull fight subject to availability at a supplement cost. Take in the majesty and royalty of this architectural beauty, considered one of the best in Europe. Lunch and dinner will be included. Drive back through the mesmerizing roads and spend the night in your comfortable hotel room at Madrid.

After a hearty buffet breakfast, check-out of your hotel and follow the road all the way to Valencia. The home of the traditional Spanish dish Paella, Valencia is located on the eastern side of Spain, along the rich Mediterranean coast. Throughout history, Valencia was one the most important sea ports of the Iberian Peninsula. Check-in to your hotel in Valencia. Set off on your guided tour of Valencia. Begin by first visiting the monumental Ayuntameinto or the Valencia City Hall. Then visit the bullring at the heart of the city, a structure which is a fine example of neo-classicism. Then get a feel of the old city world with Torres de Cuart, or the massive Gateway towers of Serrano and Quart. Marvel at the Avant Garde architectural style of the City of Arts and Sciences building complex in Valencia. Surrounded by streams and pools, housing an opera house and a performing arts centre, this place has culturally a lot to offer. Also see the imposing La Seo Cathedral. Visit the Oceanogràfic of the City of Arts and Sciences which is the largest aquarium in Europe and contains representatives of the world’s main marine ecosystems. Each building is identified with the following aquatic environments: the Mediterranean, Wetlands, Temperate and Tropical Seas, Oceans, the Antarctic, the Arctic, Islands, and the Red Sea, as well as the Dolphinarium with 24 million litres of water and a depth of 10.5 metres. Go back to your hotel room in Valencia for a restful night.

A healthy buffet breakfast followed by a transfer to Bunol to partake in the event that is the highlight of this trip, the La Tomatina Festival. Now, don’t you remember Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara? There are many interesting theories regarding the inception of the now famous Tomatina festival in 1945. Some stories state it was a local food fight amongst friends, while some claim it was a practical joke on a bad musician. Whatever the legend may be, this festival is one entertaining event, with streets filled with people squishing and throwing tomatoes at each other. Trucks and trucks of tomatoes manoeuvre through the ecstatic crowd, engrossed in their fun. At the end of the fun, the community takes part in collective cleaning, with pipes of water hosing people. This is one festival you have to experience once in your lifetime. Return back to your hotel for a night of vivid dreams.

After a buffet breakfast, check-out and drive to Barcelona, one of the best spots in the Mediterranean. Due to its superb location on the Mediterranean, its vibrant street life, fascinating Gaudi architecture, superb cuisine and its world famous football team, Barcelona has become among one of Europe’s most popular destinations. Check-in to your hotel. The day is at leisure. Spend a comfortable overnight in the comfort of your room in Barcelona.

After a buffet breakfast, we proceed for a city tour of Barcelona conducted by a local guide. See the magnificence of the 14th century gothic cathedral, the unfinished glory of Gaudi’s controversial Sagrada Familia. Stroll through the lively Ramblas, the city’s most spirited street with its colorful flower stalls and markets to the Christopher Colombus monument near the waterfront. Also see Plaza de Cataluna, the largest and busiest square in the city centre. Later in the evening, enjoy the Barcelona Harbour Cruise which offers the possibility to those who wish to enjoy a curious and exciting view of Barcelona from a different perspective: that of the Mediterranean. Go back to your hotel room for a blissful night.

A buffet breakfast is followed by a day at leisure, for you to experience Barcelona the way you wish. You can even opt for the free Segway Tour. Learn how to ride the easy yet fun two wheeled Segway and zip around the streets of Barcelona taking in the sites with your friends and family. Get professional guides to help you out and learn interesting facts about the streets of Barcelona. Return back to your hotel and get ready for a royal farewell Gala dinner, with 2 hours of unlimited local drinks, a perfect send off, for a perfect trip. Go back to your hotel room for a peaceful night.

Enjoy the last buffet breakfast meal and check-out of your hotel room in Barcelona. Head on to the Barcelona- El Prat airport in Spain, and depart with memories to last a lifetime.