Barcelona City Tours offers several ways to experience the place. Since Barcelona is also dubbed "Gaudí's city," you won't regret starting with modernist Antoni Gaudí's visionary architecture. One tour takes you to Passeig de Gràcia, a street graced with curvy Casa Batlló and UNESCO site La Pedrera. You'll also be taken to picturesque Park Güell and the grand Sagrada Familia church. Another tour takes you to Gaudí's buildings outside Barcelona, which is an opportunity to see more of the Catalan territory. On this journey, you'll visit the Miralles Estate, the surreal Güell Pavilions and Colonia Güell Crypt. Both tours last approximately 3 hours.
Barcelona City Tours
+31-299-77-07-99
barcelonacitytours.com
The spiritually minded and physically fit will enjoy this walking pilgrimage to the tomb of James the apostle in Santiago de Compostela. There are many routes that lead to the spot, but the most challenging---and arguably the most Spanish---is the "Northern Way." Beginning at the French border, you'll trek through Basque, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia. With pilgrimages being made all year round, the area is rife with B&Bs along the course. To add even more culture to the mix, stop in the historical towns of Oviedo and San Sebastian.
El Camino Santiago (The Santiago Way)
Calle Illiada 15
28022 Madrid, Spain
011-34-912-34-45-69
elcaminoasantiago.com
Ever wish you could get all the tourist sites out of the way in one fell swoop? The Madrid Segway Tours do it in a whir. Starting at the Plaza España, sites on this comprehensive 3-hour tour include the Royal Palace and Gardens, the Temple of Debod and the Almudena Cathedral. The tours are guided with stops for refreshments. The Segways are even adapted to rainy weather. The best part is that you can spend the rest of your stay in Madrid doing non-touristy things, like getting a really late dinner at a tapas joint.
Madrid Segway Tours
Cuesta de San Vicente, 10
28008 Madrid, Spain
+34-659-82-44-99
madsegs.com
Technically, wine grows in just about every region of Spain. Rioja, however, is the most popular area, no doubt because it's where some of the country's best wines are produced. Rioja tourism offers a variety of excursions adapted to most schedules. You can do a day trip that includes an information session at the Dinastía Vivanco Museum of the Culture of Wine, followed by a vineyard visit, tastings and dinner. You can see more vineyards over a weekend on the Vinobus, or spend a week cellar-hopping from one rustic town to another.
La Rioja Turismo
C/ San Millán, 25. Edificio Riojaforum
26004 Logroño, Spain
+34-902-27-72-00
lariojaturismo.com
This southern Spanish territory was historically the most fought over by the Moors and Christians. It's home to some of the things we tend to associate with Spain: gazpacho, bullfighting and frilly, fervent Flamenco. By all accounts, you could go to any old town in Andalusia and catch a Flamenco show in most restaurants or bars. To avoid aimless wandering, Andalusia tourism has a clever search engine that'll turn up Flamenco routes when you enter a specific location like Seville or Córdoba. Granada's "In the Footsteps of Chacón" route takes you to some of the city's hottest Flamenco neighborhoods like Albaicín and Sacromonte. While you're there, try working in a visit to Alhambra palace.
Official Andalusia Tourism
C/ Compañía, 40
29008 Málaga, Spain
+34-951-29-93-00
andalucia.org
