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Mountains, Vineyards, and Villages in Spain and France
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Fly into: Madrid
Fly out of: Paris
Total Duration: 15 days
Why choose between visiting France or Spain? On this trip you'll hit the big cities like Madrid and Toulouse as well as spend time in each country's lesser known towns, like Zaragoza and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port. You'll go through mountains, vineyards and little coastal villages while exploring outstanding museums and churches.
- Natural Beauty
- Food and Wine
- Nightlife
- Shopping
This Trip's Top Experiences:
Days 1-2
Vinicius Tupinamba/Shutterstock
1 Madrid
The City That Never Sleeps
- Visit the legendary Prado museum, home to many Spanish masterpieces
- Explore the sprawling 18th-century Palacio Real which is crammed with treasures
- Get into the madrileño way of life; eat tapas and burn the midnight oil
Day 3
nhtg/shutterstock
2 Zaragoza
Off the Beaten Track
- The baroque Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar contains some early frescoes by Goya
- Learn all about Zaragoza's history at the Museo del Centro de Historia
- The Palacio de La Aljafería is one of Spain's great Moorish palaces
Day 4
aherrero/flickr
3 Bilbao
Modern Marvels
- Your first stop should be Frank Gehry's iconic Guggenheim museum
- The Museo de Bellas Artes showcases works by the Spanish masters
- Walk around the Old Quarter to soak in the architecture
Days 5-7
Tourist Office of Spain, NY
4 San Sebastián
Tapas Town
- Admire the Belle Epoque buildings along the bay
- Catch a performance or a film at Kursaal
- Indulge in the town's tapas restaurants, which are some of the best in Spain
Days 8-10
Pinpin/wikipedia.org
5 Biarritz
Glamour by the Sea
- Splurge on a room at the Hôtel du Palais, once the summer palace of Napoléon III
- Walk along the Quai de la Grande Plage to admire the craggy rocks and pounding surf
- Pay homage to Empress Eugénie by visiting the La Chapelle Impériale
Day 11
Tangopaso/wikipedia.org
6 St-Jean-de-Luz and St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Basque Country
- Chill out in the colorful and classy Basque-fishing harbor of St-Jean-de-Luz
- Tour Maison Louis-XIV, where the king stayed before his nuptials to Maria-Teresa of Spain
- Explore the Church of Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont in St-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Days 12-13
wikipedia.org
7 Pau
Perfect in the Pyrénées
- Head to the Musée des Beaux-Arts to see works by European masters
- Learn all about Henri IV at the Musée National du Château de Pau
- Hike the Sentiers du Roy (King's Paths) to see the city's top sights
Days 14-15
royemerson/istockphoto
8 Toulouse
The Pink City
- Ramble down Rue St-Rome to find Toulouse's prettiest houses and finest shops
- Chill out in the beautiful medieval cloister of the Museé des Augustins—you'll almost forget you're in the center of the city
- Enjoy Toulouse's famous nightlife by painting the town rouge at one of its boîtes de nuits (nightclubs)
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