Once you've got to Barcelona airport, take a taxi to the Costa Brava resort of Tossa de mar, otherwise you will miss the best of Catalunya. The Romans left their mark on this little known fishing village. A fortified 11C with many historical remains. A wonderful museum with serious works of art inc, Marc Chargall. Best of all are the local restaurants, fresh produce and not at Barcelona's prices. Try
http://www.auntyandreasstags.com for activities on offer. Not to be missed.

It is definitely better than the first. Not enough time in each city, in my opinion (for seeing shows, wine tastings, etc.). But at least better.

Baer, your last post read as if you have definitely committed to the Globus tour. If so, ignore what I'm about to say. If not...

Not all tours are bus rides with 70 year olds. Take a look at go-today.com. We used them a couple of times for the good flight/hotel prices a few years ago. The range of options lets you do pretty much what you want. For you and your wife, I think the City Stays would be perfect. They'll take care of your plane and hotel needs. You just take a guidebook and explore the cities at your own pace.

If not them, something like them. As for traveling on your own WITHOUT a tour, believe us, your money will go so much further and the impact will be so much greater if you do it yourself.

I agree this is a better layout, with some multi-night stays. I like Lucerne also, so this is a nice addition. You still might want to add a day or two at the beginning, but it looks less hectic.