SPAIN
Spain reads more like a continent than a country. Castile in the center, Catalunya in the east, Basque Country in the north, Andalusia in the south (and a dozen more besides). Madrid keeps lunch until 4:00 and dinner until midnight. Sevilla and Granada hold the nearly eight centuries of Moorish reign that ended at the Alhambra. San Sebastián is dinner crawled bar to bar through pintxos, in a city stacked with Michelin-star kitchens; Bilbao turned a rusted port into an art capital with Frank Gehry's Guggenheim. In Barcelona, Gaudí's Sagrada Familia presides over the Eixample's chamfered-corner blocks, where vermut comes before lunch and the plazas don't empty until late.
A Taste of What's Possible
Island hop through the Balearic Islands on a private yacht
Castell (human tower) workshop with the top team in Penedès
Source ingredients and cook with a local chef in Seville
Where You'll Stay
We spend a lot of time obsessing over the perfect accommodations. Our favorites tend to be smaller, boutique properties with a unique sense of style and fantastic service.
Here are just a few of our favorites...
Three of Our Favorite Spots
THE NORTHWEST
01
Spain's green corner, where the rain comes off the Atlantic and the music turns Celtic. The Camino ends at Santiago de Compostela's cathedral in Galicia, but the better arrival is a plate of pulpo a la gallega: octopus boiled in copper, sliced with scissors. Albariño grows in the Rías Baixas where the sea cuts in, and in Asturias sidra is poured from above the head into a glass held at the waist. Northwestern Spain is a mood and we think you should feel it deeply.
CATALUNYA
02
Catalunya speaks its own language and eats its own way. Barcelona's modernisme runs deeper than Gaudí, with Picasso and Miró also shining bright. North along the coast, Costa Brava breaks into limestone coves where Dalí built his fishing shack above the bay and never really left, which tells you something about the place. The anchovies are cured, the wine is serious, and pa amb tomàquet comes with everything.
MADRID
03
Spain's capital, and the city drawing chefs, designers, and night owls from around the world for the past decade. The art museums alone — Prado, Reina Sofía, Thyssen — could fill days without repetition. Each barrio boasts its own flair, from Sundays in La Latina to the flea market in Rastro, and tabernas that haven't changed in a century next to bars that opened last month and already have a line. Late-night churros con chocolate is not a tourist activity, it’s a way of life we insist you try.
“Just one of the many outstanding features of working with Boutique Explorer is that they listen to your interests and work with you to customize the perfect trip. For example, most tours of the Museo Nacional del Prado are scheduled for two hours. Knowing our interest in art, Boutique Explorer arranged for a four-hour tour with an art historian for an in-depth exploration of this fabulous collection. We were thrilled. Similarly, in Barcelona an art historian provided us with a unique exploration of the Picasso Museum and the Joan Miro Foundation, deepening our appreciation of both artists. The guides for Besalu, Cadaques, and Toledo were also terrific and a lot of fun. The travel experts at Boutique Explorer excel in prompt communication, both in the planning phase and while you are on the trip. We love the AXUS app because we have all the trip information and tickets at our fingertips. No more paper! The AXUS app is updated frequently so you always have the names and contact information for your guides and drivers. This is our second trip with Boutique Explorer and there will be many more.”
Beth and Jeff, Washington // Washington, DC
Sample Itinerary
Modernisme, Pintxos, and the White Villages: An Adventure Through Spain
Day 1: On arrival in Barcelona, you will be met and transferred to your luxurious accommodations in the heart of the city. Delve into Catalán culinary history tonight as you eat and drink your way through Barcelona’s backstreets with a local insider.
Day 2: Discover key works of daring Modernism around Barcelona with your expert guide as you learn about the city’s fascinating urban development and explore how the extensive grid system has merged with the irregular layouts of old districts and towns to the surrounding hills.
Day 3: Today you will head on a day trip to the beautiful and rugged Priorat wine region, with its steep hills covered from top to bottom in craggy vines. Visit a few distinct wineries producing some of the best bottles in the region, and enjoy a paired traditional lunch along the way.
Day 4: Board the fast train to Madrid to delve into the buzzing capital city’s cosmopolitan scene for a few days. Tonight you’ll meet your fun private culinary guide and head out to experience tapas like a local, hopping between bars to sample traditional dishes and enjoy great wine in a boisterous atmosphere.
Day 5: Continue your culinary immersion today as you explore Madrid’s unique markets and discover distinct styles and flavors that have eluded you until now. Beyond tailored wine and tapas, discover under-the-radar locales while absorbing the history of Madrid’s past and vibrant present.
Day 6: Head out on a day trip to the ancient city of Toledo, simultaneously home to Christians, Jews and Moors during the Middle Ages. Explore its winding cobblestone streets through narrow alleys, along the cathedral walls, and into a synagogue and ancient mosque to learn the city’s legacy of cohabitation.
Day 7: Today you will fly north to Basque Country, where you will settle into your luxurious hotel in the heart of San Sebastian’s old town. Tonight you’ll get a fun introduction to the famed casual food scene of this region with a lively pintxos crawl, offering a sneak peek into the Basque culture and history, past and present.
Day 8: Admire the spectacular Basque Coast from a private sailboat today as you cruise the same route ancient fishermen took as they returned home through La Concha Bay. Enjoy small bites and drinks on board and take a dip in the bay before docking back in San Sebastian.
Day 9: Venture into the rolling hills of the Basque countryside today on a day trip to meet the makers behind some of the most iconic regional products. Visit a small sheep farm, where you’ll get hands-on experience making idiazabal cheese before a tasting session. Continue to the stunning Txakoli wine region, where charming family-owned vineyards offer their wines for tasting, followed by a stroll through the town’s enchanting medieval streets.
Day 10: Today you’ll head to Bilbao to explore the riverside town’s eclectic art scene. Wander through the Guggenheim’s exhibits before making your way to a private gallery in Bilbao’s old town. The gallery owner will prepare an exquisite lunch for you before you head back to San Sebastian for a relaxing evening.
Day 11: Today you will fly to the southern city of Málaga, where you’ll be transferred to your luxurious hotel in Marbella along the gorgeous Andalucia coast. Enjoy the rest of your day relaxing and soaking in the views of the sea and surrounding mountains.
Day 12: Take a day trip to Antequera, the land of olive oil, to get a first-hand look at one of the oldest mills in the province. Enjoy a traditional lunch of porra antequerana (the region’s local gazpacho) and stroll the streets of Alcazaba and its walled complex, ending with incredible views of the Antequera countryside.
Day 13: Start your day in the mountaintop city of Ronda and cross the staggering Puente Nuevo for views of the Guadalevín River and the Sierra de las Nieves. Then explore Andalusia’s White Villages as you take in the distinct character of the town’s whitewashed walls and red and brown tiled roofs.
Day 14: Today is for pure R&R as you cruise in style along Marbella’s stunning coastline aboard a private yacht. Relax under the warm Mediterranean sun, swim crystal-clear waters, and unwind with a glass of champagne on the deck.
Day 15: Private transfer back to the Málaga airport for your journey home.
