Private Luxury Tours of Spain

Late March to early June and September through November are the strongest months across most of Spain. Summer is hot in Madrid and Andalusia, so July and August trips lean on the Basque Country and the green north. November is one of our favorite months, with soft autumn light before winter arrives.

January, February and early March offer the best value. Hotels, like airlines, price by demand, so peak weeks cost more. Holy Week and Seville’s April Fair sell out so far ahead that we plan most first visits around other weeks.

Ten to fourteen days is the sweet spot for a first visit: Madrid and Toledo, Andalusia and Barcelona, with two or more nights in each base so you unpack instead of packing. Seven days covers one region well, such as Madrid with Granada and Seville. Three weeks adds the Basque Country, Rioja or the islands.

Seven days: Madrid, the Alhambra and Seville, or Andalusia by road. Ten to twelve days: Madrid, Toledo, Seville, Granada and Barcelona, the classic first trip. Two weeks: add Córdoba and the white villages, or the Basque Country and Rioja. Three weeks: south to north, from the Alhambra to the pintxo bars. Every route is a starting point your planner reshapes around your dates, pace and interests.

Spain is nearly the size of France, and Barcelona to Seville is about 1,000 kilometers by road, so the long legs run on flights and high-speed trains, with a licensed driver meeting you at each end. Shorter hops, such as the white villages or the wine towns of Rioja, run by road with your driver. Your planner chooses the easiest door-to-door option for each leg. For Andalusia, our note on starting in Seville or Granada explains how we choose the order.

Private Spain journeys start from $884 per person per day, based on double occupancy, excluding flights. The final price depends on hotel category, season, trip length and the private experiences you choose, such as the Alhambra after hours or a private flamenco evening in Seville. Your first itinerary carries no planning fee.

Yes, and many of our travelers do. Our favorite two-country route runs from Madrid through Andalusia or Extremadura into Portugal, ending in Lisbon or Porto. Morocco is a short direct flight from Madrid to Marrakech, or a fast ferry across the Strait from Tarifa to Tangier. See our Spain and Portugal journeys and multi-country journeys.

Yes. Every journey is private, never a shared small group tour. We plan for couples, multigenerational families, groups of friends and affinity groups who travel around art, food, wine, golf or another shared passion. Larger groups need more lead time, since hotels and private experiences are held for everyone together.

Ideally a year or more ahead, because we limit ourselves to five trips per country each week so every trip gets truly personal, custom tour planning. The top local guides, with deep local knowledge and excellent English, are few, and the best of them are reserved quickly. Traveling sooner? Contact us. Depending on our availability, your dates and your needs, we may be able to make it happen. Semana Santa and the April Fair in Seville fill earliest of all.

It depends on availability, which is limited, so planning a year or more ahead is best. In many cases we arrange the Alhambra in Granada, the Mezquita in Córdoba and La Pedrera in Barcelona after the public leaves, the Prado in its first quiet hour, and private flamenco in a Seville courtyard. Your planner confirms availability for your dates.

Licensed guides in Spain are local to their city or region, so your planner books a separate local guide in each place you visit, chosen for your interests. A licensed driver handles the roads between cities and the transfers to and from stations and airports, so your bags travel from hotel door to hotel door.

Yes. Spain is among the safer countries in Europe, with a low rate of violent crime and a warm welcome for Americans. As in any major city, normal awareness in the busiest areas of Barcelona and Madrid is wise, and your guide plans routes and timing with that in mind.

Tell us at the start. Toledo, Granada’s Albaicín, the Santa Cruz quarter of Seville and Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter have cobblestones and slopes, so your planner chooses step-free hotels, adjusts routing and paces each visit for your group. Your guide is glad to advise on suitability before booking.

No visa is needed. Spain is in the Schengen Area, so U.S. passport holders can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and we suggest a passport valid at least six months past your return date. ETIAS, the EU’s planned online travel authorization, is not yet in operation. The EU will announce its start date several months ahead, and your planner flags it before your trip once it applies.

No. English is spoken widely in hotels and restaurants, and every guide we work with speaks fluent English. Spain uses the euro, cards work almost everywhere and a little cash helps at markets and small producers. Dinner starts late, often at 9 p.m., and your planner books tables around your days. Tipping is appreciated rather than expected, and your planner shares guidance for guides and drivers before you leave. More answers are on our main FAQ page.