We operate in two Spanish cities, Barcelona and Madrid, and we say that plainly rather than listing regions we cannot sell. Both are cities where the main attractions run on timed entry: the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, Camp Nou, the Prado and the Royal Palace all issue slots, and the guided visits book out well before the walk-up tickets do. Our tours include the entry where it is required, with a licensed guide who works in English. Barcelona has eight tours and Madrid six. In both cities the shorter visits run one and a half to three hours, so a museum in the morning and a food or coastal tour in the afternoon is a realistic day. Beyond the two cities we run full-day trips: Montserrat and Girona from Barcelona, Segovia, Toledo and El Escorial from Madrid. Prices are per person in US dollars and the meeting point is confirmed when you book.

Barcelona

Barcelona’s Gaudi sites, the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, are the two bookings to make first, because both cap entries by half-hour slot. Around them the city gives you the Picasso museum, Camp Nou, and tapas in La Barceloneta. Two full days leave the city: Montserrat by cog-wheel train, and Girona with the Dali museum in Figueres.

• Parque Güell — 1h 30min — from $74
• Exclusive Catamaran Tour with Drink and Local Tapa — 2h — from $90
• Picasso in Barcelona Walking Tour with Museum Entry — 2h — from $103
• Camp Nou immersive tour — 1h 30min — from $107
• Sagrada Familia Guided Tour — 1h 30min — from $114
• Montserrat day trip from Barcelona with cog-wheel train — 5h — from $123
• La Barceloneta Tapas Food Tour — 3h — from $141
• Girona and Dalì Museum — 9h — from $143

Madrid

Madrid is a walking city with three heavy hitters close together: the Prado, the Royal Palace and the Bernabeu. Each of the guided visits below runs about two hours. The day trips head out to Castile: Segovia and Toledo with the Alcazar, or El Escorial, the Valley of the Fallen and Toledo in one long day.

• Explore Majesty: Royal Palace Madrid — 2h — from $92
• Fascinating Insight: Prado Museum Exploration — 2h — from $92
• Santiago Bernabeu tour — 2h — from $98
• Madrid: Parque Warner Ticket and Round Trip Transport — 8h — from $122
• Segovia and Toledo: Madrid Departure with Alcazar Visit — 11h — from $127
• Royal Monastery of El Escorial, Valley of the Fallen and Toledo — 10h — from $165

When to go

Spring, from March to early June, and autumn, from September to early November, are the two good windows in both cities. Madrid sits on a high plateau and gets genuinely hot in July and August, often above 35C, which makes the day trips to Segovia and Toledo hard going in the middle of the day; the museums are the sensible choice in those months. Barcelona is milder because of the sea but very crowded from June to August, and the Sagrada Familia and Park Guell slots disappear earliest then. Winter is quiet, cool and perfectly workable for the museums and indoor visits, though the catamaran tour in Barcelona and the Montserrat trip are more pleasant outside the coldest weeks. August is also when many family-run restaurants in Madrid close for holidays.

Frequently asked questions

Which languages do the guides work in?

English on every tour on this page, and several also run in Spanish. The language is stated on each tour page. If you need a private guide in another language on a specific date, ask us before booking and we will check availability rather than confirm and hope.

Is the entry ticket to the Sagrada Familia or the Prado included?

Where the visit requires admission, the ticket and the timed slot are part of the tour and reserved in your name. The inclusions on each tour page list this explicitly. Do not buy a separate ticket for the same visit, because the entry time on your own ticket will not match the guided group.

How far in advance should I book?

For the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and Camp Nou, two to four weeks in high season. The Prado and Royal Palace are usually easier but still worth a week. The full-day trips from both cities run on fixed departure days, so if your dates are tight, check them before you fix the rest of your itinerary.

Can I do Barcelona and Madrid on the same trip?

Yes. The high-speed train between the two takes under three hours and runs frequently, which makes a split of three days in each realistic. Book the train first and the tours afterwards, and leave the arrival morning and departure evening free. Tell us both sets of dates and we will place the tours to fit.

Are the tours suitable for children?

The city visits are, and most carry a reduced child rate shown in the price categories. Camp Nou and the Parque Warner day out from Madrid work particularly well with children. The long day trips to Toledo, El Escorial and Girona involve several hours on the road and suit older children better.

Book Barcelona and Madrid tours directly on each tour page, in US dollars. Travelling between the two cities, or adding Spain to a wider European trip? Send us your dates and we will sequence the bookings around your trains and flights.