Heritage and Culture

From historical sites to pilgrimage destinations and language studies, France, Spain and Portugal will amaze you with their age-old cultures and the enchanting diversity of their heritage.

The following tours are suggested itineraries for private groups showing some of the many possibilities. Tell us where and when you want to go. We will create a custom program that fits your specific interests and requirements.

FRANCE

From Paris to Provence - Art, Heritage and Culture: This tour captures the essence of French heritage and culture: a delectable blend of art, ancient architecture, cuisine Provençale and wine... Tour world-famous Paris museums: l'Orangerie and the Musée d'Orsay. Then, Claude Monet's gardens in Giverny, Avignon and its Palais de Papes, Arles with the memories of Van Gogh and Cézanne, the native son of Aix-en-Provence.

French immersion programs in Paris, Nice and Bordeaux: contact us for details.

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SPAIN & PORTUGAL

From the founding of Cádiz by the god Hercules - or so legend has it - Spain has been a major crossroads of cultures.

In addition to the "typical" Spain around Madrid, you can tour Galicia with its Celtic heritage, Andalusia with its Roman and Moorish influences, Catalonia with its vibrant capital city of Barcelona, or the Basque country with its unique language and culture and its legendary cuisine.

Spain has some 40 destinations that are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. (The goal of the World Heritage Site program is to inventory and preserve sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to world heritage.) These range from early cave paintings and Roman ruins to medieval monasteries, Gothic cathedrals, Moorish castles, and Modernist architectural gems.

A Grand Tour of Spain: A sweeping tour of "the Best of Spain", from sunny Costa del Sol with its Flamenco dances, sherry wine and Moorish architecture to traditional Madrid and on to exciting Barcelona.

The Magic of Andalusia: Romans, Jews, Moors and Christians. Few regions of the world can compare with Andalusia's cultural heritage and historical complexity and richness: Málaga, Granada, Córdoba, Carmona, Seville, Itálica, Jerez de la Frontera, Arcos de la Frontera.

The Way of St. James: This tour follows the centuries-old route taken by pilgrims walking from France to the holy shrine of Santiago de Compostela in the western province of Galicia: Zaragoza - Pamplona, Santo Domingo, Burgos, Léon, Astorga, Ponferrada.

World Heritage Cities - North: On this route you will visit the World Heritage Sites of Santiago de Compostela, Salamanca, Avila, and Segovia, plus Ponferrada, León, Zamora, La Granja, and Madrid.

World Heritage Cities- South: .This cultural route uncovers priceless Spanish history and architecture - from Byzantine to Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and even New Gothic styles. On this tour: Avila, Cáceres, Córdoba, Toledo, Alcalá de Henares plus Madrid.

Green Spain on the Atlantic Coast: Sandy beaches, rugged coastline, tiny fishing villages, ancient cultural traditions and refined cuisine: Bilbao, San Sebastián, Oviedo, Lugo, La Coruña, Santiago de Compostela.

Jewish Spain: This "Sephardic Route" offers a tour of the cities with the richest Jewish heritage in Spain and travel to sites with the most significance to Jewish traditions and culture: Madrid, Segovia, Hervas, Plasencia, Cáceres, Seville, Córdoba, Toledo.

Route of the Castilian Language: Discover the birthplace of Spanish in places where influential scholars, writers and poets have left their marks on the language: Bilbao, San Millán de la Cogolla, Burgos, Valladolid, Salamanca, Avila, Alcalá de Henares.

    

Regions in Spain we have personally visited: Galicia, Castilla y Léon, Basque Country, Navarra, Aragon, La Rioja, Catalonia, Extramadura, Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, Andalusia and Valencia. See pictures from our trips:

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