Custom Tours in France, Spain and Portugal

Walking Tours in France and Spain

Experience the local culture... one step at a time!

A half-day walking tour with an expert guide is an ideal complement to your custom program of visits, excursions and other sightseeing activities during your trip. What better way to experience the local heritage than through the intimacy of a small-group walking tour and the personal contact with a local specialist. The "seminar" approach of these short tours (3 hours on average*) will give you an in-depth understanding of the topic you are interested in, and allow for easy, one-on-one interaction with your guide.

In addition to the personalized treatment, there is a major advantage to being escorted by your own guide. In many cases, at major museums and monuments, it allows you to go to the front of the line. As you can imagine, some of these queues can be very long at times. Standing for hours waiting to get in is hardly the best way to spend a vacation.

There is another easily overlooked benefit to hiring a personal guide for a walking tour. This is a unique opportunity to spend a few hours in the company of a local resident who speaks your language and who, if asked, can make valuable suggestions on a variety of travel-related subjects: restaurants, transportation, visits, current events, local customs, etc. There is no extra charge for this service. All you have to do is ask. For more reasons why you should spend some time on a walking tour, click here.

* All tour durations listed below are approximate. The actual length of each program may vary.

Please Note! These tours are available only when included as a part of your custom package of hotels rooms, train tickets and other activities.

PARIS - ART
(see History and Architecture, Gastronomy and Shopping below)

Introduction to Le Louvre: A 2.5-hour tour designed for first-time visitors, roughly following a chronological itinerary: The Greeks, the Romans and the Italian Renaissance. Among others, you will stop and admire the Venus de Milo, Nike of Samothrace and, of course, Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

Orsay Museum: A 2.5-hour tour of the Musee d'Orsay, tracing the evolution of 19th century French art and Parisian society, led by an art historian. Admire works by Monet, Renoir, Degas, Pissarro, Cezanne, Van Gogh and more.

Pompidou Center: A 2-hour in-depth tour of the Centre Pompidou, Europe's largest modern art museum.

Rodin Museum : A 1.5-hour tour where you will see famous sculptures by the great artist: The Thinker, the Burghers of Calais, the Gates of Hell, the Kiss, Balzac and the famous Hands.

Le Louvre - Antiquities: A 3-hour guided tour of the Antiquities collection of the Louvre, from Mesopotamia and Egypt to Ancient Greece and Rome.

Le - Louvre French Masters: A 3-hour in-depth tour exploring works by Le Nain, Poussin, Gericault, Delacroix and more.

Le Louvre - Dutch Masters: A 3-hour in-depth tour exploring works by Bosch, Rubens, Hals, Rembrandt and more.

Le Louvre - Italian Renaissance Masters: A 3-hour in-depth tour exploring works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Titian, Veronese, Carravaggio and more.

Claude Monet and Impressionism: A 3.5-hour excursion that will explore the prolific career of the famous Impressionist. Visits of l'Orangerie and the Marmottan Museum, home of the famous "Impression Sunrise" painting. There will be a short bus ride between the two museums.[top]

PARIS - HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
(see Gastronomy and Shopping below)

The Historic Heart of Paris: A 2.5-hour walking tour designed as an introduction to Paris for first-time visitors. It is focused on major highlights: The Ile de la Cite with Notre Dame Cathedral and the Latin quarter on the left bank of the river Seine (Sorbonne, Hotel de Cluny, etc.)

Notre Dame and Cluny Museum - a Pilgrimage to Medieval Paris: A 3-hour walking tour focused on Notre Dame Cathedral and the Cluny Museum of Medieval Art nearby.

Notre Dame and Gothic Paris: A 3-hour walking tour focused on Gothic architecture on Ile de la Cite including Notre Dame Cathedral, Sainte-Chapelle and the Conciergerie, led by a medieval expert or art historian.

Medieval Churches in Paris: A 3.5-hour walking tour covering the history and art of the medieval churches of Paris, led by a Middle-Ages specialist. Visits of St. Severin and St Germain des Pres churches.

Le Marais Mansions: A 3-hour walking seminar, led by an expert, exploring the fascinating evolution of the Marais district through its private mansions. Visit of the Carnavalet Museum.

Montmartre: A 3-hour tour for people paricularly interested in art and the intellectual movements of the early 20th century. Visit places immoratlized by famous people such as Picasso, Renoir, Toulouse Lautrec and more.

Paris of the Sun King: A 3-hour walking tour exploring Louis XIV's influence on Paris, including the Louvre, Place Vendome, Place de la Concorde and Les Invalides.

Contemporary Parisian Cityscape. A 3-hour in-depth walk focusing on the modern architecture of president Francois Mitterand's Grands Projets. Visits of La Grande Arche of La Defense and the Bibliotheque Nationale.

The Making of Modern Paris: A 3-hour tour of 19th-century Paris, designed by Baron-Haussmann, exploring the area around the Grands Boulevards and the Opera Garnier. Visits of the Palais Royal and, if there are no rehearsals that day, the ornate interior of the opera, with its famous ceiling by Mark Chagall. [top]

PARIS - GASTRONOMY
(see Shopping below)

Baguette to Bistro - Culinary Traditions of Paris: A 2.5-hour culinary tour of the left bank. Visit: grande epicerie of the Bon Marché department store. Includes tastings.

The Stomach of Paris - Le Ventre de Paris: A 3-hour tour in the area known as the "stomach of Paris" (the former market of Les Halles), exploring the connections between the history of Paris and food. Includes tastings.

Bordeaux to Burgundy - Wines of France: A 3-hour tour and introduction to French wines, led by a professional sommelier, including a tasting of four wines, cheeses and charcuterie.

Chocolate Walk: A 2.5-hour tour, including tastings of some of the best chocolate shops in St Germain des Pres.

Parisian Restaurants: A 4-hour walk and sit-down lunch in St Germain des Pres, in the company of a cultural historian who will explore the history, art and politics of restaurant dining. Visits of Le Procope and Laperouse restaurants.

Paris Market Walk: A 2.5-hour tour of a traditional outdoor market led by a chef or culinary expert, exploring French food culture and philosophy. Includes tastings. Visit of Marche d'Aligre (behind Opera Bastille, in the 12th district).

The Bobo (Bourgeois-Bohemian) Palate - New Trends in Parisian Cuisine: A 2.5-hour tour focusing on the current culinary trends in the Right Bank district known as Le Marais. Includes tastings. [top]

PARIS - SHOPPING

Shopping in Paris: A 2.5-hour tour focusing on the Arcades (quaint covered passages), the 19th century forerunners of today's shopping malls. Visit of Galerie Vivienne, Panoramas and Jouffroy. Then on to Galleries Lafayette and the Printemps department stores, with stunning views of the city from the rooftop.

BARCELONA

Gaudi in Context: This 3-hour tour focused on Antoni Gaudi frames the famous architect's work in the context of the urban development of the city. Visit of Casa Mila.

La Sagrada Familia: A 2-hour tour of Antoni Gaudi's futuristic Holy Family church.

Bario Gotico: This 3-hour tour of Barcelona's Gothic Quarter peels back the layers of the city's history.

City of Chocolate: A 3-hour walking tour of Barcelona that traces the history of chocolate since its arrival in that city in the 15th century.

From Farm to Fork: This 3-hour food tour of Barcelona takes you to La Boqueria, the city's main market located near the famous La Rambla promenade. Enjoy the abundant and colorful displays of meats, vegetables, fish and much more, that feed the city. [top]

MADRID

Introduction to Madrid and The Royal Palace: A 4-hour visit of the ancient Hapsburg section of Madrid and the opulently decorated Royal Palace nearby. Fascinating history and resplendant architecture.

The Prado Museum: A 3-hour in-depth tour of the Prado museum led by a trained art historian. Admire magnificent Spanish art by Velasquez, El Greco and Goya, and also by famous Dutch and Italian masters such as Bosch, Rubens, Rafael and many more.

Goya in Madrid: This 3.5-hour walking tour centered on Goya and his art includes visits of the Prado museum with a large collection of his works, and a couple of churches within the city where frescoes painted by the famous artist can be seen.

Franco: A 3-hour tour of Madrid that looks at the Spanish Civil War and life under dictator Francisco Franco. Visit of the Reina Sofia museum and Guernica, the famous Picasso painting depicting the bombing of the Basque Country village of Guernika in 1939.

Flamenco: A 3-hour day tour (evening performance not included). During this walking tour you'll explore 2 Madrid neighborhoods (Huertas and Lavapies) where the art form predominates, including a visit to a guitar maker, dress maker and shoe artisan. Also visit of Casa Patas, a local foundation that preserves Flamenco heritage through education, concerts and a small museum.

Don Quijote, Man of la Mancha: A 4-hour excursion to Alcala de Henares, the birthplace of Miguel de Cervantes, a short train ride from Madrid. Visit of Cervantes' home (now a museum), the Corral de Comedias (the oldest theater in Spain) and the Universidad Complutense.

Toledo: This 5-hour excursion to Toledo by train is led by a scholar of medieval history and focuses on the city's rich cultural heritage: the fabulous cathedral, the churches of San Tome and Santa Maria la Blanca (a former synagogue), and the art of El Greco.

El Escorial: A 4-hour tour. After a short train ride from Madrid visit the sprawling, palatial complex of San Lorenzo de el Escorial. [top]

CORDOBA

Moors, Jews and Christians: A 2.5-hour tour of La Mezquita, a unique historical building that comprises a mosque and a Baroque cathedral all under one roof. Then, stroll around the Jewish quarter nearby and step into a distant past when Cordoba was the largest and most sophisticated city in Europe.

SEVILLE

Ancient Seville: A 2.5-hour tour of the old quarter of Seville. Visits of the cathedral with the La Giralda bell tower/minaret, the Santa Cruz/Jewish quarter and the fabulous Alcazar royal palace surrounded by colorful and elegant gardens.

GRANADA

The Old Quarter: A 2.5-hour tour of the old section of Granada to see the magnificent cathedral, the ornate chapel where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, the "Catholic Monarchs" are buried, and the narrow lanes of the Alcaiceria, the old Moorish silk market.

The Alhambra: A 3-hour tour of the Alcazaba fortress with panoramic views over the city, the Nasrid Palace, the palace of Charles V and the beautiful Generalife gardens. The Alhambra is to Spain what the Eiffel Tower is to France. It is an absolute must-see.

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