Awe-Inspiring October Tour of Spain for Families

What to expect on this itinerary
Immerse yourself in the splendor of Spain with this 7-day Spain tour that is optimized for the month of October. Clicking castanets fuse the fervent clatter of shoes against cobbled streets, and flamenco dancers put on mesmerizing performances throughout the city. Indulge in a cooking class in Barcelona, partake in Madrid’s Autumn Festival, and experience the distinctive culture of Valencia.
Customizable Itinerary
Madrid – Autumn Festival and City Tour
After months of excited anticipation, you and your family will finally experience the beauty of Spain, its welcoming people, and the exciting festivals that take place during the month of October. When you land in Madrid, a private driver will greet and escort you to your accommodation. Soon, you will meet your guide for a fascinating tour of the city’s highlights that will include the Royal Palace, a horse-drawn carriage ride through the Parque El Retiro, the prestigious shops along Gran Via, and the classic artwork of the Reina Sofia Museum. In the evening you can join in the music and dance of the Autumn Festival in Lavapies and Malasana.
What's Included:
Valencia – Valencia Day and Relaxation
Tarragona – Human Tower Festival
Barcelona – Paella Cooking Class
Barcelona – La Sagrada Familia
Girona – Catalan Dance, Music, and Arts
Girona – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Get lost in the magic of Madrid's eclectic neighborhoods and partake in the city's annual Autumn Festival
- Dig your toes into the sand along the Mediterranean Sea and immerse yourself in local culture as part of Valencia Day
- Marvel at the unique traditions of Tarragona, as performers create impressive human towers before indulging in local culinary delights
- Discover the beauty of Barcelona and partaking in a traditional paella cooking class with a world-renowned chef
- Admire the magnificent architecture of Antoni Gaudi at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of La Sagrada Familia
- Keep up with the music and dance during Girona's Fires de Sant Narcis before peeking into local shops for souvenirs
- Banter with locals in the open-aired markets of Barcelona's Las Ramblas district and stroll through Park Guell
Detailed Description
You will fall in love with Spain when visiting this illustrious country in the fall. During the month of October, vivacious festivals fill the calendar, and locals and tourists flock to the city streets to rejoice in the cool autumn weather. From the electric energy of downtown Madrid during the Autumn Festival to the hair-raising Human Tower Festival in Tarragona, this itinerary is full of non-stop adventure and excitement.
Your trip will begin in the nation's capital of Madrid, where modern life converges with a rich history. Your guide will lead you on a customized tour of the city's most iconic landmarks, including the Royal Palace, Gran Via, Parque El Retiro, and the Reina Sofia Museum. Later in the day, you will venture to the neighborhoods of Malasana and Lavapies to celebrate the annual Autumn Festival. Then, you will head to Valencia. The cool ocean breeze will welcome you for an exciting day along the Mediterranean. In the evening, your guide will lead you through the internationally-acclaimed designs of Santiago Calatrava at the Park of Arts and Sciences.
Warmth, sunshine, and a trendy art scene await you in Catalonia. You will travel to the cities of Tarragona, Barcelona, and Girona. First, in Tarragona, you will attend the biennial Human Tower Festival. As part of this tradition, you will watch talented performers stand on one another's shoulders, reaching up to 15 meters. The pace of your adventure will slow a bit when you visit the Gothic city of Girona. Here, you will get an up-close look at the intersection of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim influence in addition to the famed Arab Baths. Then, you can dance the night away at the Fires de Sant Narcis festival.
Of course, a family vacation to Spain's northern region of Catalonia would be incomplete without indulging in the charisma of Barcelona. To conclude your trip, you will get an inside look at famed sites, such as La Sagrada Familia. You will also partake in a paella cooking class before basking in a panoramic view of the city at sunset from Park Guell.
Starting Price
$2,200 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 493 reviews
This trip was the best vacation my husband and I have ever taken! Zicasso's travel designer was excellent; he was very knowledgeable and planned the perfect itinerary. I would book another trip with him in a heartbeat! I told him we wanted to go to Barcelona and the activities we wanted to do. He was spot-on with the initial itinerary and we only needed to make minor adjustments based on additional recommendations he had.
The entire trip was very well planned out and everything went off perfectly. I wish I could do this trip all over again!
We stayed the first three nights in Llafranc, Costa Brava, which is a very lovely seaside town that our travel designer suggested. The hotel there was beautiful, pristine, and right on the beach. We went for a wonderful hike, took a day trip to the Dalí Museum, and had a wine tasting at a smaller vineyard that he suggested rather than a large, touristy one. Here, we had a private tour and tasting with the host. On our way to Barcelona we had a tour of Girona, where it was very interesting to see and learn about the history. We loved the hotel in Barcelona. It was in a great location, with many good restaurants nearby, and was also beautiful and pristine. The first night in Barcelona we saw a flamenco show that was incredible and the next day we saw Park Güell and La Sagrada Família. In the evening, we did a tapas tour through five restaurants that was so much fun. The next day, we had a cooking class, which was one of our favorite activities of the trip. The last day, we took a bus trip out to Montserrat, which is well worth seeing and only about an hour outside the city.
I was able to be in communication with our agent throughout the trip. He was always available for questions and also gave us recommendations for restaurants and bars to go to. He also made dinner/lunch reservations as needed.
All of the private guides that were hired were excellent: our guide who did our hike, our guide who took us to the Dalí Museum and Girona, and our guide who showed us Park Güell and La Família Sagrada. They were all so knowledgeable and enjoyable to be with. Even the guides when doing group activities were amazing: our guide who did the cooking class, our guide who took us to Montserrat, and our guide who did the tapas tour.
I appreciated that although our itinerary was busy, our travel designer made sure there was still free time to explore on our own. He was a pleasure to work with and made this vacation so special. The whole process of planning was very easy because of his expertise. I will definitely use him and the tour company for future trips!
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We visited Madrid, Toledo, San Sebastián, Bayonne, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hondarribia, La Rioja, Barcelona, Montserrat, and the Penedes (Cava) region.
We loved our private guides, private wine tastings, and day trips outside of the big cities.
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My husband, our two adult sons, and myself had the pleasure of going to Spain for 11 nights. We didn’t know much about the country, so we relied on Zicasso’s travel specialist to guide us. From the start, she explained the history, culture, food, etc.
We traveled to Madrid, Granada, Seville, Barcelona, and Costa Brava! We also took day trips to Toledo and Córdoba. We had excellent tour guides and drivers. Our trip flowed nicely, as we were on the go a lot of the time.
It was a trip of a lifetime for our family. We looked forward to the tapas, paellas, Jamón Ibérico, gazpacho, empanadas, rabo de toro, and, of course, the seafood every evening. The Spanish people were great and some we’ll never forget!
We learned so much about the ancient and early history, including the Roman conquest through the Medieval and early modern history. We were taking in this information all week, including the Prado Museum, the Picasso Museum, and the Dalí Theatre-Museum!
A simple family moment was sitting on our rooftop in Seville by the pool looking out at this beautiful city, which was difficult to leave!
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Our experience with Zicasso and the tour operator was nothing short of amazing. From start to finish, everything was thoughtfully planned and beautifully executed. The tours in Madrid and Seville were incredible, each filled with history, culture, and stunning sights. Our guides were knowledgeable and engaging, bringing the stories of these cities to life and making the experience even more special.
After the busy city days, Estepona was the perfect place to slow down and relax. We enjoyed exploring the charming streets, indulging in a little shopping, and taking part in a fun and memorable cooking class that gave us a true taste of Spanish culture. The balance between sightseeing, cultural immersion, and relaxation made the trip feel perfectly designed just for us.
A special thank you goes to our travel agent, who was simply wonderful throughout the entire process. He was patient with all of my many questions, quick to respond, and flexible in accommodating every addition or change to the itinerary. His attention to detail and genuine care ensured we felt supported and stress-free from the moment we began planning to the very last day of our travels.
The accommodations, transfers, and overall flow of the trip were seamless, allowing us to simply enjoy the journey without worry. This trip exceeded our expectations and created memories that we will truly cherish.
We highly recommend Zicasso and the tour operator, and especially our travel agent. If you’re looking for a personalized, well-organized, and unforgettable travel experience, this is the way to go.
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We loved our trip to Spain and Portugal! We enjoyed each of our private tours with our tour guides in the various cities we experienced. They went above and beyond to share their knowledge of the planned sites, plus they added in individual unique sites and information along our walking route.
Zicasso’s tour company took all of our requested activities, venues, and interests to customize a trip that fit us well. They were in communication with us during our trip when a planned site was not available due to construction. Our tour guide provided us with other possible replacement options and let us choose what was of interest to us rather than them making the decision.
We tremendously enjoyed all of the cities, Madrid, Toledo, Granada, and Seville in Spain and Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. Our trip went smoothly and the activities were scheduled at a good pace for us! An extra bonus for us was seeing King Felipe VI by being in the right place at the right time near the opera house in Madrid while we were on our walking tour. We highly recommend Zicasso and the tour company.
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