ART CITIES OF SPAIN - BARCELONA & MADRID

Day 1 Barcelona

Arrive into the Catalonian capital, and head straight for your base for the next couple of nights. Grand Hotel Central is a 1920s art deco building that houses sleek modern rooms, a smart restaurant, sky bar and rooftop infinity pool with an impressive view over the city skyline. This hotel is just as cool as the city itself, and its central location at the edge of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter will prove ideal for the cultural focus of your time here.

Overnight: Grand Hotel Central Barcelona

Day 2 Barcelona

Explore the city’s chief artistic institutions in earnest today. Start on your doorstep with the Picasso Museum, which holds more than 4,000 paintings by the artist, including much of his early work, his first still life and his striking interpretation of Velázquez’s Las Meninas. The Joan Miró Foundation, in leafy Montjuïc, will provide a strong introduction and exploration of his Surrealist oeuvre; while MNAC (Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya) examines the region’s past, from Romanesque and Gothic artworks through to photography and modern art.

Overnight: Grand Hotel Central Barcelona

Day 3 Barcelona

Enjoy the day at leisure to discover Barcelona’s lively architectural heritage, colourful monuments and remarkable culinary roots (more than 20 restaurants have gained a Michelin star here, many for their contemporary twists on traditional dishes). Much can be seen on foot – and if cultural fatigues threatens to strike, simply veer seawards and relax over tapas and regional wines at the waterfront.

Overnight: Grand Hotel Central Barcelona

Day 4 Barcelona to Madrid

Take a three-hour train journey to reach Madrid, the vibrant Spanish capital. Here you will stay at The Principal Madrid Hotel, another central establishment, this time at the eastern end of the Gran Via. Its contemporary design provides respite from the city outside, all marble and monochrome with chic dark accents, plus a spa and roof terrace that demand total relaxation. High ceilings are afforded by the building’s 20th-century foundations, and a calm, cool air pervades every room.

Overnight: The Principal Madrid Hotel

Day 5 Madrid

Begin on Spain’s strongest artistic note, at the Museo del Prado, where Goya’s dark masterpieces and Velázquez’s original Las Meninas are among the highlights. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, meanwhile, is a world-class private collection of European art that houses every favourite from Dalí and Renoir back to Dürer and Holbein (the Younger, whose portrait of Henry VIII is among the best known). The Museo Reina Sofia, by contrast, hones in on 20th-century art – and time spent admiring Picasso’s Guernica will fly by, enriched by your expertise gleaned in Barcelona.

Overnight: The Principal Madrid Hotel

Day 6 Madrid

Today is at your leisure to venture out into the city, maybe to visit the Spanish royal family’s magnificent Palacio Real, where you will uncover room after ornate room; or wandering the city’s many plazas and colourful markets. Learn the history – and art – of flamenco, taste dishes typical of central Spain or simply walk through wonderfully landscaped parks and gardens.

Overnight: The Principal Madrid Hotel

Day 7 Andalucia or fly home

Fly home or extend your trip south to Andalucia.