Explore the City of Arts & Sciences, Valencia’s audacious cultural complex by Santiago Calatrava. Wander among gleaming white curves, vast reflective pools, and photo-perfect lines that frame the Mediterranean light, from L’Hemisfèric’s eye-shaped cinema to the sculptural Umbracle garden walk.

Gain a sense of Valencia’s forward-looking spirit while viewing the exteriors of icons such as L’Oceanogràfic, Europe’s largest aquarium, and the Palau de les Arts opera house. Architecture, water, and sky combine here for a striking, ultra-modern cityscape.

Join an orientation walk with your Trip Manager to get your bearings in Spain’s capital. Stroll from Puerta del Sol into the arcades of Plaza Mayor, then along the theaters and shopfronts of Gran Vía, picking up local tips on tapas spots, neighborhoods, and how to move confidently around the city.

Glance up at Habsburg facades and lively plazas that stage Madrid’s day-to-night rhythm. This guided primer sets you up to explore independently — from mercados and museums to late-night churros and terrace bars.

Cook an authentic paella in a chef-led, hands-on paella workshop. Stir fragrant saffron into bomba rice, layer vegetables and local meats or seafood, and master the heat needed to achieve the prized socarrat — the crispy, caramelized base.

Learn how this dish was born in the Albufera rice fields and why it’s Valencia’s culinary emblem. Enjoy your creation with a glass of local wine. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability.

Dine beneath the arches of Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s grand 17th-century square. Settle at a classic terrace to sample regional wines and Castilian comfort dishes while street musicians and evening chatter fill the arcaded courtyard.

Admire frescoes on the Casa de la Panadería and the symmetry that defined Habsburg Madrid’s urban stage. From tortilla and croquetas to a bocadillo de calamares, this atmospheric meal is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Take a front-row seat at Café del Mar for a golden-hour ritual: sunset over the Mediterranean set to a Balearic chill-out soundtrack. Sip something cold as the horizon blushes, boats silhouette against the bay, and the evening eases into island night.

Since 1980, this Sant Antoni de Portmany spot has perfected the art of slow, sun-drenched dining by the sea. Expect Mediterranean seafood and casual elegance. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Join a daytime boat party and cruise the Ibiza coastline to Balearic DJ sets and sea-breeze vibes. Glide past whitewashed bays and pine-fringed headlands, with the island’s crystalline waters glittering below the deck as the tempo builds.

Feel Ibiza’s dance heritage come alive — a soundtrack shaped since the 1970s — while you sway to Balearic beats and watch the sky soften toward sunset over the Mediterranean. It’s the island mood distilled: sea air, rhythm, and that free-spirited White Isle energy.

Step into the island’s nocturnal heartbeat as you join a curated club night at an Ibiza superclub. With pre-arranged entry handled, hit the floor beneath a laser-lit dance floor, where international DJs turn the night into a shared celebration.

Soak up a scene that’s defined global club culture for decades, with venues famed for immersive light shows and world-class sound. Expect high-energy sets, soaring drops, and a crowd united by sun, sea, and the promise of an unforgettable island night.

Taste Barcelona’s seasonal cuisine as you enjoy an included dinner at Mescladís, a warm, community-run space known for its courtyard murals and neighborhood buzz. Share plates of Catalan staples and raise a first toast with your travel crew while soaking up the creative energy of El Born’s narrow lanes.

Discover how Mescladís operates as a social inclusion project, training newcomers to Spain for careers in hospitality. Expect Catalan flavors like escalivada, aioli, and market-fresh produce — a grounded, feel-good introduction to the city’s food culture.

Contiki

• 1 Dinner (D)
• 7 Breakfast (B)

• Barcelona: Enjoy an included dinner at Mescladis – a non-profit that’s all about social cohesion, doing their bit to enrich coexistence, with rights and opportunities for all.
• Ibiza: You can’t visit this party gem of an island without attending a boat party. Get set to make some memories with your Contiki crew.
• Valencia: Explore Valencia’s futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, a striking complex of bold architecture, open spaces, and reflective pools. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, it’s home to science exhibits, an opera house, and Europe’s largest aquarium — and yes, the photo ops are epic.