Spanish architecture

Madrid has, among other atractions, great museums. Not only the collections are among the best in the world, but also the buildings that house them have great architectural interest. Besides being historic buildings, they have all been recently upgraded or expanded by famous contemporary architects.

The predominant change over the last two decades in Bilbao has been in the area of urban renewal. In few cases have those world-renowned architects come together who took part in the process, among them Gehry, Foster, Pelli, Legorreta, Isozaki, Calatrava, Sterling, and Soriano. So that today Bilbao is known abroad as one of the key reference points insofar as concerns art, modern architecture, and urban renewal.

The extensive history of Barcelona has made urban reforms a necessity in order to regain the use of buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. Many great architects have worked to restore and revitalize the spanish architecture in the city, for its citizens and visitors, specially since the Summer Olympic Games in 1992.

MAIN INTERIOR VISITS

• Museums in Madrid
• Madrid Rio
• Guggenheim Museum, Frank Gehry
• Sagrada Família and Casa Milá, Gaudí
• Mies Van der Rohe Pavillion

DAY 1 – MADRID​

Meeting at reception. Introduction.
During the morning: Old Town.
Afternoon: exterior visits to the Queen
Sofía Museum (Jean Nouvel), Thyssen- Bornemisza Museum (Rafael Moneo e BOPBAA). Interior visit (entrance included)
to Caixa Forum (Herzog & De Meuron) and Prado Museum.

DAY 2 – MADRID

During the morning: Skycrapers and Business Area
Afternoon: Madrid-Río (R&AS, West 8, Burgos & Garrido, Porras La Casta) – Río Manzanares. Buildings from Dominique Perrault (Magic Box) and Matadeiro. Atocha Station (Moneo) and 11M Memorial.

DAY 3 – MADRID´s peripheries​

SOCIAL HOUSING TOUR: Ecobulevar, Mirador and Celosía, buildings from MVRDV and Blanca Lleó. VPO in Sanchinarro.​

DAY 4 – MADRID / BILBAO​

Check-out and trip to Bilbao. Old town, Metro (Norman Foster), Cultural Center “La Alhondiga” (Philippe Starck), among others.

DAY 5 – BILBAO​

New Bilbao.
we will see the Zubizuri walkway (Santiago Calatrava), Isozaki´s Towers, Sheraton Hotel (Ricardo Legorreta) and the Deusto University (Rafael Moneo). Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall. Abandoibarra and Artxanda Funicular. Guggenheim Museum – Frank Gehry (tickects included).

DAY 6 – BILBAO – SAN SEBASTIAN​

Trip to Donostia (San Sebastián). After the breakfast, one hour bus trip. “Shell´s” zone, buildings from Rafael Moneo, Kursaal, Peine de los Vientos, from Peña Ganchegui with spculptures from Chillida. Return to Bilbao by bus (dinner free, not included).

​
DAY 7 – BILBAO-BARCELONA​

After the breakfast and check-out, trip to Barcelona to see more of the spanish architecture.
Private bus to the Airport.
Flight to Barcelona.
Private transfer to the hotel in Barcelona.
Check-in and a little break.
Walking tour in the downtown.
Bilbao
Madrid
Barcelona
FRANCE
PORTUGAL

DAY 8 – BARCELONA

During the morning we will continue to visit the city center: Mercado de Santa Caterina (Miralles i Tagliabue), Catedral Santa Maria del Mar, Palau de la Música, Museu Picasso, Mercado do Born. Barceloneta and Raval neighborhoods. Contemporary Art Museum (Richard Meier), Contemporary Culture Center (Albert Viaplana).
Free dinner – not included.

DAY 9 – BARCELONA

Plano Cerdá and Eixmple: Pedrera (Gaudí), Casa Batlló (Gaudí), Casa Ametller (Puig i Cadafalch), Casa Lleó
Morera (Domènech i Montaner), Editorial Montaner i Simón – Fundació Tapies (Domènech i Montaner), Casa Fuster (Domènech i Montaner) and Casa Vicens (Gaudí).

DAY 10 – BARCELONA

Montjuïc: Castillo de Montjuïc, Fundación Miró (Josep Lluís Sert), Jardí Botànic (Carles Ferrater) and olympic games zone, Palau Sant Jordi (Arata Isozaki), Tower from Santiago Calatrava. Expo 1929´s Pavillion (Mies van der Rohe) and Caixa Fórum (entrance by Arata Isozaki). “Las Arenas” (Lunch not included) by Alonso y Balaguer + Richard Rogers. Olympic Village. Harbour, Hotel Arts (SOM), Fish (Frank Ghery), Passeo Nova Icaria (Enric Miralles). We will end the tour in the beach of Barceloneta (sculputure by Rebecca Horn).

DAY 11 – BARCELONA

Glòries and 22@: Agbar Tower (Jean Nouvel), Silken Hotel Diagonal (Juli Capella), Offices Diagonal 197 by
David Chipperfield, Campus Audiovisual- Mediapro (OAB), Comissió Mercat de les telecomunicacions (Batlle i Roig) , Indra Building (b720 + R&AS), Mediatic by Cloud9 and Central Park Poblenou – Jean Nouvel. Forum (Herzog&de Meuron), Tower by Enric Massip.

DAY 12 – BARCELONA

Breakfast and checkout.
Transfer to the airport.