Discover Europe: Madrid, Barcelona and Paris

Flight from your preferred airport to Madrid.

Upon arriving in Madrid, you’ll be met by your Travel For Teens guides who will accompany you for the duration of your journey. After getting settled into our hotel in downtown Madrid, we’ll have lunch and head off to the spectacular Royal Palace, where students will enjoy a tour led by a local guide. In the afternoon, we’ll have a walking tour of the area around la Puerta del Sol before enjoying our first delicious tapas dinner.

Today we’ll see why Madrid is one of Europe’s most livable cities. Begin with a guided tour of the Museo del Prado, where our art historian guide will help students gain an appreciation for the masterpieces found here. Next, in the Parque del Retiro, have a relaxing lunch, visit the turtles at the Crystal Palace and go for a rowboat ride on the pond. In the afternoon, the group will have their choice of seeing works by Dalí and Picasso at the Museo de la Reina Sofía, visiting the home of Real Madrid Football Club at the Bernabéu Stadium, or having free time for shopping in Madrid’s hip boutiques. For dinner, try some more local specialties, like Basque pintxos or tortilla de patata.

This morning, board the high-speed AVE train from Madrid to Barcelona. In just a few short hours, we will have arrived in this buzzing Mediterranean city. Enjoy your first lunch in the Boquería Market, where locals still come to buy their fresh produce, catch-of-the-day fish, and sweet treats. Get acquainted this afternoon with a bike tour of Barcelona, which is always a student favorite! (An alternative will be offered for those not comfortable on a bike.) As always, dinner will be traditional, authentic cuisine at one of our favorite local restaurants.

Begin the day at Antoní Gaudí’s enchanting Parc Guell, where The Cheetah Girls and ANTM were filmed. After marveling at this whimsical park, put your cooking skills to the test and learn to make your own paella and tapas with a local chef. Spend the afternoon relaxing at the beach or exploring Parc de la Ciutadella. Dinner will be another culinary adventure with a chance to sample more authentic cuisine–montaditos, anyone? Complete your day with an evening stroll around the city and, of course, a stop for gelato!

This morning, we’ll visit the Sagrada Familia, the city’s famous basilica that has been under construction for nearly 100 years! After lunch, we’ll split up to allow students to choose which activity most interests them. We understand that student travelers have diverse interests and needs, so our staff do their very best to accommodate everyone’s must-sees. Students may choose to visit Camp Nou, home to FC Barcelona; the Picasso Museum; or have free time for souvenir shopping on Passèig de Grácia. After another delicious dinner, marvel at the lights and music spectacle at the Magic Fountain of Montjuic.

A short flight from Barcelona brings us to the City of Light, where we’ll dive right into Parisian culture. Our first stop, of course, will be the Eiffel Tower. No trip to Paris would be complete without going all the way to the top of one of the most famous buildings in the world. In the evening, we’ll have dinner and stroll around the hip artistic neighborhood of Montmartre. See the infamous Moulin Rouge, the ancient windmill that still stands today, and the view from the Sacré-Coeur Basilica at twilight.

Begin the day with a visit to the Musée d’Orsay, home to some of the most famous masterpieces by Impressionists such as van Gogh, Monet, Cézanne, Signac, Manet, Degas and more. At lunchtime, visit the impressive Gothic Cathedral of Notre Dame, where students can even climb the towers to see the famous gargoyles and get an amazing view of Paris. This afternoon, delve into Paris’ hidden alleys and ancient history on a bike tour of the city. Always a student favorite, our local guide will bring us through the Marais, past Bastille, across the Seine and to the ancient heart of Paris. (As always, an alternative will be offered for those not comfortable on a bike.) In the evening, explore the Latin Quarter before enjoying a traditional dinner of fondue and raclette. Cap off this amazing day with a twilight river cruise down the Seine to see Paris lit up at night.

Begin the day with a guided tour of the Musée du Louvre to see firsthand some of the world’s most impressive masterpieces. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in the Tuileries Gardens and have some free time to explore the area around the Hôtel de Ville, Chatelet, and Rue de Rivoli. In the afternoon, students can climb the mighty Arc de Triomphe before having free time to souvenir shop on the Champs-Élysées. Now is the perfect time to pick up macarons from Ladurée! We’ll celebrate the end of an incredible trip with an upscale final dinner at one of our favorite fancy restaurants.

Your TFT guides will accompany you to the airport and assist you with check-in for your flight. Wave goodbye as you head through security and sit back and relax on your flight home.