Spain
Spanish Art: From the Golden Age to Gaudi and Beyond
Program No. 3328RJ
See More Photos
Spanish Art: From the Golden Age to Gaudi and Beyond
Spanish Art: From the Golden Age to Gaudi and Beyond
1 of 3
Participant Reviews
Based on 38 Reviews
SHOWING
If you love art and art museums, this is the tour for you. You will learn about the major Spanish artists and be inspired every day with the art in the cathedrals, museums, and the inherent beauty of the country. Fantastico!
— Review left November 7, 2025
If you enjoy learning about art and architecture, this is a WONDERFUL trip!
Our group leader, Mariola, was organized, knowledgeable, kind and funny and made the trip so memorable for us all. The trip itinerary covered many amazing museums, cathedrals and monasteries that I wouldn't have discovered on my own. Also, as a solo traveler, I met other travelers who not only shared my passion for art, but were also friendly, welcoming and fun. I'd highly recommend this trip if you want to do a deep dive into art!
— Review left November 3, 2025
If you're an art, architecture, and history enthusiast this trip is for you! Be prepared to keep the pace; couch potatoes will suffer on this trip unless they prepare before departure.
— Review left October 7, 2025
A fabulous trip, with a well-organized and knowledgeable guide. The accommodations and food were excellent, and I learned so much about Spanish culture and history, particularly in the worlds of art and architecture. Highly recommended!
— Review left June 2, 2025
This program is for art lovers everywhere. Definitely an on the go experience (we averaged about four miles of walking a day). Ulises (tour guide) made the experience exceptional.
— Review left May 25, 2025
This is a fantastic trip. Fran, Theresa, Paolo, Unai and Silvia are great.
The lectures, museum tours and city walks were top notch.
The days are very busy, but you are constantly learning and seeing amazing things. Be prepared for a lot of walking and stairs.
Hotels and food are good. The hotel breakfasts are excellent and fortifying.
You will learn a lot about Spanish art. It is a small group, which is very nice.
— Review left May 20, 2025
anyone interested in art will love this program! a well organized tour and discussion of Spanish art that left me wanting more! As usual, although the program is wonderful, it is the people on the trip who make it more memorable!
— Review left May 20, 2025
Excellent program for art lovers. Interesting museums and lecturers. Well organized.
— Review left May 19, 2025
If you love Art, this is the program for you.
— Review left May 17, 2025
Excellent trip. Only wished for more days in Barcelona! So much art to see and so little time. Worth another trip.
— Review left March 16, 2025
A great program for anyone interested in Spanish art and architecture.
— Review left November 5, 2024
A magical experience. I signed up for this trip because I wanted to see the Prado in Madrid. I loved the Prado but it was only one of many superb art experiences. The highlight of the trip for me was Cuenca, a medieval town with houses that hang off the cliffs. In one of these houses is the Museum of Abstract Art, which is amazing, full of abstract artists I had never heard of. I also loved the Guggenheim Bilbao and Barcelona. It is a fast-paced trip. I skipped the field trip to the Dali museum to catch my breath, and I recommend taking a break if you want a free day or afternoon. I learned so much Spanish history that I never knew as well. In the US we hear a lot about Hitler and Mussolini but little about the fascist dictator Franco, who held power from 1939 until his death in 1975. The guides were all outstanding, especially Cecilia in Madrid. But the great surprise of the trip is how well the fourteen of us got along. We were all art lovers. Two married couples, two pairs of women traveling together, and six women traveling solo. I have new friends.
— Review left October 26, 2024
Ole!
— Review left October 15, 2024
I loved my trip to Spain ! The guides in each city we visited were extremely knowledgeable and fun, the and their lectures were top notch. The hotels and restaurants were really good and I can’t wait to go on my next trip with Road Scholar !
— Review left October 4, 2024
This tour is a fantastic journey through the art, history and culture of Spain and the lives of its greatest artists. Highly recommended for lovers of historic Spanish art and cathedrals!
— Review left June 4, 2024
The art was wonderful — I only wish we had had more time everywhere. Great itinerary! Would have loved an extra day in Bilbao. I appreciated the longer stays in Madrid and Barcelona even though I'd stayed in those cities before. The trip has a great mix of time inside museums, walking in the cities, and visits to other locations such as a few cathedrals. Our group leader, Mariola Alonso, was spectacular. She was warm and friendly, super organized, and communicated very well. We also had excellent local guides and experts for the most part. I learned so much about how art in Spain reflected the times, and how artists influenced one another. The depth of the information was more than I'd expected, and the experts and guides delivered it in a fun, engaging manner. Overall the trip was fantastic, but I really wish we had had more free time. Everywhere on the itinerary where it says "free time," we basically had like 10 or 15 minutes. Not enough. Another thing I would change is giving people a chance to sit down for 10 minutes or buy some water if they need it. The days are very full on this trip and the amount of walking is described accurately, but on several days it was a bit too "non-stop," and we all would have appreciated a couple of brief breaks. It was great to have a small-ish group (21 people), and we all got to know one another over meals.
— Review left May 25, 2024
This trip was exhilarating! I think that this is the best word to describe it. I learned so much about Spanish art and history, and we saw everything we should see--and more. The tour was very well organized, the lecturers were very knowledgeable, the hotels were super, the meals were fun and interesting, and the group members added much to my learning and enjoyment of the trip. Our guide Mayra was excellent---I think one of the best in the business. I felt safe, well-taken care of, and her enthusiasm and knowledge added much to my overall enjoyment of the trip. She gave us a real Spanish perspective on things. This trip exceeded my expectations. I have already registered for more Spanish trips! Hands-down a highlight of my retirement so far! If you like art and you like travelling in a group of like-minded people, you will love this trip. Thank you to my fellow group members and to Mayra. Very, very fun!!!
— Review left April 1, 2024
If you want to learn about the major Spanish artists and experience some of Spain's most important museums/architecture, this is the trip for you! It's a full and stimulating program, so "keep the pace" really means it.
— Review left April 1, 2024
I felt that every single day was worthwhile and exciting. The food was remarkable, the museums incredible, and the cities, towns, and countryside were more attractive and interesting than I expected.
— Review left October 7, 2023
This is a well-organized program for people with a high interest in Spanish art.The itinerary, accommodations, food selections, staff and transportation were all high quality. It is an educational and highly entertaining tour.
— Review left September 26, 2023
Educational and illuminating - thank you!
— Review left September 24, 2023
great program. leadership, lecturers and fellow travellers
— Review left September 23, 2023
This program gave me an understanding of why artists painted what they did in the Golden Age and an appreciation of their talent and their works.
— Review left May 30, 2023
This trip gave me the opportunity to learn so much about Spanish history, art and culture. The lectures helped me to understand and appreciate the paintings that we saw in the museums. My trip was in March and we enjoyed wonderful weather. The accommodations were good, the food was great and the sights were fabulous. I highly recommend this trip for people who want to learn more about Spain and Spanish artists.
— Review left April 10, 2023
I spent many weeks searching for an in-depth art tour of Spain, and the RS "Golden Age" tour seemed to be ideal -- tours of major museums enhanced by lectures. The tour was superb and did indeed exceed my expectations.
— Review left April 8, 2023
This is an absolutely wonderful trip. I've been reading about art most of my life, but I found out lots of things about Spanish art I had never dreamed of. We went to places I never would have gone on my own. The lecturers were just wonderful. I really recommend this trip highly.
— Review left February 18, 2023
For those who love art and want to learn more, this is a perfect program. The lectures were fabulous and following them with a visit to an appropriate museum was wonderful.
And the Spanish wine!
— Review left November 1, 2022
This program was outstanding. Wonderful restaurants, expert speakers, rich and varied experiences, and an excellent group leader. If you attend this program you will come away with a great appreciation for the major artists of Spain and a deep desire to return.
— Review left October 3, 2022
This is a comprehensive overview of Spanish art. It is packed with visits to important sites in the history of art in Spain. Accommodations and food are good. Be prepared to see and experience a great deal.
— Review left April 25, 2022
It is difficult to view using an iPhone. Some are overlapping
— Review left April 19, 2022
I wholeheartedly recommend this trip as a super-charged learning experience in the worlds of Spanish art, architecture and culture. Each and every day was a superbly curated blend of expert lectures and guided visits to a wealth of museums, cathedrals, palaces and public spaces. At the same time, I felt supremely cared for with good food, comfortable hotels, at-the-elbow transportation and our attentive, professional & entertaining group guide, Sandra Velasquez. Sandra was endlessly patient in answering our endless questions, created a warm & inclusive family atmosphere among our diverse group and tackled each and every unexpected challenge (missing luggage, a passport left in a hotel safe, a nasty fall experienced by one of our group members).
I came away profoundly grateful for seeing and learning about so many beautiful works of art and architecture across centuries of Spanish history; with deeper appreciation for artists I knew about prior to the trip, such as Picasso, Miro, El Greco & Velasquez; delight in encountering new artists, notably Abstract artists highlighted in the Perez museum in Cuenca; and motivated to read and learn more about Spanish history.
— Review left November 12, 2021
My brother and sister-in-law had taken this tour and highly recommended it. I enjoyed the tour tremendously--the cities, the museums, the hotels, the food, the lectures, and the local guides. Our Group Leader, Sandra, sets the standard--she has an effervescent personality, is positive, caring and conscientious. We were a group of ten and it was composed of interesting people from all over the U.S. and Canada. It was a congenial group that I'll remember with pleasure.
— Review left November 10, 2021
This was a great overview of Spanish art from the Golden Age to the present. In addition to many wonderful general museums, we went to specialized museums for Picasso, Miro, Dali and El Greco's works. I was surprised how much modern/abstract art was included and relatively unknown in the US. Our group leader Ulises was excellent, as were all the experts and all but one of the local guides. This is a great trip for anyone who loves art and architecture - RS has been running this tour for 32 years. Best of all, museums and other venues weren't as crowded as pre-Covid, so it was easier to see the art, and it felt safer to be in Spain than in the US, since mask-wearing inside is universal.
— Review left October 20, 2021
This was an excellent program--a great opportunity to learn about Spain and its great artistic tradition
— Review left October 11, 2021
If you are interested in Spanish art from the Golden Age to now, this is the trip for you! We visited the top art museums in Spain and several cathedrals with stunning art collections. The lectures provided was with context to view the art. It was a wonderful trip!
— Review left October 2, 2021
This program is like taking a graduate course in Spanish art and culture, terrific!
— Review left October 23, 2019
The Spanish Art & Architecture tour is wonderful. Not only do you get to see wonderful things, but you also get to learn about, & fall in love with, a fascinating country.
— Review left June 17, 2019
Road Scholar is a wonderful opportunity to travel and learn about almost any subject in the world! It is well organized, affordable, and fun!
— Review left May 27, 2019