
Spain Through Its Music: Madrid to Galicia
This 8-night tour delves into the heart & soul of Spain through music, dance, art & architecture.
- September 3-11, 2023 -

view from Parador of Baiona of the CiES ISLANDS
BAIONA, GALICIA
We begin in the energised city of Madrid with a welcome dinner at the oldest restaurant in Europe, Restaurante Botín, offering some of Madrid’s best traditional cuisine and setting the tone to look both back and forward at this culture and place. Letting music and art tell the stories, we visit the Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights and Picasso’s Guernica, take in Flamenco Uncovered and learn to play flamenco percussion, explore the elevated views of this capital city in a roof-top architecture tour along Gran Via, understand Sephardic music in Toledo, and revel in the piano music of famous Spanish composers.
We leave the metropole for the more remote and verdant corner of Galicia where we stay in one of Spain’s exquisite Parador hotels in Baiona on the Atlantic coast. We are welcomed into the small town of Mougas to share an evening of music, food and spirits with the locals. Bagpipes, “witches brew”, the local muiñeira dance take us through an evening to remember.
We finish our journey in Santiago de Compostela, the final destination of the pilgrims who have travelled on Caminos across Spain to reach this spiritual centre. We end with a celebratory dinner, music and our final stay at one of the oldest and most luxurious Paradors in Spain.



TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
♥ Private tour & dinner at the world’s oldest restaurant
♥ Guided collection highlights visit of the Prado Museum
♥ Flamenco Uncovered with dancer and guitarist at one of Madrid’s best Flamenco Tablaos
♥ Flamenco Dance and Percussion Workshop with professional dancers
♥ Sephardic and Spanish folk music: a private concert and conversation
♥ Visit to luthier’s workshop for Spanish classical and flamenco guitar
♥ Paella lunch, Gourmet Tapas Tour, signature cocktails & paired wines
♥ Picasso’s Guernica, guided visit at Reina Sofia Museum
♥ An Architect’s Rooftop Tour of Madrid
♥ Private piano recital of Spanish Composers at Madrid’s Literary Club
♥ A short, scenic walk along the Portuguese Camino de Santiago
♥ Sunset dinner overlooking the Cies Islands at Parador Medieval Fortress
♥ A Locals’ Welcome: Galician fiesta by the sea in Mougas
♥ Santiago de Compostela’s Cathedral and pilgrim’s destination: A guided tour
♥ Farewell Dinner at the 15th-century Parador overlooking the Cathedral




MEET YOUR HOSTS
A word from your co-host, Suzanne Savaria, professor and co-director of The Artist as Citizen Initiative at Portland State University, Portland Oregon:
I first visited Spain in 1982 and fell in love with the country, the people and the culture. Forty plus years later I’m still enchanted and continue to explore and learn more each time I visit. I will be your host and share my knowledge of this beautiful place. We’ll have unique experiences together and time to explore on our own. On this trip, we’ll take in the massive contrast of thriving Madrid in the center of Spain to one of the more remote regions in Galicia. I believe that music defines and unites us as people, and this trip highlights the power of music and the arts to share histories and stories.
Join me, Suzanne Savaria and Insider’s Travel owner, Joanna Wivell on this one-of-a-kind adventure. Joanna and I met on one of my early Faculty-Led trips in Spain with Portland State University students. On a warm Madrid evening, after a glass of wine and manchego cheese, we contemplated creating a trip together bringing our specialities to the experience. Joanna brings a broad and deep knowledge of Spain after living in Madrid for 19 years and creating off-the-beaten track experiences for travelers. I bring years of immersive and academic experience and study in music, culture and the arts from all corners of Spain. Together we have created this journey to leave you feeling a deep sense of place.

A word from your other co-host, Joanna Wivell
What a treat to be co-hosting this tour with Suzanne following that conversation in Gonzalez wine bar all those years ago… Music is what pulled me to Spain. Even when I didn’t really understand what flamenco was, I knew it resonated when I heard it. And when I got here I realised this was a place that felt enormously familiar. I just had to learn the language to get up to speed. This led to 19 years living in Madrid where I started making content for the lifestyle channel, Canal Estilo – interviewing my flamenco heroes amongst others. Then on to work for Fox Entertainment during their launch in Spain and the National Geographic Channel. Travel through Asia and South America made me realise I like to get down to the nuts and bolts of where I am and most importantly get to know its people. It didn’t take me long to work out I need to be doing this in my beloved Spain – whether having lunch with the Pepe the wine-maker or chatting to Ana backstage at the Flamenco club but then making sure our guests got a feel for that – I love connecting people to people and people to places and of course introducing them to excellent food, wine and landscapes so they leave excited and touched by this larger than life culture. Looking forward to seeing you and looking after you in September!
Gallery
Spain Through Its Music
WHAT'S INCLUDED
5 nights at Hotel Villa Real, Madrid, 5*
2 nights at Parador de Baiona, 4*
1 night at Parador de Santiago de Compostela, 5*
All transport by train & luxury coach
Tour hosts
Breakfast daily, 7 dinners, 4 lunches
Visits & activities as specified
All applicable taxes
Not included: Airfare & flights, any meals not mentioned above, travel insurance, gratuities for guides.
Price: $5690 / €5080 / £4340 per person
Single Supplement: $1075, €960, £800
Deposit: $560, €560, £450 per person

What past Insider's Travel, Hosted Tours clients have said...
