A TASTE OF FRANCE & SPAIN

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1 Educational Tours A TASTE OF FRANCE & SPAIN Designed by Scott Sparkman 10 days Friday April 19th, Sunday April 28th, 2019

2 Educational Tours A TASTE OF FRANCE & SPAIN Included on tour Round-trip flights on major carriers; full-time Tour Director; weshare, EF s personalized learning experience; hotels with private bathrooms; breakfast and dinner daily; Sightseeing: Barcelona Entrances: Taste of Spain Experience- market Tour & Cooking Class; Parc Guell; Guided visit of La Sagrada Familia; Molecular gastronomy class; Montjuic Cable Car Ride; Montjuic Magical Fountain Show; Papal Palace; Pont du Gard; Nimes Amphitheatre; Olive Oil Grove & Mill; Calanques Cruise; Perfume factory tour; Cook with locals experience; Parc du Chateau; Florian Candy Factory Optional Excursions: Flamenco Show Barcelona, $ 79 (pre-tour) Optional excursion prices are based on 20 paying participants and may be purchased until 50 days prior to departure or on tour at an increased price. The prices of optional excursions are subject to change. Overnight stays: Barcelona, (3) Provence, (2) French Riviera, (3) Not Included on tour Optional excursions; Insurance coverage; Beverages and lunches; Transportation to free-time activities; Customary gratuities (for your Tour Director, bus driver and local guide); Porterage; Adult supplement (if applicable); Weekend supplement; Any applicable baggage-handing fee imposed by the airlines (see eftours.ca/baggage for details); Expenses caused by airline rescheduling, cancellations or delays caused by the airlines, bad weather or events beyond EF s control; Passports, visa and reciprocity fees Sign up today

3 Your itinerary Day 1: Board your overnight flight to Barcelona! Day 2: Barcelona Arrive in Barcelona Arrive in Barcelona, Spain's second-largest city. As the capital of fiercely nationalistic Cataluña, Barcelona was the hotbed of resistance under the rule of General Franco and celebrates its unique identity through its language, its increasingly influential government, and on the global stage, as host to the 1992 Olympic Games. Walking Tour of Las Ramblas Absorb the colorful and dynamic atmosphere of Barcelona during your walking tour down Las Ramblas; a mile-long tree-lined pedestrian boulevard which runs from the pulsating Plaza de Catalunya down to the towering monument of Christopher Columbus pointing out to sea. Flower stalls, mime artists, puppeteers, diners and waiters all vie for your attention. You will also see the thrice-burned-down Gran Teatro de Liceu, the nostalgic Café de l'opera, and still have chance to savor the splendid La Boqueria food market. Overnight in Barcelona Day 3: Barcelona Taste of Spain Experience- Market Tour & Cooking Class It's one thing to sit down at a table and try regional cuisine; it's quite another thing to first visit a local market and pick out the ingredients for the meal. This is your opportunity to do both-and gain a true understanding of Catalan culture. At the Boqueria market, an amazing variety of local fruit, vegetables, fish and meat await. Take your groceries back to your cooking class, where you'll learn professional techniques and tips as you prepare your meal. Guided Sightseeing of Barcelona Your guided tour takes you past the controversial and still unfinished La Sagrada Familia (the Church of the Holy Family). This masterpiece of twisting spires and colorful mosaics was designed by Gaudí, who estimated it would take 200 years to complete. You'll also stroll the narrow lanes of the 14th-century Barrio Gótico, the oldest surviving part of the city. Continue on to Gaudí's masterpiece, the fantasyland of Park Guell, complete with a bright mosaic lizard fountain and the longest bench in the world. Then enjoy a marvelous harbour view from atop Montjuïc Hill, where much of the 1992 Olympics took place. Visit Parc Guell You'll also visit Parc Guell, a World Heritage Site designed by Antoni Gaudí. The beautifully landscaped park is decorated with playful Modernist mosaics. Visit the Room of a Hundred Columns, a covered market with 84 pillars, and see the Casa-Museu, where Gaudí lived from 1906 to Optional Excursion: Flamenco Evening ($79 pre-tour) Encounter the drama, rhythm, and heartbeat of Spain at an optional Flamenco performance. Born of Indian, Moorish, Arabian and gypsy influences, Flamenco dance is a passionate blend of intricate heelwork and clapping, accompanied by songs and guitar. Overnight in Barcelona Day 4: Barcelona Guided visit of La Sagrada Familia Enter into this amazing skeleton of a cathedral. Gaudi began this church in 1882, and it remains unfinished. Construction still continues and completion is slated for the mid-21st century, yet no one knows if the finished product will be what Gaudi intended. Take your time to explore this bizarre masterpiece by wandering around the base, marveling at the enormous statues of saints or climbing one of the many towers for a spectacular view of the city. Molecular gastronomy class Take part in a molecular gastronomy class, where you will explore the physical and chemical transformations of ingredients that occur during cooking. Students will have a chance to experiment, investigate, and explain their findings and understandings throughout this class. Montjuic Cable Car Ride Montjuic, which means Jewish Mountain, lies opposite Tibidabo and has become a tourist attraction in itself. The castle (castell) on the top offers fantastic views over the city and now also holds the military museum. Free time to explore Montjuic Montjuic Magical Fountain Show Tonight, experience the Magical Fountains of Montjuic: a water and light show choreographed to music. Originally built in 1929 for an international exposition, the fountain show now features various themes, from popular music to jazz to Disney songs. Overnight in Barcelona Day 5: Barcelona Carcassonne Provence Transfer to Provence via Carcassonne Walking Tour of Carcassonne Relive medieval times as your Tour Director leads you past the city's age-old ramparts, which slowly turned to ruin after falling to the Crusaders in the 13th century. Carcassonne is also home to Europe's largest and most-complete medieval fortress. Free time to explore Carcassonne Continue to Provence Today you will travel to the Provence region of France--one of the most beautiful and acclaimed parts of the country. In this region you will discover a land of stunning architecture with heavy Roman influence, varied local produce and strong artistic links, none more famous than Impressionism. Overnight in Provence Day 6: Provence Walking tour of Avignon Join your Tour Director for a tour of Avignon, capital of the Provence region. Pope Clement V, a native of France, moved the seat of the papacy to Avignon in Stroll through the splendid Palais des Papes in which he and six successive popes resided. View the stunning Italian frescoes in the chapel, step inside the papal vestry, and see the hidden vaults where the Church's riches were stored.

4 Visit the Papal Palace Pope Clement V, a native of France, chose Avignon as the seat of the papacy in the 1300s. Stroll through the splendid sprawling Palais des Papes in which he and six successive popes resided. View the stunning Italian frescoes in the chapel, step inside the papal vestry, and see the hidden vaults where the Church's riches were stored. See the Pont du Gard See the Pont du Gard, a portion of an aqueduct built by the Emperor Agrippa in AD 19. This spectacular work of Roman engineering is impressive in both form and function-the water conduit, atop the three levels of arches over the River Gard, brought 2,000 gallons of fresh water to the city each day. Walking tour of Nîmes Your Tour Director acquaints you with the ancient Gallic settlement of Nîmes. The town sprouted up around a sacred spring, which was the haunt of the god Nemausus, origin of the city's name. With the arrival of the Romans in 121 BC, the settlement began to prosper. Today, you will visit an ancient amphitheater built to accommodate 21,000 spectators. Nîmes is also famous as the birthplace of denim, a fabric named for its origins-de Nîmes. Visit the Nimes Amphitheatre Also called the Arena of Nimes, the Nimes Amphitheatre is a Roman style amphitheater that was built around 70 AD. The structure's original usage, however, has now shifted as the Amphitheatre currently hosts 2 major bullfights per year. Overnight in Provence Day 7: Provence Calanques cruise French Riviera Visit an Olive Grove & Olive Oil Mill Visit a working olive grove and olive oil mill in beautiful Baux de Provence. Transfer to the French Riviera via Cassis Enjoy a Calanques Cruise From the seaside village of Cassis, you will embark on a cruise through inlets cradled by jagged limestone cliffs. The Calanques, as these steep-sided fjords are called, create a craggy, white trim along a stretch of France's most beautiful coastline. Arrive in the French Riviera Arrive in Nice, the `Queen of the Riviera.' Many believe the name of the town, which was founded by Greek mariners in 350 B.C., derives from a great territorial victory realized here (the Greek word for victory is nike). You will then transfer to your hotel situated in the glamorous French Riviera - land of deep blue waters, waving palm trees and sun drenched promenades. Favored resort of the rich and famous, you can join the paparazzi on the lookout for celebrities. Overnight in French Riviera Day 8: French Riviera Excursion to Eze & Monaco Walking tour of Eze Spend some time in Eze, a small medieval town perched on a cliff high above the waters of the Mediterranean. Visit a Perfume Factory Enjoy a guided tour of a local perfume factory. This region of the French Riviera is world-famous for its perfumeries. Walking Tour of Monaco Follow your tour director through Monaco, a speck of a principality that packs wealth, royalty, and the world's most famous casino into just 0.8 square miles. The Grimaldi family has ruled Monaco since 1297, making them the longest-reigning family dynasty in Europe. See the palace and pass by the Cathédrale de Monaco, site of Prince Rainier's wedding to Grace Kelly in The cathedral is also the final resting place of both Prince Rainier and Princess Grace, who was killed in a car accident in the hills of Monaco in Catch a glimpse of the stately casino as you stroll the streets with your tour director. The aura of mystique that surrounds the Monte-Carlo casino stems in part from Mata Hari, the professional dancer-turned-dutch-spy who once shot a Russian spy inside the ornate landmark. Free Time Monaco Enjoy time exploring the exciting and beautiful Principality of Monaco. Return to Nice Cook with locals This evening, you'll learn how to cook traditional French dishes in small, supervised groups in the homes of locals. You'll rinse, chop, mix, pour, and sauté, all while practicing your French vocabulary. Of course, you'll get to enjoy every delicious bite that you've cooked, and you'll receive the recipes to try at home! Overnight in French Riviera Day 9: French Riviera Walking tour of Nice Acquaint yourself with the palm trees and promenades of this exclusive seaside resort. Walk in the footsteps of the rich and famous as you stroll through the Vielle Ville, past white-washed villas and down the Promenade des Anglais. Nice's spectacular scenery has inspired such artists as Renoir, Matisse and Toulouse-Lautrec. Visit the Parc du Chateau The park is located on a hill which was once the most important part of the city; now only some ruins of it and of the Chateau and cathedral Notre-Dame du Chateau still remain today. While you are enjoying your visit you will see some of the best points of view over the Bay of the Angels and the Old Town. Visit a Florian Candy Factory Learn about the history of fruit confit, or candied fruit. The fruit confit takes up to three months to make; you will understand its laborious process during a tour of the factory. Don't forget to take home some of these sweet - and pricey - treats! Walking Tour of Cours Saleya Market This afternoon, your Tour Director will walk you through Nice's famous Cours Saleya fruit and vegetable market. This will be a great opportunity to use your recently acquired French language skills in a real life situation. Feel free to barter and haggle with local vendors as you peruse the market for fresh food!

5 Free time to explore the Promenade Anglais Overnight in French Riviera Day 10: French Riviera Transfer to the airport for your return flight Your tour director assists with your transfer to the airport, where you will check in for your return flight home. Itinerary is subject to change For complete financial and registration details, please refer to the Booking Conditions at

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