Life in Madrid is centered around talking, toasting and tapas-eating. In a walk through this crowded and social city, your Tour Director will help you get to know the lay of the land. Visit the Museo del Prado, home of works by Spain's great masters, including Francisco Goya, Diego Velázquez, and El Greco. Then stroll over to the Puerta del Sol, the bustling city center. Next, you'll relax at the Plaza Mayor, a grand square where every sort of human drama has taken place-trails of faith, public burnings of heretics, royal marriages, the canonization of saints and countless balls and bullfights. End at the Plaza de España for a stop at an outdoor café.

Take a taste of Spain's cultural, political, and economic center with a tour led by a licensed local guide. See Madrid's mix of traditional and modern as you visit the Royal Palace, an 18th-century masterpiece. The enormous Baroque palace currently has more rooms (2,800) than any other European palace, but it was originally supposed to be four times as large. The palace is dripping with porcelain, jeweled clocks, amazing ceiling frescoes — the most magnificent, in the Throne Room, was done by the Venetian artist Tiepolo when he was in his seventies. Next take a look at the Neoclassical architecture of the Prado Museum and the Puerta de Alcala triumphal arch, built to honor Carlos III’s entry into Spain.

Long the spiritual capital of Spain, Toledo still captures the heart with its spectacular surround of ocher-colored mountains. El Greco created some of his greatest works here, including his most famous painting, "The Burial of Count Orgaz." You’ll also see the city's cathedral, St. Mary's Synagogue, and the Church of Santo Tomé.

Tapas purportedly originated when bartenders set a small plate ("tapa") over patrons' glasses of sherry and wine to keep the flies out. The bartenders starting piling the plate with cold cuts, olives, or salad, and the bite-size snack was born. (We're unsure how they kept the flies out of the cold-cuts... maybe that's how the sandwich was invented?) Over time these working-class snacks have become more elaborate, with each region adding its own specialties and cooking techniques to create unique tastes and combinations.

Race across the country in Spain’s fastest train, the high-tech AVE, which can reach speeds of over 180 miles per hour.

Charming white-washed houses and ochre-colored palaces with ornate façades. Jasmine-covered balconies and luxuriant parks. Jean Cocteau listed Seville (along with Peking and Venice) as one of the three most magical cities in the world. Santa Teresa proclaimed its beauty was the work of the devil. Decide for yourself as you stroll the streets with your Tour Director. Climb to the top of the Giralda Tower, the greatest symbol of the city. It was once the minaret of Seville’s greatest mosque, built between 1184 and 1196. Later, Christians destroyed the mosque but couldn’t bear to tear down the tower, so they incorporated it into their new cathedral.

See the twisted alleyways and cobbled streets of Seville with the help of a licensed, local guide. Your first visit will be to the Barrio de Santa Cruz, formerly the old Jewish quarter of the 17th-century. Now, lovingly restored, these properties are among the city’s more exquisite and expensive. Next you will enter the high, fortified wall of the Alcázar, a palace built by a Christian king named ‘Pedro the Cruel’. Now it is the official residence of the king and queen of Spain. End the day with a visit to Columbus’ gravesite.

Originating from gypsy music and dance in Southern Spain, flamenco dancing has become a Spanish institution. Dancers use intricate footwork and elaborate arm gestures to convey the mood of the music, which can range from lamentation to celebration.

Granada sits on three gentle hills, which are dwarfed on a clear day by the majestic snowcapped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Atop one of these hill sits the imposing but delicate Alhambra palace. Golden pink hues give this sprawling Renaissance gateway an otherworldly aura. One of the best rewards of climbing up to see it is the view of the city mixed in with orchards, tobacco fields and poplar groves.

Study Spanish in style at the Enforex School, in Marbella on the Costa del Sol. A five minute walk to the beach and the Maritime Promenade, the brand-new school has air-conditioned classrooms, a private terrace, large common area, study hall with internet access, reading rooms, a library, video library, and vending machines. Students learn from experienced, degree-holding teachers, all native Spanish speakers, in small-class settings with other students from around the globe. Testing on the first day determines a student's placement in one of six course levels, from basic to proficient. There are four 55-minute lessons each day Monday through Friday with course books (included in the fee) developed by the school. Chaperones may participate in the language lessons for free. Students will reside in two- and three-bed dormitory rooms within walking distance of the school, and tuition includes breakfast and dinner each day. The Enforex staff will also organize optional cultural activities during the course of the lessons. Enforex is accredited by the Instituto Cervantes and CEELE (Certificate for Excellence in Teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language). Please contact Explorica regarding academic credits for study.

Venture into tiny Gibraltar, officially a British colony, whose three square miles host over 44 nationalities. Its most famous site, the 1400-foot Rock of Gibraltar, hosts a different species altogether: the Barbary monkeys, the only primates in Europe. Legend says that once they disappear from Gibraltar, so will the British — the British Army actually once took charge of keeping the monkeys well fed. From the top of the Rock you can see into Africa, the only place you can do so in all of Europe.(Non-US Citizens should check with their embassy/consulates for entry requirements.)

Experience Morocco’s diverse landscape—from the vast Sahara desert to the snow-capped Atlas Mountains to the verdant Mediterranean coast—and equally diverse culture. The country has 11 official languages, and its architecture, music, and art display African, French, Spanish, and Islamic influences. The country still has strong cultural ties with Spain, and a licensed local guide will steer you through the port town of Ceuta, still Spanish territory, and Tetouan, part of the Spanish protectorate through the first half of the 1900s. The towns are undeniably Moroccan, however, with donkeys and merchandise fighting for space in the chaotic maze of alleys in the Arab medina (old town) and customers haggling for goods in the bright open-air souks (markets). (Non-US Citizens should check with their embassy/consulates for entry requirements.)