Following Picasso in Spain and France

You will arrive in the beautiful coastal city of Málaga, birthplace of Picasso and located in the southern region of Andalucía, Spain. Upon your arrival at the hotel, you will be able to enjoy the beautiful beaches of the Costa del Sur area and participate in beach cleanups. If you want to explore more of the city, you can also volunteer your time at the Anna O. Center, whose focus is to create activities and conferences to help the cause of women’s rights, as well as provide emotional support to women who are victims of abuse. Once you’ve had a full day, you’ll head back to the hotel to enjoy a wonderful Spanish dinner and rest up for a day full of walking in Picasso’s shoes.  

After a delicious early breakfast, you will head into the city of Málaga, to see some of the key places in the artist’s life. Walking through the Moorish streets that Picasso once called home, your group will arrive at the Fundación de Pablo Picasso, built from the apartment complex where the artist was born and lived. A guided tour awaits you, where you will be able to ask away and get to know Picasso and his influence in contemporary art. After a delicious lunch in one of the many restaurants around the city, you will head over to the Picasso Museum, where you will receive a guided tour as well. After walking the city, you will head back to the hotel for dinner, where you will pack up for the next stop.

Waking up bright and early, you will go to the train station, where you will take a train to the capital city of Madrid. The 3-hour train ride will take you through Spain’s beautiful landscapes, traversing through different towns and lush mountains. Once you have arrived at Madrid, you will be taken to your hotel for the night, where you can leave your belongings, have lunch and head out for a guided tour of the Reina Sophia Museum, which houses Guernica, one of Picasso’s most famous works, as well as about 100 others. Once the guided tour concludes, your group will have dinner in one of the many incredible restaurants in Madrid, as well as experience the vibrant nightlife. Don’t stay up too late though, because tomorrow is full activities and travel.

An early morning awaits you after your breakfast, as your group will head to the train station to travel to the beautiful northern city of Barcelona, the largest city of the Catalonia region. After another wonderful train ride through the northern region of Spain, you will be dropped off at your hotel to freshen up and have lunch. You will then visit the Museu Picasso. The artist lived here from the ages of 14 to 24, during his most formative years, and as such, this museum houses the largest collection of works by the artist. With over 3,000 pieces on display, you will receive a guided tour, where you will see beautiful works spanning throughout Picasso’s long and productive career. After dinner, your group will have the option to roam the streets and explore the city or turn in for an earlier night.

Another early morning awaits you, as your group heads to the airport for an hour flight to Paris. Once you have reached your hotel and left your belongings, you will go to the Museé Picasso, located in the beautiful Marais Mansion, where a guided tour awaits you. Not only will you be able to marvel at Picasso’s art — the mansion, built in the 17thcentury, is astonishing in itself. The museum also houses some of the art that was in Picasso’s personal collection, which includes work from incredible artists such as Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas and Henri Matisse. After lunch in a French bistro, your trip following Picasso’s steps cannot be complete without a visit to the Louvre. A museum that the artist frequented, he was even accused of the infamous theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, an act committed by the Italian Vincenzo Peruggia. After dinner, you will be able to explore Paris and prepare for the final destination of this overseas adventure in Europe.

After breakfast in a Parisian café, you will journey on your final train ride of the trip, one that will take you to the city of Cologne in Germany. Once you have arrived and had lunch and a quick stop at the hotel, you will be taken to the final museum and guided tour of this trip, the Ludwig Museum. This institution houses over 800 paintings by the artist, including his three print cycles, The Vollard Suite, Suite 345 and Suite 156. After that, you will be able to tour the city, enjoy some delicious German food, and enjoy the beauty of the Rhine River.  

After breakfast, you can walk around the city of Cologne to shop and enjoy the sights, before being taken to the airport for your passage back home, where a long travel day awaits you. Hopefully, this trip has sparked your curiosity, and you have plenty of books and new information to process to keep you entertained your journey home.