10 or 12 days
Paris, Avignon, Arles, Figueres, Barcelona, extension to Madrid
From Gothic marvels to Gaudí's cathedrals, diversity rules on this multi-faceted exploration. In Paris, the Louvre wows you with the vastness of its collection, while in Barcelona the Picasso museum provides a more focused experience. Notre-Dame Cathedral and La Sagrada Família's surreal façade are both unforgettable in their own distinct ways, while picturesque Provence adds yet another perspective.

🔹 Curated experiences: Every program is intentionally designed to feature guided learning, cultural engagement, and independent exploration experiences to drive global competency development, denoted on each itinerary with a blue diamond. Learn more about these experiences.
  • Day 1: Fly overnight to France

  • Day 2: Paris

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Take a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area

    See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building

    Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter
  • Day 3: Paris

    🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Place de la Concorde, a major public square
    • Champs-ÉlysĂ©es, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques 
    • Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 
    • Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
    • HĂ´tel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV 

    Explore art from around the world at the Louvre, home to over 35,000 objects including Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa

  • Day 4: Paris

    Add this in-depth excursion:
    Versailles

    Versailles

    Welcome to the world headquarters of decadence—the grand palace of Versailles. The enormous estate was built to keep commoners far from its gilded doors and expansive gardens—but fortunately, you won’t have to win Louie or Marie’s notoriously fickle favor to get in. After spending the day in a maze of manicured shrubbery and the staggering Hall of Mirrors, continue the theme of indulgence by treating yourself at a local patisserie nearby.
  • Day 5: Paris • Avignon

    Travel by high-speed TGV train to Avignon 

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Take a tour of Avignon, the capital of the Provence region, with your Field Director

    Visit the Palais des Papes, a sprawling residence in which he and his six successors lived, and view the Italian frescoes in the chapel and see the hidden vaults where riches were stored 

    Enjoy dinner in Avignon

  • Day 6: Avignon • Arles

    Take an excursion to Arles, a city with a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire

    Visit the Arles or NĂ®mes Ampitheater, which were constructed in the 1st century and are the best-preserved Roman arenas in France 

    See Pont du Gard, an ancient aqueduct

    See the MĂ©moires de Garrigue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features 15 acres of restored agricultural parcels

  • Day 7: Avignon • Figueres • Barcelona

    Travel via Figueres, a Catalan town on the Costa Brava, to Barcelona

    Visit the DalĂ­ Museum, a one-of-a-kind museum featuring some of his most famous works, including Soft Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon and The Girl from Figueres 

    🔹 Guided learning: Tour Figueres with an expert local guide  

  • Day 8: Barcelona

    Take a guided tour of Barcelona

    With your expert local guide you will see: 

    • La Sagrada FamĂ­lia, Gaudí’s masterpiece cathedral that is over 130 years in the making
    • From the top of MontjuĂŻc, enjoy panoramic views of the harbor below
    • Gothic Quarter, a memory of the Roman Empire, now lined with shops and restaurants
    • Barcelona Cathedral, a Gothic Revival church known for its gargoyles and other mythical animals

    Visit Park GĂĽell, a vast public park designed by Antoni GaudĂ­ that features colorful mosaics and remarkable architecture

    Add this in-depth excursion:
    Barcelona Flamenco Evening

    Barcelona Flamenco Evening

    To better understand the soul of Spain, choose to attend a flamenco performance this evening. Born of Indian, Moorish, Arabian and gypsy influences, flamenco dance is a passionate display dramatic poses and colorful costumes, accompanied by song and guitar. Marvel at the intricate rhythms created by a dancer’s steps, castanets (wooden finger cymbals) and clapping. (Please note: A beverage is included in this optional.) 

  • Day 9: Barcelona

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Tour La Boquería, Barcelona’s central produce market, with an expert local guide to see limitless varieties of cheeses, meats, and sweets

    Enjoy dinner in Barcelona

  • Day 10: Depart for home

Add more days

  • Day 10: Barcelona • Madrid

    Travel by AVE train to Madrid

    Take a walking tour of Madrid, Spain’s capital and largest city

    Visit the Prado, Madrid's famed art museum where you can behold Velázquez’s Las Meninas and Goya’s paired canvases

    Enjoy dinner in Madrid's Old Town, Puerta del Sol

  • Day 11: Madrid

    Take a guided tour of Madrid

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Puerta del Sol, one of the city’s busiest squares
    • Plaza Mayor, the center of old Madrid where you’ll learn about the grand square’s history of bullfights, royal weddings, and public executions
    • Plaza de Oriente, the Royal Palace square, located across from the Royal Palace

    Visit the Royal Palace and get a glimpse of regal Madrid, where you’ll wander the fabulous palace interior

    Add this in-depth excursion:
    Toledo

    Toledo

    This half-day excursion will take you to the former Spanish capital of Toledo. Known as the “city of the three cultures,” this was a place of peaceful coexistence of, Jews, Christians and Muslims. Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy in the form of churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques and synagogues. Enjoy a panoramic drive around the city and visit the cathedral that dominates Toledo’s skyline. Then continue on to the Church of Santo TomĂ© where you’ll view The Burial of Count Orgaz, one of El Greco’s most famous works. Step inside one of Toledo's synagogues and finish off your excursion with a stop at a local sword-making workshop. 

  • Day 12: Depart for home

  • Day 1: Fly overnight to France

  • Day 2: Paris

    Meet your Field Director at the airport

    Take a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, so named because the language was once commonly spoken by the Sorbonne students that populated the area

    See Notre-Dame Cathedral, known for its sculptured facade, stained-glass rose windows, and seemingly weightless vaulted ceilings, and see the progress of its restoration following the 2019 fire which damaged much of the building

    Enjoy dinner in the Latin Quarter
  • Day 3: Paris

    🔹 Guided learning: Take a guided tour of Paris

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Place de la Concorde, a major public square
    • Champs-ÉlysĂ©es, an elegant boulevard packed with high-fashion boutiques 
    • Arc de Triomphe, a monument honoring those who fought for France in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 
    • Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 World's Fair and an iconic symbol of Paris
    • HĂ´tel des Invalides, a grand hospital commissioned by Louis XIV 

    Explore art from around the world at the Louvre, home to over 35,000 objects including Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, the Mona Lisa

  • Day 4: Paris

    Add this in-depth excursion:
    Versailles

    Versailles

    Welcome to the world headquarters of decadence—the grand palace of Versailles. The enormous estate was built to keep commoners far from its gilded doors and expansive gardens—but fortunately, you won’t have to win Louie or Marie’s notoriously fickle favor to get in. After spending the day in a maze of manicured shrubbery and the staggering Hall of Mirrors, continue the theme of indulgence by treating yourself at a local patisserie nearby.
  • Day 5: Paris • Avignon

    Travel by high-speed TGV train to Avignon 

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Take a tour of Avignon, the capital of the Provence region, with your Field Director

    Visit the Palais des Papes, a sprawling residence in which he and his six successors lived, and view the Italian frescoes in the chapel and see the hidden vaults where riches were stored 

    Enjoy dinner in Avignon

  • Day 6: Avignon • Arles

    Take an excursion to Arles, a city with a rich history dating back to the Roman Empire

    Visit the Arles or NĂ®mes Ampitheater, which were constructed in the 1st century and are the best-preserved Roman arenas in France 

    See Pont du Gard, an ancient aqueduct

    See the MĂ©moires de Garrigue, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features 15 acres of restored agricultural parcels

  • Day 7: Avignon • Figueres • Barcelona

    Travel via Figueres, a Catalan town on the Costa Brava, to Barcelona

    Visit the DalĂ­ Museum, a one-of-a-kind museum featuring some of his most famous works, including Soft Self-Portrait with Fried Bacon and The Girl from Figueres 

    🔹 Guided learning: Tour Figueres with an expert local guide  

  • Day 8: Barcelona

    Take a guided tour of Barcelona

    With your expert local guide you will see: 

    • La Sagrada FamĂ­lia, Gaudí’s masterpiece cathedral that is over 130 years in the making
    • From the top of MontjuĂŻc, enjoy panoramic views of the harbor below
    • Gothic Quarter, a memory of the Roman Empire, now lined with shops and restaurants
    • Barcelona Cathedral, a Gothic Revival church known for its gargoyles and other mythical animals

    Visit Park GĂĽell, a vast public park designed by Antoni GaudĂ­ that features colorful mosaics and remarkable architecture

    Add this in-depth excursion:
    Barcelona Flamenco Evening

    Barcelona Flamenco Evening

    To better understand the soul of Spain, choose to attend a flamenco performance this evening. Born of Indian, Moorish, Arabian and gypsy influences, flamenco dance is a passionate display dramatic poses and colorful costumes, accompanied by song and guitar. Marvel at the intricate rhythms created by a dancer’s steps, castanets (wooden finger cymbals) and clapping. (Please note: A beverage is included in this optional.) 

  • Day 9: Barcelona

    🔹 Cultural engagement: Tour La Boquería, Barcelona’s central produce market, with an expert local guide to see limitless varieties of cheeses, meats, and sweets

    Enjoy dinner in Barcelona

  • Day 10: Depart for home

Add more days

  • Day 10: Barcelona • Madrid

    Travel by AVE train to Madrid

    Take a walking tour of Madrid, Spain’s capital and largest city

    Visit the Prado, Madrid's famed art museum where you can behold Velázquez’s Las Meninas and Goya’s paired canvases

    Enjoy dinner in Madrid's Old Town, Puerta del Sol

  • Day 11: Madrid

    Take a guided tour of Madrid

    With your expert local guide you will see:

    • Puerta del Sol, one of the city’s busiest squares
    • Plaza Mayor, the center of old Madrid where you’ll learn about the grand square’s history of bullfights, royal weddings, and public executions
    • Plaza de Oriente, the Royal Palace square, located across from the Royal Palace

    Visit the Royal Palace and get a glimpse of regal Madrid, where you’ll wander the fabulous palace interior

    Add this in-depth excursion:
    Toledo

    Toledo

    This half-day excursion will take you to the former Spanish capital of Toledo. Known as the “city of the three cultures,” this was a place of peaceful coexistence of, Jews, Christians and Muslims. Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy in the form of churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques and synagogues. Enjoy a panoramic drive around the city and visit the cathedral that dominates Toledo’s skyline. Then continue on to the Church of Santo TomĂ© where you’ll view The Burial of Count Orgaz, one of El Greco’s most famous works. Step inside one of Toledo's synagogues and finish off your excursion with a stop at a local sword-making workshop. 

  • Day 12: Depart for home


Learning outcomes on this program

Confidence • Curiosity • Global perspective • Empathy • Adaptability • Relatability • Self-Awareness


EF Global Learning Model Post-Study Abroad Learning Resources
Academic resources

With this program, you get access to our Global Learning Resources, which include:

  • Discussion questions
  • Sample assignments
  • Journal prompts
  • Webinars
  • EF's Global Competency Assessment, a pre- and post-program assessment to measure competency development
See the resources you get
EF Global Learning Model Post-Study Abroad Learning Resources
Academic resources


With this program, you get access to our Global Learning Resources, which include:

  • Discussion questions
  • Sample assignments
  • Journal prompts
  • Webinars
  • EF's Global Competency Assessment, a pre- and post-program assessment to measure competency development

See the resources you get


What's Included

  • Transportation

    Various modes of transport are tailored to your program. While some transfers are included, others may come at additional cost.

  • Accommodations

    Safe, comfortable lodging will be waiting for you at your destination.

  • Select meals

    Enjoy a combination of included meals and the freedom to explore local cuisine on your own.

  • End-to-end support

    Your dedicated EF team helps secure administrative approval and academic credit, provides enrollment tools, and helps establish your program’s ongoing presence on campus.

  • EF Global Learning Toolkit

    We offer various tools to help educators facilitate student growth abroad and on campus, including academically enriched travel programs, industry engagement opportunities, global learning resources, and a Global Competencies Assessment tool.

  • Field Director

    Your Field Director is on the ground with your group, providing deep local insights while handling program logistics.

  • Guided exploration

    Gain insider knowledge and cultural perspective from licensed local guides: natural historians who provide cultural insights to enhance learning moments throughout the program.

  • Field Visits

    Experience academics in action during engaging visits with relevant organizations, thought leaders, and partners.


Programs in real life

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EF College Study Tours blog page     Blog →

Programs in real life

EF College Study Tours Instagram page     Instagram →

EF College Study Tours Facebook page     Facebook →

EF College Study Tours blog page     Blog →

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