Destination:
Madrid Prelude — Madrid, Spain
Main Program — Spain (Barcelona) and France (Nice, Mougins, Biot, Le Cannet, Vallauris, Antibes, and Paris)
Description:
Madrid Prelude: In Madrid, discover works by the Spanish masters that Picasso admired, including Velázquez and Goya, at the renowned Prado Museum. We will also tour the Reina Sofía Museum, housed in an 18th-century former hospital with an extension by French architect Jean Nouvel. View its impressive Guernica installation as well as the permanent collection of modern and contemporary art. Enjoy fine Spanish cuisine and stroll through the city’s popular Las Letras district. Spend two nights in Madrid at the centrally located Hotel Ambassador before traveling by first-class train to Barcelona.
Main Program: Spend nine nights in Spain and France following in the footsteps of Pablo Picasso and his contemporaries. In Barcelona, enjoy the imaginative architecture of Gaudí and tour the Picasso Museum. After stops in Nice, Biot, Le Cannet, Vallauris and Antibes, conclude in Paris where Picasso lived as a young man, to view several of the city’s outstanding collections and visit the newly renovated Picasso Museum.
Dates:
Madrid Prelude: June 17-20, 2014
Main Program: June 19-29, 2014
For more information on this trip please contact National Trust Tours, an affiliate of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, at 888-484-8785 — Call now to take advantage of special pricing!
Itinerary:
MADRID PRELUDE:
Tuesday, June 17
WASHINGTON, DC / SAINT LOUIS
Depart on an overnight flight to Madrid.
Wednesday, June 18
MADRID
Arrive in Madrid this morning and continue to the centrally located Hotel Ambassador, with free time for lunch. We are introduced to the city during an afternoon walking tour. In the evening, gather for a welcome dinner. (D)
Thursday, June 19
MADRID
At the Prado Museum, featuring a new wing designed by Rafael Moneo, see works of Spanish masters that Picasso admired, including Velázquez and Goya. Following lunch, walk to the Reina Sofía Museum, housed in an 18th-century former hospital with an extension by French architect Jean Nouvel. View the impressive Guernica installation as well as the permanent collection of modern and contemporary art. Dinner is at leisure. (B, L)
Friday, June 20
MADRID / BARCELONA
In the late morning, travel by train to Barcelona to join the main program participants . (B)
MAIN PROGRAM:
Thursday, June 19
WASHINGTON, DC / SAINT LOUIS
Depart on an overnight flight to Barcelona.
Friday, June 20
BARCELONA
Arrive this morning in Barcelona, the city where Pablo Picasso spent his formative years. Check in at the Hotel España, with free time for lunch. This afternoon explore the Barrio Gotico (Old Town) and the Picasso Museum. Located in five Gothic town houses, the museum features an exceptional display of the artist’s early works. Our welcome dinner is at Els Quatre Gats, a local restaurant often frequented by Picasso. (B, D)
Saturday, June 21
BARCELONA
Depart this morning for Montjuïc Hill to see the Catalan National Art Museum, remodeled by Italian architect Gae Aulenti and housing a large collection of Romanesque frescoes. Continue to the Joan Miró Foundation for a tour. Picasso and Miró’s mothers were friends, and Picasso later took an interest in Miró’s work. At the Miró Foundation, we will see a wide range of the artist’s paintings and sculptures. Lunch is on your own before we visit Mies van der Rohe’s Barcelona Pavillion, that perfect example of 1920s modern architecture. Enjoy a pre-theater cocktail before attending an evening performance at the Palau de la Música Catalana, a concert hall designed in the Catalan modernist style. (B, R)
Sunday, June 22
BARCELONA / NICE
Fly to Nice on the French Riviera, where Picasso spent the last fifteen years of his life. Following lunch, check in at Le Meridien overlooking the sea. Later in the afternoon, visit the Matisse Museum, showcasing the works of Picasso’s rival and friend. Dinner is at leisure.
Monday, June 23
MOUGINS / BIOT
This morning drive to Mougins to see the new Museum of Classical Art, where antiquities are displayed alongside modern and contemporary works they inspired. Also admire photographs of Picasso and other artists at the Museum of Photography. After lunch, visit the Musée National Fernand Léger in Biot, featuring a large mosaic on the façade, a park and over 300 paintings, drawings, ceramics, bronzes and tapestries. Return to Nice for an evening at leisure. (B, L)
Tuesday, June 24
NICE
Tour the lovely Musée des Beaux-Arts, housed in a Belle Époque mansion with an English-style garden. The collection includes works by many of Picasso’s contemporaries. Lunch and the afternoon are free to shop, stroll along the Promenade des Anglais, or relax at the hotel. Dine this evening at the Michelin-starred Le Vistaero in nearby Roquebrune, with stunning views of the coast. (B, D)
Wednesday, June 25
LE CANNET / VALLAURIS / ANTIBES
Discover the new museum in Le Cannet dedicated to Pierre Bonnard, a painter and printmaker who was a contemporary of Picasso. In Vallauris, visit the Picasso Museum to admire Picasso’s playful ceramics and his renowned War and Peace Memorial. Then continue to the charming seaside town of Antibes for a late lunch before exploring the enchanting Picasso Museum at Chateau Grimaldi. The artist stayed here in 1946 and produced a large number of paintings and drawings, some of which he donated to the town. The museum has more than 150 of Picasso’s sculptures, paintings, ceramic pieces, and drawings on display. (B, L)
Thursday, June 26
NICE / PARIS
Embark the TGV express train from Nice to Paris, where Picasso lived as a young man. A catered lunch will be served on board. Upon arrival, check in to the well-located K+K Hotel Cayré. In the early evening, see works that preceded Picasso’s own at the Musée d’Orsay before dinner at leisure. (B, L)
Friday, June 27
PARIS
At the Musée Maillol, a small Left-Bank museum, view the current exhibition. Then discover masterpieces of early cultures that inspired Picasso in the Musée du Quai Branly. Lunch will be in the rooftop restaurant after the visit. In the afternoon you may wish to walk across the Seine for an optional visit to the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris. The evening is at leisure. (B, L)
Saturday, June 28
PARIS
Visit the quartier of Le Marais, focusing on the newly renovated Picasso Museum in a 17th-century townhouse. The splendid collection includes Picasso’s art as well as photographs, letters, and other archival materials. After lunch on your own, join an optional visit to view works by Picasso, his friends and colleagues, and those he influenced at the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Pompidou. Or enjoy free time for individual pursuits. Gather at a popular restaurant for our farewell dinner. (B,D)
Sunday, June 29
PARIS / WASHINGTON, DC OR SAINT LOUIS
After breakfast, depart for the airport and the flights home. (B)
Leaders:
Fees: TBD