Overview
Four weeks across the Iberian peninsula, mixing big cities with beaches and outdoor adventure. In Spain the group spends five days in Barcelona (Gaudí, the FC Barcelona stadium, the markets, a cooking school and the beach), sails to Tabarca Island from Alicante to snorkel, tours the Alhambra in Granada, learns flamenco in Seville and finishes in Madrid with the Royal Palace, the Prado and a day in Toledo.
A short flight then takes the group to Porto for a Douro river cruise and a day of waterfall canyoning in Peneda-Gerês National Park, on to Lagos on the Algarve for sea kayaking along the cliffs, and finally to Lisbon for a bike tour, the pastries of Belém, a day in Sintra, an evening in Cascais and a surf lesson.
Groups are small — up to 26 teens in grades 9–11 — and travel by private coach with some public transport inside the cities. Some teens join only for the first 17 days (the Spain trip) and fly home from Madrid, and the Portuguese part is also run as a 12-day trip on its own.
What's included
The itinerary
- Day 1 Flight to Barcelona — The official start: the group flies overnight from New York. Teens joining from Europe meet the group in Barcelona the next day.
- Days 2–6 Barcelona, Spain — Plaça de Catalunya and Plaça d'Espanya, Gaudí's Park Güell and the Sagrada Família, the FC Barcelona stadium and museum, Las Ramblas down to the harbour, tapas in the Gothic Quarter, an evening at a Spanish cooking school, and beach time at Barceloneta.
- Days 7–8 Alicante, Spain — Mediterranean beaches and a sailing trip to Tabarca Island to snorkel in its marine reserve.
- Days 9–10 Granada, Spain — A guided visit to the Alhambra, the cathedral and the Royal Chapel where Ferdinand and Isabella are buried, the narrow lanes of the Albaicín and its cave houses, and a café con leche on Plaza Nueva.
- Days 11–13 Seville, Spain — María Luisa Park and the Santa Cruz quarter, a flamenco class and a live show, and the view from the Setas de Sevilla.
- Days 14–16 Madrid, Spain — The Royal Palace, rowing boats in Retiro Park, Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol by night, Velázquez and Goya at the Prado, and a day trip to the old city of Toledo.
- Days 17–20 Porto, Portugal — A guided tour of the old riverside city, an all-day waterfall canyoning trip in Peneda-Gerês National Park, and a sunset cruise on the Douro.
- Days 21–23 Lagos (Algarve), Portugal — Beach days in a walled seaside town, sea kayaking past the rock formations and into the sea caves, and karaoke nights out.
- Days 24–27 Lisbon, Portugal — A guided bike tour along the river, pastries at the famous bakery in Belém, the Bairro Alto, a day in Sintra at the Quinta da Regaleira, an evening in Cascais, and a surf lesson on the Atlantic coast.
- Day 28 Lisbon, Portugal — Goodbyes and flights home from Lisbon.
Where teens stay
Hotels the whole way, with rooms shared with other teens in the group: a Barcelona hotel a short distance from the beach; a modern hotel in central Alicante within walking distance of the market, the port and the beach; a hotel in the centre of Granada with a pool and sun terrace; a central Seville hotel with a rooftop pool; and a modern hotel in central Madrid. In Portugal: a hotel in a restored historic building in Porto's Ribeira district, overlooking the Douro, with air-conditioning and Wi-Fi; a 4-star resort hotel in the centre of Lagos; and a Lisbon hotel near the Avenida da Liberdade and Eduardo VII Park. The exact hotel at each stop is confirmed before departure.
Meals
Breakfast (a buffet at the hotel) and dinner are included every day — dinners are either with the whole group or in smaller groups at a restaurant the teens choose. Lunch is not included: teens eat in small groups at local cafés and bistros, so plan for it in their spending money. Vegetarian, kosher-style, gluten-free and lactose-free diets and most allergies can be catered for if you tell us in advance.
More photos
Frequently asked questions
Which departure is right for my child?
Groups are put together by US school grade, so each departure has teens of a similar age. Grades 9–11 (roughly ages 14–17): Jun 28–Jul 25, Jul 1–28. The grade is the one your child is in during the 2026–27 school year — we'll help you match it to your school system. Dates are the operator's official start and end dates.
How do flights work if we live in Europe?
The official dates count from the group's overnight flight out of New York, so the trip itself begins in Barcelona on day 2. Families in Europe usually book their own flight to Barcelona and the staff meet their child at the airport and handle the transfer — as long as the flight lands within the operator's arrival window, so please check with us before booking anything non-refundable. At the end, teens fly home from Lisbon; the leaders help with check-in and stay at the airport until flights in the set window have left. One internal flight — Madrid to Porto, US$245 — is booked by the operator and charged on top of the tuition. (There's also a chaperoned group flight back to New York, mainly used by American participants.)
What exactly is included in the price?
Accommodation, breakfast and dinner every day, all the activities in the itinerary, airport transfers for flights within the set time windows, tips and local taxes. Not included: flights to and from the trip, the internal flight, lunches and snacks, spending money, laundry (done along the way at a wash-and-fold service once a week), the operator's application fee, and travel insurance — optional, but we strongly recommend it.
Is there a discount for enrolling early?
Yes — at the moment the operator takes US$400 off the tuition for early enrolment, so the 28-day trip costs US$10,199 instead of US$10,599 (the internal flight is charged on top either way). It's a limited-time offer and the operator can end it at any point, so ask us whether it still applies before you decide. The price shown on this page is the full tuition.
Are there shorter versions?
Yes, two. The 17-day Spain trip is the first part of this one and ends in Madrid. The 12-day Portugal trip covers the Porto–Lagos–Lisbon part on its own, starting in Porto.
Who else will be in the group?
Mostly American teens — on most programs around 85% of participants come from the US, and the operator tries to limit how many teens from any one other country join each group. For an international teen that means a genuinely English-speaking group, which is a big part of the appeal.
How good does my child's English need to be?
At least a confident beginner level — the operator recommends A2 or above, since everything on the trip happens in English. Your child can ask for an English-speaking roommate, and one-to-one English conversation time with a staff member can be arranged daily or a few times a week.
Can my child come on their own?
Yes, and many do. The first days are built around icebreakers and getting-to-know-you activities, roommates are assigned and rotated, and the staff actively help everyone settle into the group.
Are phones allowed?
Yes. Teens can bring their phone, so you can call or message them directly. The operator also runs a communication centre that's staffed every day of the summer, with someone on call around the clock for emergencies.