The Best of Spain: Barcelona and Andalusia

Barcelona and Andalusia move at two different speeds. Barcelona runs on ambition — Gaudí’s spires, a medieval quarter thick with stories, a food scene fiercely proud of its Catalan roots. What rarely gets told: women shaped its art, politics, and culture. This trip puts those stories front and center.

Head south and the tempo drops. Seville is sun, orange trees, and courtyards wrapped in tile. Córdoba holds three civilizations in its stone and rewards travelers who slow down. Together, they’re a Spain that goes far past the postcard.

At NextTribe, we believe this stage of life — 45 and beyond — is exactly the moment to say yes to more of it: new places, new skills, new friendships, experiences you couldn’t easily put together on your own. This isn’t a trip for watching Spain go by from a bus window. You’ll cook, dance, and make things with your hands alongside the women who live these traditions, because we think you deserve to know a place, not just see it.

This is a hands-on trip, not a hard-core one. Expect walking on cobblestones, stomping through a flamenco lesson, and staying on your feet in a cooking class — all at an unhurried pace, with plenty of time built in for tapas, wine, and doing nothing at all.

NextTribe members save $100 on this (and every) trip.

We keep groups small on purpose, which means this trip fills fast. Don’t be the one who waited too long.

~ Small groups — women 45+ ~ Solo travelers welcome

~ Led by women who our age~ Aging boldly since 2017

Spain is easy to fall for alone — it’s even better with the right group around you.

You won’t be the only one. A good number of the women on this trip are traveling solo. You’ll land among women in exactly the same boat, by design.

A host who’s one of us. Your NextTribe host isn’t 25 with a clipboard. She’s a woman your age who knows exactly what it’s like to arrive somewhere solo and leave with a new circle of friends.

A pace built for connecting. Shared meals, shared classes, and plenty of together-time — friendship happens here without you trying.

Rooming made simple. Travel solo with your own room for a single supplement, or let us know and we’ll match you with a roommate from the group.

1. Discover Barcelona through two extraordinary lenses — Gaudí’s visionary architecture and the hidden history of the women who shaped the city’s cultural and political life across centuries.

2. Get your hands (and feet) into Andalusian life — stirring a proper paella, pressing pigment into hand-painted tiles, and learning the Sevillanas, a dance that has been women’s social language in this region for centuries. Then watch masters bring flamenco to its full, electric life.

3.  Step inside Córdoba’s layered world — where Islamic, Jewish, and Christian heritage converge in one of history’s most extraordinary experiments in coexistence, and where the contributions of women to that shared culture are finally getting their due.

4.  Eat extraordinarily well. Barcelona’s table is deeply Catalan — bread rubbed with tomato and olive oil, calçots blackened over flame, bombas straight from the fryer at LaBarceloneta.

In Andalusia, the food shifts to something earthier and sun-warmed: cold gazpacho poured from a pitcher, salmorejo so thick it holds a garnish, jamón ibérico that melts before you reach for a second slice.

5.  Connect with women who live these stories— dancers, chefs, historians, and artists who open their world to us. And then there are the women traveling with you: on every NextTribe trip, the friendships made along the way are part of what people remember longest.

“I’m amazed how on each of my NextTribe trips, a bond is created immediately among a dozen women who have joined for a new experience and an adventure. It never feels as if you’re on a tour, but instead traveling the world with new friends.”

–Sherry T. 

“I was totally shocked by how much I enjoyed my trip with this wonderful group of ladies. We all came from various parts of the country and various backgrounds, yet we bonded like old friends. This was my first trip with the group and I will definitely be doing it again!! I’m pretty much a loner but I felt right at home. Truly a great time every minute.”

–Christine B.

Do I need to come with someone? Not at all. Plenty of NextTribe travelers come solo, and this group bonds fast.

How much walking is involved? A fair amount — Barcelona’s alleys and Seville’s old town are best explored on foot, often over cobblestones. Nothing here is a hike; it’s a walking pace, with breaks built in.

Is Spain safe and easy to navigate for women our age? Yes. Spain is well set up for travelers, with strong infrastructure even outside the big cities. We still travel as a group with a host and local guides throughout, so you’re never navigating alone.

Will I know anyone? Probably not at the start. Almost certainly by day two. That’s just how this works.

What’s included? Accommodations, most meals, ground transportation, guided excursions and hands-on activities, and your NextTribe host throughout. International flights are not included.

What if I need to cancel? We’ll have a clear cancellation and refund policy listed with the trip dates and pricing. We also strongly recommend travel protection insurance and can point you toward options.

More questions about this or any other trip? Click here to schedule a phone call with Jeannie Edmunds, COO of NextTribe.

Jeannie feels most at home in countries where the native language is Spanish. She perfected her language skills during a summer she spent in Spain living with a family that didn’t speak a word of English!

She spent time in Barcelona when she shot a commercial just prior to the Olympics, and later, as a producer for the syndicated travel show, “Travel and Adventure.” The show also took her to Sevilla, where she and her crew documented the best places to eat, drink and have fun. She’s looking forward to seeing the Basque region, which was always on her bucket list for a return trip to Spain.