Runway to Rail: Barcelona - Valencia and Lisbon

Barcelona, the old Roman Barcino, is Spain's second city, always on the biting edge of fashion, architecture, food, style, music and good times. Walk its narrow streets and wonderful plazas, or along the Ramblas, stretching from Plaza de Cataluna to the Harbor, encompassing the magic of the city: stalls full of books, birds and flowers. The city's most powerful monuments open a window onto its history: the intricately carved edifices that comprise the medieval Gothic Quarter; the curvilinear modernism (Catalan Art Nouveau) that inspired Gaudi's Sagrada Familia; and the seminal surrealist works of Picasso and Miró, found in museums that peg Barcelona as a crucial incubator for 20th-century art. The recent restoration of the port area began with the development of a harbor for the Olympic Games of 1992. New modern squares, designed by leading artists such as Miro and Barcelo have created a new style alongside Gaudi's modernist buildings. Now the city is ready to show every visitor how it has been transformed into one of the most moderns and active cities in Europe.

Explore The Sagrada Familia, Picasso Museum, La Rambla, Barri Gotic, Park Guell, modernist buildings, Montjuic Hill, Barceloneta and so much more!

Thanks to its location, Valencia is the Spanish getaway to the Mediterranean, where history meets modernism. A bustling commercial and trading center, Valencia is all about culture, commerce, cinema, theatre, and museums. Fine beaches are to be found within the city limits or in its immediate vicinity. A visit to the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies (City of the Arts and Sciences) - an astonishing urban complex designed to make learning fun - is essential.

Visit Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies, Llotja de la Seda, Valencia Cathedral, Jardi del Turia, Torres dels Serrans, Plaça de Bous, Plaça de l'Ajuntament, Plaça de la Mare de Deu, Platja de la Malva-rosa, and so much more!

Lisbon, a dazzling city stretching along the Tagus river, makes an enchanting European capital. Its nucleus, an ancient fortress, is now circled by neighborhoods drenched with medieval charm. Handcrafts - from embroidery to leatherwork - are peddled right on the streets. At night, yellow electric tramcars continue to wind their way up and down the hills to the sound of traditional Fado songs. Ample opportunities exist for seeing popular celebrations, for shopping, and for enjoying the nightlife along the riverbank.

Visit Alfama, Baixa and Chiado, Se de Lisboa, Sao Roque Church, Mosteiro dos Jeronimos, Torre de Belem, Discoveries Monument, Museu Nacional dos Coches, Parque das Nacos, Elevador de Santa Justa, Tram 28 and so much more!