Madrid has flourished into one of Europe’s most dynamic centers for contemporary art. Be introduced to a selection of fine museums and galleries hosting classic and modern works. A red roof hovers above the new Jean Nouvel extension to the Reina Sofia Center of Contemporary Art, Spain’s national museum dedicated to 20th century art and the home of Picasso’s masterpiece, “Guernica.” Wander through this complex of modern sculptures, upscale restaurants and new exhibition spaces before visiting the colorful Herzog & de Meuron Caixa Forum, a converted industrial building that now houses temporary exhibits. An immense living tapestry of verdant plants stands adjacent to the Caixa, a compact urban garden installation, designed by French botanist and artist Patrick Blanc.

The landmark buildings of the great Catalan architect, Antoni Gaudi, transformed Barcelona in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A Gaudi specialist and a private driver will guide you through a half-day tour of the major sites in Barcelona. Begin in the Exiample District at the legendary Manzaz de la Discordia, the historic city block where Lluis Domenech I Montaner, Josep Puig I Cadaflach and Gaudi all built buildings of contrasting architectural styles on the same city block. There you will visit the expressionist Casa Mila, known as La Pedrera, with its signature wave-like iron balconies that have become a landmark of Barcelona. Tour the period apartment, built with no straight lines, before ascending to the roof with its surrealistic chimneys and panoramic views of the neighborhood below. Continue to Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece, the spindle-shaped towered Sagrada Familia, a church for which the architect devoted the last fifteen years of his life to complete, and almost a century after his death, is finally scheduled to open in late 2010. Time permitting, conclude your trip at Gaudi’s sprawling urban park, Parc Güell.