2023 Phoenix Children’s Chorus Spain Tour

2023 Phoenix Children's Chorus Spain Tour

“Creating Global Citizens Through Diverse Travel”

With concerts in Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona, and visits to Toledo, Córdoba, and Gibraltar, the Phoenix Children’s Chorus continues its long-standing legacy of introducing its singers to diverse cultures, world-wide.

Join us on an exciting journey to the land whose Empire was once the greatest in the world and, for better and for worse, settled in much of the Western lands we now call home.

Visit historic intersections of the three religions and cultures, feel your heart pulse with the fiery passion of Flamenco, revel in the unparalleled Modernist architecture of Barcelona, then relax and enjoy the Mediterranean Sea on the Costa Brava.

Itinerary and Registration Form

Please complete one registration per traveler.
If you are registering more than one traveler, you may return to this page.

Current Itinerary (subject to change)

Friday, June 9, 2023

Depart Phoenix Sky Harbor on connecting flights to Madrid. Be sure to submit any flight information or requests well in advance (or as part of registration), including seating requests, frequent flier numbers, and most importantly, special meal requests.

Passports are required for travel to Spain. U.S. citizens do not need visas to enter as tourists. Passports must be valid for six months beyond the tour dates. Anyone without a passport, or with one that expires prior to December 19, 2023 needs to apply for a passport by December 31, 2022.

Beginning in 2023, travelers to Europe will be required to register with the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). The ETIAS will cost €7.00 per person, be obtained online of via a mobile app, and remain valid for three years. More information will be provided as the system comes online.

Saturday, June 10, 2023

Arrive in Madrid-Barajas Airport, clear passport control, and collect your luggage. In the arrivals hall, your full-time tour managers will welcome the group and lead everyone to the buses. This is also a great time to pull some spending money (in Euro) from an ATM.

The best way to quickly acclimate to the new time zone is to stay active, awake, and outside for as long as possible this first day. Before checking into the hotel, enjoy some time in Madrid’s serene urban oasis, Buen Retiro Park.

Sunday, June 11, 2023

Following a good night’s sleep, take a panoramic tour of Madrid, the capital of Spain since 1561 and the second-largest city in the European Union. See the Royal Palace – still official residence of the Spanish Monarchy – the expansive Plaza Mayor, and visit the Museo del Prado, one of the world’s most-visited art museums and home to best collection of works by Spanish greats including Goya, Bosch, El Greco, and more. Perform an afternoon or evening concert in Madrid.

Monday, June 12, 2023

Gazing at Toledo from across the Taugus River gives a view little different than one would have seen 500 years ago. As seat of the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, Toledo grew to be one of the world’s most-important political and religious centers.

Walking through the winding, medieval streets of this “City of Three Cultures” is a trip back in time; the entire city, including its historic Muslim, Jewish, and Catholic areas, is preserved as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. See the Alcazar fortification and palace at the highest point of the city and visit the Gothic masterpiece, Cathedral Primada Toledo. Afternoon or evening concert in Toledo. Return to Madrid.

Tuesday, June 13, 2023

Before Toledo was home to the imperial court, and long before the capital of a unified Spain moved to Madrid, the Emirate of Córdoba ruled over most of the Iberian Peninsula for hundreds of years. Moors, or North African Arabs, conquered the vast region in 718, named it Al-Andalus, and ruled from the city of Córdoba.

Check out of the hotel and transfer to Sevilla via Córdoba. Visit the Mezquita, an enormous Mosque converted to a Cathedral when the city was recaptured. The original structures, which were expanded upon rather than destroyed in the reconquista, are a beautiful example of Moorish architecture in the Western Mediterranean region. Continue to Sevilla for a Flamenco show and dinner.

Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Beginning in 1492, Sevilla gained the exclusive contract to trade with the “New World,” and the riches of the land across the Atlantic began pouring into port. See its cathedral, the fourth-largest in the world, which is just one testament to the enormous wealth Sevilla came to possess, and visit the Alcázar and Gardens

Sevilla also is the passionate heartbeat of Andalusia (Arabic: Al-Andalus) and the center of its native art form, Flamenco. Learn about this rich heritage not only by attending a Flamenco performance, but by participating in workshops teaching both Flamenco dance and percussion. Perform an evening concert in Sevilla.

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Step out of Spain for a moment – literally! – into the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. Here, at the mouth of the Mediterranean Sea, the North African land from which the Moors invaded Hispania in 711 is just nine miles away.

Dip a toe in the water and then ascend the Rock of Gibraltar to explore its natural caverns and see the man-made defense tunnels carved into this strategic location.

Don’t forget to see – but definitely don’t feed! – the cute Barbary macaques roaming freely about the Nature Reserve on the Rock. Return to Sevilla.

Friday, June 16, 2023

The Spanish countryside will be a blur as you race across the country on the world’s second-largest high-speed train network. Spain’s AVE trains can travel at a peak speed of over 200 mph, with our direct train to Barcelona maintaining an average of about 125 mph over less than 6 hours. By comparison, the same journey by motorcoach would take over 12 hours and require an extra coach driver to switch in the middle.

The European high speed trains are an experience unto themselves; bring some card games, walk around the train cars, grab something to eat from the cafeteria car, and enjoy the comfort of this unique type of travel.

Saturday, June 17, 2023

There is no city in the world like Barcelona. It is renowned for its intricate urban planning, such as the pedestrian-friendly “Superblocks” built when the city expanded out from its Gothic Quarter core. Many of Barcelona’s greatest spaces were designed in the early twentieth century by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Visit his fantastic Parc Güell, named for his patron, the industrialist Eusebi Güell.

This evening, Encore and Cadenza will share a finale concert in the Crypt of Sagrada Familia with the basilica’s own choir of boys and men, the Escolania of the Temple.

Sunday, June 18, 2023

The icon of Barcelona is the soon-to-be-finished Sagrada Familia, a Modernist basilica of extraordinary beauty which has drawn scores of admirers throughout its nearly 150 years of construction.

This morning, the choirs are invited to sing at the International Mass in the main nave of Sagrada Familia. Following the Mass, explore the intricate and unique design of this famous landmark.

As the tour comes to a close, wind down on the city’s long, sandy beaches, enjoy the blue Mediterranean Sea, and say farewell to one of the most cosmopolitan cities you’ll ever visit.

Monday, June 19, 2023

The tour is complete. It’s time to say goodbye to the tour managers and the country that we’ve come to know so well over the last week and a half.

If you aren’t quite ready to return to the USA, inquire about extending your time in Europe by emailing [email protected] to discuss deviations. There is no fee to arrange a deviation, but any increase in airfare will need to be paid at the time of confirmation. Experience has shown that the earlier the deviation is requested, the more likely the airline is to confirm it at a good fare.

PCC policy prohibits “shadow tours” and in accordance with that policy, Accent Concerts will not make arrangements of any type for travelers not registered on this tour.

Tour Price

(we can publish this here, or not)

Payment Schedule

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Cancellation Schedule

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Tour Inclusions

4 formal, full-length concerts, any number of which may be shared with local groups
Mass participation and/or informal performances in monumental sites (number and location of which to be approved by music director)
Round trip airfare between Phoenix and Spain (entry: Madrid; exit: Barcelona)
Private luxury motorcoach and driver
High-speed AVE train ticket between Seville and Barcelona
One full-time tour manager per bus
Local guides for six city tours
9 nights’ hotel including daily breakfast and all associated taxes/fees
9 dinners in local restaurants or hotels, including Flamenco show/dinner and farewell dinner
Tours, sightseeing, and entrances as specified in the itinerary
All gratuities for tour managers, city guides, coach drivers, and hotel/meal staff Coverage under a $2 million tour operator liability policy
Overseas health insurance and trip interruption coverage, with option to upgrade to trip cancellation insurance

Tour Exclusions

Meals indicated “on own” or not otherwise specified (generally, lunches)
Snacks, souvenirs, and items of a personal nature
Passport acquisition (passports must be valid for six months after the trip)
Visa acquisition (U.S. citizens are not required to obtain a visa)
ETIAS fee to enter Europe, if implemented prior to the tour (€7.00)
Trip cancellation insurance
Any other items not specifically mentioned

Register for the 2023 PCC Spain Tour by completing the form on this page. All payments will be managed by Phoenix Children’s Chorus, and the registration forms are sent to both PCC and Accent Concerts for processing.

You will have the opportunity to update your registration form as needed (e.g. when you obtain your passport, if your dietary or physical needs change, etc.) Instructions to do so will be sent post-registration.

Please register one person at a time. A link to return to the registration form will be provided. A unique email address for each traveler is preferred, but not required. The terms and conditions of travel will also be sent as a PDF post-registration, for your records.

If you experience any problems with the registration form, please contact [email protected].