Classics of Spain Escorted Vacation

Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. (Your arrival transfer is included only if you arrive on the actual day the tour commences. For customers arriving earlier an individual transfer can be organized at an additional cost. Night supplements will be charged for early morning/late evening transfers.) Overnight in Madrid.

After breakfast, enjoy your panoramic city tour of Madrid. Find Madrid's medieval origins such as the Arabic Fortress at the Barrio de la Moreria. Drive through the courtesan district of the Hapsburgs characterized by Philip II and its Renaissance and Baroque style buildings. See Puerto del Sol, Plaza Mayor, and Plaza de la Villa. Continue to visit the Madrid of the Bourbons and learn about the complex town planning schemes of Charles III. See the Cibeles and Neptuno Fountains, Puerta de Alcala, and the interior of the Royal Palace. Finish your tour by visiting contemporary Madrid and see the Gran Via, the district of Salamanca, Plaza Castilla, the Las Ventas Bullring, and the Santiago Bernabeu Football Stadium. The remainder of the day is at leisure to continue exploring the wonders Madrid has to offer. Join your fellow travelers for an authentic Welcome Tapas Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Madrid (B,D)

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel to join your tour departing for Seville. Drive along La Mancha, Don Quixote’s land. Brief stop at typical site in Puerto Lapice. Cross through the natural border of “Despeñaperros” and get into Andalusia, a region for itself that shows and enormous heritage from a splendorous past. Reach Cordoba. Impressive tour of its Mosque (entrance included) and other sites that will ease our mind and spirit strolling through its narrow winding streets of the Jewish Quarter. In the afternoon, after a short two hours ride reach Seville. Overnight at the hotel in Seville. (B)

After breakfast, enjoy your guided Panoramic tour of Seville. Start with a visit to the exterior of the Cathedral (the second largest in the Catholic world after St. Peters in Rome), Santa Cruz quarter (a natural scenario of “Carmen” as well as a precisely where the myth of “Don Juan” developed), Maria Luisa Park and Plaza de España. Continue your visit with a boat trip on Guadalquivir and pass through the elegant bridges such as San Telmo or Triana, the Giralda, the Bullring, the popular neighbourhood of Triana or the towers of the Plaza de España, as well as the Seville more avant-garde, reflected in the constructions made on the occasion of Expo 92. Afternoon at leisure for you to discover exclusive views, and specific flavours of this active full of light city. Overnight at the hotel in Seville. (B)

After breakfast, depart Seville and drive east through the Caliphate road to the heart of ANDALUSIA observing an endless number of olive trees on the way to Granada and its incredible and amazing monumental environment, last stronghold of the Moorish Kingdoms up to 1492. Visit the world famous Alhambra complex (entrance included) and Generalife Gardens that have inspired several authors with its sound and sights, such as the “Tales of the Alhambra” by W. Irving. After some time at leisure, join your fellow travelers to experience the most authentic Gypsy Flamenco show including dinner. Overnight at the hotel in Granada. (B,D)

After breakfast at the hotel, depart for the Mediterranean Coast. Via Murcia, capital of the fertile garden of the Segura river, continue north via Alicante, the second largest city within the region of Valencia. Reach Valencia one of the main capitals of the Mediterranean coast with its modern Arts and Sciences Architectural Complex integrated by six elements: Hemispheric, Umbracle, Science Museum, Oceanographic, Palau de les Arts and Ágora. Valencia is also the home of the internationally well renowned and delicious “Paella”. Overnight in Valencia. (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy morning city tour of this bright city including a drive through the old city showing the most prominent buildings, we will then be driven past the old riverbed of the Turia to the most avant-garde complex “Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias” to watch the emblematic exteriors of the six buildings. Early afternoon departure northward all along the Mediterranean coast to Catalunya, via Tarragona, the Roman Tarraco. Reach Barcelona principal Mediterranean city homeland of the famous architect Gaudí symbol of the Catalonian modernism. Overnight in Barcelona. (B)

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy your city tour of Barcelona well known worldwide for the Olympic Games during 1992, drive along the main avenues with impressive modernist buildings by Gaudí such as La Pedrera, Casa Milá, etc. - declared World Heritage buildings. - The Montjuïc Park with spectacular views of the city and harbor, Olympic Ring, monument to Columbus and the Olympic Port. Afternoon is for you to keep on discovering this city on your own. Overnight in Barcelona. (B,D)

You will be transferred to the Barcelona airport for your return flight home. (Your departure transfer is included only if you depart on the actual day the tour concludes. For customers departing later an individual transfer can be organized at an additional cost. Night supplements will be charged for early morning/late evening transfers.) (B)