Explore the treasures from the land of fiestas and flamenco on a seven-day journey from Madrid! Tour the astounding fortress of the Alhambra, and witness Gaudí’s Barcelona with your own eyes! See the best of culturally rich Barcelona and vibrant Valencia. Wander the streets of Andalusia’s jewels – Granada, Cordoba and stunning Seville. See historical buildings that mix Christian, Muslim and Jewish imagery. Majestic Spain truly has it all!
Start the day early, and head south from the capital city of Madrid towards Andalusia. Drive along La Mancha, Don Quixote’s land, including a brief stop to a typical site in Puerto Lapice. Cross through the natural border of “Despeñaperros” as you arrive into Andalusia, a region known for its enormous historical and cultural heritage. Upon arriving in Cordoba, enjoy a tour of its iconic Mosque and stroll through its narrow winding streets of the Jewish Quarter. In the afternoon the journey continues to Seville. Meals: D
After breakfast, enjoy a morning panoramic city tour of Seville. During the tour, you will visit the interior of the Cathedral (the 2nd largest in the Catholic world after St. Peters in Rome), Santa Cruz quarter, Maria Luisa Park and Plaza de España. The rest of the afternoon is at your leisure to discover the city at your own pace. You will have the option of a Flamenco show in the evening. Meals: B, D
Today you will drive east through the Caliphate road towards the heart of Andalusia. Enjoy the landscapes of the endless olive trees on your way to Granada, the last stronghold of the Moorish Kingdoms up to 1492. Visit the world-famous Alhambra complex and Generalife Gardens that have inspired several authors with its sound and sights, such as the “Tales of the Alhambra” by W. Irving. In the evening, enjoy dinner with an optional Gipsy Flamenco show in the Sacromonte quarter. Meals: B, D
Depart your hotel and head toward the Mediterranean Coast. En route, you will pass Murcia, capital of the fertile garden of the Segura river and Alicante, the second-largest city within the region of Valencia. Valencia is 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 Agora. Valencia is also the home of the internationally well renowned and delicious “Paella”. Enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure. Meals: B
Enjoy a morning city tour of Valencia as drive through the old city showing the most prominent buildings and towards the old riverbed of the Turia. You will also see the most avant-garde complex “Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias” to watch the emblematic exteriors of the six buildings. Your journey continues northward along the Mediterranean coast to Catalonia, via Tarragona, the Roman Tarraco. In the late afternoon, you will reach Barcelona, home of the famous architect Gaudí, the symbol of the Catalonian modernism. Meals: B
After breakfast, enjoy a morning city tour of Barcelona, you will drive along the main avenues with impressive modernist buildings by Gaudi such as La Pedrera and Casa Mila. Discover the Montjuic Park with spectacular views of the city and harbour, Olympic Ring, the monument to Columbus and the Olympic Port. The remainder of the afternoon is yours to discover at your own pace. Meals: B
After breakfast, head southwest along an industrial and agricultural area towards Zaragoza, the capital city of Aragón, situated at the banks of Ebro River. Zaragoza is also known as Cesar Augusta during the Roman period had an important role in Spanish history. Explore this city at your leisure and see its impressive Baroque architecture including the Basilica, Temple of Our Lady Pilar. Continue to Madrid. Meals: B
Weekly Monday departures from April 2020 to October 2020
