A complete tour of the most important and emblematic sights of Spain in 13 days.
TOUR INCLUDES:
- 12 x nights in 3-4 hotels
- Half board (breakfast & dinner)
Private motor coach for the whole tour - Tour manager for the whole tour
- Local guides for the city tours and visits of monuments
- Entrance fees Sagrada Familia (Barcelona), Capilla Real y Alhambra (Granada), Catedral y Alcázar (Sevilla), Madinat Al Zahr y Mezquita (Córdoba), Catedral y Sinagogas (Toledo), Palacio Real (Madrid), Monasterio (El Escorial), Alcázar (Segovia)
Program
Day 1: Home City-Barcelona Arrival transfer
Arrive to the International airport of Barcelona. Your guide will be waiting at the exit to take you by coach to the hotel.
Check in hotel.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 2: Barcelona City tour full day
Breakfast
In the morning meet with your local guide who speaks English and visit the Gothic Quarter. Then a walk through the streets, squares and old buldings to give you an idea of the city´s history, which will take you directly into the ancient heart of Barcelona. Discover the development of the small Roman colony called Barcino in a medieval merchant city called Barcelona. Strategically located on a small hill with views of the surrounding planes and first Roman temple, of which was the centre of the first lasting establishment.
Lunch at your own leisure
In the afternoon a panoramic visit of the Montjuich hill, with it´s parks, art galleries, museums and the 1992 Olympic ring, with also spectacular views of the city. A visit to the Holy family designed by the Catalan architect Antoni (Entrance included)
Dinner in the hotel
Day 3: Barcelona-Valencia City tour half the day
Breakfast
Meet with the coach to leave for Valencia (350 km / 4,0 h).
Arrive and check in hotel.
Lunch at your own leisure.
In the afternoon meet with the guide for a half day tour. The historic centre is one of the largest in Spain, with approximately 169 acres, this ancient heritage of monuments and places of cultural interest makes Valencia one of the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Important monuments are those such as the Cathedral of Valencia, the Torres de Serranos, the Torres de Quart, the Lonia de la Seda (declared patrimony of the humanity by UNESCO in 1966) and the City of arts and sciences, an entertainment based cultural and architectural complex designed by Santiago Calatraya and Felix Candela.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 4: Valencia-Granada
Breakfast
Meet with the coach to leave for Granada (500 km / 6,0 h).
Lunch at your own leisure on the way
Arrive and check in to hotel.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 5: Granada Alhambra visit
Breakfast
For the morning a panoramic bus tour of the city and guided visit to the Alhambra. A palace and fortress built during the 10th century in the middle of the Umajd Arab ruler Badis ben King Habus of Granada in al-Andalus. It is now one of the most important tourist attractions in Spain, showing the architecture of Berber, the most important and well known Islamic country, along with the building from the 16th century and the interventions of the garden. The Alhambra is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Lunch at your own leisure.
A free afternoon to discover more of the city. Visit to the Royal chapel where you will find buried the Catholic King´s daughter Juana la Loca and her husband Felipe el Hermoso.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 6: Granada-Sevilla Half day City tour
Breakfast
Meet with the coach to leave for Sevilla (250 km / 3,0 h).
Arrive and check in to the hotel.
Lunch at your own leisure.
In the afternoon meet with the local guide for a half day tour, where you will find excellent views of Sevilla. A look at the flags and most representative constructions built for the expo in 1929, and from the coach you can see iconic buildings such as the Torre del Oro, the Royal Cavalry (Plaza de Toros), the neighborhood of Triana, the Isabel 2 bridge or Church of La Macarena, until you reach the Murillo Gardens.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 7: Sevilla Half day City tour
Breakfast
Meet with the local guide for a tour of the city of Sevilla, including the Santa Cruz and La Catedral districts.
It´s old town is one of the largest three in Europe, along with Venice and Genoa (which includes almost four square kilometers), including three sites in the world heritage site of UNESCO )the complex Alcazar palace, the Cathedral and the archivo general de Indias
Lunch at your own leisure.
Free afternoon
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 8: Sevilla-Madinat Al Zahr-Cordoba Joint archaeological visit
Breakfast
Meet with the coach to leave for Cordoba(150 km / 1,5 h). Taking a stop to visit the archaeological site of Madinat Al-Zahra, Paletina city or áulica that ordered the building of Abderramán III (Abd al-Rahman III, al-Nasir) about 8 km on the Western outskirts of Cordoba, more specifically in the Sierra Morena.
Lunch at your own leisure.
Arrive and check in to hotel.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 9: Cordoba-Toledo Half day City tour & Mosque
Breakfast
Meet with the local guide for a complete visit of Cordoba, the Jewish area and the Mosque.
Its historic centre encompasses numerous architectural reminders of when Cordoba was the capital of Hispania ulterior during the Roman republic and capital of Hispania Baetica during the Roman empire, and when Qurtubah was the capital of the Islamic caliphate of Cordoba, including most of the Iberian península.
Lunch at your own leisure.
Leave Cordoba heading to Toledo 340 km/ 4,0 h.
Arrive and check in to hotel.
Dinner in hotel.
Day 10: Toledo-Madrid Half day city tour
Breakfast
Meet with local guide to visit Toledo. The entire city is a national monument: houses, streets, churches, palaces, treasures and handmade products, like the famous “Damascene” (the steel is incrusted with precios metals).
It is one of the oldest cities in Europe, called “the city of three cultures”, due to the fact Christians, Jews and Muslims live together. Its Spanish buildings include almost all the periods of history (Arabic, Gothic, Mudejar, Renaissance and Baroque). The great painter El Greco lived there in the 16th century.
Lunch at your own leisure.
Leave Toledo heading to Madrid 70 km/ 1,0 h.
Arrive and check in at the hotel.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 11: City tour full day
Breakfast
Meet with the local guide for a panoramic walk and drive around the city.
The objective is to instill multiple feelings about Madrid. We will visit places like Plaza de España, de Oriente, Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Neptuno, Cibeles and Puerta de Alcalá. We will also visit diferent areas like the typical “pure” area of “la Moreira”, some elegance around the Prado and Gran via; the modern Madrid with its wide streets typical of Spain. We will see gardens and parks like Retiro, East park and finally plaza de toros.
Lunch at your own leisure.
In the afternoon a visit to Palacio Real (Entrance included).
The house of the Kings of Spain from Charles III to Alfonso XII, the Palace is open to the public. Although it is not the house of the Royal family it continues to be the official residence. Long before Madrid bécame the capital of Spain, Emir Mohamed I chose Magerit (Arabic name of the city) as headquarters of a fortress to protect Toledo from the Christian advances.
The builiding was used by the Kings of Castil and bécame what is known as the old Alcazar (Old fortress). In the 14th century it was transformed by Carlos I and his son Felipe II to the official residence of the royal family. In 1734 a fire ripped through the Palace and Felipe V ordered the reconstruction of the Palace where it is located today.
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 12: Madrid Trip El Escorial & Segovia
Breakfast
Meet with the local guide for a visit of El Escorial and Segovia (90 km / 1,5 h)
The Royal Monastery of El Escorial is an imposing building from the 16th century. Felipe II ordered its construction, while the majority of design is thanks to the main architect Juan Herrera. However many of the best designers of the time participated in the process. The monastery houses the Mausoleum of the Kings of Spain, and is considered one of the eight wonders of the world.
Lunch at your own leisure.
After lunch, a visit to Segovia, one of the oldest cities of Roman origin. Among its many historical monuments is the Aqueduct. Built in the time of Augusto, the Aqueduct has 118 arches and is 10 miles (16 kilometres) long, although only a fraction of its length is still visible today. We will also see the Gothic Cathedral and the Alcazar, a beautiful medieval fortress from the 11th century, which inspired the design of the now famous Disney logo.
Return to Madrid
Dinner in the hotel.
Day 13: Wednesdays, 01 of April, 2015 Madrid-Home city Exit Transfer
Breakfast
Check out hotel and transfer to the International airport of Madrid to return home.
