Day 1. (Saturday) MADRID – CACERES – SEVILLE
Departure westbound on the highway to Extremadura, homeland of various New World discoverers. Arrival in Caceres, a magical medieval city, capital of the Extremadura region in western Spain. Free time to stroll through the old town with its city walls and watchtowers and its well-known medieval neighbourhood, considered a World Heritage Site. We recommend you to follow the narrow walkways that will transport you to another century and engage you in its old charm. You’ll discover the main square of Caceres – the Plaza Mayor and the Bujaco Tower locally known as the Clock Tower, the Arch of the Star, which is one of the five access gates of Caceres, the beautiful Palace of the Golfines… In the afternoon, we’ll travel along the Silver Highway towards Andalusia, a region with a huge heritage from a splendorous past, to arrive at Seville, Andalusia’s capital. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 2. (Sunday) SEVILLE
After breakfast we’ll do a monumental and panoramic visit of Seville. You will visit from outside the Cathedral of Seville, the second largest in the Catholic world after San Pedro in Rome and its famous Giralda, the old minaret of the Arab mosque, then stroll through the popular neighbourhoods of Santa Cruz, natural scenery of “Carmen” as well as where it developed the myth of “Don Juan” and also Triana, with a deep popular flavour and cradle of bullfighters and artists. After the visit, you’ll enjoy some free to discover different perspectives and specific flavours of this active city full of light. May we recommend you an optional boat trip on the Guadalquivir River to enjoy the panoramic views that exist from the boat? Then you can walk along the banks of the Guadalquivir River, the “great king of Andalusia” as the local poet Luis de Góngora y Argote called it. Dinner and accommodation. At night, optionally you can enjoy a flamenco show.
Day 3. (Monday) SEVILLE – CORDOBA
Breakfast at the hotel. We’ll drive to Cordoba, former capital of the Caliphate. Lead by a knowledgeable English-speaking guide we will visit the highlights of Cordoba: the narrow winding streets of the Jewish Quarter, the Synagogue and the fantastic Great Mosque of Cordoba, one of the world’s greatest works of Islamic architecture, still standing from the time Muslims ruled Al-Andalus, that will ease our mind and spirit. In the afternoon, free time at your disposal to stroll through the historic centre of Cordoba, with its medieval streets or visit the Royal Palace “Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos” and its beautiful gardens. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 4. (Tuesday) CORDOBA – RONDA – COSTA DEL SOL
After breakfast at the hotel we’ll drive south along the Route of the White Washed Villages, listening to stories of bandits while arriving at Ronda, one of the most beautiful towns in Andalusia, situated on the gorge of the Guadalevin River (locally known as Tajo de Ronda) that cuts the city in half. You’ll enjoy some free time to admire this town of Celtic origin and the marvellous views of the valley and mountain range. In the afternoon, continue on to the Costa del Sol, one of the most modern and important international tourist areas of Spain. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Day 5. (Wednesday) COSTA DEL SOL – GRANADA
Breakfast at the hotel and departure to Granada, with its incredible and amazing monumental environment, the last stronghold of the Moorish Kingdom up to 1492. We’ll visit the world-famous Alhambra complex with its imposing Alcazaba fortress, the Palace of Charles V, and the Generalife Gardens, fountains, gardens, and courtyards that with their sights and sounds have inspired authors such as Washington Irving in his “Tales of the Alhambra“. Free time in the afternoon. We recommend you to visit the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel that houses the tombs of the Catholic Monarchs or stroll through the Albaicín neighbourhood and enjoy the beautiful views of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolás. Dinner and accommodation at the hotel. Optionally you can see a Gipsy Flamenco Show held in a cave-house at Sacromonte Quarter.
Day 6. (Thursday) GRANADA – VALENCIA
After our breakfast at the hotel, we drive eastwards, heading to the Mediterranean Coast. We’ll pass Murcia, capital of the fertile garden of the Segura River, and continue north via Alicante, the second-largest city within the autonomous Region of Valencia. Arrive to Valencia, a vibrant and cosmopolitan city on the Mediterranean coast, that harmoniously combine the remnants of its farthest past, with the most innovative and avant-garde buildings from the new millennium. Valencia’s landmark is the modern Arts and Sciences Architectural Complex integrated by six elements: Hemispheric, Umbracle, Science Museum, Oceanographic, Palau de les Arts and Agora. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. We recommend you to take a night walk to enjoy the breathtaking avant-garde architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences under the nocturnal ornamental lighting, then continue to the old town and admire its highlights: Valencia’s Gothic Cathedral and the famous Micalet Bell Tower, Virgin Mary Square, Valencia Townhall and Post Office – 2 impressive buildings, the World Heritage Silk Exchange Building, its beautiful Central Market, Serranos and Quart Towers… And of course, you must taste the paella, this colourful mixture of saffron-flavoured rice and various meats, Valencia’s most well-known dish world-wide in one of the local restaurants.
Day 7. (Friday) VALENCIA – BARCELONA
Breakfast at the hotel. Free time in the morning to discover on your own pace this fascinating Mediterranean city. You can visit the Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, a true homage to our planet’s seas and oceans. It is made up of different buildings, housing examples of the most important ecosystems from each of the planet’s seas and oceans and also a Dolphinarium, the largest in Europe. You may also enjoy a nice walk through the Turia Gardens, former riverbed of the Turia River along palm trees and orange trees, fountains and pine woods, aromatic plants and ponds, sports facilities and rose beds. We’ll depart northward along the Mediterranean Coast to Catalonia, passing through Tarragona, the ancient roman city of Tarraco. Arrival to Barcelona, main city of the Spanish Mediterranean Coast, homeland of the famous architect Gaudí, symbol of the Catalonian modernism. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 8. (Saturday) BARCELONA
We wake up in Barcelona. After breakfast, we get on the bus to visit Barcelona with a local guide, discovering its main avenues decorated with impressive modernist buildings of Antoni Gaudí. We’ll make a short stop to see the impotent Gaudí’s Great Basilica of Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) from outside, a unique creation that has become Barcelona’s most universal symbol. Our next destination is Montjuic and the Olympic Ring, a legacy of the 1992 Olympics Games that took place in Barcelona. The city tour of Barcelona ends with a walk into the city’s historic central area, with its Gothic neighbourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. From this moment, you’ll have free time to explore in depth what you couldn’t see before. We recommend you to book in advance your tickets to see the Sagrada Familia from inside if it is of your interest, or if you prefer, you may explore other parts of the Gothic Quarter… there are many options: visit the Cathedral of Barcelona, Plaça del Pi, the Plaza Real or take a walk on the famous Rambla de los Capuchinos, an emblematic street and a must-see for any visitor to Barcelona. Accommodation in Barcelona.
Day 9. (Sunday) BARCELONA – PALMA DE MALLORCA
Breakfast at the hotel. Free morning at your disposal. At the indicated time, transfer to Barcelona airport and departure on a flight (included) to Majorca, a top tourist destination for both sun and sea lovers and outdoor and culture enthusiasts. Arrival and transfer to the hotel. Accommodation.
Day 10. (Monday) PALMA DE MALLORCA
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at your disposal to discover at your leisure its beautiful beaches, crystal-clear coves, impressive mountain landscapes of the Tramuntana Mountain range (declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO) or its rich cultural history. Optionally, you can take part in any of the extra activities offered by your guide such as visiting Manacor, the second-largest city in Mallorca, the old fishing village of Porto Cristo or the Caves of Drach and the Caves of Hams, two spectacular natural cave complexes that attract visitors from all over the world for their impressive geological formations and the underground lake Martel, one of the largest of its kind. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 11. (Tuesday) PALMA DE MALLORCA
Breakfast at the hotel. Free day at your disposal to continue enjoying the largest island of the Balearic Islands. We recommend walking through the historic centre of Palma de Mallorca with its narrow streets and hidden courtyards, where the impressive Palma Cathedral stands out, a masterful example of Mediterranean Gothic architecture, or the Almudaina Palace. Accommodation at the hotel.
Day 12. (Wednesday) PALMA DE MALLORCA – MADRID (or BARCELONA)
Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to Palma de Mallorca International Airport to take a flight (included) to Madrid or Barcelona (please inform us of the desired destination once you have booked the package). Arrival and end of services.
