Day 1. (Sunday) MADRID

Hola! Welcome to Europe! Welcome to Spain! Arrival at the International Airport of Madrid – Barajas. Assistance and transfer to your hotel in Madrid. You’ll enjoy some free time at your disposal to get acquainted with this cosmopolitan city, capital of Spain. Please check the informative panels in the hotel reception area for the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travellers, and to receive information about the circuit. Free day at your disposal to discover Madrid, diplomatic capital, economic centre and most populous city in Spain, headquarters of the Spanish government and city where the Spanish monarchy resides. We recommend taking a walk through the courtly Madrid de los Austrias Neighbourhood with its Renaissance and Baroque buildings in Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa, continue to the Royal Palace located in the elegant Plaza de Oriente, get to know the Cibeles Fountain, Fountain of Neptune, Puerta de Alcalá, Gran Vía or Paseo de la Castellana. You can also, optionally, visit the nearby imperial city of Toledo, declared a World Heritage Site. Hotel accommodation.

Day 2. (Monday) MADRID – TORDESILLAS – LEON – OVIEDO

Breakfast. We leave Madrid behind us heading north to Castile and Leon, the largest autonomous community in Spain. Arrival at Tordesillas, a nest of history, a former defensive bastion against Muslim invasion during the Middle Ages and also, place where the Treaty of Tordesillas was signed in 1494, by which Spain and Portugal established the division of the territories which were being colonized in the New World. Arrival and free time to explore this little town. Continue to Leon, a historic enclave on the Pilgrim’s Road to Santiago de Compostela. Free time to visit some of the most emblematic buildings such as the Gothic cathedral, with the most beautiful stained-glass windows in Europe, the Collegiate Church of San Isidoro and the facade of the San Marcos Hostel in Plateresque style. Later we will cross the Cantabrian Mountains, travelling to Asturias. Arrival in Oviedo, a city of an unquestionable medieval flavour. Lead by a licensed local guide, we’ll do an in-depth city tour of Oviedo to discover its beautiful 9^th century cathedral, the Calatrava Palace, the Campoamor theatre, the Rua street. After the visit, we’ll enjoy a traditional dinner, where we can taste the authentic Asturian cider. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.

Day 3. (Tuesday) OVIEDO – COVADONGA – SANTILLANA – SANTANDER

After breakfast, we travel to the Picos de Europa National Park & UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Driving a twisty road that will slowly reveal a beautiful countryside made up of calm waters, unimaginable green carpets and mountain peaks which all seem to be almost within reach, we will arrive to Covadonga, where you will have free time to visit the Shrine, a place of worship and pilgrimage for the people of Asturias, where you will see the Patroness of Asturias our Lady of Covadonga. We continue the route towards Santillana del Mar, one of the most important historical artistic towns in Spain. It contains architectural treasures such as the Collegiate Church of Santa Juliana, a Jewel of the Romanesque Architecture in Cantabria. We will visit the Museum of the Caves of Altamira, that will give us a closer look at the prehistoric era of the Iberian Peninsula. Later we travel to Santander, capital of Cantabria Region, one of the most elegant and beautiful cities of the North Coast of Spain. Santander is a port city located between the sea and the mountains, well known for its Sardinero Beach, one of the best-known beaches in Spain. With a local guide, we’ll do a sightseeing tour of Santander to discover the highlights of this elegant coastal city and its beautiful bay. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. Note: From July to mid-October, due to high occupancy, some groups will be accommodated in Bilbao.

Day 4. (Wednesday) SANTANDER – BILBAO – LA RIOJA – ZARAGOZA

Breakfast. Following the highway along the Cantabrian Coast, with beautiful landscapes between the mountains and the sea we arrive to Bilbao, capital of the province of Vizcaya, and the largest city of the Basque Country. Accompanied by an expert local guide, we will visit Bilbao, where design and architecture permeate this entire city: the avant-garde building of the Guggenheim Museum, the old town of Bilbao, the Cathedral … Then you will have free time to take some “pintxos” – bite-sized pieces, miniature culinary works of art. Our route continues to La Rioja Region, internationally famous for the quality of its wines. We will visit the Wine Culture Museum that will take us on a journey through the history of wine, with an explanation of its production methods and cultural significance. By the end of the day we’ll arrive to Zaragoza, located on the banks of the Ebro River, one of Spain’s major cities and capital of the Region of Aragon. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation.

Day 5. (Thursday) ZARAGOZA – POBLET – BARCELONA

Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning, we will do a panoramic tour of Zaragoza with a local guide. During the visit of Saragossa we will discover Basilica of Our Lady of Pilar, Patroness of Hispanity. We will learn about Goya, the famous painter, and see some of his works. We will also see a Roman theatre, a Renaissance palace, and we will and walk by the Aljaferia Moorish Palace. After lunchtime, we continue to the Monastery of Poblet, one of the best examples of religious architecture in Catalonia and considered one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance and guided tour included). We travel later to Barcelona, arrival at the hotel and accommodation.

Day 6. (Friday) 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. We’ll take a walk into the city’s historic central area, with its Gothic neighbourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. Next destination is Montjuic and the Olympic Ring, a legacy of the 1992 Olympics Games that took place in Barcelona. 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. In the evening, we provide transfers to Las Ramblas and Plaza Catalunya area for dinner, where you can select from a great variety of restaurants. Return to the hotel and accommodation.

Day 7. (Saturday) BARCELONA – PEÑISCOLA – VALENCIA – MADRID

Breakfast. We leave behind us the capital of Catalonia and travel south along the Mediterranean Coast. Our first stop will be at Peñiscola, a medieval walled town that stands as a delightful balcony over the Mediterranean. You’ll enjoy some free time for lunch and to have a walk through its old town, which enters the Mediterranean Sea forming a small peninsula, crowned by the imperial Castle of Papa Luna. The route along the Mediterranean continues to reach 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. After some free time for lunch we’ll enjoy from the bus the breathtaking avant-garde architecture of the City of Arts and Sciences, one of the largest scientific and cultural complexes in Europe, then we’ll continue our route to Madrid. Arrival at the hotel and accommodation. Note: Depending on the number of passengers, the Valencia / Madrid route may be made by high speed train.

Day 8. (Sunday) MADRID

Breakfast at the hotel and end of our services. We recommend you to keep exploring Madrid, diplomatic capital, economic centre and most populous city in Spain, headquarters of the Spanish government and city where the Spanish monarchy resides. You can take a walk through the courtly Madrid de los Austrias Neighbourhood with its Renaissance and Baroque buildings in Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa, continue to the Royal Palace located in the elegant Plaza de Oriente, get to know the Cibeles Fountain, Fountain of Neptune, Puerta de Alcala, Gran Vía or Paseo de la Castellana. You can also, optionally, visit the nearby imperial city of Toledo, declared a World Heritage Site, make a daytrip to Avila and Segovia, the jewels of Castilla y León, cities declared World Heritage Cities, tours that you may book on our website.