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Tentative
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrive Madrid; City Tour; Welcome Dinner
Arrive Madrid. A sightseeing tour this afternoon
gives us an overview of the famous sights in the city to include the
Royal Palace, Plaza de las Cibeles, Grand Via and Paseo de la Castellana.
We will celebrate tonight with our welcome dinner.
Day 2 – Prado Museum; Free Afternoon; Evening
Tapas Tour
This morning is devoted to art. We will visit the
Prado Museum. There are three famous art museums in Madrid: the Prado,
the Thyssen Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia museum. The Museo del Prado
houses works by Murillo, Goya, El Greco, and Velázques and is the most
popular museum in Madrid. You may continue your art tour or choose your
own pursuits for the rest of the day. This evening we will gather for a
walking tapas tour. Tapas allow us to try a large variety of ethnic
Spanish food while visiting different eateries on the same night.
Day 3 - Day Trip to Toledo
Today we will take the train to Toledo. A walking
tour in Toledo includes visits to the Church of Santo Tomé to see The
Burial of the Count of Orgaz, thought to be El Greco’s finest painting,
and Toledo Cathedral, ranked among the greatest Gothic structures in
Europe. The cathedral contains important masterpieces including a
spectacular baroque high altar and two paintings by El Greco.
Day 4 - Day Trip to Segovia and Avila
A short trip from Madrid brings us to Segovia
where we will be transported back in time to a city steeped in medieval
history. Highlights are the Roman Aqueducts; El Alcazar, Segovias royal
residence from the 13th century; La Cathedral, dating from 1525, that
dominates the city skyline; and spectacular mountain scenery. Avila is
a wonderful 1000-year-old city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The main attraction is its medieval wall that measures 1 mile in
circumference and completely encircles the town with nine gates and 88
towers.
Day 5 – Seville
This morning, we will board the AVE high-speed
train for Seville. As the jewel in the south, Seville, with its rich
2,500-year history, is the capital of Andalusia. It is the
southern-most of the three biggest Spanish cities and represents all
that is Andalucian: flamenco, horses, and toros. A sightseeing tour
will take in many of Seville’s historic and cultural attractions. See
the Parque de María Luisa, the Macarena district, and Murillo Gardens.
Visit Seville's impressive Gothic cathedral, recently confirmed as the
final resting place of Christopher Columbus.
Day 6 - Day Trip to Cordova
The historic quarter of Cordoba is a beautiful
network of small streets, alleys, squares and whitewashed courtyards
arranged around the Mosque-Cathedral, which reflects the importance of
the city during medieval times. Cordoba is one of the three great
Moorish cities of Andalucia. On a guided walking tour, we will visit
Cordoba’s Mosque (La Mezquita) and Jewish quarter, Calle de los Judios
(Street of the Jews) to the ancient synagogue and then the Alcazar, the
fortress built in 1328.
Day 7 - Cooking Class; Afternoon Free
Learn about the cuisine of Andalusia in its
beautiful capital, Seville. We will learn about the regional cooking and
enjoy lunch. The rest of the day is free to explore.
You might choose to stroll through the old, narrow
streets of the Barrio de Santa Cruz. Once the Jewish Ghetto, it was
restored in the early 20th century. Afterward spend some time relaxing
among the orange trees and fountain of the peaceful Patio de los
Naranjos.
Day 8 - Seville to Lisbon: Badajoz and Evora
We will depart Seville this morning and travel
northwest through the
scenic countryside into Portugal. We will visit
Badajoz, located on the banks of the Guadiana River. It has an historic
quarter with Arab walls, interesting monuments, as well as picturesque
streets and porches. We will also stop to visit the enchanting city of
Evora, set in Roman, medieval and 17th century walls and home to over 20
churches and monasteries including the 15th century Sao Francisco. Our
last stop of the day is Lisbon.
Day 9 - Lisbon Walking Tour; Free Time
Lisbon is a walker's delight; the neighborhoods
provide glimpses into daily life and abound with major sights. We will
take a stroll through the Alfama, the most interesting district of
Lisbon. Visit the 12th-century Sé (cathedral), take in a view of the
city and the River Tagus from the Santa Luzia Belvedere, and climb up to
the Castelo de São Jorge (St. George's Castle). The city is rich with
wonderful old buildings, Europe’s longest suspension bridge, and great
museums and monuments. You will have time this afternoon to explore on
your own. You might want to visit Belém, about 20 minutes from Lisbon’s
center by tram. It was the departure point for most of the
world-changing explorations during the Age of Discoveries. There is a
spectacular monastery where Vasco da Gama is buried.
Day 10 - Full-day excursion to Sintra
Considered not only one of the wonders of Portugal
but indeed of Europe, Sintra is truly beautiful and it now deservedly
holds UNESCO world heritage status. It is nestled in hills surrounded
on all sides by plain, estuary or ocean. Ornate palaces lie hidden
behind tall trees and walled gardens. There are three National Palaces
- Palácio da Vila, Palácio da Pena and Palácio de Queluz - that contain
important historical and artistic collections. From the sea to the
mountain, the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is full of amazing contrasts.
Its history includes cult worship by the primitive Iberian people, who
called it the Mountain of the Moon. It later became the area of summer
residence for the nobility of Lisbon, who built palaces of rare beauty.
Day 11 - Full-day excursion to Obidos and Batalha
Monastery; Farewell Dinner
The magnificent medieval walled town of Óbidos is
known as the ‘Town of Queens” because of a tradition in which kings used
to offer the town to their wives.
The town is full of well-preserved, white houses
with Manueline porticos and flower-laden window boxes. Architectural
jewels include the Misericórdia Church, the São Pedro Church and the São
Martinho Chapel, the Paço Real (Royal Palace) and the perimeter of the
castle walls, from which you can see the aqueduct.
The Monastery of the Dominicans of Batalha was
built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians
at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. The abbey is one of Europe's
greatest Gothic masterpieces and is protected as a World Heritage
monument. Here a highly original, national Gothic style evolved,
profoundly influenced by Manueline art, as demonstrated by its
masterpiece, the Royal Cloister.
We will end this wonderful trip with a farewell
dinner.
Day 12 - Return Home from Lisbon
Make your return flight home at your convenience.
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