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Motor-Coach-Tours |
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Spanish Discovery
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Madrid – Cordoba – Seville – Cadiz – Gibraltar – Malaga – Granada – Alicante – Valencia – Barcelona |
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Discover the scenic beauty of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea with its Costa del Sol , Costa Daurada and Costa Brava; the land of Moorish cities, ancient citadels, Don Quixote, Flamenco Dance, famous sherry and of the impressive Sierra Nevada Mountains. Travel with us from Madrid on its tableland to Toledo with unforgettable impressions; on to the city of Cordoba and to Andalusian's procession capital Seville; discover charming harbor city Cadiz and its British fortress Gibraltar; enjoy Malaga amid subtropical vegetation and explore attractive Granada with its outstanding Alhambra Palace and visit the lovely seaport city Alicante and picturesque Valencia, before your tour ends in Catalonia with its park and garden capital Barcelona ...! |
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| | DAY 01 Madrid
Today arrive Madrid airport and transfer to your hotel. - Afternoon at leisure following by a welcome reception with your Tour Director (2 overnights at Hotel Florida Norte). | | | | | | DAY 02 Madrid
The morning sightseeing tour of Spain's capital takes you first to the old part of Gran Via and Puerto del Sol, Madrid's Piccadilly Circus or Times Square. You will pass Plaza Mayor, once the place for bullfight celebrations and to the Opera House. Arriving the Royal Palace, former home of the Spanish monarchs from the 18th to the beginning of the 20th century, the inside tour will show you a collection of more than 2.000 tapestries, one of the largest in the world as well as outstanding examples of arms and suits of armor. Following a lunch break, another highlight of this day will be a visit to the world-famous Prado Art Gallery with thousands of works by artists such as El Greco, Goya, Raphael, Duerer, Botticelli, Rubens and many others. - Later this afternoon and with impressions of incomparable art, we will return to the hotel - or just individual if you like ...
Meals: B&D. | | | | | | DAY 03 Madrid – Toledo – Cordoba
Today's morning drive leads southward with our first stop at Toledo. You will see its superb Cathedral, medieval walls, towered gates and narrow crooked streets. In all, Toledo presents itself as an open-air museum of ancient Spanish architecture and history. - Following some free time, we continue further south on its main road, passing Manzanares with a good view to its castle and former battlefields of the 13th century. Then arriving Puerto Lapice in time for a lunch break. Here, fearless Don Quixote was dubbed knight according to a local tavern owner. Then we travel across the plains of La Mancha and arrive Cordoba and our hotel.
Meals: B & D (1 overnight at Hotel Gran Capitan).
| | | | | | DAY 04 Cordoba – Seville
The morning sightseeing tour of Cordoba will show its Moorish aspect which has been largely preserved in its small squares and winding lanes going back to the 8th century, as well as Spain's most famous Mosque, now hosting the city's main Cathedral. Enjoy a walk through the old and charming part of town and its promenade on Paseo del Gran Capitan with shops and outdoor cafes. Early afternoon we leave Cordoba along the Guadalquivir River Valley and arrive Andalusian's beautiful capital Seville after just a two-hours drive.
Meals: B (2 overnights at Hotel Giralda). | | | | | | DAY 05 Seville
Situated on the bank of the River Guadalquivir and conquered by the early Romans, Seville advanced to importance by Columbus on his return from his first voyage to America in March 1493. Today, Seville represents itself as a host of artistic and architectural treasures. You will see the old Jewish quarter of Barrio del Santa Cruz with beautiful mansions and patios, the fortified walls of Alcazar and view its palace of the 14th century. The Cathedral, largest Gothic construction in the world and original built with a minaret was later incorporated as a bell tower by the Christians. View Casa Lonja of the 16th century, a museum related to the discovery of the New World. Stop at Torre del Oro, a 12-sided Tower even of the 13th century defending the harbor and used to be covered with tiles of gold. Some later and next to the river you visit Parque de Maria Luisa with its beautiful gardens, wild vegetation and fountains. - The afternoon is yours for shopping or browsing around. - Tonight you are invited for dinner and a fiery Flamenco Show.
Meals: B&D. | | | | | | DAY 06 Seville – Cadiz – Tarifa – Gibraltar – Malaga
This morning we leave Seville by way of Jerez, scene of early battles between Visigoths and Moors, today home of its famous sherry given its name. We stop at the Andalusian seaport of Cadiz, situated on a limestone rock rising beautiful from the sea. An orientation drive will show you fine squares like the old town hall, the pretty Avenida de Carranza planted with palm trees, the imposing monument of General Cortez and the Cathedral Nueva with a splendid dom. Free time left before we continue our drive to Tarifa for a lunch break, where the Strait of Gibraltar is at its narrowest. Then on to Gibraltar, the British colony since 1704. Connected with the Spanish mainland by a sandy isthmus, the town is built on terraced slopes where wild monkeys play around. You will see the Anglican Cathedral built in a Moorish style and the Governor's residence of the 16th century, before you finally travel on Europa Road to reach a lighthouse and on old chapel. Enjoy from here a superb view of the sea and its Rock. Continue to the nearby Highest Point from which you see down the Mediterranean shore and on a clear day across the Moroccan coast. Then our drive leads further along the Mediterranean Sea to Malaga, arriving in time for dinner at the hotel.
Meals: B&D. (2 overnights at Hotel Curro). | | | | | | DAY 07 Malaga
The morning sightseeing tour of one of the oldest Mediterranean seaports, capital of its province, seat of a bishop and dominated by the ruined castle-crowned Gibralfaro will lead you first to the Parque area with avenues of tropical vegetation. From here to the Plaza de Torros with a next stop to view its ancient Bull Ring arena. Close by the Moorish Castle Alcazaba, constructed as a fortress in the 8th century. An inside visit will show you a notable collection of Moorish art and fine pottery. Outside and further up through its garden, we will stop at the ruined Castillo de Gibralfaro, which allows a panoramic view of the city and harbor below. Later, we drive down to the center of Old Malaga visiting the twin-towered Cathedral, a great limestone structure of the 16th century. - Following this break, the afternoon is at leisure to do as you please.
Meals: B. | | | | | | DAY 08 Malaga – Granada
This morning we continue our journey along the Mediterranean coast passing plantations of sugar-cane. At Torre del Mar we stop for a break to view this lovely port and bathing resort. Then the route winds between the scenic landscape of the Almijara Mountain chain and the sea, arriving the delightful location of Motril at the foot of its coastal mountains. Following a leisurely break, we continue north by crossing over the River Guadalteo and an arched stone bridge at Beznar, the road runs further amid groves of oranges and by way of Puerto del Suspiro to Granada, another highlight of our Spanish Tour and our final destination for today.
Meals: B&D. (2 overnights at Hotel El Carmen). | | | | | | DAY 09 Granada
The morning tour of this former Moorish kingdom, picturesquely situated at the food of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, starts first at the city center with a visit at the Cathedral Santa Maria, considered to be the finest Renaissance church in Spain. You will see the interior adorned with impressive sculptures and paintings of the 16th century, before our route continues to its main attraction, the red Alhambra Palace, residence of the former Moorish rulers under Yusuf I and Mohammed V of the 14th century. The inside of this palace provides an excellent example of Islamic architecture. Discover rooms with decorations of wood and plaster with arabesque ornamentations and numerous examples of stalactite vaultings. Pass through the Court of the Myrtles and Torre de Comares with its Hall of the Ambassadors, centuries ago used as the throne room and richly decorated. You also will see the Court of the Lions, a former winter residence and harem with a center court surrounded by columns and a fountain with twelve lions of dark marble.Walk through the Hall of the Abencerrages with its marble fountain and an impressive dom. Arrive from here the Hall of Kings, adorned with colorful Spanish ceiling paintings. Your tour leads then to the Room of the Two Sisters. The vaulting here reaches its almost artistic work which contains thousands of components. Later, you pass the Queen's Powder Room and arrive at Patio de Daraxa, a charming interior palace garden with cypresses and orange trees. Time is yours now for a lunch break on the Alhambra ground, before we walk over to the Palacio del Generalife to enjoy its beautiful gardens with terraces and grottos of an Italian Renaissance style. - From here return to your hotel and spend the rest of the afternoon at your leisure.
Meals: B. | | | | | | DAY 10 Granada – Murcia – Alicante
We depart Granada this morning and take a beautiful inland tour first to the ancient Iberian settlement Baza with a stop and an orientation drive of this 16th century old village. Then continue to Lorca for our next stop and lunch break to view local mansions and the Moorish Castillo on a rocky hill.-Onto Murcia with another stop, situated in a most fertile and warm coastal plain. See the old town quarter and its embankment of the River Segura which affords a splendid view of this city, founded during the 13th century. See also its Cathedral and landmark of Gothic architecture, before we finally leave and arrive Alicante and our hotel.
Meals: B&D. (1 overnight at Hotel San Fernando). | | | | | | DAY 11 Alicante – Valencia
The morning tour of Alicante, with its picturesque location right on a bay of this coast, will show you the center of the city, avenues lined with palm trees and its huge harbor area with an old lighthouse. On a hill, crowned by the Castillo de Santa Barbara, you will enjoy a magnificent view of the sea, its city and the mountains before we continue this morning on one of the most scenic roads along the Mediterranean coast and with our first stop at Punta Ifach, a peninsula and volcanic rock with an inviting beach and truly one of Spain's most attractive points for a break. Following this stop, we arrive at Valencia, an ancient capital of kingdom and founded by the Greeks.Still close to the Mediterranean Sea and situated at the bank of the Turia River, Valencia presents visitors a typical cheerful and southern aspect. Following check-in and freshen up at your hotel, the sightseeing tour will lead you to the Plaza del Mercado, scene of former tournaments and the market hall with hundreds of stands. You will view one of the largest Bull Rings in Spain, holding space for over 18.000 spectators. Visit Valencia's unique gothic and baroque Cathedral wits its beginnings of the 13th century. See the interior which offers a number of beautiful paintings by Goya and others, an octagonal dome and a chapel with a preserved chalice of rubies and pearls, believed to be used at The Last Supper. - Another landmark of the city will be Torres de Serranos, a two tower entrance founded by the Romans in the 14th century. - Later, and from here you may return to your hotel.
Meals: B. (1 overnight at Hotel Bartos). | | | | | | DAY 12 Valencia – Peniscola – Tarragona – Barcelona
Following breakfast, today we depart Valencia on a further north route by way of Castellon de la Plana, known for its trade in oranges and on to peninsula Peniscola with a stop to view its ancient castle and former residence of Pope Benedict during the 15th century. Enjoy from here a magnificent panoramic view and your lunch break. - Passing small fishing village of Vinaroz, crossing over the River Ebro and arriving seaport Tarragona for our next stop, famous area for its good wine. You visit the old part of this picturesque city, surrounded by medieval walls and remains of the Roman time of Emperor Augustus. Enjoy from the Balcon del Mediterraneo an unforgettable view of the coast and sea before we continue our today's drive to Barcelona in time for freshen up and dinner at the hotel.
Meals: B&D. (2 overnights at Hotel Bernard). | | | | | | DAY 13 Barcelona
The sightseeing tour of old Catalonia's capital and one of the largest seaports on the Mediterranean Sea will start with a visit at Spain's most important harbor. Nearby rises the Columbus Monument, erected about 120 years ago and with a height of almost 200 ft., guarded by several bronze lions. We drive right into the old part of town to visit at Monte Tabor its Cathedral constructed during the late 13th century and almost completed in the 15th century. The dark interior gives you an impression of an utmost dignity. You see also notable choir stalls, a fine pulpit, colorful stained glass and a Crypt with alabaster sarcophagi. - The old quarter around the church is called Barrio Gotico and has a number of worth seeing buildings, like museums, the Casa of Muncipal Archives, the Bishop's Palace and many others. Our tour continues to the Templo de la Sagrada Familia, a monumental church with twelve towers and a main dome, built in the late 19th century in a fantastic Gothic style by Antonio Gaudi. - Later, we return to the Ramblas, the lively main street of Barcelona where you may spend the remainder of the day at leisure. Shop around or stroll and why not join your Tour Director tonight for a final dinner at one of Barcelona's inviting restaurants.
Meals: B. | | | | | | DAY 14 Barcelona – Last day of tour
This morning after breakfast you bid farewell to the wonderful country of Spain and transfer to the airport for your return flight.
Meals: B. | | | |
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All includings* |
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- Transfers between airports in Madrid/Barcelona and hotels.
- A welcome cocktail upon arrival hotel in Madrid.
- 13 accommodations in selected 4-star hotels,as named or similar, including hotel tax, service charges and baggage handling.
- 13 buffet-style breakfasts.
- 7 three-courses dinners, including one with a Flamenco Show.
- Touring by a private and late-model motorcoach with all facilities.
- All sightseeings, excursions and entrance fees as per itinerary: City sightseeing of Madrid.
- City sightseeing of Toledo.
- Stop and orientation drive of Puerto Lapice.
- City sightseeing of Cordoba.
- City sightseeing of Seville.
- Stop and orientation drive of Cadiz, Tarifa and Gibraltar.
- City sightseeing of Malaga.
- Stop and orientation drive of Torre del Mar and Motril.
- City sightseeing of Granada.
- Stop and orientation drive of Baza, Lorca and Murcia.
- City sightseeing of Alicante.
- Stop and orientation drive of Punta Ifach.
- City sightseeing of Valencia.
- Stop and orientation drive of Peninsula Peniscola and Tarragona.
- City sightseeing of Barcelona.
- An experienced and multi-lingual Tour Director each day throughout land. |
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