Grand Tour of Spain – Standard

<p>Welcome to Madrid! Upon arrival at the airport, we shall be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Our guide will be ready to welcome you and will provide the necessary information. Towards the end of the day, we provide transfers to the Egyptian Debod temple, Plaza de España and Gran Vía, a vibrant district where you can dine at your preferred restaurant (at extra cost), Indian, Chinese, Spanish and Middle Eastern are some of the options.</p>

The day starts about 08.30 hrs with a comprehensive tour through the centre of Madrid including Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Gran Via, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. Visit to Retiro Park, an oasis in the city centre, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. Admission to Las Ventas Bullring included. This is one of the most famous bullrings in the world where we will learn about the tradition of “corridas” in the Bullfighting Museum.
Enjoy the rest of the afternoon. At sunset we provide a transfer to Plaza de Oriente, opposite the Royal Palace, an elegant and bustling area with many restaurants serving different exquisite cuisines (Indian, Middle Eastern, Muslim, Spanish, International) in which to enjoy a pleasant dinner. Dinner at extra cost. Return to hotel.

By afternoon arrive at Zaragoza, which stands on the banks of the river Ebro. The guide will join the group to Basilica del Pilar. Free time to visit this impressive sanctuary and have lunch in the city centre. Visit the Monastery of Poblet (only in summers) on your way to Catalonia. Surrounded by walls in a beautiful setting, this is one of the best preserved mediaeval monasteries in the world (entrance and guided tour included). We cross rich agricultural regions of central Catalonia. We go to the beautiful scenery where the Benedictine abbey is located. We climb to the summit in small rack train to admire the fantastic landscapes.
Arrive at Montessarat in the evening where you get some time to admire the views and visit the sanctuary where the Virgin of Montserrat, patron saint of Catalonia, is located. Later in the evening you reach Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia. Check-in and relax in the hotel.

Proceed for local city tour. We will visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neighborhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. It will be possible to see and photograph La Sagrada Familia basilica; the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Subsequently, we include the entry ticket to “Poble Espanyol” (meaning, Spanish Village), an open-air museum that combines the art, traditions, architecture, arts and crafts and folklore of each of the Spanish regions. Time for lunch. Free afternoon. In the evening transfer to Plaza de Cataluña and the Ramblas, the heart of the city, where there are many restaurants where you can dine.

In the morning depart for Valencia. On the way visit Peniscola. Our guide will tell you about this tiny walled city on the sea shore, which has an interesting history. We will visit the fishing harbour, the castle and the beach and spend some free time. Later you will arrive at Valencia, the 3rd largest city in Spain where we will see the City of Arts and Science, an important modern complex. Then our guide will take us to the historical city centre and to the Cathedral. Free time for lunch and stroll in the city. Rest of the evening is at leisure.

We set out for the Region of Alicante. You get some time to stroll in this active and very pleasant city by the sea. After lunch we go on our way to the Murcia region. On the way visit Caravaca, a small town, considered a Holy City by the Roman Catholic Church. Its church holds a relic of Christ’s Cross. We include a ride up to the historic area on the tourist train. We leave the city and pass through beautiful Andalusian scenery to arrive at Granada in the evening.

A full day in GRANADA and guided tour of the Alhambra and the Gardens of the Generalife (admission included). This is an important work built during the period when the Muslims ruled Granada. Enjoy an evening transfer to Plaza de Gracia, in the centre of Granada, where we will spend an enjoyable evening. This area has many restaurants where we can have dinner (on your own).

In the morning we set out for the Costa del Sol. Arrive at Malaga and time for a stroll in the historic centre with its cathedral and the Picasso Museum. We will leave Malaga and continue along the coastal motorway with beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Arrive at Puerto Banus, in Marbella, a pretty high level recreational port. Time for lunch and take a stroll on the marina, with its cosmopolitan, luxurious atmosphere. We leave for the mountains, which was once overrun by bandolliers. Arrival at Ronda, the “White City”, located in a magnificent natural setting with its large gorge that divides it in two. You will get some free time to explore. Leave Ronda and proceed for Seville, where you will arrive by late evening.

After breakfast, a local expert guides you through a scenic visit of Sevilla (if the English-speaking group has fewer than fifteen people, the tour can be conducted in both English and Spanish). Lasting one hour and a half featuring the Cathedral and the Giralda, Plaza de España, the beautiful banks of the river Guadalquivir, the Golden Tower, the districts of Santa Cruz and Triana, the Maestranza Bullring, and Cartuja Island. Free time to explore and have lunch. At the end of the afternoon, we will go to the historic city centre area (calle Alfonso XII) where many different restaurants can be found. You can choose your favourite cuisine: Indian, Halal, Chinese, Spanish, International and so on

Visit to Mosque of Cordoba. Windmills in Consuegra. We leave Seville following the valley of the Guadalquivir to CÓRDOBA. Free time to stroll through its flowered alleys and visit with a local guide his great Mosque –Cathedral (entrance included). After lunch, we continue towards the Castilian lands and stop at CONSUEGRA, where 12 giant windmills next to the castle, contemplate the La Mancha plain. We visit Venta Bolero windmill. Continuation to MADRID and arrival at the end of the day.