SPAIN AT LEISURE
Day 1 - (Wed.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight. Day 2 - Arrival in Madrid, Spain. (Thu.) Time to rest or to start exploring the Spanish capital. At 6 p.m. meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome dinner at your hotel. (D) Day 3 - Madrid. (Fri.) Morning sightseeing with a Local Guide takes you to the Puerta del Sol, Plaza de España with its monument to Cervantes, the Parliament, Cibeles Fountain, elegant Calle Alcala, and Paseo de Castellana. Then the highlight: a visit to the palatial PRADO MUSEUM with its priceless art treasures. The afternoon is at leisure, and an optional excursion to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen can be arranged. (BB) Day 4 - Madrid. Excursion to Toledo. (Sat.) Focus on splendid Toledo, spectacularly situated on a granite hill surrounded by a loop of the Tagus River. A Local Guide takes you to the Moorish bridge, an early SYNAGOGUE, the 13th-century GOTHIC CATHEDRAL, and the Church of SANTO TOMÉ with one of El Greco's most famous paintings. Also time to visit a DAMASCENE STEEL WORKSHOP before returning to Madrid. The rest of the afternoon is free for independent activities. (BB) Day 5 - Madrid - Cordoba'Seville. (Sun.) This morning board the exciting high-speed "AVE" TRAIN that whisks you to Cordoba. Your guided sightseeing tour includes the Alcazar, the Roman Bridge, and the medieval old Jewish quarter. Tour the magnificent 8th-century MOSQUE OF THE CALIPHS, famous for its 850 pillars of porphyry, marble, and jasper. Then on to Seville by motorcoach. (BB,D) Day 6 - Seville. (Mon.) Your Local Guide explains the city's role in Roman times, its conquest by the Moors in 712 A.D., and its contribution to the discovery of the New World. Admire MARIA LUISA PARK. Drive to the Plaza de España, the Gold Tower on the Guadalquivir River, and the university that used to be the tobacco factory of Carmen fame. Visit the CATHEDRAL with Columbus" tomb, the world's largest gothic edifice, and stroll through the narrow lanes of the charming SANTA CRUZ QUARTER. For a truly Andalusian night out, reserve a seat at our optional flamenco show. (BB) Day 7 - At Leisure in Seville. (Tue.) A free day to explore the sunny capital of Andalusia or to join an exciting optional excursion. (BB) Day 8 - Seville - Gibraltar - Torremolinos. (Wed.) Drive south through the sunny wine region on the Costa de la Luz to the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR, in British hands since 1704. Hear about its turbulent history from your Local Guide, see the Moorish Castle, visit ST. MICHAEL'S CAVES and the colony of Barbary apes. Then continue to your beachfront hotel along the elegant Costa del Sol. (BB,D) Day 9 - At Leisure in Torremolinos. Optional Excursion to Morocco. (Thu.) Day at leisure to enjoy the sandy beaches or to browse through the trendy boutiques. Another possibility: join an optional excursion to Morocco, on the African continent, with sightseeing in Tangier, lunch at a local restaurant, and time to explore the surroundings. (BB) Day 10 - Torremolinos. Excursion to Granada. (Fri.) Away from the sea and into the mountains to history-steeped Granada. Meet your Local Guide and visit Granada's main attraction, the ALHAMBRA. The mighty yet graceful citadel was planned by the 13th-century Moorish ruler Al Ahamar. A fantasy of "lace in stone" surrounded by arabesque gardens and fountains, it affords superb views of the Old Quarter and Sacromonte, a mountain occupied by Gypsy cave dwellers. Also amble through the magnificent WATER GARDENS OF THE GENERALIFE, the royal summer residence. Then time to further discover the beauties of this enchanting city on your own. In the late afternoon, return to Torremolinos. (BB) Day 11 - (Sat.) Your homebound flight from Malaga arrives the same day. (BB) |
