Itinerary

Day 4 Cordoba – Madrid          (B/-/D)

After buffet breakfast, check out of the hotel and we’ll depart towards Madrid, stopping in the middle of La Mancha, land of the legendary story: “Don Quijote de La Mancha” and his wind-mills.

We’ll stop in Puerto Lápice to enjoy “typical tapas”. Tapas is the name of a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In Spain, patrons of tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal.

Stop in Consuegra and visit the famous “Molinos” (windmills). An important town in the La Mancha area of Toledo province, and of Roman origins. Located at the foot of the Cerro Calderico ridge, it has an impressive castle with an exceptional keep, and several of the windmills typical of La Mancha. Five of its twelve windmills conserve their complete mechanism and one of them is known as “Sancho” (in honour of one of the main characters in the novel Don Quixote). Arrival in Madrid. Dinner at hotel and accommodation in Madrid.

Day 5 Madrid – Toledo – Madrid          (B/-/D)

After buffet breakfast at the hotel, we’ll start our Madrid biking tour. Whether travelling alone or with friends, our bike tour is the perfect way to spend some hours in Madrid. Our tours offer you the company of a knowledgeable English-speaking monitor, a comfortable and easy to ride bike, useful tips and advices about what to do and see while in Madrid and a fun and informative outdoor experience.

You’ll finish our tour with the feeling that you’ve seen the sights and gotten to know a bit about Madrid, while having a fun, entertaining and social experience in the process. Get to know the “must see” places and also spots away from the typical paths in a short time and a relaxed way.

We ride to the most important sights of Madrid:

Templo de Debod, Royal Theatre, Royal Palace, Almudena Cathedral, Plaza de la Paja, Town Square, Plaza Mayor (Main Square), Puerta del Sol, St. Ann´s Square, Paseo del Prado, Prado Museum, Retiro Park, Alcala Gate and Cibeles Square.

Our monitors will introduce you to the heart of Madrid and we will ride mainly on cycling paths, pedestrian zones and parks. Of course, we will make stops to take some photos and to have a drink. You’ll finish our tour with the feeling that you’ve seen the sights and gotten to know a bit about Madrid, while having a fun, entertaining and social experience in the process.

Royal Palace Visit - Few European royal residences conserve decorative elements like those of the Royal Palace in Madrid. Its majestic rooms are home to major artistic treasures and continue to bear witness to historic events. Magnificent and grand, the official residence of Spain's monarchs is located in the heart of the capital, in a privileged setting with extraordinary views of the Madrid Mountains.

Free time for buy souvenirs and presents. You’ll find that Madrid is the ideal place for a leisurely shopping trip with all the family. There are numerous shopping malls in and around the city where you’ll find a vast range of labels and shops, and where you’ll have no problem updating the children’s or your own wardrobe. Dinner at the hotel.

In the evening, we go straight to Toledo, we’ll share a different “tour”……Toledo Ghost Tour

The Toledo Ghost Tour is one of the most popular ones to explore every mystery that revolve around the city, where you will learn the frightening stories of this Imperial Capital.

We will take a stroll through the most picturesque streets and we will find out the three main periods in the History of Toledo: The Imperial age, the Conventual one, and the nineteenth-century. We will not just wander through this majestic city, but we will also explore the sheds and discover the streets where the night duelling by swords used to take place. In addition, we will also hear the howling coming from the prisons of the Holy Spanish Inquisition. The Toledo Ghost Tour will also tell us the history of the great Spanish writers from the XVI and XIX centuries; and we will have the chance to talk about the Don Juan myth, the life in the convents and hundreds of historical curiosities and secrets that will definitely amaze you. Return to Madrid. Accommodation in Madrid.

Day 6 Madrid – Segovia – Madrid        (B/L/D)

After buffet breakfast at the hotel. Morning at your leisure. Afternoon depart to Ávila and picnic lunch.

Picnic lunch and visit to Ávila (medieval city with a wall) and Segovia (with the Castle where Walt Disney inspired his own Castle). The extensive history of Avila begins with the primitive Celtiberian settlement of the Vetones around 700 B.C. The first wall was built with the arrival of the Romans in the third century B.C., making Avila a strategic point of defence. Following several centuries of decadence, the city was repopulated and rebuilt in the 11th century. The legend says that Raimundo de Borgoña, son-in-law of King Alfonso VI, was in charge of supervising the reconstruction of the wall on top of the ruins of the ancient Roman fortress. The peak period of the city would come in the 16th century, when wool manufacture would allow its economic take-off. During this boom, many civil and religious buildings were built in the city, which still stand in the historic quarter. The wall is the symbol of the city and it is one of the best kept, medieval walled enclosures in Europe. Its two-and-a-half-kilometre perimeter is marked by almost 2,500 crenellations, a hundred towers, six gates and three openings. Farewell dinner at Restaurant Mesón del Candido. Accommodation in Madrid.

Itinerary

Day 7 Madrid – Barcelona           (B/-/D)

After buffet breakfast at the hotel, we’ll depart to train station, taking high speed train to Barcelona. After arriving, transfer to the hotel for check in. In the evening, proceed to Barcelona City tour, Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is a cosmopolitan Mediterranean city that incorporates in its urban street pattern Roman remains, medieval districts and the most beautiful examples of Modernism and 20th century avant-garde art. Not for nothing were the emblematic buildings of Catalan architects Antoni Gaudí and Luis Doménech I Montaner declared to be World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.

Of Roman origin, Barcelona's long history and economic dynamism have provided it with an impressive cultural heritage, shown in the conservation of its rich historic and artistic heritage and in the encouragement of the newest artistic trends. Its long cultural agenda will lead the visitor through museums, exhibitions, outdoor sculptures... and an extensive calendar of music, theatre, and dance. In this tour we will see sights such as the Sagrada Familia cathedral, the Passeig the Gracia, the cathedral and the Olympic port. Accommodation in Barcelona.

Day 8 Barcelona              (B/-/D)

After buffet breakfast at the hotel. We’ll go for a 4 hours Cooking Class, and it starts by accompanying our chefs to the world-famous Boqueria market. You will enjoy an unforgettable shopping experience and learn how to select the best ingredients from hundreds of vendors, many of which have been there for generations. The market tour is followed by our ‘Spanish Kitchen’ class.

In the evening, visit to L‘Aquàrium Barcelona, located in Port Vell, a harbour in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The 35 aquariums at the facility are home to 11,000 animals representing 450 species, and an 80-meter (260 ft) underwater tunnel. The Aquàrium of Barcelona is part of the Aspro Group. The spectacular Oceanarium, which is unique in Europe, is L’Aquàrium de Barcelona’s largest aquarium and home to the greatest number of species. With a diameter of 36 metres and depth of 5 metres, it contains almost 4 million litres of water. Accommodation in Barcelona.

Day 9 Barcelona Full Day to Port Aventura          (B/-/D)

After buffet breakfast at the hotel. We’ll proceed for full day excursion to Port Aventura. Universal Studios Port Aventura is located in the heart of Tarragona's Costa Daurada and is unquestionably one of Europe's most outstanding theme parks. As well as spectacular beaches of fine golden sand, the Costa Daurada also offers all the facilities of the Port Aventura adventure park. A fun- and adventure-packed journey featuring different themed areas –México, Far West, Mediterrania, Polynesia and China– where you'll find live shows and endless attractions, including the emblematic Dragon-Khan. Port Aventura also offers refreshing fun in the Costa Caribe complex, with a range of water attractions, children's areas and recreational zones. And when you need to recharge your batteries, the park has numerous restaurants and snack bars. Accommodation in Barcelona.

Day 10 Departure from Barcelona           (B/-/-)

Buffet Breakfast at the hotel, and transfer to Madrid Airport. End of our services.