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DAY
1 DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA
Enjoy full meal service on your scheduled wide-bodied flight
to Madrid.
DAY
2 ARRIVE MADRID - EL ESCORIAL - VALLE DE LOS CAIDOS - SEGOVIA AREA
(2 NIGHTS)
We will
be met at the airport by our Tour manager/guide, where we
will board our own private bus and travel just north of
Madrid for a visit to El Escorial, a massive
monastery-palace commissioned by Philip II. During our
visit we will explore: the Royal Apartments,
many decorated with fine tapestries, the Pantheon of
the Kings, which contains the mortal remains of all
the Spanish monarchs from the time of the emperor Charles V,
the Art Gallery, featuring works by Bosch,
Titian and El Greco, the Basilica, and the
spectacular Library, with over 40,000 original
books from Felipe II and a ceiling by Tibaldi. We continue
with a visit to nearby Valle de los Caidos, the area
built by General Franco as a memorial to those that died in
the Spanish Civil War. Our visit will include the
Basilica, which is carved into the mountain, and a view
of the giant cross dominating the sky. We continue to our
hotel in the Segovia area.
DAY
3 SEGOVIA
This
morning we will explore historic Segovia, where we will view
the impressive Roman Aqueduct, an architectural
marvel built by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago. We will
continue with a Walking Tour through the city center,
which will include a visit to Segovia Cathedral, the
last Gothic church built in Spain. Our morning concludes
with a visit to the fairytale Alcázar, a castle
dating from the 12th century. Royal romance is associated
with the Alcázar; it was here that Isabella first met
Ferdinand, and Philip II married his fourth wife, Anne of
Austria. Our visit will be highlighted by the equally
proportioned replicas of Isabella and Ferdinand’s thrones,
the Battlements of the once-impregnable castle, and the
tower, originally built by Isabella's father as a prison.
· Your First Concert Performance will be today
DAY
4 SEGOVIA AREA - AVILA - SALAMANCA AREA (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we
journey to Avila, a city begun on orders of Alfonso VI as
part of the general reconquest of Spain from the Moors. Our
morning begins as we explore the 11th century
Walls of Avila, which feature 88 semicircular towers,
more than 2,300 battlements, and nine gateways. Our day
continues with a visit to the Basilica de San Vicente,
which houses the tomb of St. Vincent. The medieval carvings
on the tomb, which depict his torture and subsequent
martyrdom, are fascinating. We will also visit Avila
Cathedral, which is built into the old ramparts. After
a bit of free time to explore or shop in Avila at our
leisure, we continue to Salamanca, known as “La Dorada” due
to the golden stone used in its buildings.
DAY
5 SALAMANCA
(RENAISSANCE & PLATERESQUE SPAIN)
Today we
will explore Salamanca, Spain’s primary University City.
Our day begins in the Plaza Mayor, one of Spain’s
largest and grandest squares, before walking past the
Iglesia de San Martin and La Casa de las Conchas. We
continue with a visit to the adjoining Cathedral Vieja
and Cathedral Nueva. The two cathedrals are unusually
built side by side and offer a contrast in styles, ranging
from Baroque, Romanesque and Renaissance. In the Old
Cathedral, the 53-panel altarpiece, painted by Nicolas
Florentino in lustrous colors, frames the statue of
Salamanca’s patron saint, the 12th century Virgen de la
Vega. Our walk continues through Salamanca’s old quarter
and we will view the 1st century Puente Romano, the Convento
de las Duenas, Iglesia-Convento de San Esteban, and the
magnificent Torre del Clavero.
· Your Second Concert Performance will be today
DAY
6 SALAMANCA
AREA - TOLEDO AREA (1 NIGHT)
This
morning we travel to historic Toledo, picturesquely located
on a hill above the River Tagus. Our day commences with a
Walking
Tour
to explore central Toledo, with streets barely wide enough
for a man and his donkey. During our walk, we will have the
opportunity to visit spectacular shops that produce and sell
Damascene gold jewelry, as well as medieval swords. Our day
continues with a brief visit to the Iglesia de Santo
Tomé,
where we will view El Greco’s masterpiece, The Burial of
the Count of Orgaz. Toledo is the capital of Sephardic
Judaism and we will visit the
Sinagoga
del Transito,
which features the most elaborate Mudejar architecture in
Toledo. Our visit will also include the adjoining
Museo Sefardí,
with fascinating tombstones, costumes and sacred objects.
DAY
7 TOLEDO
AREA - MADRID (2 NIGHTS)
This
morning we begin with a visit to
Toledo
Cathedral,
the spiritual heart of the Spanish church, and the seat of
the Primate of all Spain. Our day continues to Madrid,
Spain’s cosmopolitan capital city. Our sightseeing begins
with a visit to the Templo de Debod, a 4th century
Egyptian temple rescued from the area flooded by the Aswan
Dam. The temple was given to Spain as a tribute to Spanish
engineers involved in the project. After time to relax and
enjoy the views from the adjoining Parque del Oeste,
we will take a stroll down the bustling Gran Via, one
of Madrid’s liveliest streets and finest areas to shop. Our
day concludes as we explore Madrid’s Old Quarter. We
will see the Plaza Mayor, Madrid’s most famous
square, and the Puerta del Sol, where we will view
the Kilometer Zero marker and Madrid’s symbol, the
Madrono.
DAY
8 MADRID
(TREASURES OF THE BOURBON MONARCHS)
Our day
will begin in the Plaza
de España,
where we will view the monuments to Columbus and Don
Quixote, before walking past the gardens and statues that
lead up to the richly decorated Palacio Real, the
home of Spain’s Bourbon monarchs until 1931. Our afternoon
begins at the Puerta de Alcala, the ceremonial
gateway to Madrid erected by Carlos III, followed by a walk
along the Calle de Alcala to the Plaza de Cibeles,
featuring a magnificent fountain with a statue of the Roman
Goddess Cybele.
· Your Third Concert Performance will be today
DAY
9 DEPARTURE
FROM MADRID
Our enjoyable and rewarding tour will come to an end as our
tour manager/guide accompanies us to the airport for the return
flight home.
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