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Essence Of Spain
A comprehensive journey from Barcelona to Madrid taking in all the highlights in between....
Experience the best of Spain and discover the true essence of this diverse and intoxicating country. Walk in the footsteps of Gaudi and Picasso in Barcelona, one of the most beautiful and stylish cities of the world. In Andalucia, travel through landscapes dotted with traditional white villages, taste fine wines and learn about age-old olive oil production. Explore the riches that make this region so special including the Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Mezquite of Cordoba; two of the great jewels in the crown. Be inspired by some of the world’s great architectural wonders in the beautiful cities of Segovia and Ávila and discover the treasures that have given both towns UNESCO World Heritage status. Walk through the Old Quarter of Madrid and discover the grand palaces and cathedrals of this magnificent and proud capital. Sample superb Spanish cuisine, unique to each region visited. This trip encompasses a great mix of culture, cuisine and stunning landscapes – Viva España!
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Tour Highlights
- Valencia
- La Boquería market
- Cordoba's Mezquita
- UNESCO World Heritage-listed 11th Century 'Red Castle' of Alhambra
- Walled cities of Segovia & Ávila
Inclusions
Peregrine tour leader, transport, sightseeing and entrance fees.
- Minibus
- Train
- 12 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 3 dinners
Essence Of Spain
Day 1
Arrive Barcelona
Meals Privided:
, Dinner
Your trip starts today with your arrival in Barcelona. Please make your own way to the joining hotel that is centrally located (details are in your travel documents). Whilst at your discretion, we recommend arriving and departing by train where possible within Europe due to this method of transports minimal carbon emissions. There really is so much to see in Barcelona, so if you are arriving earlier, plan to make a few discoveries of your own. A visit to the Picasso Museum is highly recommended. In the evening we meet our tour leader and our fellow travelling companions at a Welcome Meeting (this is usually at 6pm, but you will be advised as to the exact time and place in a notice, located near the reception at our hotel), where our leader will give us a briefing on what lies ahead on our tour. This is followed by a welcome dinner in a local restaurant, where we can dine on local Catalan specialties and absorb the ambiance of this great city.
Day 2
Barcelona
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
This morning we explore the wonders of Barcelona, one of Europe’s most loved and dynamic cities. Our tour includes a visit to one of Gaudi’s masterpieces and a wonderful icon of the city; ‘Sagrada Familia’. Works on the church had already been underway since 1882 when Antoni Gaudi took over the project in 1883 and transformed it into his unique architectural style incorporating a mix of Gothic and Modern forms with soaring and curvilinear columns and arches. Gaudi dedicated most of his life to the project until his death in 1926 and although still unfinished today, the extraordinary site has been declared UNESCO World Heritage status.
Our tour also sees us venture into the narrow medieval streets of the Gothic quarter, home to the city’s impressive Cathedral and the La Boqueria; a colourful public market dating back to 1217. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is at leisure to make your own discoveries.
Day 3
Barcelona - Valencia
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
We farewell Barcelona today and travel by train to the city of Valencia (3 hours), our base for the next two nights. Spain’s third largest city, Valencia has a unique cultural identity with its own unique traditions, many festivals and cultural events held here throughout the year. The city is charmed with a wonderful old town centre, which dates back 2000 years and showcases a harmonious mix of Roman, Muslim and Christian influences through its buildings and monuments, magnificent gardens and important historical sites.
After checking into our hotel we visit Valencia’s major landmark; the City of Arts and Science, a large futuristic museum complex designed by Calatrava. A one hour guided tour will familiarise us with the exterior of the site and we will then have free time to visit the inside of the buildings. After our visit we’ll take public transport back into the city centre of Valencia.
Day 4
Valencia – Albufera Lake – Sagunta - Valencia
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch
This morning we take a short drive south of Valencia to discover the Albufera Lake; an important ecological site of the region. The lake is surrounded by beach, dunes, lagoons, wetlands and Mediterranean forest is home to six small islands. We visit the island of El Palmar and discover its typical ‘Baracca’ houses. By boat we travel into the interior of the lake and learn about the important agriculture of the area, namely the local rice industry which we’ll sample at lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we transfer to Sagunta, north of Valencia. A walk along a zig zagging path via an old Roman theatre brings us to Sagunta’s impressive ruined Castle. Sitting at the crossroads of two roman trading routes, the castle was a former stronghold and important commercial centre dating back to 500 BC. After our visit of Sagunta, we transfer back to Valencia.
Day 5
Valencia - Granada
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
We leave Valencia today and travel by bus to Granada. Along the way we travel through the distinctive countryside of the region and will pass through the palm fringed city of Elche and university town of Murcia. We stop for a visit at the charming village of Guadix home to over 2000 cave dwellings called ‘Barrio Santiago’, which are typically found through the province of Granada, although no town is more abundant in them than Guadix. The thick walls of the cave homes help to insulate against the extreme heat of summers and the cool winters and temperatures are maintained at around 19 degrees year-round. In Guadix, we visit the town’s imposing cathedral, built over a Moorish mosque in Gothic-Renaissance style. We then make our way to the city of Granada, one of the jewels of Andalucia.
Day 6
Granada
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
This morning we take a guided tour through the incredible Alhambra Palace, one of the world’s great architectural masterpieces. Dating back to the 11th Century and taking its name from the Arabic for 'red castle', the Alhambra Palace represents Muslim art in its final European stages. The dominating red fortress towers, sumptuous palace decor, multitude of architectural styles and magnificent gardens of the 'Generalife,' (literally meaning architect's garden) are all set against the brooding backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains and compete for your eyes attention. From the soothing pathways, fountains, impeccably maintained hedges and pools to the centuries old defensive walls, turrets and views overlooking Granada a visit to the Alhambra palace is very memorable. The afternoon is free for you to discover the other highlights of Granada such as the cathedral and the Albaicin quarter. This evening we will regroup for a dinner and flamenco show; the famous dance of Andalucia.
Day 7
Granada - Cordoba
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
We travel across typical Andalusian landscapes to the village of Antequera, one of the most prominent ‘pueblos blancos’ (white villages) in Andalucia with a vast history dating back almost 5000 years. Remnants of this history can be seen today through the town’s burial mounds, dolmens. Moorish castle,Gothic churches and Renaissance structures. We continue our journey to the city of Cordoba, home to the ‘Mezquita’, a rare site which over history has served as both a mosque and a cathedral. Today a cathedral stands within the centre of this amazing mosque, an interesting example of the inter-play of Christian and Moslem cultures in Spain. We discover this supreme example of Islamic architecture on a comprehensive guided tour which continues outside of the Mezquita and continues into the charming quarters and hidden corners of Cordoba.
Day 8
Cordoba – Seville
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
This morning we leave Cordoba and head to Seville. Today we learn more about the important oil production of the Andalucia region with a visit to an oil mill where they’ll also be the chance to taste the different olive oils produced here. On arrival in Seville, we embark on an afternoon visit of the city with our local guide. Our tour will include the famous Seville cathedral and the Giralda tower, one of Europe’s largest cathedrals and home to Christopher Columbus’s elevated tomb. We also explore the quarters of Santa Cruz and Triana. The rest of the day is free so you may wish to take an optional visit to the Alcazar.
Day 9
Seville – Jerez – Puerto de Santa Maria – Seville
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
A full day excursion from Seville will see us travel south to the city of Jerez de la Frontera. Jerez is synonymous with sherry within the region of Andalucia. We have the opportunity to sample the famous sherry at one of the city’s bodegas. We then visit the cosy village of Puerto de Santa María followed by a walk around the Atlantic coastal city of Cadiz where we discover its winding streets, white washed buildings and charming squares. At the end of day we return to Seville for our last night in Andalucia.
Day 10
Seville – Madrid
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
Today we travel from Seville to Madrid on the AVE high speed train (2.5hours). Upon arrival in Madrid we settle into our hotel before heading out on a walk through the Old Quarter of Spain’s capital. The rest of the day is at leisure. Madrid will be our base for the next three nights.
Day 11
Madrid – Toledo – Madrid
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
This morning we pay a visit to the city of Toledo. The unique old town of the city sits on high craggy rock is encircled by the Tagus river. As a former capital of Spain, Toledo has immense historic significance and holds many architectural treasures; examples of buildings from most periods for Spain’s history can be seen here, from Gothic to Baroque. We explore the city with a local guide paying particular attention the Alcazar,
an impressive stone fortification located in the highest part of the old town. After our visit, we drive back to Madrid for a free afternoon. A visit to the one of the city’s most important museums/galleries the Prado, Thyssen or the Reina Sofia, is recommended.
Day 12
Madrid – Ávila – Segovia - Madrid
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Dinner
On a full day trip we discover the UNESCO World heritage listed art cities of Ávila and Segovia. The ancient city of Ávila, on a hilltop is famous for is well preserved city walls and 90 towers that date back to the 11th century. As part of our guided visit we Ávila’s prominent Cathedral which is said to be the first gothic style church built in Spain. In Segovia, we discover some of the country’s best Roman monuments. The impressive aqueduct originally spanned for 16 kilometres and had 118 arches with remnants still visible today. Segovia’s ancient medieval fort is also striking, dating back to the 11th century the Alcazar also served as a royal palace for many years. After our full day of exploring some of Spain’s best historical sites, we make our way back to Madrid. Tonight we join together for a final farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Day 13
End Madrid
Meals Privided:
Breakfast
Our tour ends after breakfast in Madrid. With so much to see and do in this great city, you may wish to extend your stay with a few extra nights’ accommodation – enquire at time of booking.
IN A NUTSHELL
13 days
$5,550
15
TOUR INFORMATION
| Start | End | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 07/10/2012 | 19/10/2012 | $5,550 |
| 24/06/2012 | 06/07/2012 | $5,550 |
| 10/06/2012 | 22/06/2012 | $5,550 |
| 20/05/2012 | 01/06/2012 | $5,550 |
| 06/05/2012 | 18/05/2012 | $5,550 |
| 23/09/2012 | 05/10/2012 | $5,550 |
| 23/06/2013 | 05/07/2013 | $5,550 |
| 09/06/2013 | 21/06/2013 | $5,550 |
| 19/05/2013 | 31/05/2013 | $5,550 |
| 05/05/2013 | 17/05/2013 | $5,550 |
| 14/10/2012 | 26/10/2012 | $5,550 |
| 02/09/2012 | 14/09/2012 | $5,550 |
