Europe
Independent Spain
Treasures of Spain and Portugal
Toledo-Granada-Cordoba-Seville-Evora-Lisbon-Merida-Caceres-Trujillo-Madrid
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Although the Iberian peninsula is divided into two countries, there is something indivisible in it thatgoes beyond politics and history. And there is no better way to come to appreciate this than by followingthis tour. We leave Madrid, after having time to visit its museums, among which the Prado and Thyssen are of special note, and, if you are so inclined, to burn the midnight oil in the city´s justly renowned night life, and head for Toledo, less than an hour away. The city, Spain´s capital until 1561, is a relaxing change to the charged modern atmosphere of Madrid. During the Middle Ages, Jews, Moors and Christians lived peacefully together within the city´s confines and the heritage left by each of these peoples is to be found at every corner of this enchanting city. A multitude of churches and convents as well as itscathedral, one of the most impressive gothic temples on the peninsula, testify to the dominance of its Christian heritage, but Moorish influences are everywhere and one of the city s two synagogues, Santa Maria la Blanca, is among the oldest in Europe. Mythic Granada is not far off, near the peaks of the highest mountain range on the Iberian Peninsula. |
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From any of its lively streets, the Alhambra, the most
impressive palace of the Arabic Middle Ages, presents its majestic presence.
Further west, Cordoba awaits, with its impressive mosque, unique not only in
Spain, but also in the Arabic world, and its Jewish district. Then, Seville
, the magical city, full of treasures waiting to be discovered, palaces and
museums as well as the Giralda, or Golden Tower and the third largest
cathedral in the Christian world. From Seville, capital of Andalusia, we
cross what was the homeland of many of the greatest "conquistadores" of the
Americas, to arrivein Lisbon, capital of Portugal and one of the most
beautiful cities on the European continent. In addition to its cathedral,
Lisbon has districts such as the Alfama, with its strongly medieval flavored
streets and the Chiado, a bohemian district. But, today, Lisbon´s eyes are
on the future, inspired by the success of the 1998 International Expo . A
two hour drive takes us to Fátima, where the Virgin Mary is said to have
made an appearance in front of three shepherds, and which has become one of
the main pilgrimage destinations of the world. We will also visit Nazare, a
fishing village with clear venetian overtones, and Coimbra, site of one of
the oldest and most prestigious universities of Europe. But we cannot leave
Portugal without a visit to Portugal´s second city, Porto. In addition to
its innumerable palaces, churches and its majestic river, the Duero; Porto
is famous for its gastronomy and wines. There will be time to take a sip of
port on our stop in the city. Once again on Spanish soil, we arrive at
Ciudad Rodrigo, a city of ancient knights, defensive fortifications, walls
and palaces. Then on to Salamanca which houses one of the three oldest
universities in Europe, and Avila with the first cathedral in Spain and
surrounded by almost 2 miles of perfectly preserved stone walls. Still in
Castile, we come to Segovia and its beautiful fortress-palace, cathedral and
exquisite cuisine. But what makes Segovia truly unique is its Roman
aqueduct, one of the most majestic and best conserved to be found anywhere.
Two weeks to enjoy and savor the spirit of the Iberian Peninsula.
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| Route sample |
 Day 1:
Madrid. Transfer to hotel. Afternoon City
Walk Old Town (private guide service) Day 2:
Madrid. Day at leisure to explore its museums Day 3:
Madrid. Pick up rental car and drive to El Escorial-Avila-Salamanca Day 4:
Salamanca-Porto Day 5:
Porto. Optional: local guide for visit of the city and its bodegas Day 6:
Porto-Coimbra-Nazare Day 7:
Nazare-Batalha-Fatima-Lisbon Day 8:
Lisbon. Optional: local guide for visit of the city Day 9:
Lisbon-Evora-Seville Day 10:
Seville visit. Afternoon City Walk Old Town (private guide service) Day 11:
Seville-Cordoba-Granada. Optional: private visit of the Mosque in Cordoba Day 12:
Granada. Tour of the Alhambra (private guide service) Day 13:
Granada-La Mancha-Toledo Day 14:
Toledo-Madrid Day 15:
Madrid. To airport, drop off the rental car |
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We offer competive prices that include hotels and car rental, all included, as well as the guides necessary in the major cities where we offer splendid private tours of the major monuments. If you decide to travel with your own car, we can offer you only hotel reservations, with minimum services. These programs are designed for maximum enjoyment with short travel trajectories. We know however that often this is not acceptable as many travelers have a limited number of vacation days available. For this reason we can organize the same route with fewer days without any problem. Once you have accepted our offer based on the days available and we have received the stipulated deposit, you will receive more detailed information on places to visit and points of interest during each trajectory. |
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