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Home , Aqueduct of Segovia, El Escorial, Nerja

Best of Southern

— , , , Toledo, Cordoba, , Gibraltar, Malaga, , Nerja, — TOUR DETAILS

Best of Southern Spain Highlights • Price: $3,195 USD • Madrid • Discounts: • Royal Site of San Lorenze de El Escorial • 5% - Returning Volant Customer • Roman of Segovia • Museum • Duration: 14 days • Flamenco Performance at El Cardenal • Date: March-October • • Difficulty: Easy • Rock of Gibraltar • St. Michael’s Cave Inclusions • Gibralfaro Castle • Plaza de Toros • All internal flights (while on tour) • Cave of Nerja • All accommodations (2-3 star) • & Albaicin • All meals • Transportation throughout tour Exclusions • Airport transfers • International airfare (to Airport) • Personal guide • Entrance fees to museums and other attractions not listed in ‘Inclusions’ • Personal items: Laundry, shopping, etc. • Traveler’s insurance ITINERARY Best of Southern Spain - 14 Days / 13 Nights Itinerary -

DAY ACTIVITY LOCATION - MEALS

• International Flight Madrid 1 • Arrive: Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) • Transfer to hotel and enjoy a warm welcome dinner Welcome Dinner & Orientation

Madrid • Full day walking tour of Madrid highlights; Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Buen Retiro Park, Royal 2 of Madrid, Palacio de Cibeles, Prado National Museum & Paseo del Prado Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Train ride to El Escorial (90m) El Escorial - Madrid • Tour the Royal Site of San Lorenze de El Escorial 3 • Continue to Valle de los Caidos Memorial Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Return to Madrid (90m)

• Train ride to Segovia (2hrs) Segovia - Madrid 4 • Tour Segovian highlights; Old Town, Alcazar, Cathedral & • Return to Madrid (2hrs) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Train ride to Toledo (30m) Toledo • Tour Toledo highlights; , Alcazar, Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes, Puente 5 de Bisagra, Old Town & El Greco Museum Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Relaxed evening or live opportunities at the Circula de Arte of El Ultimo

• Train ride to Cordoba (3hrs) Cordoba 6 • Tour Cordoba highlights; Great Mosque of Cordoba, & the Plaz de las Tendillas • Evening Flamenco performance at El Cardenal Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Train ride to Seville (45m) Seville 7 • Tour Seville highlights; Seville Cathedral & the Alcazar of Seville • Evening stroll along the Guadalquivir River Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Seville • Continue exploring Seville 8 • Visit the University, Plaza de Espana, Golden Tower and the Macarena Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Transfer to Gibraltar in private vehicle (2hrs) Gibraltar - Malaga 9 • Summit the Rock of Gibraltar, explore St. Michael's Cave, visit the mosque at Europa Point • Continue to Malaga (1hr40m) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Full day sightseeing tour of Malaga Malaga 10 • Visit Gibralfaro Castle & Malaga's Cathedral • Stroll along the turquoise waters of Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day trip to Ronda (90m) Ronda - Malaga 11 • Tour the oldest bullring in Spain, the Arab Baths, Mondragon Palace & Cuenca Gardens • Return to Malaga (90m) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Transfer to Nerja (45m) Nerja - Granada • Tour the Cave of Nerja, hike trough the Almijarra Natural Park, view the gran vistas at the Cliffs of 12 Maro-Cerro Gordo Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner • Continue to Granada (1hr)

• Half day sightseeing tour of Granada Granada 13 • Visit Alhambra, Albaicin and Mirador de San Nicolas • Train ride to Madrid (4.5hrs) Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Madrid 14 • Depart: Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD Breakfast TOUR MAP

Palace of Versailles Rennes Fontainebleau Le Mans Angers Orléans NORTH Loire Valley Puy du Fou Tours ATLANTIC

OCEAN Bay of FRANCE Biscay

Picos de Europa Santiago de Santillana del Mar Bordeaux G a l i c i a Compostela Santander

Oviedo C o r d i l l e r a C a n t a b r i c a San Sebastián Toulouse Nîmes

León Bilbao Montpellier Pyrénées National Park Porto B a s q u e Burgos Pamplona P y r e n e e s ANDORRA Gulf of Guimarãres Valladolid Lion

Salamanca Castillo de Medina

Segovia Zaragonza

Sintra Coimbra Ávila

Tomar S i e r r a d e G r e d Madrido s El Escorial PORTUGAL Cáceres Toledo SPAIN Menorca Évora Merida Buñol Balearic Sea Lisbon Albacete Valencia

Serra de S i e r r a M o r e n a Monchique S i e r r a Mallorca A r a c e n a Cordoba Seville Cazorla Natural Park Granada Cadiz Ronda S i e r r a N e v a d a NORTH Cartagena ATLANTIC Málaga Nerja Algiers OCEAN Rock of Tangier Gibraltar Alboran Sea

Fes Rabat ALGERIA Casablanca V MOROCCO V O L A N T ITINERARY

DAY 1: BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY!

Board your overnight flight to Madrid-Barajas Airport(MAD) - not included. Your Volant guide will pick you up at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Enjoy a welcome dinner and a leisurely evening. DAY 2: WELCOME TO MADRID

Enjoy a full day walking tour of Madrid's highlights. Begin in the heart of this Spanish capital at Puerta del Sol. Heads towards Plaza Mayor to experience its iconic San Miguel Market. Wander through the green gardens at Buen Retiro Park. Tour the , Palacio de Cibeles and the Prado National Museum to better grasp the history and culture of this city. Watch as the sun sets and locals emerge to celebrate life with great food, drink, music and company. Revel in the the sizzling nightlife scene and stroll along the iconic Paseo del Prado. ITINERARY

DAY 3: MADRID - EL ESCORIAL

Climb aboard the Cercania train and begin your half day trip to the Royal Site of San Lorenze de El Escorial. Also referred to as the historical residence of the King of Spain, this site functions as a monastery, basilica, royal palace, pantheon, library, museum, university and hospital. Continue to Valle de los Caidos to discover the controversy and ancient charm of this memorial; honoring those who fell fighting during the Spanish Civil War. In the afternoon return to Madrid to further explore this vibrant and bustling capital. DAY 4: MADRID - SEGOVIA

Rise early and embark on today's day trip to Segovia. Enjoy a half day sightseeing tour of Segovian highlights. Wander through Old Town and explore the impressively preserved built in 50 A.D. Tour the remarkable Alcazar (Royal Palace) and the Segovia Cathedral. Continue to the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso and explore the Versailles inspired gardens and palace. In the afternoon return to Madrid. ITINERARY

DAY 5: TOLEDO

Leaving Madrid in the dust for the time being, continue onward to Toledo. A city built on the coexistence of Christian, Muslin and Jewish cultures, Toledo is home to an impressive list of cultural and monumental heritage. Be sure to explore the Toledo Cathedral, Alcazar, Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes and the Puente de Bisagra. For those who may be interested Toledo is also the location of El Greco Museum. Built in 1911 this museum displays much of Greco's artwork from the late 1500s. In the afternoon scale the Mirador del Valle for sweeping views of Old Town. Enjoy a relaxed evening at your leisure or seek out live music at the Circula de Arte Toledo or El Ultimo.

DAY 6: CÓRDOBA

Enjoy a morning train ride to the once capital of Islamic Spain. Dive into the rich cultural history that is preserved today through architecture, food and dance. Explore the historic center of Cordoba, which was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 for its many mosques, synagogues and churches. Be sure to tour the one of the 12 Treasures of Spain, the Great Mosque of Cordoba, its neighboring Roman Bridge and the vibrant Plaza de las Tendillas. In the evening enjoy a world class Flamenco Show in Cordoba's very own El Cardenal. Considered to be some of the best Flamenco performances in the world, El Cardenal puts on a show that you wont forget. ITINERARY

DAY 7 - 8: SEVILLE

After a morning transfer to the Jewel of Andalucia, enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Seville's highlights. Made an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, the Seville Cathedral is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world and is considered to be one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. As the third largest church in the world, the Seville Cathedral also happens to be the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. Check out Columbus' diary, housed in the museum of the Indies and continue to the breathtaking Alcazar of Seville. This renowned Spanish palace is the oldest royal palace still in use throughout all of . Stroll through the fountain-filled gardens and soak in the magical ambience that lives in the halls of this prestigious building. Use the afternoon at your leisure or rest up for another evening in Spain. Wander along the streets encompassed by the Guadalquivir River to get a taste of Seville's nightlife. Enjoy the local beverage of choice, the Tinto de Verano or any number of the delicious tapas.

Day two in Seville will be dedicated to the continued exploration of this historic city. Use the day to investigate the sights that you didn't get to the day before. Tour the University or the Old Tobacco Factory. Enjoy the hustle and bustle in the public plazas such as the Plaza de España or the Plaza de Toros. View the Golden Tower or the Macarena Basilica. Whatever you decide, the choice is yours. ITINERARY

DAY 9: GIBRALTAR - MALAGA

Rise early and embark out on a scenic road trip to the southern tip of Spain to a British territory most famous for its Rock of Gibraltar. This massive limestone rock rises 1,396 feet out of the sea to create one of the smallest countries in the world. This town isn't just a rock covered by monkeys, it also contains a huge web of underground tunnel systems that the military still uses to practice their tunnel warfare. Summit the rock, explore St. Michael's Cave, visit the mosque at Europa Point and don't let the cute monkeys fool you. In the afternoon continue to Malaga. ITINERARY

DAY 10: MALAGA

Enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Picasso's birthplace. Be sure to visit the museum converted palace that houses some of his most famous pieces. Tour the grand 11th century Gibralfaro Castle and Malaga's Cathedral. Experience the towns unique tapas bars and delicious eats. Spend a relaxing evening walking along the gorgeous beaches and dip your toes in the turquoise waters along Costa del Sol.

DAY 11: MALAGA - RONDA

Escape the coast for a day and tour the astonishing town of Ronda. Perched high above a mountaintop, the prehistoric city of Rhonda exhibits an unique architectural richness with a stunning natural backdrop. Three bridges span the deep gorge that separates old town and new town. Walk along all three for sweeping views of the town and the gorge itself, El Tajo. Visit the Plaza de Toros, the oldest bullring in Spain and the Arab Baths, the best preserved bathhouse in the country. The Mondragon Palace offers great examples of Roman and Moorish tombs and the Cuenca Gardens are a must see. In the evening head back to Malaga. ITINERARY

DAY 12: NERJA - GRANADA

Today explore one of Spain's most iconic attractions, the Cave of Nerja. Located in the hills above the town of Nerja, this cave is home to Paleolithic paintings and striking geology composites. Hike through the Almijarra Natural Park, view the grand vistas at the Cliffs of Maro-Cerro Gordo, explore the aqueduct of Aguila or take a dip at one of Nerja's twelve gorgeous beaches. After a full day among some of Spain's most remarkable scenery, transfer to Granada. ITINERARY

DAY 13: GRANADA

After a relaxed morning head out to experience Alhambra. Located at the base of the Sierra Nevadas this fortress is considered to be the last Moorish stronghold in Europe with sweeping views of the city. Stroll through the grand Cyprus tree studded gardens at and explore this Treasure of Spain. Proceed to the the narrow streets of Albaicín in the old Muslim quarter for fine examples of Moorish architecture. In the afternoon return to Madrid for one last night in Spain.

DAY 14: TOUR ENDS -DEPART

Although no group activities have been scheduled today your Volant guide will ensure timely arrivals to the Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) where you will depart home. Thank you for choosing Volant and safe travels. CONTACT VOLANT

ONLINE www.Volant.Travel

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