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Vk Bcn-Mad-Andalucia 11 N 12 D 1 BARCELONA – MADRID – ANDALUCIA 12 days / 11 nights Day 1: ARRIVAL IN BARCELONA Arrival at the airport of Barcelona. Transfer to a central 3 star Hotel. Afternoon time at leisure. Day 2: CITY TOUR BARCELONA Breakfast. Meet with your guide and monumental visit: Cathedral, Gothic Quarter, Plaza Saint Jaume (Generalitat and Town Hall, Olypic village and Port. Drive to Montjuic where you will have wonderful panorama view of the city. Visit the Spanish Town (poble español) with typical architectural styles of Spain are reproduced. Evening at leisure. Day 3: MONASTERY OF MONTSERRAT Breakfast. Driving across picturesque little villages of the province, we reach the outstanding Montserrat Mountain, Visit the Royal Basilica , where the famous XII century Romanesque sculpture of the “Virgen moreneta” can be admired. End of visit and drive back to Barcelona. Afternoon time at leisure. Day 4: DEPARTURE BY AIRPLANE (1 hours ) or FAST TRAIN (2.5 hours) TO MADRID Transfer to the airport and direct flight to Madrid. Transfer to a central situated Hotel. Afternoon time at leisure to visit the most interesting places of the City. Calle Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Carrera de San Jerónimo, Parlament Square and Neptuno Fountain. Day 5: FULL DAY VISIT MADRID Meet with your guide. Start the full day visit of Madrid. This visit includes the different contrasts of Madrid, from the Bourbons, the Austrians, the Isabelline and contemporary Spain to the Morería quarter with its traditional taste, it’s inn and the buildings of the Old Madrid. The Created by Karisma Incoming Groups & Incentives © elegant orient places, España, Puerta del Sol, Cibeles, Neptuno, Atocha, Puerta de Alcalá, Avenue of the Gran Vía, Alcalá street, Retiro Park and the Bullring. The new Madrid with its modern buildings, gardens and big avenues like Paseo de la Castellana till we reach the Plaza Castilla (Europe Door) and the Football stadium of Santiago Bernabéu, one of the biggest in Europe. Time for lunch in a typical restaurant. Continuation to the Royal Palace. Beautiful exemplar of the architecture of the XVIII century which is one of Europe’s best conserved. Drive from the Palace to Madrid centre and entrance to the Prado Museum. Situated in a neoclassic building which was designed by Juan de Villanueva in 1785, originally conceived for the natural sciences museum. We will visit the rooms of the big genius of the universal paintings, El Greco, Velázquez and Goya, the big artists of the Golden century: Ribera, Zurbaran and Murillo and the Italian school of Tiziano. 2 Day 6: TOLEDO – ESCORIAL – VALLEY OF THE FALLEN Toledo was the capital of our country and one of the oldest cities of Europe. Toledo possesses wonderful examples of architecture from different epochs which convert it in one of the first Spanish monumental cities and was declared part of the World Heritage of Humanity. We will visit the cathedral, the Church of Santo Tomé, the synagogue of Santa Maria La Blanca and the church of San Juan de los Reyes. Drive to El Escorial. El Escorial was respected during many years as the seventh wonder of the world, it was used by Felipe II as monastery and Royal Pantheon. Continuation to Valle de los Caidos, gigantic monument built between 1940 and 1959 in honour of the fallen Spanish people during the civil war. Situated in a magnificent natural park about 1.350 metres above the sea level. One of the most important parts of this monument is the 150th high cross. Drive back to Madrid, rest of the day on your own. Day 7: AVILA – SEGOVIA Departure from your hotel to Avila, a City completely encircled by a medieval wall that was built in the 11th century. Avila has a wide number of churches, palaces and fortified Cathedral from the 12th Century. The city was the birthplace of St. Teresa of Jesus, one of the greatest mystics of the Catholics Church. It is worth to visit the Convent of St. Teresa. Afterwards continuation to Segovia, “the city of the light”. During the Roman times it was a military town. It is rich in historical buildings: the Aqueduct, built by the Romans, the Alcazar, the most spectacular castle in Spain and the Cathedral. “The Lady of the Cathedrals”. In the evening return to Madrid. Day 8: TRAIN TO MALAGA (2,5 hours) After breakfast transfer to the train station. Enjoy the 4 hour train trip with which you will pass Castilla La Mancha the region of DON QUIJOTE & SANCHO PANZA. Enjoy the beautiful landscape. By arrival transfer to the 3 star Hotel situated in Marbella. Afternoon time at leisure to enjoy the sea and the climate of Andalucia. Created by Karisma Incoming Groups & Incentives © Day 9: CORDOBA On the way to Córdoba (short stop for coffee break) you will pass fields of corn, vineyards & olive groves. Córdoba is a city made for us to lose ourselves in its corners, admire its patios, squares, Jewish Quarter, Synagogue, Roman bridge and its beautiful Cathedral Mosque. The mosque is the only one of its kind in Europe, it is a lavish Arabic building which houses within it a cathedral with Gothic, Plateresque and Baroque elements. The art of the Caliphate finds its culmination in this architecture, which until this century was the third largest in the world, and which has quite rightly been declared part of the World Heritage of Humanity. Typical lunch in the Jewish quarter with hallal dishes on request. After the visit of the city regressing to the Costa del Sol, taking the same road back. The panoramic sightseeing will be after lunch. Return to the 3 Hotel and overnight. Day 10: GRANADA In this city the Eurasian, Iberian, Phoenician, Roman, Arab and Christian cultures have left their imprint, making it one of the wonders of the world. It was Spain’s last Islamic Kingdom inhabited jointly by Muslims, Jews and Christians. The Alhambra is the main jewel of this beautiful city. During our visit to the Carlos V Courtyard, Alcazaba and the surrounding group of small palaces, gardens, patios and towers it will become clear to us why the King Boabdil cried when Granada was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs. An outstanding feature are the Gardens of Generalife, was the summer residence of the King. It’s a combination of water springs, gardens and architecture of indescribable beauty. No wonder it is considered one of the most beautiful gardens in the world. After the visit to the Alhambra there will be free time for lunch and we will drive back to the Costa del Sol. Lunch in a Andalusia restaurant with views to the Alhambra Palace. Day 11: SEVILLA Drive to Seville via Antequera. On arrival we will make a full panoramic sightseeing tour of the city including the Santa Cruz district the old Jewish quarter, Maria Luisa Park popular for its white pigeons, Avenue of the Palm Trees, the area surrounding the Expo and entrance to the Gothic Cathedral which is the third largest Christian temple in the world and which demonstrates gothic, renaissance and mannerist styles. It was built on the site of the main mosque of the town. You will also see (without entrance) the Giralda Tower which is the symbol of the city. Free time for Lunch and return to the Hotel. Day 12: DEPARTURE FROM MALAGA After breakfast check-out and transfer to the airport of Málaga and flight back home. Created by Karisma Incoming Groups & Incentives © .
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