Spanish Ole

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Leon, Oviedo city tour. We will leave in the early morning and cross Castilla and Leon. We will have a stop in TORDESILLAS to learn the history of this small town and have coffee at its main square. Then we will continue on to LEON, a historic city on the Way of St James, where we will have time for lunch and to see the fantastic Gothic cathedral. After that, we will cross the Cantabrian Range mountains on our way to Asturias. Arrival in OVIEDO in the mid-afternoon. We will include (occasionally on Tuesday mornings) an hour-and-a-half visit of the city with a local guide in which we will visit its 9th century cathedral, Calatrava Congressional Palace, Campoamor Theatre and Calle de la Rua.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Fantastic landscapes. Altamira National Museum. Panoramic city tour of Santander. We will travel to Picos de Europa. We will visit Basílica de COVADONGA, which is surrounded by beautiful scenery. Then, we will resume our journey following the coastline to SANTILLANA, one of Spain’s most beautiful towns, and we will visit its well-preserved medieval quarter. We will also visit the National Museum and Research Centre of ALTAMIRA (ticket included) located in the vicinity of this town. We will later travel to SANTANDER, the region’s capital, a coastal city with amazing views and beaches. We will explore and learn about this elegant city and beautiful bay on the included panoramic city tour. NOTE: On some high difficulty dates (especially in summer from May to mid September), some groups can be accommodated in Bilbao.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Bilbao. Wine Museum in La Rioja. Santo Domingo de la Calzada. Dinner in Zaragoza. We will follow the motorway along the Cantabrian coast; some of the scenery we will go through as we travel between the mountains and the sea is of special beauty. BILBAO. We will arrive in the Bask Country’s largest city and, upon arrival, we will go on a short tour of the city with a local guide which will cover: Guggenheim area, old quarter, Cathedral… then there will be free time for some “pintxos”. We will then travel to La Rioja region, an outstanding wine region. We will visit the Wine Museum in Briones and learn about the importance of wine making from time immemorial. Later on, we will stop in SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA, a historic town on the Camino de Santiago, whose cathedral houses a hen and a rooster. ZARAGOZA, we will arrive in the late afternoon. Dinner included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Zaragoza Sightseeing tour. Rack railway to Montserrat Abbey. We include a morning sightseeing tour of the city of ZARAGOZA with a local guide. We will visit the Cathedral-Basilica of Our Lady of the Pillar. We will also learn about Goya, the famous painter (and see some of his works), visit a Roman theatre, a Renaissance palace and walk by the Aljafería Palace. After lunch, we will continue our journey and head to the POBLET MONASTERY, a walled monastery surrounded by beautiful scenery. It is one of the best preserved medieval monasteries in the world (ticket included with guided tour). We will later travel to MONSERRAT ABBEY where we will board the rack railway and take in the fantastic landscapes. We will resume the trip and go to BARCELONA, where we will arrive in the late afternoon. Note: Due to the shorter days during the winter months and, in order to reach Montserrat during daylight hours, we will not visit the Monastery of Poblet in this season.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfer to Las Ramblas district. Today we will explore Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Medi­terranean Sea. Starting by an informative city tour with a local expert (note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide.) We will also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neigh­bourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. We will also get the chance to see La Sagrada Fa­milia Basilica, the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This open-air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy the Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different regions that make up Spain. You will then have some free time to explore the city at your own leisure. In the evening we provide a transfer to Las Ramblas and the Plaza Cata­lunya area for dinner, where you can choose from a wide variety of restaurants. We will return to the hotel in the late evening.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: visit Peniscola, a beautiful walled town and its castle by the sea. Sightseeing in Valencia. Evening transfer. We will journey south along the Mediterranean, making a special stop in PENISCOLA, a small walled town on the shores of the sea. After a short introduction by our guide, you can make your own way through town, discovering its fishing port, the castle and beach at your own leisure. We will then travel to VALENCIA, where we will have time to have lunch. A local guide will take you on a tour of the city in the afternoon. Valencia is the third largest city in Spain where the modern blends with the historical. In the tour we will learn about its historic city centre, the fish market, the cathedral and the avant-garde City of Arts and Sciences. In the evening we will have a transfer to the Plaza de Toros (bullring) area where you will have time to have dinner. Return to the hotel in the late evening.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Tourist train in Caravaca. Today we will continue our trip and head to ALICANTE. We will have time to take a walk in this charming, coastal city and, after lunch, we will make our way to the Murcia region, where we will visit CARAVACA DE LA CRUZ, a town considered by the Catholic Church as one of the five holy cities. Its church holds a relic of Christ’s Cross. We will also take a train ride up to its historic area, which we can explore, before we continue our trip along scenic roads on our way to Andalusia. We will end the day in GRANADA.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Visit the Alhambra (if you bought the trip with the entrance included). Night transfer. We will have a full day in GRANADA. For those who booked the trip with the entrance included, in the afternoon we will visit with a local guide the immense Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife gardens, built in Arab times. In the evening we will visit the, a World Heritage site as is the Alhambra, where you can have dinner in the narrow winding streets of this captivating Medieval Moorish quarter. At night, you will have the option to attend a flamenco dance show in the traditional neighbourhood of Sac­romonte. IMPORTANT NOTE: The maximum number of people allowed to visit the Alhambra is limited by the local government. Given that the number of tickets assigned to tour operators is small, and we are only given the confirmed number one month before your arrival, even if you buy the trip with the ticket included we cannot guarantee entrance to the Alhambra. In such event, we would offer entry to the Reales Alcázares in Seville, which is similar. As with the Alhambra visit, the group would be led by a local guide of the city of Granada. If the Alhambra is a very important landmark to visit for you, we suggest you purchase the trip “without tickets” (the lowest price) and book your tickets on-line on the heritage website https://www.alhambra.org as there is a larger quota for individual visits/purchases.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Costa del Sol and the Andalusian village of Ronda. Departing from Granada and travelling towards the Costa del Sol, we will arrive in MALAGA and explore its historic city centre, with its cathedral and the Picasso Museum. After this we will continue along the coastal motorway with beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Stopping in PUERTO BANUS, Marbella, a pretty resort known as the playground of Europe’s rich and famous. In the afternoon we will continue through the hills until we reach RONDA, a very beautiful “white town” with its large gorge that divides it in two. Then we will travel onward to SEVILLE, arrival sometime in the late afternoon.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Guided visit with local expert in Seville. Boat trip along the river Guadalquivir. Night transfer to the historic centre. After breakfast, a local expert will guide you on a scenic visit of Seville featuring the Cathedral and its famous Giralda (bell tower), the banks of the Guadalquivir River, popu­lar neighborhoods of Santa Cruz and Triana and the beautiful Plaza de España. After the visit, we will include a boat trip along the river Guadalquivir, enjoying the panoramic views from the boat. Right after, you will have free time to explore at your own leisure. At the end of the afternoon, we will go to the historic city centre area (Calle Alfonso XII) where there are many different types of restaurants for you to choose from.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: visit Cordoba. Windmills in Consuegra. We leave Seville following the valley of the Guadalquivir to CORDOBA. We will visit Cordoba’s great Cathedral-Mosque and the Synagogue (entrance to both is included) with a local guide. Take a stroll in the old district with its famous flower patios and will have free time to discover its flowered alleys. After lunch, we will continue our trip towards the Castilian lands and stop at CONSUEGRA, with its 12 giant windmills next to the castle. We will take advantage and visit the Gastromolino Windmill whilst we are in the area of the La Mancha plains. Continuing then on to MADRID, where we will arrive towards the end of the day.End of our services. Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night.