Magnificent Madrid, Toledo and Segovia – NEW TOUR (by coach and overnight ferry)

Depart the UK (departures Sunday or Wednesday)

Drive to Plymouth and embark on the overnight cruise ferry to Spain.  Once on board, check-in to your ensuite cabin and explore the ship and its many on-board facilities.  A buffet dinner is included.

Arrival Spain

The following day, enjoy breakfast on board before arriving into Santander early afternoon to continue the journey by coach to Burgos for an overnight stay.  Dinner is included at the hotel this evening.

At Leisure Burgos / Travel to Madrid

This morning, there will be some free time to explore Burgos, a fascinating medieval city.  Stories of medieval knights, Spanish Royalty and countless pilgrims reverberate across the city which is a crucial stopping point on the Camino pilgrimmage route to Santiago de Compostela. Burgos was the capital city of the unified kingdom of Castile and Leon for five centuries, and boasts one of the masterpieces of Spanish Gothic, its Cathedral which is a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Afternoon departure for the drive to Madrid and check-in at the hotel for the next 5 nights.  Dinner is included at the hotel this evening.

Panoramic Guided City Tour,  Prado Museum and Tapas Dinner Experience

Enjoy a 2 hour panoramic guided city tour by coach.  Some of the major sights and attractions you may see include the Plaza de Puerta del Sol with its famous clock located in the heart of the city, the Plaza Mayor, a stunning square, the **Palacio Real, home of the Spanish monarchy and Palacio de Communicaciones, Madrid’s impressive main post office.  See the remarkable architecture of the Gran Vía and the home of one of the most revered football teams in the world, Real Madrid, at the Santiago Bernabeau stadium.

After free time for lunch, a visit is included to the Prado Museum, one of the best art galleries in the world.  Marvel at its’ collection and follow your guide on a tour of the most important artworks it holds.  See works such as The Garden of Earthly Delights!

After the visit, enjoy an early Tapas Tasting Dinner in a traditional Madrid restaurant before returning to the hotel.

OPTIONAL:  Visits to the Tyssen-Bornemisza Art Gallery (free entrance on Mondays) or the Reina-Sofia Museum also possible.

Toledo and Wine Tasting

Toledo, one of the most spectacular multi-cultural cities in Spain and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to the number of historic sights packed into the city. It is built on a natural granite outcrop, overlooked by a fortress and encircled by a steep water-filled ravine, namely the River Tagus.   Meet up with a local guide and discover why the city is known as ‘The City of Three Cultures’.  Walking through the old town and along the maze of narrow, winding lanes you pass churches, old houses and palaces. Important sights include the magnificent cathedral with its paintings by El Greco, the Archbishop’s Palace, the Town Hall, the Law Courts and the 13th century Alcazar de Toledo fortress.  Optional visit to the restored former home of El Greco is possible.

On the return to Madrid, we will visit a premium winery just outside Toledo for a tasting of three local wines and local savouries.  Dinner is at the hotel this evening.

Ávila and the Valley of the Fallen

Drive to Ávila and admire the impressive city walls visible from far away and are among the best-preserved and most complete in Europe.  Meet up with a local guide for a walking tour to discover more of this medieval World Heritage City of cobbled streets, interesting churches and delicious local cuisine.  See the cathedral which is attached to the city walls and the Convent of Santa Teresa, the symbol of the city.  Ávila’s most famous sweet – yemas de Santa Teresa – is named after her.

From here, make the short drive to The Valley of the Fallen (Valle de Cuelgamuros), a Spanish memorial commissioned by Francisco Franco to commemorate the Spanish Civil War, featuring the world’s tallest Christian Cross at 152 metre high that dominates the landscape of the Madrid mountains.  A vast underground basilica carved into the rock includes a 262 meter long nave, 6 chapels and a 41 meter high dome and beneath the basilica are buried tens of thousands of war victims.

Return to the hotel for dinner and evening at leisure.

Old Madrid, The Royal Palace and Flamenco

The best way to discover a city is to see it on foot and during a 2 hour guided walking tour discover the oldest part of the city and learn about its fascinating history.  The tour includes a stop for ‘hot chocolate and churros’ and some ‘secret nun cookies’ from the convent Monasterio del Corpus Christi.

After some free time for lunch a visit is included to the Royal Palace which is actually double the size of Buckingham Palace!  Built in an Italian baroque style, it was the former residence of the Spanish Monarchy from 1766-1931.  Nowadays, it is still a great example of the establishment of Madrid as the capital of the kingdom.

This evening enjoy dinner followed by a passionate Flamenco Show featuring renowned artists.

OPTIONAL:  Visit of the Liria Palace Museum also possible.

Depart Madrid, Segovia and Palencia

Drive north of Madrid towards the beautiful town of Segovia where an impressive Roman aquaduct with 167 arches marks the entrance to this fairy-tale Castilian city, with the Sierra de Guadarrama in the background.  Meet up with a local guide for a walking tour which includes a visit of the Cathedral.  After free time for lunch, enjoy a visit of the spectacular Alcázar, a castle with hidden passageways that seems straight out of a novel.  Together with the old quarter and the castle, the town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site

Continue towards Palencia for an overnight stop.  Dinner is included at the hotel this evening.

Overnight ferry from Santander

Make the journey to Santander port and embark on the overnight cruise ferry to the UK.  Once again, you will have chance to enjoy the on-board facilities together with a buffet dinner before retiring to your en-suite cabin.

Return to the UK

Enjoy a breakfast on board while the ship continues her cruise to the UK, docking at Plymouth.  Disembark and continue the journey home by coach.

‘The Strawberry Train’, Aranjuez Royal Palace Gardens and Tagus River Cruise

A journey on the historic ‘Strawberry Train’ to Aranjuez following its original route when it opened in 1851.  The city is best known for its Royal Palace and Gardens, the most splendid in the whole of Spain.  Enjoy a guided walking tour of the Parterre Gardens and La Isla together with a tourist boat trip on the Tagus River.

(Note:  The train operates weekends only during March, April, May and October).