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DAY 01: NORTH AMERICA
/ EUROPE. Depart United States aboard our
trans-Atlantic jet for Madrid. Dinner and breakfast are served aloft.
DAY 02: MADRID.
Upon arrival at Madrid Airport we are met by our tour escort and motor
coach, and commence our sightseeing tour of Spain's exciting and vibrant
capital city, at 2,200 ft., the highest capital in Europe. Old Madrid is
ringed by the modern building of Europe's fastest-growing capital, whose
"drawing room” is the Plaza Mayor; this bustling, cosmopolitan city at
the heart of Spain has wide avenues and elegant plaza's dominated by
Renaissance, Neoclassical and Romantic architecture. We will see both
the old and the new - drive through the most important streets in town:
Mayor St Puerto del Sol, Parliament Square and Neptuno. Then arrive for
a visit to the famous Prado Museum, especially noted for the works of
Goya, El Greco and Velazquez. Next we visit the Royal Palace, built on
the site of an Arab fortress in 1737; it features an opulent Baroque
interior with over 2,000 rooms. The balance of the day is at leisure you
may care to visit the beautiful Retiro Park, see the world pass by at a
lively outdoor cafe, or shop. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 03: MADRID / CORDOBA / SEVILLE.
This morning we travel through the Spanish countryside to Andalucia, the
quintessential Spain - soon we are in Cordoba, whose Moorish and Jewish
heritage make it one of Spain's most enchanting cities. We visit the
Mezquita, a mosque dating from 785 and built to surpass all other
mosques in grandeur. It covers six acres with over 800 pillars
supporting red and white arches. After some time to wander around the
Jewish Quarter, we set off for Seville, Spain's most romantic city.
Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 04: SEVILLE.
This morning we visit Seville's Cathedral, the third largest
in the Christian world, built in 1401 on the site of a former mosque. We
also visit the Alcazar Palace that still retains its original beauty in
the Almohade style and the Royal Chapel with its amazing tapestries and
fountains. Pass through the Santa Cruz Quarter with its narrow streets
and beautifully adorned balconies, grilles and ceramics. We also see the
famous Giralda, a wonderful work of Moorish Art, before our tour ends in
the Murillo Gardens. The afternoon is at leisure to further explore this
fascinating city. Columbus met King Ferdinand in Seville to receive his
orders to sail to the East. Seville is the setting for some of the
world's most popular operas: "Carmen," "The Barber of Seville," "Don
Giovanni" and the "The Marriage of Figaro." Dinner and overnight at our
hotel.
DAY 05: SEVILLE / JEREZ / TANGIER.
We enter the sunny sherry wine region of Jerez where we visit a typical
Bodega to learn of this unique winemaking technique and have a chance to
sample the wine. Continue to Algeciras where we board our ferry for the
short crossing to North Africa and Kingdom of Morocco. As soon as we
disembark at Tangier, we know we're in a different world. The people,
the food, the architecture, the pace and customs - all are instantly
exotic. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 06: TANGIER.
Our morning exploration of this cosmopolitan city, whose white painted
houses resemble a cubist painting, will start with the Mendoubia Gardens
with it's monstrous 800 year "dragon tree". We enjoy the view of the
port and city from the Kasbah and tour the old Sultans Palace. In the
Zocos you will find many exotic items for sale, the old medina and its
labyrinth of fascinating streets is imbued with the soul of this North
African country. The afternoon is free for browsing and bargaining in
the local souks. Dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 07: TANGIER / COSTA DEL SOL.
We return to mainland Spain this morning and Gibraltar where our
panoramic sightseeing of the Rock will show as the last vestiges of the
Moorish Castle; one of Gibraltar's main attraction are the Barbary Apes,
symbol of British sovereignty, who scamper free in the heights of the
Rock. Continue to the Costa del Sol, a long stretch of Mediterranean
coastline offering a semitropical climate in which palm trees, cypress
and oleander flourish. Drive through the famous resort town of Marbella
and travel along the coast via the picturesque mountain village of Mijas
until arrival in the Torremolinos area for dinner and overnight.
DAY 08: COSTA DEL SOL / GRANADA.
We continue along the Costa del Sol until we reach Motril, where we
ascend through almond and fruit trees to the foot of the Sierra Nevada
mountains. Here is Granada, the crown jewel of the Arab empire and last
to be reclaimed by the Christians. Its Arab quarter is the best
preserved in all of Spain. We visit the Alhambra, a vision right out of
the "Arabian Nights,” a haunting combination of tenderness and strength,
beauty and blood, and which is among the finest examples of Muslim art
and architecture in the world. In the Royal Chapel are the tombs of the
Catholic Monarchs; we also visit the beautiful Generalife Gardens, the
summer residence of the Moorish Kings. Dinner and overnight at our
hotel.
DAY 09: GRANADA / JAEN / MADRID.
This morning we travel through Jaen, scene of many important battles
with impressive fortifications and beautiful landscapes. The town of
Jaen is dominated by the Santa Catalina Castle and surrounded by olive
groves. On through Valdepenas and northward to Madrid. The balance of
the day is at leisure, dinner and overnight at our hotel.
DAY 10: MADRID / USA.
Transfer this morning to Madrid Airport for our return flight to the
United States at the end of our enjoyable tour. |
