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. |
