Train tour of Barcelona, Madrid & Andalucia / 12 Days
This holiday can start on any date you request and start from either Madrid, Barcelona or Andalucia
Day One - Arrive Barcelona and transfer to your hotel for 3 nights. Barcelona is a city unique in Spain for its strong sense of identity,
culture and fascinating buildings. Just stepping outside the front door of your hotel and you are in one of the most fashionable areas of the
city; just a few metres away from Gaudi’s La Pedrera and the word famous Passeig de Gracia – a large, tree lined avenue lined with designer
shops from all over the world including Channel and Cartier to name a few. Running parallel is La Rambla; probably Spain’s most famous
street which cuts through the city in a straight line to the coast packed full with locals and tourists, street vendors & artists. Off La Rambla is
the Gothic Quarter; a maze of narrow streets lined with cafe bars and restaurants.
Panoramic view of Barcelona taken from the viewpoint "Turo de la Rovira"
Day Two - Guided city walk of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. For this morning you will have a guided walking tour of the Gothic quarter of
Barcelona discovering the medieval buildings and plazas and also enjoying the bohemian atmosphere of the 19th century for which the city is
world famous.
Afternoon guided tour of La Sagrada Familia. La Sagrada Familia is no doubt the most iconic structure in Barcelona. The church, located
in L'Eixample barrio has been a focal point of Barcelona since construction commenced in 1882 and as building continues on today the
structure's fame only grows. Antoni Gaudí spent 43 years on this project and, since his death in 1926, the duty to finish it has been passed on
to several architects. Your tour will include a detailed walk around the outside and then you will pass by the queues as you have time to
explore the impressive interior of this once seen never forgotten building.
Gothic quarter
Sagrada Familia - stained glass windows
Day Three - A free day to relax and further explore Barcelona. There is so much more to see in the city including a trip to the Parque Güell ; a
perfect example of the Modernismo period of Barcelona where architects were called to expand upon the trending “Art Nouveau” and build a
bourgeois living área for the cities rich and famous. In the afternoon head to the port and beach side área of the city where you can enjoy a
lunch in one of the many “chiringuito” style beach bars and soak up some sun for the afternoon.
Parque Güell
La Rambla, also called Las Ramblas. It is the name of
a landmark boulevard of Barcelona which runs
between Plaza de Catalunya and the ancient port.
Olympic Port
Day Four - Transfer to railway station and high speed train to Madrid. Arrive Madrid and transfer to your hotel for 2 nights. Madrid is
the Capital city of Spain where all roads leading out across the country start from zero. The main highlights of the city are of course the
“Golden Triangle of Art” – three world class museums headlined by “El Prado” where you can see the masterpieces of El Greco, Valazquez,
Goya, Picasso and Dali.
Royal Palace and Cathedral
Plaza Mayor, a grand arcaded square in the center of Madrid
Guided walking tapas tour. For your first evening in Madrid you will get a first hand experience of the gastronomy, culture and history of the
city on a tapas walking tour that takes you off the tourist track, discovering what Madrid is really all about whilst feasting on the local
specialities.
Day Five – Guided tour in the Golden Triangle of Madrid. In central Madrid, three of the best museums in Europe are located within a tenminute walk of each other: Museo del Prado, Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. The most important of the
three is the Museo del Prado, where you can see the definitive collection of Spanish art over the past 500 years. The Reina Sofia is a less
heavy experience with excellent modern art examples feom Dali and Goya and many other examples of weird and wonderful art from the past
100 years. The Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza is a more varied collection as it covers art from medieval times up to the present day and was
once the largest private art collection in the world.
Prado museum. Main entrance
Portrait of Giovanna Tornabuoni
by Domenico Ghirlandaio.
Thyssen- Bornemisza Musseum
Guernica (Picasso). Reina Sofia museum
Day Six - Transfer to railway station and high speed train to Seville. Arrive Seville and transfer to your hotel for 2 nights The
flamboyant Andalucían capital city of Seville combines its Moorish history with the legacy of the Spanish Golden Age when Columbus brought
back immeasurable wealth from The Americas. The beautiful Arabic minaret "la Giralda" towers over one of the largest gothic cathedrals in
the world and the colourful Plaza de España contrasts with the Mudejar palaces of the Royal Alcazar. The white washed barrio Santa Cruz is
the perfect spot for a long lazy lunch, as you shade under an orange tree in a tiny cobbled plaza.
Flamenco Show. For your first evening in Seville we shall make you a reservation to watch flamenco in the city. Unpretentious and authentic;
it is where you can see the up and coming National stars who are studying the art of flamenco. The setting is also perfect; a traditional
Andaluz patio on the edge of the barrio Santa Cruz.
Day Seven - Guided walking tour of Seville. A local guide will give you walking tour of the city showing you the most famous historical sites
plus many hidden gems that only the locals know, including a visit to the Alcazar and cathedral, climb to the top of La Giralda. After lunch you
are free to further explore the city, take a boat trip up the Río Guadalquivir or relax in the shade of the Marie Louisa park.
Real Alcazar - Courtyard of the Maidens
The cathedral and its bell tower "La Giralda"
Courtyards of Santa Cruz quarter
Day Eight - Transfer to railway station and train to Granada. Arrive Granada and transfer to your hotel for 2 nights. After you have
settled into your hotel, take a short walk to the souk like streets of the Alcaiceria surrounding the cathedral. Here you can try the delicious
array of tapas that Granada offers from broad beans cooked with ham; meat balls with almond and saffron, to crumbling slices of manchego
cheese and the best jamon serrano from the Alpujarran village of Trevelez.
Day Nine – Private Guided visit to The Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens: The Alhambra Palace, was short-listed to be one of
the New Seven Wonders of The World. It is an absolutely stunning complex of palaces, summer gardens, fountains and courtyards which
once seen is never forgotten and often revisited time and time again. Built during the reign of the pleasure loving califas, every view inside the
complex is a picture of harmony and balance with natural light and the sound of running water creating the perfect environment for meditation
and relaxation; which was the essence of Moorish life at this time. This morning you will be met by your own personal expert and guide who
will give you a two hours and a half tour of the palace complex and gardens that will bring every corner to life through its history and legends.
Early evening is the best time to wander around the Albaicin, the medieval quarter of Granada which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Winding your way up you will eventually reach the Plaza de San Nicolas where local flamenco artists gather to practise, overlooking the
famous panoramic view of The Alhambra with the snow-capped sierra.
The Albaicín. The old Arab Quarter
The Alhambra at night - Panoramic view
Day Ten - Transfer to railway station and train to Cordoba. Arrive Cordoba and transfer to your hotel for 1 night. In medieval times
Cordoba was the most advanced city in the whole of Europe; a centre of culture and learning where Christians, Muslims and Jews lived
together in a thriving society. Today it is a sleepy Andalucían city with an austere atmosphere, quite different from the passion and
flamboyance of Seville. The streets surrounding the mezquita are filled with ancient bodegas and tapas bars and a glass of the local sherrylike Montilla is an absolute must.
Guided walking tour of Cordoba. The great mosque was built to rival Mecca and is a building of incredible mystic powers and the first
glimpse inside is a jaw dropping experience. This jaw then drops further when you encounter a huge catholic cathedral almost hidden inside!.
Surrounding the mezquita is the delightfully crumbling juderia; a fascinating place to get lost in as you wander around the narrow maze of
streets, lined with geranium filled balconies and green shady plazas. There are many things to discover in the juderia from original Moorish
bath houses, to one of the only three synagogues that survived the expulsion of The Jews from Spain.
Cordoba courtyards
Interior of mosque of Cordoba
Day Eleven - Transfer to railway station and high speed train to Madrid. Arrive Madrid and transfer to your hotel for 1 night.
Day Twelve – Departure transfer to Madrid airport and say farewell to España!
Tips and Ideas ....
• Have an extra night in Barcelona to visit the monastery of Montserrat and Cava’s Cellar in San Sadurni
• Stay one night longer in Madrid and take day trip to Toledo, Escorial or Avila & Segovia.
• Have an extra night in Seville and take a day trip on the train to Jerez de la Frontera where you can visit a traditional sherry bodega or watch
the dancing Andalucian horses.
What is included in the holiday
• Accommodation (11 overnights. Breakfast is included in all hotels)
• Guided walking tour of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and entry to Cathedral
• Guided tour and entry to La Sagrada Familia
• Guided tour to “The Golden Triangle of Art” in Madrid with entry to museums
• Tapas tour of Madrid
• Guided walking tour of Seville and entry to Cathedral and Alcazar
• Flamenco show, only tickets
• Private guided tour of The Alhambra Palace and Generalife gardens
• Guided walking tour of Cordoba and entry to Mosque and Alcazar
Transport
• Private transfers airports and railway stations
• High speed train tickets from Barcelona to Madrid, Madrid to Seville, Seville to Granada and Granada to Cordoba
• Porterages at hotels
Proposed Hotels:
Cities
First Class Charming Hotels
Barcelona
Roger de Lluria 4*L
Madrid
Palacio San Martin 4*L
Sevilla
Casas Rey de Baeza 4*L
Granada
La casa de la Trinidad 4*S
Cordoba
Las Casas de la Juderia 4*L
Luxury Hotels
Casa Fuster 5*GL
Westin Palace 5*GL
Alfonso XIII 5*GL
Hospes Palacio Patos 5*
Hospes Palacio de Bailio 5*GL
Please enquire for an exact quote for specific dates and particular room requirements.