Andalucia to Castile Walk - Stanford Alumni Association

S T A N F O R D T R A V E L / S T U D Y
Andalucia to
Castile Walk
Land of the Conquistadors
April 30 to May 12, 2012
a program of the stanford
alumni association

When I was a student studying at
the Stanford Overseas Center in northern Spain,
we made a lengthy exploration of Andalucia. My
classmates and I were captivated, as I’m sure you’ll
be, with the rugged landscape, Moorish cities,
and vibrant music and dance of flamenco. This
Walk takes us along the famous ruta de la plata
through the Extremadura region of western Spain,
home of the conquistadors – soldiers, explorers
and adventurers who plundered the New World
and returned with untold riches. En route to the
magnificent Renaissance city of Salamanca (where I
studied!), we stop in Trujillo, birthplace of Pizarro, and
the exquisite medieval town of Plasencia. Join us!
Brett S. Thompson, ’83, Director, Stanford Travel/Study
SEVILLE
Highlights
EXPLORE Jerez de
los Caballeros, the
birthplace of Vasco Nuñez
de Balboa, the first
European to set eyes
on the Pacific Ocean.
DINE al fresco and
sample the finest cuisine
of the region: the world’s
best ham, the freshest
Atlantic fish and divine
roast meats.
STAY in famous
Spanish paradors,
located in some of the
finest buildings in Spain,
each a historic monument
in its own right.
MONFRAGÜE NATIONAL PARK

Itinerary
Monday & Tuesday,
April 30 & May 1
U.S. / SEVILLE, SPAIN
Depart the U.S. on overnight
flights to Seville (or opt to fly into
Madrid and then take the highspeed
train or connecting flights
to Seville). Gather this evening
with fellow walkers for a
welcome wine reception.
HOTEL ALFONSO XIII
Wednesday, May 2
SEVILLE
Tour the center of Seville,
focusing on its maritime
history and associations
with the Americas. Visit the
famous cathedral that houses
a monument to Columbus
and view the Archive of the
Indies that was built as a
trading exchange but was soon
converted to an archive for all
the documentation relating
to the discovery of and trade
with the New World.
HOTEL ALFONSO XIII (B,D)
(City walking)
Thursday, May 3
SEVILLE / JEREZ DE LOS
CABALLEROS / ZAFRA
Drive north to start our
morning walk, which leads
through the southern edge of
Extremadura, the region of the
conquistadores. Continue to
the small, remote town of Jerez
de los Caballeros, birthplace of
Vasco Núñez de Balboa, famed
“discoverer” of the Pacific
Ocean. Drive north to the castle
of Zafra, home to the Dukes of
Feria. PARADOR DE ZAFRA (B,L,D)
(Approx. 2 hours of walking)
Friday, May 4
ZAFRA / MÉRIDA /
TRUJILLO
Travel north to the ancient
Roman city of Mérida, which
contains one of the greatest
collections of Roman remains
outside of Italy. Explore the
theater, amphitheater and
extraordinary 64-arch granite
bridge. Mérida is the start of the
famous ruta de la plata (“silver
route”), originally a Roman
road that, during the period of
exploitation of the Americas,
became the access road to
the Castilian cities of the north.
Take a short afternoon walk in
the Sierra de Montánchez and
continue to Trujillo, which was

ROMAN AQUEDUCT OF MÉRIDA
home to several of the great
conquistadors, including Pizarro
and Francisco de Orellana.
PARADOR DE TRUJILLO (B,L,D)
(Approx. 2 hours of walking)
Saturday, May 5
TRUJILLO / GUADALUPE /
TRUJILLO
Travel to the great monastery
of Guadalupe to see the
famous statue of the Virgin
of Guadalupe, as well as the
magnificent Zurbarán paintings
in the sacristy. Hike from the
town down toward the little
village of Cañameros.
PARADOR DE TRUJILLO (B,L)
(Approx. 3.5 hours of walking)
Sunday, May 6
TRUJILLO / CÁCERES /
TRUJILLO
Drive to the provincial capital of
Cáceres and take a walking tour
of the beautiful old town, filled
with ancient mansions, paid for
by gold and silver brought from
the New World. This afternoon
is free to enjoy this superbly
preserved medieval city.
PARADOR DE TRUJILLO (B,L,D)
(City walking)
Monday, May 7
CÁCERES / MONFRAGÜE
NATIONAL PARK /
PLASENCIA
Drive to Torrejon el Rubio to
begin our walk through one of
the greatest natural reserves in
Spain, the Monfragüe National
Park. Walk across classic
extremeño countryside of fine
grassland dotted with oaks.
Continue to the medieval
town of Plasencia.
PARADOR DE PLASENCIA (B,L,D)
(Approx. 3.5 hours of walking)
Tuesday, May 8
PLASENCIA
Explore the Monastery at Yuste,
the tiny site that marks the place
of burial of the Holy Roman
Emperor Charles V, who was
also King Charles I of Spain.
Walk toward the 15th-century
castle of Jarandilla, which was
home to the emperor/king
while he awaited the completion
of his apartments in the
nearby monastery.
PARADOR DE PLASENCIA (B,L,D)
(Approx. 3 hours of walking)
Wednesday, May 9
PLASENCIA / SALAMANCA
Drive along the Roman road to
the Béjar pass and walk down
to a Roman bridge. Continue
our walk in the afternoon
before driving on to the city
of Salamanca where we
spend the next two nights
at a converted monastery.
PALACIO DE CASTELLANOS (B,L)
(Approx. 3.5 hours of walking)
Thursday, May 10
SALAMANCA
Spend an entire day in
this beautiful Castilian city,
examining the main square,
the plateresque-style
(silversmith-like) architecture
of the oldest university in
Spain and the highlight of the
town, the twin cathedrals.
PALACIO DE CASTELLANOS (B,D)
(City walking)
Friday, May 11
SALAMANCA / ÁVILA /
MADRID
Drive to the walled city of Ávila
to view the cathedral and walk
the medieval streets. Continue
to the Spanish capital, Madrid,
and check in to our hotel for
our farewell reception and
dinner. PALACE HOTEL (B,D)
Saturday, May 12
MADRID / U.S.
Transfer to Madrid’s airport
for flights home. (B)

Information
Dates
April 30 to May 12, 2012 (13 days)
Size
Limited to 32 participants
cost*
$7,995 per person, double occupancy
$9,795 per person, single occupancy
*Association nonmembers add $200 per person
INCLUDED
11 nights of deluxe hotel accommodations
11 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 8 dinners Welcome
and farewell wine receptions Bottled water
on excursions Gratuities to porters, guides,
drivers and tour staff for all group activities
All tours and excursions as described in the
itinerary Transfers and baggage handling on
program arrival and departure days Minimal
medical, accident and evacuation insurance
Educational program with lecture series
and pre-departure materials, including
recommended reading list, a selected book,
map and travel information Services of
our professional tour manager to assist you
throughout the program
NOT INCLUDED
International and U.S. domestic airfare
Passport and visa fees Immunization costs
Meals and beverages other than those specified
as included Independent and private
transfers Trip-cancellation/interruption and
baggage insurance Excess-baggage charges
Personal items such as email, telephone and
fax calls, laundry and gratuities for nongroup
services
What to expect
We consider this to be a moderately strenuous,
physically demanding program. Daily walks
range from approximately three to six miles in
length. Extremadura’s terrain consists of wide
open valleys with grassland, rugged stony hills
and some forested areas. The trails include farm
tracks that wind through the valleys as well
as several narrow and rocky paths across
scrubby hillsides. To participate fully in this
walking tour, you need to be physically fit, agile
and used to moderate exercise. Several of our
daily excursions might be considered by some
participants to be hikes rather than walks. You
should plan to walk with the group for the entire
day. We welcome travelers 15 years of age and
older on this program.

GUADALUPE
Terms & Conditions
Deposit & Final Payment
A $1,000-per-person deposit is
required to hold space for the
Andalucia to Castile Walk. Final
payment is due 120 days prior to
departure.
Cancellations & Refunds
Deposits and any payments are fully
refundable, less a $500-per-person
cancellation fee, until 120 days prior
to departure. After that date, refunds
can be made only if the program is
sold out and your place(s) can be
resold, in which case a $1,000-perperson
cancellation fee will apply.
We recommend trip-cancellation
insurance; applications will be sent
to you.
Insurance
Stanford Travel/Study provides
all travelers who are U.S. or
Canadian citizens with minimal
medical, accident and evacuation
coverage under our group-travel
insurance policy. Our group policy is
intended to provide minimal levels of
protection while you are traveling on
this program. We strongly recommend
that you subscribe to optional
baggage and trip-cancellation
insurance. A brochure offering such
insurance will be mailed with your
confirmation about one week after
we receive your deposit. The product
offered in this brochure includes a
special Waiver of Pre-Existing
Conditions and coverage for
Financial Insolvency and Terrorist
Acts if you postmark your insurance
payment within 15 days of the date
listed on the confirmation letter.
Eligibility
We encourage membership in
the Alumni Association as the
program cost for nonmembers
is $200 more than the members’
price. Parents and their children
under 21 may travel on one
membership. For more information
or to purchase a membership, visit
alumni.stanford.edu/goto/membership
or call (650) 725-0692.
Responsibility
The Stanford Alumni Association,
Stanford University and our operators
act only as agents for the passenger
with respect to transportation and
exercise every care possible in doing
so. However, we can assume no
liability for injury, damage, loss,
accident, delay or irregularity in
connection with the service of any
automobile, motorcoach, launch
or any other conveyance used in
carrying out this program or for the
acts or defaults of any company or
person engaged in conveying the
passenger or in carrying out the
arrangements of the program. We
cannot accept any responsibility for
losses or additional expenses due
to delay or changes in air or other
services, sickness, weather, strike,
war, quarantine, force majeure or
other causes beyond our control.
All such losses or expenses will have
to be borne by the passenger as tour
rates provide arrangements only for
the time stated. We reserve the right
to make such alterations to this
published itinerary as may be
deemed necessary. The right is
reserved to cancel any program prior
to departure in which case the entire
payment will be refunded without
further obligation on our part. The
right is also reserved to decline to
accept or retain any person as a
member of the program. No refund
will be made for an unused portion
of any tour unless arrangements
are made in sufficient time to avoid
penalties. Baggage is carried at
the owner’s risk entirely. The airlines
concerned are not to be held
responsible for any act, omission
or event during the time that
passengers are not onboard their
plane or conveyance. Neither the
Alumni Association, Stanford
University nor our operators
accept liability for any carrier’s
cancellation penalty incurred by
the purchase of a nonrefundable
ticket in connection with the tour.
Program price is based on rates
in effect in September 2011 and is
subject to change without notice to
reflect fluctuations in exchange rates,
tariffs or fuel charges. As a condition
of participation, all confirmed
participants are required to sign
a Release of Liability.
California Seller of Travel Program Registration #2048 523-50
Tel (650) 725-1093 FAX (650) 725-8675 Email travelstudy@stanfordalumni.org
© COPYRIGHT 2011 STANFORD ALUMNI ASSOCIATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Printed on recycled, FSC-certified paper in the U.S.

“Jim Fox was
perhaps the best
faculty I have met on
our Stanford travels.
His lectures were
organized, engaging,
interesting and
enjoyable.”
Jane Tustin,
Guatemala
Expedition, 2009
Faculty Leader
James Fox, associate professor of anthropological
sciences, joined the Stanford faculty in 1974. He teaches
courses on historical linguistics, language, prehistory, the
biology and evolution of language, linguistic anthropology,
Mesoamerican anthropology, mythology and major
American Indian languages. Professor Fox is fluent in
Spanish and Norwegian and has studied Swedish, Danish
and Old Norse. He is well-known to Stanford travelers as
a leader of educational programs to Mexico and Central
America, the fjords of Norway and the Arctic. During our
Walk, Professor Fox will lecture on Spanish cultural history
and the Age of Conquest.
Director, Stanford’s Center for Latin
American Studies, 2000–2004
BA, Germanic languages, Brigham
Young University
MA, international relations, The Fletcher
School of Law and Diplomacy
MA, linguistic anthropology, and PhD,
historical linguistics, University of Chicago
S T A N F O R D T R A V E L / S T U D Y
Reservation Form Andalucia to Castile Walk
SIGN UP
ONLINE!
MR. / MRS. / MS.
MISS / DR. / PROF.
NAME AGE STANFORD CLASS
MR. / MRS. / MS.
MISS / DR. / PROF.
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EXPIRATION DATE
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DATE
Mail completed form to address on mail
panel or fax to (650) 725-8675 or place your
deposit online at alumni.stanford.edu/
trip?andalucia2012. Please submit your
reservation only once to avoid multiple
charges to your account. 7509

Stanford Travel/Study
Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center
326 Galvez Street
Stanford, CA 94305-6105
(650) 725-1093
Andalucia to
Castile Walk
Land of the Conquistadors
April 30 to May 12, 2012
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
P A I D
Stanford Alumni
Association
“This trip was an excellent introduction to the culture and beauty
of Andalucia. Excellent leaders, a full schedule, wonderful
accommodations – who could ask for more?”
Barbara Anne Hershey, MD ’65, Andalucia Walk, 2009
S T A N F O R D T R A V E L / S T U D Y
SUNRISE AT THE CASTLE MONFRAGÜE