EUROPE - Scenic Tours

SPAIN, PORTUGAL
AND RIVER CRUISING
The Alhambra, Granada
Day 1 Madrid Welcome to Spain. You will be met
at Madrid’s International airport by your Scenic Tours
Representative and transferred to your centrally located
hotel. Meet up this evening over a welcome drink with
your fellow travellers and Tour Director. Two Night
Stay: Hotel Villareal.
Day 2 Madrid This morning our tour includes
Madrid’s ‘must-sees’; the parkland entertainment centre
of Casa de Campo, the arcaded square Plaza Mayor,
the bustling Puerta del Sol and the Plaza de Espana. We
then visit one of the world’s greatest art galleries, The
Prado. Our art guide is an expert in his fi eld and specially
selected by the Prado to offer tours of this amazing
collection. This afternoon, Madrid with all its mystic is
yours to explore at your own pace. Meals: FB,HD
Day 3 Madrid – Salamanca A short drive
takes us to the Valley of the Fallen – a memorial built
in honour of the fallen from the Spanish Civil War. We
continue to Avila and enjoy a tour of this fortifi ed town
with its mighty medieval walls before we depart for
the ancient town of Salamanca. The town is home to
possibly the oldest university in Europe, founded in
1218. Admire the architecture of the Plaza Mayor, the
Casa de las Conchas and the university. Overnight Stay:
Palacio de Castellos.
Meals: FB
Day 4 Salamanca – Lisbon Today we cross into
Portugal and drive through rugged mountain ranges
before arriving in Fatima, where the Virgin Mary is said
to have appeared to three shepherd children 6 times,
initially on May 13, 1917. We continue on to Nazare,
one of Portugal’s pretty fi shing villages with long, sandy
beaches for you to stroll on before we continue south
along the coast to the nation’s capital, Lisbon. Two
Night Stay: Tiara Park Atlantic.
Meals: FB
Day 5 Lisbon We enjoy an in-depth tour of the city
this morning with our local guide. We visit the bustling
port area and see the Monument to the Explorers
and Belem Tower before a guided inspection of the
Hieronymite Monastery. We drive via Estoril and its
casino to the nearby fi shing village of Cascais, where
we enjoy the freshest of catches for lunch at O Pipas.
Afterwards, we journey to the gorgeous village of Sintra
and visit the 500 year old Palacio Nacional – a former
royal summer residence.
Meals: FB,HL
Day 6 Lisbon – Seville Today we return to
Spain and Andalusia’s most evocative city, Seville. Our
highlight dinner this evening is at an excellent fl amenco
restaurant where you’ll enjoy a traditional meal and
be entertained by fl amboyant dancers and singers.
Two Night Stay: Palacio de Villapanes. Meals: FB,HD
Day 7 Seville A former Roman town, Seville
was under the authority of the Muslim Umayyad,
Almoravid and Almohad dynasties for 500 years
until 1248. The city retains many Moorish features,
including large sections of the city wall. A golden age
ensued through trade with the Spanish Territories
of the New World. We join our local guide this
morning and are shown the enormous cathedral
which houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus
and visit the Alcazar of Seville, originally a Moorish
fort and now a palace still used by the royal family.
Then you’ll step aboard a horse-drawn carriage
which will wind its way through the city’s streets and
alleyways. This afternoon we take a river cruise along
the Guadalquivir past the island of La Cartjua where
Expo’92 was held. The rest of the day is at leisure to
enjoy this well preserved historical city. Meals: FB
Day 8 Seville – Ronda Our fi rst stop today is to
a bodega in the town of Jerez de la Frontera where we
will sample some of the world’s fi nest Sherries and visit
the equestrian training centre. We enjoy some time to
wander the streets of the old town before we continue
to Ronda, dramatically divided into two by a deep
canyon and linked by three bridges. Tonight we dine
in our historic hotel which features stunning views of
the gorge. Overnight Special Stay : Hotel Parador de
Ronda.
Meals: FB,D
Day 9 Ronda – Marbella On our tour of Ronda
this morning you’ll enjoy breathtaking views from
the Puente Nueno and a guided visit to the oldest
operating bullring in Spain, built in 1785. Then it’s off
to the chic seaside resort of Marbella, famous as a
playground for Europe’s super-rich. Admire the palm
lined promenades and beaches before checking into
your seaview room at a resort hotel for a relaxing
stay by the Spanish seaside. Two Night Stay: El Fuerte
Marbella.
Meals: FB,D
Continued
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
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