Day 1 - Tuesday, March 06:
Departure at 8:00PM from Toronto to Madrid on a non-stop flight with Air Canada. Dinner as well as a light breakfast will be served on board.
Day 2 - Wednesday, March 07:
Arrival at 9:30AM at Madrid Airport, where a comfortable private coach will be waiting to take us to in the picturesque old town of Cuenca, situated in the Castilla-la Mancha region of Central Spain (170km). Accommodation in a first-class/4-star
hotel in the heart of the attractive old town, the Convento del Giraldo, a “carefully restored 17th-century building combining comfort and modern technology with old original architectonic elements and an exquisite décor”. Free time to settle in, followed by a leisurely walk in wonderful old Cuenca, an outstanding example of a medieval city, built on a steep mountainside, famous for its “hanging houses,” built on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the Huecar River below - an amazing sight! The entire town is classified as a
UNESCO World Heritage Site. A welcome drink (Sangria, perhaps?) will be followed by dinner in the restaurant of our hotel.
Day 3 - Thursday, March 08:
After breakfast, we motor from Cuenca into the region known as Levante, “land of the rising sun,” Spain sunny eastern seacoast, stretching north and south of its great metropolis, the historical city of Valencia (200km). Arrival in Valencia around noon, and visit to the futuristic museum complex known as the City of Arts and Sciences, where you will be amazed by the spectacular, ultra-modern architectural creations of masters such as Sir Norman Foster and Santiago Calatrava: El Puente de l'Assut de l'Or, a bridge whose 125-meter high pillar is the highest point in the city; L’Agora, a covered plaza in which concerts and sporting events are held; L'Umbracle, a landscaped walk with plant species indigenous to Valencia, such as lavender, honeysuckle, and bougainvillea, and sculptures by contemporary artists, including Yoko Ono. We also visit L’Oceanogràfic, the largest aquarium in Europe, featuring an incredible variety of creatures from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, including sharks, belugas, walruses, and penguins, and the Prince Felipe Museum of Sciences, resembling the skeleton of a whale! In late afternoon we check into a first-class/4-star hotel. Dinner in the hotel.
Day 4 - Friday, March 09:
Morning sightseeing tour of Valencia’s historical city centre, with sights such as Ayuntamiento Square, the Gothic Cathedral, Palacio de la Generalidad, the medieval, late-Gothic Silk Exchange, known as la
Lonja, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Central Market, an enormous metal-and-glass building dating back to the 1920s. We finish the program with a visit to the fabulous González Martí National Ceramics Museum, housed in a 15th-century palace. The afternoon is free to shop or explore Valencia on your own. We recommend a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, featuring masterpieces of local, Spanish, and international masters such as Van Dyck, Murillo, Velázquez, El Greco, and Goya. This evening, opportunity to attend a traditional Flamenco show (optional).
Day 5 - Saturday, March 10:
Our full-day excursion starts with a tour of the Huerta (“garden”), the fertile countryside around Valencia, served by an irrigation system that goes back to the time of the Romans, and specializing in oranges (“Valencia oranges”!) and other citrus fruits as well as market gardening. Then we explore the Costa del Azahar, the “Orange Blossom Coast,” stretching to the north of Valencia and featuring almond as well as orange groves, beaches, resorts, and historical seaports. The highlight will be lovely Peniscola, an ancient fortress perched on top of a rocky peninsula, photogenically connected to a fine sandy beach. On to Sagunto, where we will visit the Roman Theatre and view the impressive ruins of the ancient acropolis on top of a high and very steep hill, famously besieged by Hannibal and his Carthaginians in 218BC – an opportunity for your tour guide to sort out the fascinating history of Spain in Antiquity! (Did you know, for example, that the name Spain means “Land of Rabbits,” and was concocted by the Phoenicians around 1,000BC?) Return to Valencia in late afternoon and free evening.
Day 6 - Sunday, March 11:
Departure from Valencia after breakfast. We motor south along the famous Costa Blanca or “White Coast.” This is where the easternmost peaks of Spain’s central mountain range, covered by pine, olive, and almond trees, meet the turquoise waters of the Mediterranean, and steep cliffs and rocky headlands alternate with salt flats and sandy beaches, tourist resorts, and fishing villages. Stops will be made regularly for pictures and refreshments, e.g. at the amazing rock called Penyal d’Ifac, and in resorts such as Calp and Altea, and of course immensely popular Benidorm. Late-afternoon arrival in the ancient and very attractive seaport of Alicante, where we will stay in (rooms with sea view) in the first-class/four-star
Hotel Melia, located on the Mediterranean waterfront. Dinner in one of the restaurants in our hotel.
Day 7 - Monday, March 12:
Morning sightseeing tour of wonderful Alicante, with highlights such as Santa Barbara Castle, situated on top of a steep hill overlooking the city; the Cathedral; City Hall; Santa Maria Church; and Esplanada de España, a wonderful waterfront promenade with multicoloured pavement. The afternoon is free to shop and/or explore Alicante on your own. No group dinner, but Alicante has plenty of fine eateries, ranging from Michelin-starred gourmet restaurants to tapas bars that are ideal for an evening of “grazing”!
Day 8 - Tuesday, March 13:
Full-day excursion to nearby
Elche, a North-African-style oasis town featuring more than 200,000 date palms, originally planted by the Phoenicians and later expanded by the Arabs; this is one of Spain’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The major attractions here are El Palmeral (the palm grove); the lush Municipal Park; the Huerta del Cura, featuring an 150-year-old palm tree, originally dedicated to Austrian Empress Elisabeth, a.k.a. Sissi; the Baroque Santa Maria Basilica; the medieval Calahorra Tower; and the Arab Baths. We also visit the Museo del Palmeral (Palm Grove Museum), and will enjoy some free time for lunch and exploring on your own. On the way back to Alicante, we will briefly stop in the town of Jijona to visit a factory/museum focusing on the local specialty, a delicious type of nougat known as turron. Returning to Alicante, it will still be possible for the art lvoers to visit the exquisite Asegurada Museum of Modern Art (MACA), featuring works by world-famous artists such as Picasso, Braque, Gris, and Miró. Today, group lunch in Elche OR dinner in Alicante.
Day 9 - Wednesday, March 14:
Departure from Alicante after breakfast. We motor inland and cross Don Quijote’s La Mancha again on our way to the heartland of Spain, the province of Castile. Madrid, formerly a minor Castilian town, was chosen as the capital of Spain by King Philip II, but he himself moved to a residence outside of the city, the monastery of El Escorial, and this is our destination for today. However, if time permits, we will enter Madrid for a few hours to enjoy a “panoramic” city tour, covering sights such as Plaza de España, the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor. Dinner and overnight in the comfortable superior tourist-class/three-star
Hotel Los Lanceros.
Day 10 - Thursday, March 15:
Morning guided visit to the huge 16th-century monastery
El Escorial, a UNESCO World Heritage Site described as “built on an exceptionally beautiful site in an austere architectural style, where Kind Philip II of Spain, then the most powerful monarch in Europe, retreated to spend the last years of his reign”. In the afternoon we visit the nearby “Valley of the Fallen” (Valle de los Caidos), a controversial but impressive Franco-era monument to the victims of Spain’s Civil War. Return to our hotel and free time before our “hasta la vista!” - dinner in a typical restaurant.
Day 11 - Friday, March 16:
After breakfast, transfer to Madrid Airport in time for the 11:00AM departure of our non-stop return flight to Toronto with Air Canada, scheduled to arrive at 2:30PM.
