España Bonita

Day 1 – Madrid

¡Bienvenido a España! Your TSA Tours guide will meet you and accompany you, on today’s Madrid City Tour. See the Plaza de España, Retiro Park, Palacio Real, Puerto del Sol, and other highlights. Later enjoy a guided tour of the Prado Museum, a neoclassical building in the heart of Bourbon Madrid containing some of the world’s greatest paintings. Don’t miss Goya’s Majas, Rubens’ The Three Graces, and Spain’s favorite painting, Las Meninas by Velázquez. This evening your guide will lead you on a Walking Tour of Madrid’s historic Plaza Major in Old Town, a large square of remarkable architectural unity, laid out in 1619.

Day 2 – Madrid

Journey into the ancient city of Ávila, one of the most interesting cities in Spain due to its circuit of old town walls containing nine gates and 88 semicircular towers. Ávila, the birthplace of St. Teresa, has long been marked by the saint’s strong personality; her spirit pervades the entire town. Visit the massive Cathedral del San Salvador, begun in 1091. Then tour historic Segovia, where you will visit the turreted Alcázar and see the old town with its impressive cathedral, picturesque streets and well-preserved Roman ruins, including a working aqueduct.

Day 3 – Córdoba

Travel through La Mancha to picturesque Toledo, a town situated on a granite hill with a ring of Gothic and Moorish walls. See the masterpieces by El Greco in the splendid Cathedral. Also see the Old Synagogue, the Church of Santo Tomé, the Royal Palace, and visit a sword workshop. The city is renowned for its damascene ware—black steel inlaid with gold, silver and copper thread. Near Toledo you will see the famous Castilian windmills immortalized in Miguel de Cervantes Don Quixote. Arrive in Córdoba, a city of narrow winding streets, small squares and low whitewashed houses.

Day 4 – Seville

Tour Córdoba, where you’ll see the Roman Bridge, originally built after Caesar’s triumph over Pompey, the Old Jewish Quarter and the Calahorrra Tower. Continue to the Alcázar of Catholic Kings, and visit the famous mosquecathedral (Mezquita). The city owes its fame to the brilliance of the civilizations which it has twice fostered and which each time raised it to the position of capital. Transfer to historic Seville, the capital of Andalusia.

Day 5 – Seville

Seville is a port city of flower-decked houses and splashing fountains. This morning’s City Tour takes you through the city and its parks, including the Parque Maria Luisa. You’ll see the Torre del Oro (Gold Tower), the Museum of Fine Arts and Casa de Pilatus (Pilate’s House), a palace that is mixture of Mudejar, Renaissance and Gothic styles. Also visit Seville’s Giralda and its 15th-century Cathedral, the third largest in Europe and final resting place of Christopher Columbus.