Spain
Córdoba, Seville, Zahara, Grazalema, Rhonda, Granada, Toledo, and Madrid
Day 1: Arrive the Madrid airport and pick up your rental car for the four-hour drive to Córdoba. If there is time after checking in, take a stroll through the city before or after dinner. Day 2: Tour the Great Mosque of Córdoba, also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption or Mezquita with its distinctive arches. The Mezquita was first a Christian church then a mosque and then transformed into a church again. Afterwards, take a short hour-and-a-half drive to Seville to visit the city’s cathedral, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Afterwards, enjoy a stroll through the narrow lanes of Seville before retiring to your room. Day 3: Tour the royal palace of Seville, known as the Alcázar, beautifully decorated in the Moorish style. Then drive a few hours to Zahara de la Sierra for hike to the castle perched on a mountain overlooking the rest of the town. After the hike, drive a bit further to the small white Andalucian town of Grazalema for the night. If there is time, wander the town and its spooky church or take a hike through the sheep herds at the foot of the nearby mountains. Day 4: In the morning, drive to Ronda, a city built above a steeply carved canyon. The uniquely gorgeous city looks like a town out of a medieval fairy tale. After touring the city, drive a couple of hours to Granada and spend the night in this lovely city situated at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Day 5: In the morning, tour the exquisite Alhambra palace and fortress complex which overlooks the city and then go down into the city to tour the cathedral. Afterwards, drive to Toledo, and talk a walk through the streets of the old town before heading to bed. Day 6: When you wake up, explore more of Toledo’s old town streets and take get a look at its thirteenth century Gothic cathedral. Next, drive to and visit the residence of the kings of Spain at El Escorial. After the tour, make the short drive to Madrid's airport and return your car. Then take the train into Madrid to your hotel. Day 7: In the morning, walk to the Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun) and then take a tour of the Royal Palace. For breakfast, try some of the delicious pastries near the Puerta del Sol and for lunch, try a calamari roll near the Plaza Mayor. For dinner, visit several tapas restaurants to sample the local flavors before returning to your hotel. Day 8: Enjoy your last day in Madrid by taking in some of the local culture as you visit Madrid's Museo Nacional del Prado (one of the world’s finest collections of European art) and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía (featuring twentieth-century art). If you liked the tapas from the night before, then repeat some of your favorites or try some new ones. Day 9: Return home. |