Offer Expired
Waiting for operator update
Tour: 12 Days
Departs: n/a
Day 1 (MADRID – AVILA – SALAMANCA )
Pick up your hire car and drive westward out of Madrid in the direction of Salamanca. On the way be sure to visit Son Lorenzo de El Escorial, the imposing Palace / Monastery built by Philip II. Stop for lunch at the Parador just inside the walled city of Avila, then a leisurely run in to Salamanca. Overnight Salamanca.
Day 2 (SALAMANCA )
Breakfast. A full day to enjoy old Salamanca and its superb historic sandstone buildings. Salamanca is a wonderful University town, with great traditions and a magnificent old quarter. Overnight Salamanca.
Day 3 (SALAMANCA – CACERES )
Breakfast. Drive south from Salamanca to historic Caceres passing some interesting medieval towns on the way. Your journey takes you via Bejar and Hervas, both worth a visit, then on to Plasencia and perhaps lunch at the Parador. Caceres has a superb, historic old quarter incorporating many noble houses of the 16th century and winding cobbled streets. The city has been declared Patrimony of Mankind by Unesco. Overnight Caceres.
Day 4 (CACERES – MERIDA – SEVILLA )
Breakfast. Departure for Merida. This interesting town founded by the Romans has impressive ruins located in its centre which are well worth seeing. The Roman ruins include a large Amphitheatre and many interesting mosaic floors of the original houses of the settlement. After lunch head south into the region of Andalucia to Sevilla via Zafra. Sevilla is capital of Andalucia and the most quintessential of all Andalusian cities. Overnight Sevilla.
Day 5 (SEVILLA )
Breakfast. A full day to explore this exciting city, host to Expo '92. Visit the Giralda and the Cathedral, the Reales Alcazares, Casa de Pilatos, La Maestranza (Bull Ring), the fabulous Plaza de España and the Maria Luisa Park. Take time to stroll along the river Guadalquivir and just absorb the atmosphere that is so particular to Sevilla. Overnight Sevilla.
Day 6 (SEVILLA – ARCOS DE LA FRONTERA – RONDA )
Breakfast and a pleasant run south toward the area of the White Towns of Andalucia, where we propose you spend 2 nights relaxing in the special ambience of the village called Ronda, ensuring to stop for lunch in lovely Arcos de la Frontera on the way. In Ronda you can stay at the wonderful local Parador and enjoy yourselves soaking up the local scenery and the regional cuisine. Simple side-trips can be made from here to many smaller villages and the coast. Overnight Ronda.
Day 7 (RONDA )
Breakfast. A full day to further relax and enjoy the sights of this most charming Andalusian ‘white town’. Overnight Ronda.
Day 8 (RONDA – ANTEQUERA – GRANADA )
Breakfast. Depart eastward towards Granada via Antequera and Loja, both worth a short visit. Granada, was the last bastion of Moorish rule in Spain in the land they called Al-Andalus. Overnight Granada.
Day 9 (GRANADA )
Breakfast. Visit the fabulous Palace of the Alhambra and the Gardens of the Generalife from where the last Caliph Boabdil defended the diminishing Moorish lands of 'Al-Andalus'. The Nasrid dynasty brought the Alhambra to its height and saw the completion of the palace in the 14th century. Granada lying between mountains and plains is surely one of the most romanticised cities of all Spain. Be sure not to miss the historic Albayzin quarter of the city. Overnight Granada.
Day 10 (GRANADA – ALMAGRO )
Breakfast. Head north today through olive groves to Almagro via Ubeda, Baeza and Jaen. Almagro is in the heart of La Mancha and home to the legendary Don Quijote. Overnight Almagro.
Day 11 (ALMAGRO – TOLEDO )
Breakfast. The morning at leisure to explore the centre of Almagro. Visit the Corral de Comedias located in the old medieval square. Time to move and make your way north to Toledo, located just 70km south-west of Madrid. Toledo is a city locked in time where Muslim, Christian and Jewish influences combine perfectly. Spend the day strolling along the narrow winding roads of the old quarter within the city walls. Visit the Cathedral, the Alcazar (Royal Palace) and the Church of Santo Tome, the Synagogue just to name a few places…..Cross over to the Parador located outside the city walls and experience a fantastic view of Toledo and the Tagus River, basically unchanged since the 16th century. Overnight Toledo.
Day 12 (TOLEDO – MADRID )
Breakfast and time to make tracks toward Madrid airport in order to connect to your next destination. Drop off car on arrival at the airport.
Contact Firstclass.com.au for availability and prices.
