Details, prices and bookings come from the operator (coda-tours.com). Check with them before you go.
No description has been added for this tour yet. The operator's site has the details.
Depart the USA on any regularly scheduled non-stop flight to Madrid.
Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to the 4-Star Hotel Only You, a new, thoroughly contemporary hotel on chic and trendy Calle Barquillo. Centrally located in the fashionably gay Chueca neighborhood, it is surrounded by lively restaurants, cafes, bars, and excellent shopping at many nearby shops and boutiques. Relax in its comfortable atmosphere and excellent downtown location before enjoying our evening tapas tour, setting the tone for a delicious indulgence in the Spanish way of life. Venture into the heart of Madrid de las Austrias (the charismatic “Old Austria” area, reflecting 16th and 17th century architecture in all its opulent grandeur), and visit quaint, charming restaurants and bars to taste hearty, traditional food in small-plate portions, accompanied with some pleasingly potent local wines, all amidst the joyous hullabaloo of the welcoming Madrileños. The choices are extensive and exotic (rare types and preparations of meats, fish and seafood, vegetables, eggs and cheeses and, especially, the obligatory “tortilla de patatas” – Spanish potato omelet)…‘tapear’ in Madrid is a fun and local alternative to the full-blown sit down meal. Return to hotel with overnight in Madrid.
After breakfast in the hotel, join your local guide for a walking tour of sunny, yet mild, Madrid, with its many well-known plazas, monuments, museums and palaces. First, visit one of the capital’s most impressive sights, the immense statue and tree-lined 18-th Century Plaza de Oriente leading into the Royal Palace – the imposing and opulent Spanish royal residence, it features an outstanding collection of paintings, sculptures and tapestries as well as the Royal Armoury, considered one of the best armor collections in the world. Next, wander through the narrow streets of Madrid de las Austria (“Old Austria”) including Plaza Mayor – built during Philip III’s reign (1598–1621) – a wonderfully porticoed Baroque square, lined with impressive residences, fanciful arcades, picturesque shops and cafes. Spend time in this historic quarter of the city, and visit the peaceful Plaza de la Villa. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.
After breakfast, leave Madrid and enjoy Spain’s countryside as you drive towards the ancient municipality of Toledo – a charming town of old adobe-brick houses, stone churches and winding cobblestone streets. First recognized as a Roman fortress in 192BCE, it grew to a village, then town, and yet – most importantly – into a hallowed site for the religions of the world. This “City of Three Cultures”, marking the convergence of Christianity, Islam and Judaism in one revered area, has kept its adherence to religious tolerance throughout the generations. Outlasting turbulent times (expressly “The Middle Ages” and “The Spanish Inquisition”) it was named a “World Heritage Site” in 1986 by UNESCO for its contribution to religious harmony. See two of the remaining medieval Spanish synagogues – Santa María La Blanca and the Synagogue of El Transito. At the center of Toledo, you will find the soaring Cathedral Primada Santa Maria de Toledo, a Roman Catholic cathedral in the then prevalent Gothic design. Its Sacristy contains many paintings by El Greco, Van Dyck and Goya, plus an impressive collection of medieval garments and textiles. Stop at the Church of Santo Tomé, and marvel at El Greco’s famed “Burial of the Count of Orgaz”, considered to be El Greco’s finest work. Also, The Museum of El Greco contains an extensive collection of the former Toledo resident’s unique and haunting paintings. This afternoon, on your own, you might opt to have lunch and then stroll or shop before returning to Madrid.
This morning, check out of your hotel and transfer to Madrid’s Atocha Train Station – here you will board your AVE High Speed Train to Cordoba*. (Approximately: 1 hour 45 minutes). We are reserved in Business Class.
This morning, check out of your hotel and drive to Granada, travelling through hilltop villages and across the rolling Sierra Nevada. After a pleasant drive filled with beautiful Spanish landscapes, arrive in Granada and proceed to the “Old City” neighborhood and check-in to the hotel.
Enjoy a private tour of the Alhambra, the best preserved example of a Moorish fortress/palace in Europe, and one of the world’s most romantic monuments dating back more than 600 years.
After checking out of your hotel, enjoy a relaxing drive across the Spanish Sierra to the small, ancient city of Ronda (first settled by the Celts in the 6th Century BC, then occupied by Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs and Christians). Famous for its very defensible location, Ronda is perched along a gaping gorge over the Guadalevin River – dividing the city into two defined areas: “La Ciudad” (the “Old Moorish Quarter”), and “Nuevo Ronda” with its “new” 16th Century architecture. Explore the “Old Quarter” – a favorite haunt of Hemingway, Orson Welles and the German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke – a picturesque cluster of buildings seemingly clinging to the white limestone cliff-sides, offering fantastic views and photo-ops. The spectacular bridge, Puento Nuevo (taking from 1751-1793 to successfully complete), spans the gorge and the view looking into the valley below is heart-stopping! From here, visit other points of interest: the lively main square, Plaza de España; Casa del Rey Moro, leading into Mina, the 300-step Islamic staircase cut directly into the cliff-side and descending to the bottom of the El Tajo gorge (118m/390ft); and MuseoTaurino, displaying a collection of bull-fighting memorabilia and connected to the Plaza de Toros, Ronda’s premier professional bullring. Ronda is considered the birthplace of modern bullfighting, and this bullring is possibly the most beautiful in Spain – it was here, in the 16th Century, when Philip II of Spain established the Real Maestranza de Caballeria, a training facility for developing horsemanship and teaching bullfighting techniques. Lunch is included in the city.
This morning, check-out of hotel and drive to Sevilla. En route enjoy a stop in the municipality of Utrera, set in a beautiful countryside of olive groves, ripening wheat and sunflowers.
After breakfast in the hotel, with our local guide, step out into, arguably, Spain’s most beautiful city for a Walking Tour of Seville.
This morning, check out of your hotel and transfer to Seville Airport, where you will board your departing flight to the USA.
4–12 Nov 2027 · Spain · with Coda Tours
8–19 May 2027 · +1 more date · Spain · with Out of Office
10–19 Sept 2027 · Spain · with Out Adventures