The Beauty of Spain

In the morning he finds us ready for a new adventure! An emblematic metropolis in the Iberian Peninsula, Madrid knows how to live. Art lovers often return here to admire some of the most remarkable works of artists such as Goya, Velázquez, Picasso or Dali, exhibited in the Museums: Thyssen, Prado, Queen Sofia, which form the “Golden Triangle” of Spanish culture. We start the visit in Madrid with a panoramic bus tour during which we see: the modern Cuatro Torres district, Columbus’ Column, the National Library, Cibeles Square. We travel on the Spanish Broadway Gran Via to Plaza España. The steps take us to the Royal Palace, the Cathedral, the Plaza Mayor, the Puerta del Sol.

Free time in Madrid for individual visits.

Optionally, those thirsty for Iberian art and culture can go on a trip to the city of Toledo, which seems like a world taken from story books. Here Jewish, Muslim and Christian culture have coexisted harmoniously since ancient times. We visit the Church of San Juan and the Cathedral, the fifth largest in the world. Return in the evening to our hotel in Madrid. Accommodation.

As a natural film set, Cordoba is full of life and here Jewish and Muslim influences have been harmoniously intertwined for centuries. We visit one of the most beautiful Islamic buildings in the world, the Mezquita Catedral, with its imposing arches and Byzantine mosaics. The entrance to the building is through a beautiful garden with oranges, palm trees and cypresses. We walk to the old Jewish quarter, where we see a 14th-century gem, the Cordoba Synagogue, and walk the alleys with colorful shops and inviting flowering plants. We leave the beautiful city with its wonders of Moorish influence and head to Seville. Evening arrival and accommodation in Seville.

Seville irremediably seduces you from the first steps. Arriving in Seville we will admire the Alcázar Royal Palace, a masterpiece of architecture that combines Mudejar and Gothic styles, the Cathedral, the largest in Spain and which houses the funerary monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus. We continue our visit with Jardines de Murillo built in 1911, where we find the famous monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus and stop in the imposing Plaza de Espana, a small Venice, with chic bridges and mini canals on which tourists walk smoothly by boat. Accommodation in Seville at the same hotel.

We leave Seville in the morning for another treasure of the Iberian Peninsula, Granada, which is called “the land of a thousand castles”. We enter the Alhambra Complex “a pearl beaten in emeralds” as the poets described this place where we visit the Palace of Charles V and the Parador and admire the Alcazaba, the Nasrid Palace and the Generalife gardens. A love letter of Andalusia to the Moorish style, the Alhamba complex has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. From its height you can admire the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains, but also the Alboran Sea. We hardly let ourselves be carried away by the lacy magic of the palace and return to the bus to resume our foray into Spanish culture. Hotel accommodation in Granada area.

The delicious breakfast brings us with the energy and the desire to explore Guadix, where we see the unique houses in the world that are in caves. I admired the medieval Arab fort in the city and the cathedral, in Gothic, Baroque and Renaissance style. Then we head to sunny Valencia, the third largest city in Spain. The imposing futuristic buildings blend harmoniously with those in Gothic, Baroque or Art Deco style. We visit the cobbled square, Plaza de Toros, a fabulous Roman arena with a capacity of 12,000 people, and the Cathedral. We stop at the City of Arts and Sciences, a center for culture and science, a masterpiece of the architect Calatrava, one of the greatest contemporary architects. In the evening we retire to the hotel in Valencia. Accommodation.

We leave Valencia, pass the orange and almond orchards and reach Peniscola, nicknamed the City of the Sea, a fortified port located at 67 meters altitude. Here we see the castle built by the Knights Templar which was certainly the source of inspiration for King’s Landing from the Warp of Thrones. Nicknamed the Gibraltar of Valencia, the fortress is still inhabited today, the architectural ensemble and the daily tour of the locals offering us a fascinating spectacle. We capture the scenes in spectacular frames to show at home, then we head to Barcelona. One of the most visited places in Europe, Barcelona is a magical, cosmopolitan city full of unforgettable attractions. We start the panoramic city tour with Montjuic Hill, the National Museum of Catalan Art, Plaza de España, Plaza de Catalunya. Hotel accommodation on Costa Brava.

We enter the heart of Barcelona and admire the Sagrada Familia, Park Guell and the Columbus Monument. We walk on the famous pedestrian street Las Ramblas, visit Barri Gothic, the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. Free time for shopping, or enjoying a portion of tapas in Plaça Reial.

Free time in Barcelona or optional trip to Montserrat, where we visit the Benedictine monastery. The church of the monastery houses in one of its chapels the unique and mysterious statue of the Black Madonna, which represents the Mother of God with the Baby in her arms. In the evening we head to the hotel. Hotel accommodation on the Costa Brava.

We leave colorful Spain leaving a part of our souls there and convinced that the experience will be just as pleasant, whenever we repeat it.