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Travel through Madrid and Toledo, Seville, Cordova and Granada, where
you'll see architectural wonders that will transport you back in time. Enjoy the
opportunity to view artistic masterpieces, soaring cathedrals and beautifully
preserved statues that paint a picture of ancient Spain. Our journey through
Spain also includes Da'at Encounters and tours of Jewish Spain, to see where
scholar Maimonides lived, to walk through Jewish quarters and understand the
effects and results of the Inquisition on the Jewish people of
Spain.
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Tour Highlights
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- Visit the El Prado Museum,
Madrid
- Enjoy the Royal Palace in
Madrid
- See the Plaza Mayor, which is a pure example of
Spanish Baroque
- Stop at the Samuel Halevi Abulufia Synagogue in
Toledo
- Visit to the Great Cathedral, burial place of
Christopher
Columbus
- Walk through the Jewish Quarter
in Granada including the Yehuda
Halevi Square and the Statue of
Maimonides
Trip Includes
- 7 nights accommodation in selected hotels
- 4 nights
Madrid
- 2 nights
Seville
- 1 night
Granada
- Breakfast daily and 5
dinners
- Sightseeing per itinerary in
a modern air-conditioned motor coach with panoramic windows, reclining seats
and footrests
- Services of a friendly and
professional English-speaking Expedition Educator throughout
the trip
- Entrance fees per
itinerary
- Arrival and Departure
airport Transfers
- All hotel and airport portage and
tipping included
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DAY ONE:
Wednesday DEPARTURE
- Depart the U.S. on your way to
Spain.
Overnight: Flight
DAY TWO: Thursday ARRIVAL
- Arrive at Madrid International Airport.
- Welcome by our representative and assistance with
arrival formalities.
- Transfer to the hotel, and check in. (A transfer from
the airport to your hotel is included.)
- Relax, unpack and settle in.
- Meet your Expedition
Educator and fellow travelers for dinner and orientation.
Overnight: Madrid
DAY THREE: Friday THE ARTISTIC LEGACY OF SPAIN
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Introductory tour
of the city and overview.
- Morning visits:
- Depart for a grand
Neoclassical city tour of Madrid including the Gran Via Cibeles
Square, Puerta de Alcala, Retiro Park, Paseo de Recoletos. Continue into
modern Madrid with Columbus Square,
the Castellana and the financial district with its skyscrapers and
contemporary architecture. At Plaza
Colon, known for its unique statues celebrating the voyages of
Columbus, view
the magnificent fountains of Poseidon and Cibeles.
- After lunch on
your own, visit the El Prado Museum that contains one of the world's finest
collections of Spanish, Italian and Flemish paintings. It also houses the
masterpieces of some of the most famous Spanish painters, including Velazquez,
Murillo, El Greco and Goya, as well as the works of El Bosco, Rubens, Fray
Angelico, Rafael, Tintoretto and Tiziano.
Da'at Encounter:
Dinner with members of Madrid's Jewish
community.
Overnight: Madrid
DAY FOUR: Saturday THE GLORY OF
MADRID
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- The Jews and Legacy of Spanish
Jewry with Expeditions Tour Educator.
- Visit to the Royal Palace. The Royal
Palace was built during the 18th century and is housed in the building of the
old Alcazar of Madrid. One of the best preserved buildings of its period, it
is used by the Spanish Crown for official receptions, presentations and
official events. Its rooms are filled with artistic works belonging to the
royal family.
- Conclude the morning at Plaza Mayor, a
pure example of Spanish Baroque, and an historical site dating back to the
time of the Inquisition. See Puerta del Sol, the heart of the city and the
starting point of all roads in Spain, known as ‘zero kilometer.'
- Spend the afternoon at the Reina Sofia
Museum, with the famed Guernica work of Picasso, among other great
masterpieces.
- Free evening in Madrid on your
own.
Overnight: Madrid
DAY FIVE: Sunday TOLEDO
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Check out of hotel.
- Drive to Toledo, ‘Spain's Jerusalem' and visit the
market, the Jewish quarter, the Samuel Halevi Abulafia Synagogue that was
turned into the La Sinagoga del Tránsito (Synagogue of the Dormition) Church,
the Sephardic Museum and the Santa Maria La Blanca Church (St. Mary of
the White Synagogue Church).
- View the painter Greco's famous masterpiece, The
Burial of Count Orgaz.
- Lunch at leisure.
- Overview of the city and the Tagus River, which
circumvents Toledo.
- Return to Madrid.
- Free time and dinner on your own.
Overnight:
Madrid
DAY SIX: Monday SEVILLE
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Early morning departure by speed train to
Seville.
- Lunch at leisure.
- Visit to the Santa Cruz neighborhood, formerly
Seville's Jewish Quarter, once known as Juderia, with its winding alleyways
and remnants of Jewish life found within the contemporary city.
- Visit to the Great Cathedral, burial place of
Christopher Columbus.
- Visit the Inquisition House and then continue to the
Statue of Tolerance, sculpted by Eduardo Chillida.
- Visit the Plaza España, Plaza Mayor and the Garden of
Maria Luisa.
- Visit the Alcazar Palace.
- Visit to the La Giralda Cathedral, built in the 12th
century and whose bell tower became the city's symbol.
- Dinner at the unique Hacienda El Bulli.
- Evening activity: Flamenco performance at the Casa el
Andalus.
Overnight: Seville
DAY SEVEN: Tuesday CORDOVA
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Drive to Cordova.
- Guided visit in Cordova, birthplace of Maimonides and
one of the world's most renowned centers of Islamic and Jewish culture and
scholarship, where all of the three major Western religions once lived in
relative harmony.
- Visit the Jewish Quarter, the Plaza Tiberias and the
Yehuda Halevi Square; continue on to view the Statue of Maimonides and
then visit the small Moorish-styled building known as the Maimonides
Synagogue, and Cordova's famous Cathedral-Mosque with 1,000 colored
columns.
- Da'at Encounter: Visit to Casa de Sefarad-Casa de la
Memoria, dedicated to the history of the Sephardic Jews living in Cordova and
Spain prior to the Inquisition and expulsion in 1492, and meet with the people
responsible for the creation of this private historical venture in the Jewish
Quarter.
- Return to Seville.
- Free time and dinner on your own in
Seville.
Overnight: Seville
DAY EIGHT:
Wednesday GRANADA
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Depart for Granada.
- From Granata Al Yahud To A Granada
Without Jews: Discussion with the Expeditions Tour Educator.
- Lunch at leisure in
Granada.
- Guided visit to the Realejo, the
former Jewish quarter and the site of the original name of the city Garnata
al-Yehud. Explore the meandering streets and traditional neighborhood
that has no physical remnants of the Jewish community, but that is abundant in
stories.
- Guided visit to the Cathedral, the
first Renaissance Temple built in Spain, which has great dimensions and
magnificent altarpieces.
- Dinner and wrap-up conversation
with group members.
- Free time to wander around the
Albaycn, an old Moorish neighborhood of narrow streets and charming white
houses that is full of local color, and which has been declared a cultural
heritage site by UNESCO.
Overnight: Granada
DAY NINE: Thursday DEPARTURE
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Depart for the Granada Airport.
- Transfer to the airport for your flight home. (A
transfer is included from your hotel to the airport. Please allow a minimum of
2 hours for check in.)
- Fly home anytime.
- Arrive in the U.S.A. on the same
day.
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Need to Know
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- Tour prices are per person in U.S.
dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, special
dinners, sightseeing, admissions, luggage handling and the services of local
guides, drivers, and the Expedition Educator are included.
- Hotel Accommodations: The
tour price includes all hotel accommodations, in hotel rooms with private
baths. Our standard is to provide the best available hotels while considering
value. Although the level of the accommodations may differ slightly from hotel
to hotel, we are committed to your comfort. Two-bed rooms are reserved in most
hotels. Triples are two-bed rooms with a rollaway cot where available and are
not recommended when considering the comfort of those in the room. King-size
beds are not available in most hotels; what is considered king-size usually
consists of two single beds pushed together and made up separately, but with
one headboard. Some two-bed rooms may have two twin - not full- or queen-size
- beds.
- Meals are included as
specified in the itinerary.
- Expedition Educator: All
trips are conducted by our Expedition Educators or local guides who remain
with the group throughout the tour.
- Gratuities Included: All
gratuities for restaurant and hotel staff.
- Luggage Responsibility: All tour
packages allow one piece of luggage per person and one carry-on bag. Excess
luggage will be subject to charge of up to $100 per piece. The Travel Agent
and/or Tour Operator shall not be held responsible for any damage to or loss
of luggage/personal items. All damage/loss must be reported at time of
incident and documented in writing by local authorities for submission to your
insurance company.
Not Included
- Airfare to the tour
departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be
purchased from us for travel originating in the United States. Please see
Flights tab in the right-side toolbar.
- Personal Expenses: All
personal expenses such as: laundry, valet service, cables, telephone calls and
postage are not included.
- Guide and Driver
Gratuities:
- 4 seater -
$70 (i.e. 2 pax) - per day
- 7 seater - $90
(i.e. 3-5 pax) - per day
- 10 seater - $110
(i.e. 5-7 pax) - per day
- 10-19
passengers: Guide $10, driver $5 - per participant per day
- 20 passengers
and more: Guide $8, driver $4 - per participant per
day
Additional Information
- Airline Security Measures:
In the U.S., you must provide identification in the form of a passport at the
time of airport check-in for travel to international destinations. Your
passport name must match the name on your tour reservation and airline ticket
or you may be denied boarding.
- If you are traveling from an
airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what
travel documentation and identification is required for that particular
airport.
- Due to heightened security
regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette
lighter or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be
permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to
departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and
recommended airport check-in times. You may also wish to visit the
Transportation Security Administration website at www.tsa.gov to obtain more
information on acceptable identity documentation and prohibited luggage
items.
- Holidays and Museum Closures
- Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen
circumstances or the many religious, state and local holidays locally observed
in the destinations being visited.
- Photography During Tours: We will
occasionally use photographs taken by fellow guests or your trip director for
promotional purposes. If you prefer that your photo not be used in any
marketing activities, please notify us at the start of your
tour.
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| 9 Day | Best of Spain |
| 2010 | | Land Only | | Status | | |
| Aug 18 | | $4405 | | Sold Out | |
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| Oct 6 | | $4405 | | On Sale | |
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| Oct 20 | | $4405 | | On Sale | |
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| Nov 3 | | $4405 | | On Sale | |
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Three simple ways to book ARZA World tours!
1. ARZA World customer service center is open Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:30 pm EST. Call 888.811.2812.
2. Booking with us is easy! Register online by simply finding the right program for you and clicking 'Register now.'
3. We are proud to work with the Travel Agent community. Simply contact your favored travel agent and ask them to handle your booking; restrictions apply.
Important to Know
- Land-only price does not include arrival/departure transfers unless otherwise indicated.
- By paying a deposit upon registration, you are agreeing to ARZA World terms.
- We highly recommend carefully reviewing those terms for full details about conditions and penalties.
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View Map
Accommodations
- 9 Day | Best of Spain
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Day 2 - 5: Intercontinental
Madrid
The Intercontinental Madrid is located
within close proximity to Madrid's famous
sites, from the Prado Museum,
Thyssen Museum and Santiago Bernabeu to the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor and Santa Ana Square
with its lively nightlife experience. Hotel amenities include sauna, whirlpool,
fitness center, beauty salon, gift shop and a fine in-house restaurant with live
music.
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Day 6 - 7: Alfonso XIII
Seville
The Hotel Alfonso XIII
was designed to be one of Europe's most
luxurious hotels, situated among the arches, arabesques and major sites of the
historic city center of Seville. The Hotel
Alfonso XIII continues a tradition of luxurious accommodations and impeccable
service, with exquisitely appointed function rooms that encircle the central
courtyard and are ideal for parties and
gatherings.
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Day 8: Alhambra Palace Hotel
Granada
Nestled in the serenely tropical atmosphere of Granada and with magnificent
views of the city, the Alhambra Palace Hotel was built in 1910 and retains the
grandeur of the Arabic architectural palaces after which it has been named. The
hotel is prestigiously situated in the precincts of the Alhambra, near the
Alcazares Nazaritas and adjacent to the Torres Bermejas, as well as within easy
access to the Sierra Nevada Ski Resort and the monumental palaces of the
Alhambra.
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Dates & Prices
Program
The AW Added Value
AW Flights
Reading List
Need to Know
Peace of Mind
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