Escorted Tours 2022

25 Included vacation highlights: Ј Airport transfer from Madrid airport to the hotel Ј Centrally located first class hotels Ј Breakfast daily Ј Welcome reception in Madrid (heavy hors d’oeuvres, a glass of wine, beer, or soft drink) Ј 3 dinners (coffee or tea included) Ј Touring by modern air-conditioned motor coach Ј Professional English-Speaking Tour Director throughout Ј Licensed Local Guides Ј Baggage handling at hotels Ј Whisper technology enhanced touring Ј Admission included where indicated in bold letters Ј Hotel taxes and service taxes Ј Departure transfer from hotel to Barcelona airport Tour spotlights: Ј Madrid, grand open squares, late dinners Ј Toledo, crafts, marzipan, captivating monuments Ј Sandstone architecture, prolific university, and the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca Ј Santiago de Compostela, a major pilgrim destination Ј Altamira caves, prehistoric art Ј Bilbao, Frank Gehry’s designed Guggenheim museum Ј Pamplona, legendary “Running of the Bulls” festival, gothic style churches Ј Barcelona, fantastical Sagrada Familia, modernist landmarks by Gaudi Hotel list: Ј Madrid: Santos Agumar or similar Ј Santiago de Compostela: Gran Hotel Santiago or similar Ј Oviedo: Gran Hotel España or similar Ј Bilbao: Ercilla or similar Ј Pamplona: Maisonnave or similar Ј Barcelona: Exe Cristal Palace or similar 2022 TOUR K130 PRICE START: END: PER PERSON IN DBL/TWN 09-Apr-22 21-Apr-22 2.925 € 07-May-22 19-May-22 2.925 € 09-Jul-22 21-Jul-22 2.955 € 24-Sep-22 06-Oct-22 2.995 € 29-Oct-22 10-Nov-22 2.875 € SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT 805 € Madrid PORTUGAL Santiago de Compostela SPAIN Pamplona Barcelona 3 Bilbao FRANCE 2 2 2 1 2 Day 6, to Oviedo, Thursday After breakfast, we head to North Galicia. Our scenic drive takes us past the Cabo Ortegal and the Asturian coast to Oviedo. (B) Day 7, in Oviedo, Friday A half-day guided city tour of Oviedo takes us to the Cathedral, the Palacio de Valdecarzana, the ruins of the San Tirso Church, and the Porlier Plaza which is flanked by the El Conde de Toreno and Camposagrado Palaces. The afternoon is at leisure or join an optional Visit of the cider house with dinner. (B) Day 8, to Bilbao, Saturday After breakfast, we continue our journey towards Bilbao. On the way, we stop in Santillana del Mar, one of theNorthCoast’smost picturesque villages. Its architecture dates to the Middle Ages. In its vicinity, we visit the famous Altamira Caves where prehistoric art is well preserved. After our visit, we proceed to Santander where we have free time for lunch on your own. From there, we continue to Bilbao where we have a tasting of local tapas called pintxos. (B) Day 9, in Bilbao, Sunday On our visit to Bilbao, we see the vibrant old town with many shops, squares, and typical Basque tavernas. We enter the Guggenheim Museum , an architectural masterpiece designed by Frank Gehry. The collection includes large-scale and site-specific art by such contemporary artists as Jeff Koons and Willem de Kooning. The remainder of the day is free or join an optional tour visit the Basque coast . (B) Day 10, to Pamplona, Monday After breakfast, we depart for San Sebastian. En route, we visit Getaria, a charming Basque coastal village. Upon arrival in San Sebastian, we see the Maria Cristina Hotel. It is here, at the Kursaal, that the film festival takes place. We also see La Concha beach, a crescent-shaped urban seaboard. In the afternoon we arrive in Pamplona. Dinner is served later that night. (B, D) Day 11, to Barcelona, Tuesday After breakfast, we have a half-day guided sightseeing tour of Pamplona featuring the Ciudadela, the City Walls, parks, and gardens. We will hear about the ‘Running of the Bulls’ race, part of the San Fermin festival. From Pamplona, we continue to Zaragoza for lunch on your own. Later that afternoon, we arrive in Barcelona and the rest of the day is at leisure. (B) Day 12, in Barcelona, Wednesday Our guided half-day sightseeing tour includes Barcelona’s most important artistic sights: Gaudi’s Batlló, Casa Milá, the Cathedral Sagrada Familia, and Guell Park , declared an artistic monument and mankind’s heritage by UNESCO. In the afternoon you are free to explore more on your own or join an optional tour visit of Montserrat . In the evening join your fellow travelers and your tour director for the farewell dinner. (B, D) Day 13, depart Barcelona, Thursday Transfer to Barcelona airport after breakfast. (B) Oviedo