The Paradors & Pousadas Of Castile, Madrid, Salamanca & Portugal
- Duration: 13 days
- Board Basis: Mixed Board
- Tour Ref: D2TLEGSPPP
Holiday Summary
- Travel Type: Coach
PLEASE NOTE: Price is per person and based on two people sharing a twin/double room. Single room supplements and upgrades are not included.
Itinerary
Day 1
Regional departure by coach or Door-to-Door service, then to Portsmouth/Plymouth, where we board Brittany Ferries' for an overnight crossing.
Accommodation is in inside cabins with en suite facilities. The crossing takes 24 hours during which you can enjoy the facilities on board including restaurants, bars, shopping and swimming pool.
Day 2
Evening arrival in Santander, then onwards to our Parador in Lerma, south of Burgos for one night.
Day 3 - Segovia
We head to Segovia, where the impressive old quarter and Roman aqueduct are World Heritage Sites.
Segovia quite rightly lays claim to being the most spectacularly sited city in Spain, built high on a rocky spur and surrounded by the Eresma and Clamores Rivers. In addition to numerous Romanesque churches, the cathedral and fortress form a magnificent city that presides over this part of Castile.
Continue to our Parador in the charming old town of Chinchón, famous for its medieval square encircled by wooden balconies and its aniseed liqueur, where we stay for two nights.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - Madrid
Join our full-day excursion to Madrid, the capital of Spain.
Madrid is a truly cosmopolitan city with a wealth of cultural attractions. The splendid Plaza Mayor provides the perfect starting point to explore Old Madrid, lined with arches above which perch ornate balconies.
View the frescoes on the old bakery building and the statue of Felipe III, see the majestic Palacio Real (Royal Palace), explore the Paseo del Prado of Bourbon, enjoy a stroll around the magnificent Retiro Park and visit the famous art galleries of The Prado and Reina Sofia, amongst others.Our optional sightseeing tour will show you the best of the city.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - El Escorial Monastery & Avila
We leave Chinchón and head first to El Escorial Monastery where you can take in the Baroque-style El Escorial complex, a 16th-century monastery and a royal residence of Phillip II.
A short drive away we will visit the poignant monument of the Valley of the Fallen, erected by General Franco in memory of the millions who died in the Spanish Civil War.
We continue to Avila, a World Heritage Site, which rises from the ground, under the dramatic backdrop of the Gredos Sierra. Behind its impressive walls a wealth of beautiful Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and Renaissance churches and palaces can be found.
Continue to Salamanca and our Parador for two nights.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 - Salamanca
Spend the day exploring this beautiful “Golden City”, with its splendid Roman, Arabic and Christian architectural treasures.
Wander the elegant arcades of the Plaza Mayor, one of the finest in Spain, and see Spain’s oldest University, the Puente Romano and its two cathedrals.
Our optional city tour will allow you to see the best of the city.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Ciudad Rodrigo
Continue west to Ciudad Rodrigo, a small cathedral city, enclosed by its city walls which were besieged by both sides during Napoleon’s Peninsula war.
We later continue across the border into Portugal and to our Pousada in charming Viseu for two nights.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Free Time or Coimbra
Today you can join our optional excursion to the pretty city of Coimbra on the river Mondego.
This former medieval capital of Portugal is home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, and today its historic centre of multi-coloured houses, two grand cathedrals, medieval churches and cobbled streets, combines with a lively, vibrant atmosphere; a delight we’re sure you will enjoy.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 - Porto
We leave our Parador and head to Porto, where we offer an optional city sightseeing tour.
Porto is one of the oldest and most striking cities in Europe, its unspoilt old quarter in the historic centre, with its maze of winding narrow streets, arcaded houses and beautiful churches, has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status.
Known for its famous port wine made from local grapes grown along the banks of the Douro to the east, we visit a port wine cellar to taste the ‘precious nectar’.Continue to the beautiful town of Guimaraes, the 'birthplace of Portugal' with its picturesque cobbled centre, and our Pousada for one night.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10 - Burgos
Today, we head north to Burgos, situated on the Pilgrim’s Road. The cathedral and old quarter are masterpieces of Spanish Gothic architecture and El Cid is buried here. We stay overnight at the Parador Lerma.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11 - San Sebastián
We leave Burgos and head to the stunning city of San Sebastián set on a sweeping, shell-shaped bay with its charming, old quarter and Belle Epoque style.
This is one of Spain’s capitals of gastronomy and the local tapas bars in the old town are a true delight.
Continue into France and to the Biarritz area for one night.
Meals - Breakfast, Dinner
Day 12
We head through France to Paris area for one night.
Meals - Breakfast
Day 13
Return home.
Meals - Breakfast
Accommodation
You will stay for one night at the Parador Lerma before moving on to the Parador Chinchón for two nights. We then move on, spending two nights at the Parador Salamanca and Pousada Viseau and one night at the Pousada Guimaraes before completing our Paradors and Pousadas stay with a further night at the Parador Lerma.Overnight stays in France will be in city-style hotels.
On the overnight ferry sailing, accommodation will be in en suite cabins. Meals are not included on board ship.
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