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Booking Deadline - 8 January 2009 |
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$3987 25% Moderate TOUR INCLUDES: - Services of WTT Tour Leader and local guides - Activities as noted on the itinerary - Meals as noted with breakfast daily, - Transportation as noted on the itinerary - Time to explore on your own - Hotels: 3 star or better. Madrid: Puerta del Sol (or similar) Seville: Eurostars Regina (or similar) Lisbon: Hotel Amazonia (or similar)
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Air Information
Arrival Airport: Special Notes Regarding this Trip: - A valid passport is required for this trip. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the last date of travel. - Activities on this tour may require a significant amount of walking - Some walks may be on non-paved or uneven surfaces
Not Included in the Price of this Tour: - Air to and from your home - Airport transfers - Meals and activities not specified in the itinerary - Any personal expenses and any guide/driver gratuities - Transfers are not provided for early arrival or late departure. |
Tuesday, April 14: Arrive Madrid; City Tour; Welcome Dinner Arrive Madrid. The tour begins at the hotel at 12:30pm. A sightseeing tour this afternoon gives us an overview of the famous sights in the city. Tonight we will celebrate the beginning of an exciting trip with our welcome dinner. (D) Wednesday, April 15: Prado Museum; Free Afternoon; Evening Tapas Tour This morning is devoted to art. There are three famous art museums in Madrid: the Prado, the Thyssen Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia museum. The Museo del Prado houses works by Murillo, Goya, El Greco, and Velázques and is the most popular museum in Madrid. You may continue your art tour or choose your own pursuits for the rest of the day. This evening we will gather for a walking tapas tour. Tapas allow us to try a large variety of ethnic Spanish food while visiting different eateries on the same night. (B) Thursday, April 16: Day Trip to Toledo Today we will take the train to Toledo. A walking tour includes visits to the Church of Santo Tomé to see The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, thought to be El Greco’s finest painting, and Toledo Cathedral, ranked among the greatest Gothic structures in Europe. The cathedral contains important masterpieces including a spectacular baroque high altar and two paintings by El Greco. (B,L) Friday, April 17: Day Trip to Segovia and Avila A short trip from Madrid brings us to Segovia where we will be transported back in time to a city steeped in medieval history. Highlights are the Roman Aqueducts; El Alcazar, Segovia's royal residence from the 13th century; La Cathedral, dating from 1525, that dominates the city skyline; and spectacular mountain scenery. Avila is a wonderful 1000-year-old city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The main attraction is its medieval wall that measures 1 mile in circumference and completely encircles the town with nine gates and 88 towers. (B) Saturday, April 18: Seville This morning, we will board the AVE high-speed train for Seville. As the jewel in the south, Seville, with its rich 2,500-year history, is the capital of Andalusia. It is the southern-most of the three biggest Spanish cities and represents all that is Andalucian: flamenco, horses, and toros. A sightseeing tour will take in many of Seville’s historic and cultural attractions such as the Parque de María Luisa, the Macarena district, and Murillo Gardens. Seville's impressive Gothic cathedral was recently confirmed as the final resting place of Christopher Columbus. (B,L) Sunday, April 19: Day Trip to Cordova The historic quarter of Cordoba is a network of small streets, alleys, squares and whitewashed courtyards arranged around the Mosque-Cathedral. Cordoba is one of the three great Moorish cities of Andalucia. On a walking tour, we will visit Cordoba’s Mosque (La Mezquita) and Jewish quarter, Calle de los Judios (Street of the Jews) to the ancient synagogue and then the Alcazar, the fortress built in 1328. (B) Monday, April 20: Cooking Class; Afternoon Free Today we will not only learn about the regional cooking of Andalusia but experience it with lunch. The rest of the day is free to explore. You might choose to stroll through the old, narrow streets of the Barrio de Santa Cruz. Once the Jewish Ghetto, it was restored in the early 20th century. Afterward spend some time relaxing among the orange trees and fountain of the peaceful Patio de los Naranjos. (B,L) Tuesday, April 21: Seville to Lisbon: Badajoz and Evora We will depart Seville this morning and travel through the countryside into Portugal. We will visit Badajoz, located on the banks of the Guadiana River. It has an historic quarter with Arab walls, interesting monuments, as well as picturesque streets and porches. We will also stop to visit the city of Evora, set in Roman, medieval and 17th century walls and home to over 20 churches and monasteries including the 15th century Sao Francisco. Our last stop of the day is Lisbon. (B) Wednesday, April 22: Lisbon Walking Tour; Free Time For a glimpse into daily life, we will take a walk through the Alfama, the most interesting district of Lisbon, visit the 12th-century Sé (cathedral), take in a view of the city and the River Tagus from the Santa Luzia Belvedere, and climb up to the Castelo de São Jorge (St. George's Castle). The city is rich with wonderful old buildings, Europe’s longest suspension bridge, and great museums and monuments. You will have time this afternoon to explore on your own. You might want to visit Belém, about 20 minutes from Lisbon’s center by tram. It was the departure point for most of the world-changing explorations during the Age of Discoveries. There is a spectacular monastery where Vasco da Gama is buried. (B,D) Thursday, April 23: Full-day excursion to Sintra Sintra is one of the wonders of Portugal. It is truly beautiful and holds UNESCO world heritage status. It is nestled in hills with ornate palaces hidden behind tall trees and walled gardens. There are three National Palaces - Palácio da Vila, Palácio da Pena and Palácio de Queluz - that contain important historical and artistic collections. The Sintra-Cascais Natural Park is full of amazing contrasts. Its history includes cult worship by the primitive Iberian people, who called it the Mountain of the Moon. It later became the area of summer residence for the nobility of Lisbon, who built palaces of rare beauty. (B) Friday, April 24: Full-day excursion to Obidos and Batalha Monastery; Farewell Dinner The magnificent medieval walled town of Óbidos is known as the ‘Town of Queens” because of a tradition in which kings used to offer the town to their wives. The town is full of well-preserved, white houses with Manueline porticos and flower-laden window boxes. Architectural jewels include the Misericórdia Church, the São Pedro Church and the São Martinho Chapel, the Paço Real (Royal Palace) and the perimeter of the castle walls, from which you can see the aqueduct. The Monastery of the Dominicans of Batalha was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese over the Castilians at the battle of Aljubarrota in 1385. The abbey is one of Europe's greatest Gothic masterpieces and is protected as a World Heritage monument. We will end this wonderful trip with a farewell dinner. (B,D) Saturday, April 25: Return Home from Lisbon Return from Lisbon at your convenience. The WTT tour leader will assist in coordinating ride-shares to the airport. (B)
Important Note: Should a surcharge be necessary, Women Traveling Together will notify those travelers already signed up for the tour. In the event that the surcharge is greater than 5% the traveler will have the option to pay the surcharge or to cancel their booking with a full refund.
Should the US Dollar value strengthen significantly against foreign currencies, Women Traveling Together will pass on the savings in the form of a discount at time of final invoicing.
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All previous information has been superseded.
