Central & Southern Spain

After breakfast in the hotel, meet your local guide in the lobby and prepare yourself for a real treat: a visit to the historic city of Toledo. (note: Toledo is one of those incredibly picturesque, medieval cities with cobblestones and hills – so please wear comfy shoes today). Many moons ago, Toledo was actually the capital of Spain. This was from the time of the collapse of the Roman Empire when the Visigoths showed up (4th century AD) to the time when the Moors invaded the Iberian Peninsula (8th century). Because of its historic and cultural value, Toledo's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its historical heritage is unparalleled. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of its history (which goes back to the Romans) is during the Middle Ages when Christians, Jews and Muslims coexisted quite peacefully and lived in flourishing, cultural communities. Toledo has also had some pretty famous citizens including the painter, El Greco. While here your guide will take you inside Toledo's Cathedral, which is one of the best examples of Gothic architecture in the world; the House & Museum of El Greco, which is located in the old Jewish Quarter; and the 14th-century Synagogue del Transito, a remarkable building that once served Toledo's pre-Inquisition Jewish community. During the tour, there will be a lunch break (on own). In the mid-afternoon, your group will return to the hotel in Madrid. The remainder of the day is at leisure. For those group members that want to relax but not necessarily in the hotel- consider spending the remainder of the afternoon in Madrid's beautiful Retiro Park.

After breakfast in the hotel, you have a full day to yourself to explore Madrid. Consider visiting the Reina Sofia Museum or the Prado Museum. While they are both superb and definitely merit a visit, their collections are different. The Reina Sofia Museum contains artwork by modern painters (Salvador Dali, Joan Miro and Pablo Picasso – including his masterpiece Guernica) while the Prado Museum contains masterpieces by traditional, Spanish painters like Diego Velazquez (yes, inside is his famous Las Meninas), Goya, Murillo and El Greco.

After breakfast in the hotel, meet your local guide for a full-day excursion to visit the towns of San Lorenzo de El Escorial and Avila. In San Lorenzo de El Escorial, you will visit its famous monastery, which was commission by King Phillip II in the 16th century. This massive structure stands as an outstanding example of Renaissance architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, you will also see the controversial monument, called "The Valley of the Fallen" which was commissioned under Franco and remains a stark reminder of the Spanish Civil War. After the guided tour of El Escorial, enjoy some free time for lunch before continuing your daytrip to Avila. Avila is a walled city whose medieval walls were constructed in the 11th century. The walls are some of the finest in all of Europe and surround the Old Town's remarkably well-preserved Romanesque churches, Gothic palaces and the city's 11th-century Cathedral. It's no surprise that Avila's Old Town is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's also a place of religious importance as it was the birthplace of Saint Teresa, who was born in Avila in 1515. Your group will have a 2-hour walking tour of Avila before returning to Madrid. Upon arrival back to the hotel, the rest of the day is at leisure.

After breakfast in the hotel, today is your final daytrip from Madrid. Meet your guide in the lobby for an excursion to Segovia, an ancient city that lies north of Madrid, in the region of Castile and Leon. It was inhabited by indigenous Iberians long before the Romans arrived to settle there. During the Middle Ages, Segovia was an interesting, multicultural city with a strong trade industry, and Queen Isabella I herself was crowned here in the 15th century. Today you will visit its Old Town and its incredible aqueduct, both of which form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Romans finished building the Aqueduct of Segovia during the 2nd century. Today it is still remarkably intact. While in Segovia, your group will also visit the dramatically stunning Alcazar (Royal Palace), which is almost 1000 years old – and the Cathedral of Segovia, a superb example of 16th-century, Gothic architecture. (There will be free time for lunch during today's excursion). Your group will return to Madrid in the late afternoon and will have the remainder of the day at leisure.

After breakfast in the hotel, enjoy a full day on your own in Malaga. While we strongly recommend visiting the Picasso Museum – we also like spending the day on the beach; this is after all a pretty great stretch of Mediterranean coastline! Beach suggestions: try La Malagueta or El Palo.

After breakfast in the hotel, meet your local guide for a morning sightseeing tour of the wonderful city of Cadiz. Unusually located on a small stretch of land and surrounded by sea – Cadiz is one of Europe's oldest cities. Originally founded by the Phoenicians, the strategically-located port city of Cadiz has played host to Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, Moors – and even the English Royal Navy. In addition to its world-renown Carnival celebrations, Cadiz is particularly known for its lovely squares (plazas), which your guide will include on this morning's tour. After the walking tour has finished – enjoy the rest of the day to continue sightseeing, shop or relax on the beach.

After breakfast in the hotel, the group will check out and travel north by private coach to Seville, Andalusia's colorful capital city. Seville has great architecture, flamenco and sightseeing – and the ambience couldn't be any better. In any old neighborhood bar you're liable to see local sevillanos passing around a guitar, playing flamenco melodies as everyday patrons sing along. Don't pass Seville off as all fun and drinks though. This former Roman city is oozing with cultural heritage; in fact – its Old Town contains no fewer than three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As your group will arrive mid-morning to Seville – before your hotel rooms are ready for check-in – upon arrival store your bags with the hotel staff and meet your local guide for a terrific sightseeing tour (walking & bus), during which free time will be given for lunch. On the tour, you will go inside tour two of the aforementioned UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the 14th-century Alcazar palace complex and the Cathedral. The Alcazar palace, which is still used today by the Spanish royal family, is a superb example of mudejar architecture, and you will see similarities between this stunning palace and the Alhambra palace in Granada. While the Alcazar's rooms are out-of-this-world, perhaps the most beautiful part of your visit will be inside its gardens. After the palace visit and a quick walk, your group will then visit Seville's magnificent, 15th-century Cathedral (the largest Gothic building in the world). Inside are the presumed remains of Christopher Columbus. The sightseeing tour will finish back at the hotel in the afternoon, when group members can check-in, relax and freshen up. This evening, everyone will meet back in the lobby and head to Seville's Barrio de Santa Cruz with a local guide. Enjoy a one-hour, pre-dinner-warm-up walking tour of this medieval, Jewish neighborhood. The guide will leave your group at a neighborhood restaurant for its final evening in Andalusia.

After breakfast in the hotel, all group members should check out and transfer to Madrid's Barajas Airport by private bus for their departure flight back to the USA.