DAY 1:
At the pier you will meet your accompanying guide and be transferred to Sants Train Station where you will board the AVE, the high-speed train that will bring you to Madrid in approximately three hours.
Madrid is a beautiful city combining cobbled, antiquated streets with imperial, tree-lined avenues; ornate buildings in the old town with the beautifully designed glittering, modern steel towers of the commercial district reaching high into the clear blue skies. Additionally the Madrileños seem to adore a building with a statue, or a square with a fountain for apparently the merest excuse. The result is a city full of attractions, which catch your eye at every turn.
There are several different styles of architecture to be seen in its buildings and monuments: Medieval, Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-classic, Romantic and Modern, and different socio-economic districts, such as the Madrid of the artists, the students, the antiquarians, the wealthy and the impoverished gypsies.
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain, it is also the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third largest in the European Union after London and Paris. The city spans a total of 604.3 km² (233.3 sq mi).
While Madrid possesses a modern infrastructure, it has preserved the look and feel of many of its historic neighborhoods and streets. Its landmarks include the Royal Palace of Madrid; the Teatro Real (Royal theatre) with its restored 1850 Opera House; the Buen Retiro park, founded in 1631; the 19th-century National Library building (founded in 1712) containing some of Spain's historical archives; an archaeological museum; and the Golden Triangle of Art, located along the Paseo del Prado and comprising three art museums: Prado Museum, the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, a museum of modern art, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace.
Once in Madrid, transfer to your hotel for check-in. After check in you will enjoy lunch at the hotel and after some time to refresh, you will meet your local guide for a panoramic and walking tour of Madrid.
After the city tour, enjoy dinner on your own and free time in the evening to discover "Madrid by Night"
DAY 2:
After breakfast you will check out at the Hotel and start the day with a visit to the famous Prado Museum.
The Prado Museum is one of the most important art galleries in the world and is currently home to the collections of the Austrian and Bourbon kings. It also holds an impressive collection of Spanish paintings (Velazquez, El Greco, Goya, Ribera, Murillo, Zurbaran) and significant collections of Italian (Titian, Raphael, Tintoretto, Fra Angelico) and Flemish paintings (Bosch, Rubens, Van Dyke) as well as German and English paintings and some classical sculptures. The building itself is a beautiful example of 18th Century neo-classical architecture.
Afterwards you will enjoy a panoramic drive through Madrid. We will drive along famous streets like the Gran Via and see pretty plazas (squares) like Plaza de España, Puerta del Sol, Neptune and Cibeles, as well as Santiago Bernabeu Football Stadium, Antiguo Palacio de Exposiciones, the Opera Congreso de los Diputados, Puerta de Alcalá etc.
Before returning to Atocha train station to take the high speed train back to Barcelona, enjoy a light lunch in a local restaurant
Overland Program Step by Step:
Please note: The order of sites visited may vary to avoid congestion. The timings indicated are only approximate, and are given here for general reference purposes.
Day 1
8.45am
9.00am - 9.30am
10.00am - 1.15pm
1.15pm - 1.45pm
1.45pm - 3.45pm
3.45pm - 7.45pm
7.45pm
Meet with accompanying guide at the pier and board transfer bus
Transfer to Sants Train Station
Highspeed Train AVE Barcelona - Madrid
Transfer to Hotel
Check in and lunch at Hotel (included)
Walking and Panoramic Tour of Madrid
Free time for dinner On Your Own
Day 2
8.00am - 9.00am
9.00am - 11.00am
11.00am - 12.30pm
12.30pm - 1.30pm
1.30pm - 2.00pm
2.30pm - 5.30pm
5.30pm - 6.15pm Breakfast at the Hotel (included) & Check Out
Transfer to Prado Museum & visit
Panoramic & walking Tour of Madrid
Lunch (included)
Transfer to Atocha Train Station
High Speed Train AVE Madrid - Barcelona
Transfer Train station Sants - Port Barcelona
Expected Weather: Average temperature in May in Madrid: 21º C // 70ª Fahrenheit
What to Bring: Comfortable shoes, umbrella, cameras, etc.
Currency: Euros
Electricity: 220 Volts (some devices may require a converter)
Luggage: Overnight Bag
Documents and Visa Requirements: Passport, EU - Visa
Accommodation: Hotel Emperador 4**** (or similar centrally located 4**** hotel)
Program Includes:
Transportation, accompanying guide, local guides in Madrid, accommodation, breakfast, lunch day 1 and day 2, entrance fee to El Prado Museum
Not Included: Anything not mentioned in the above and incidentals at the Hotel