Escorted Luxury Tour - Madrid Heart and Soul ULIB11

Personal Highlights:

• A privately guided tour of the Prado Museum
• Visiting the vineyards of La Mancha
• A private cooking class with a chef/instructor
• A visit to San Lorenzo de Escorial

Day 1 Depart USA

This evening we board our overnight flight to Spain to begin our exploration of its capital city, Madrid.

Day 2 Welocome to Madrid

We arrive in Madrid and complete immigration procedures. Upon leaving customs, we are met by our driver and given an overview of Madrid’s scenic attractions including famous squares such as Plaza de Espana, de Oriente, Plaza Mayor Puerta del Sol and Plaza Castilla and well known avenues like Castellana and Gran Via. We will then be taken to our deluxe, centrally located hotel where we can rest or begin our exploration of Spain’s capitol city. Dinner, this evening, is at the hotel’s well regarded restaurant.

Day 3 The Royal Palace and the Prado Museum

Today our morning will be focused on the Royal Palace and the Prado Museum. The Royal Palace is the largest in Europe and was built by Philip V in the 18th Century. The building itself is an architectural treasure but inside is a rare and diverse collection of ceramics, tapestry and clocks. After the palace we visit the Prado, one of the most important art galleries in the world. Here are the Spanish masters including Goya, Velasquez, El Greco and Ribera. They are joined by Raphael, Rubens and Titian among others. This afternoon is left open to allow you some time for personal sightseeing or some shopping. Your guide can tell you the best shopping streets. This evening we will take you on a gastronomic exploration of Madrid as we visit three different establishments in old Madrid to partake of various pairings of wine and food.

Day 4 The Vineyards of La Mancha

La Mancha is the world’s largest wine producing area with a total of 420,000 acres of vineyards. Today we will be visiting the region and specifically Bodegas Osborne Malpica where we will be able to see new innovations in vine growing techniques allowing the creation of wines for the international market. The vineyard has over 2,000 acres under cultivation including Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Syrah. We will have a private tour of the winery before sampling some of the vintages along with cured meats, hams, pate and cheese. After our visit we return to Madrid where the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. This evening has been left open to allow you to pick a restaurant of your choosing.                                                              

Day 5 A Morning in the Kitchen

This morning, our driver will pick us up and take us to the kitchen of a noted chef/instructor who will be giving us a private, hands-on lesson in the creation of the typical cooking of Madrid. Starting with an evaluation and explanation of ingredients we will work on both main courses and desserts. Once the cooking has been successfully completed we sit down to enjoy our efforts with the appropriate wines. After lunch, the rest of the afternoon is free.                                                            

Day 6 San Lorenzo de Escorial and Valle de los Caidos

After breakfast, we drive out of the city to the Monastery of San Lorenzo de Escorial. This beautifully designed building is considered to be the eighth wonder of the world by many Spaniards and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We will take time to visit inside the monastery which is also a memorial to the Kings and Queens of Spain. We leave the monastery and head for the Guadarrama Mountains to the “Valley of the Fallen” a tribute to all those who died in the Spanish Civil War which immediately preceded World War II. The area is in the Cuelgamuros Valley which is close to 4,000 feet above sea level. Dug into the granite is a stone cross over 450 feet high. We then return to Madrid. This evening we invite you to a comparative tasting of some of the most well known Tapas including Ensalada de Cordoniz ( Quail Salad), Croquetas, Calamari,      Paella and Duelos y Quebrantos (eggs scrambled with potatoes, pork, ham and Chorizo). All of this washed down with the house Sangria.                                             

Day 7 A free Day and a Special Finale

We have left this day open for you to choose your own sightseeing activity, take a walk in the park across from our hotel or visit the Reina Sofia Museum. This evening, our farewell dinner is a special treat. We are driven to “El Olivo” restaurant where we meet our host a world renowned expert on olive oil and sample a variety of high quality olive oils. We then enjoy a five course meal in this Michelin starred restaurant while our host explains how the oil was used in a particular dish. Good wine completes the learning experience and we are driven back to our hotel well fed and more knowledgeable about olive oil.          

Day 8 Return to USA

After breakfast our driver will be waiting to take us to the airport for our return flight to the US.

Services Included

• 1st Class rail travel as indicated on the itinerary
• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport or rail station at destination
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary
• Baggage handling at all hotels
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• International airfare (round-trip from hometown departure gateway to destination)
• Beverages with included meals (unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides (we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material)
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes (It is the traveler’s responsibility to secure the latest information regarding passports and visa requirements)

Available Year Round