Madrid
The capital of Spain, Madrid is a vibrant city full of elegant boulevards and beautiful parks like the Buen Retiro or El Capricho. If you are in search of a little culture then you will surely find this in the museums of Madrid which include the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen.
A stroll around Madrid will take you past the stunning Royal Palace and Armoury, the Plaza Mayor with 400 years of history dating back to the Hapsburg era, the energetic Puerta del Sol, the famous Gran Vía full of shops, or the four tallest towers in Spain.
In addition to the many famous museums, the streets are lined with many varieties of shops, restaurants with world cuisine including La Latina area for Tapas; it even has a lively nightlife. Madrid it sure to surprise you with its charm, a mixture of traditional and family run century old bars and its multitude of cultural centres. This is a city, which will excite you with its authenticity.
A day trip to Toledo is a must do. Here you can follower the three religions of Christians, Jews and Muslims that have lived side by side for centuries and have left their mark on Toledo. It is one of Spain’s most interesting and intriguing cities, where you can see a Gothic Cathedral, a 10th Century Mosque and two Synagogues in the space of just a few metres. This once Imperial City with its beauty was depicted in the paintings by El Greco. When in Toledo don’t miss the Alcázar or a sunset from the Alcántara or San Martín Bridges.
When you enter Ávila’s city walls you will discover a medieval World Heritage City of cobbled streets, interesting Churches, delicious local cuisine and a wonderfully serene atmosphere. The 1,700 metres long walkway will take you to the top of the iconic city walls of Ávila, where you can see views over the Cathedral, the Plaza del Mercado Grande and the countryside around the city. The cathedral was originally fortified and is attached to the city walls. It is believed to be Spain’s first Gothic Cathedral. The other symbol of the city is Saint Teresa de Jesús, whose presence is everywhere in the city.
Segovia is a fairytale World Heritage Castilian City with the views of the Sierra de Guadarrama Mountain range behind it. As you arrive there is an impressive aqueduct dating back to the Roman Empire which marks the entrance to the city. This superb feat of engineering, with its 167 arches are held together only by the balance of forces. The city is full of wonderment and easily explored on foot to see its Romanesque Churches, Synagogues and Renaissance Palaces, Convents, towers, gardens with hidden courtyards and even a Fortress. If you wish to walk along the city’s walls you can admire the Casa de los Picos, the Alhóndiga, Torreón de Lozoya and the Church of San Martín. The Cathedral, known as the Lady of the Cathedrals, gives you the feeling of travelling back in time which will continue to the Caballeros district and the narrow streets of the former Jewish Quarter.
Lastly do not forget to stop at the Alcázar, a castle with hidden passageways that seems straight out of a novel. We strongly recommend climbing the 152 steps of the spiral staircase in the Tower of Juan II as the views from the top are quite unique. They actually say that Snow White’s Castle at Disneyland was inspired by the Castle of Alcázar.
