Madrid & Surrounding Historical Tours: Cultural and Gastronomic Experience
Your Tour:
7 nights
8 days
11 meals
Up to 4 miles / day
Tour overview
Program activities, schedules and personnel may change due to local circumstances.
In such an event, we will inform you as quickly as possible.
Arrival at Madrid, Orientation & Welcome Dinner. (D)
Panoramic Bus Tour, Lecture on Early History of Madrid, Lecture on Hapsburgs & Bourbons dynasties (B)
Royal Palace, Retiro Park (B)
Day Trip to Segovia, Alcazar, El Escorial Monastery (B,L)
Prado Museum, Lecture on Three Cultures (B)
Day trip to Toledo (B,L)
Cooking Class, Farewell Lunch, Free afternoon (B,L)
End of program (B)
Day by Day
Day 1
The tour coordinator will greet everyone and will review the program schedule, emergency procedures and answer questions. After orientation, we will set out with our tour coordinator to take a walk and explore the area around the hotel. At a restaurant, we will enjoy a delicious welcome dinner.
Day 2
Overnight: Madrid
After breakfast, we will enjoy a panoramic bus tour of Madrid while a local expert shares the history of some of Madrid’s most important sights with us.
In the afternoon, at the hotel, a local expert will join us for a presentation on Early History of Madrid and after a short break we will have a second presentation on the Hapsburgs & Bourbons dynasties given by the same expert.
Day 3
Overnight: Madrid
After breakfast, we will depart from the hotel by private bus towards the Royal Palace, where we will meet a local expert who will lead our visit through this marvelous Palace. Although it is no longer the Royal Family’s Home, it continues to be the site of official ceremonies and state events.
In the afternoon, we will meet with a local expert who will accompany us for a fantastic walk in the Retiro Park. It was built in the mid-17th century for the King’s recreational use and over the years it has become the most important park of Madrid. It is full of sculptures, monuments, galleries, a lake and it also hosts various events all year round.
Day 4
Overnight: Madrid
Breakfast at hotel. We will depart from the hotel by private bus to Segovia for a full-day field trip. Upon arrival, a local expert will lead our walk through the city center, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985. During our walking tour, we will see the well-preserved Roman Aqueduct and visit the Alcazar. This Royal Palace was one of the favorite residences of the monarchs of Castile in the Middle Ages. Afterwards, we will enjoy a delicious traditional lunch at a local restaurant.
Then, we will depart by bus to El Escorial, the historical residence and burial place of Spanish monarchs. After the visit we will return to Madrid, arriving approximately in the late afternoon.
Day 5
Overnight: Madrid
After breakfast, we will take a private bus to the Prado Museum for an expert-led visit. The Prado National Museum is one of the world’s leading galleries, with a superb collection from the 12th century to the early 19th century. Among the masterpieces we can find works by Bosch, El Greco, Goya, Raphael, Rubens, Titian, Van Eyck, Velázquez, and many more. The Prado has become a prized destination for art lovers.
In the afternoon, at the hotel, a local expert will join us for a presentation on the “Three Cultures” that coexisted in the Peninsula: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim.
Day 6
Overnight: Madrid
After breakfast, we will depart from the hotel by private bus for a full-day field trip and visit some of the most important sites in medieval Toledo with its heritage of three co-existing cultures: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim. A local expert will lead our walk through the walled city. During our tour, we will be able to appreciate landmarks including the Cathedral, the Sephardic Jewish Museum, and the Church of Santo Tomé, which holds an exceptional painting by el Greco. Then, we will have lunch at a local restaurant, followed by a short free time in Toledo to explore on our own. We will return to Madrid in the late afternoon.
Day 7
Overnight: Madrid
Breakfast at hotel. We will depart by bus to a hands-on cooking class led by a local chef, in which we will learn about Spanish dishes and how to cook them.
After tasting and enjoying the meal we cooked, we will have a free afternoon to pack, explore or just relax.
Day 8
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to the airport at a designated time.
Tour Inclusions
- Bilingual Staff
- Expert Tour Coordinator during the entire program
- Expert Local Guides for each visit
- Local Experts for each lecture
- Private ground transportation
- Entrance fees to Madrid's Royal Palace, Alcazar of Segovia, El Escorial, Prado Museum, Toledo´s Cathedral, Sephardic Museum, Santo Tomé Church.
- Enriching Experience: Hands-on cooking class
- 3 Lectures
- 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner
- Accommodation in 4* hotel at city center
- Worldwide Health Insurance for the duration of the entire program
- Tips are included throughout the program
- Taxes
Tour Pricing
- $2905 USD
Price per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement $605.
For a minimum of 15 pax.
Additional Experiences
Customize your trip according to your interests by adding any of these once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
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