Madrid in Depth & Surroundings

Explore the Prado National Museum and Reina Sofía Museum, two of Europe’s most renowned art museums with top-notch instructors. Discover Toledo’s heritage of three co-existing cultures: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim. Learn about the history of Madrid through lectures given by local experts.
prado
toledo
Guernica

Your Tour:

7 nights

8 days

11 meals

Up to 4 miles / day

Tour overview

prado
toledo
Guernica
Discover beautiful Madrid, one of the largest and most important cities of Spain and capital of the country, along with historical cities nearby like Toledo or Segovia. Immerse yourself in the Spanish culture and history visiting places like the Prado National Museum, The Escorial, or Segovia´s city center declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO among others. Enjoy this exquisite selection of sites, art and food scene, historical buildings, hands-on cooking class and more. A unique artistic, gastronomic and cultural experience mixed with the best lectures and expert-led walks or visits. An opportunity you can´t miss!

Program activities, schedules and personnel may change due to local circumstances.

In such an event, we will inform you as quickly as possible.

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Day 1
Arrival at Madrid, Orientation & Welcome Dinner. (D)
Day 1
Day 2
Panoramic Bus Tour, Lecture on Early History of Madrid, Lecture on Hapsburgs & Bourbons dynasties (B)
Day 2
Day 3
Royal Palace, Retiro Park (B)
Day 3
Day 4
Day Trip to Segovia, Alcazar, El Escorial Monastery (B,L)
Day 4
Day 5
Prado Museum, Lecture on Three Cultures (B)
Day 5
Day 6
Day trip to Toledo (B,L)
Day 6
Day 7
Cooking Class, Farewell Lunch, Free afternoon (B,L)
Day 7
Day 8
End of program (B)
Day 8

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.

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Tour Inclusions

local_guide
tour guide

Tour Pricing

Price per person based on double occupancy. Single supplement $525.

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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Castillo Manzanares el Real

Day trip to the Guadarrama Mountain Range and the Castle of Manzanares el Real

We will spend a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city. We will depart by bus and make our first stop at the Castle of Manzanares el Real where we will meet a local expert who will lead our visit through this marvelous monument. After the visit we will return to the bus and head towards La Pedriza where we will take a pleasant walk to discover the great geological richness of the area and meet the local fauna. Afterwards, we will go up to the Morcuera pass to enjoy one of the best views of the area and we will stop in Miraflores de la Sierra. Here you can have lunch on your own at a local restaurant. Then we will return to Madrid.
WW3GRN Calle del Esp’ritu Santo, Malasana district, Madrid, Spain

El Rastro Quarter Walking Tour

Discover the famous Rastro neighborhood of Madrid. An expert will explain how the Rastro began and how the first slaughterhouses in Madrid and tanneries were. We will learn about the history of Madrid’s “corralas”, analyzing their architecture and learning more about how the people of Madrid lived in the past. We will visit the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions where we will learn about the crafts and the industrial past of Madrid. A visit that will surprise you and will help you to have a deeper knowledge of Madrid.
Jardín Botánico Madrid

Royal Botanic Garden of Madrid

Enjoy the calmness of nature in the very heart of Madrid. An expert will introduce us to the knowledge of botanical science and guide us through more than two centuries of history, helping us to have a greater understanding of the garden.
Museo Sorolla

Sorolla Museum

Discover the last home and workshop where the well known Valencian impressionist painter lived. A local expert will lead us throughout the workshop and the rooms of the house while admiring his most outstanding works.