World Heritage cities - Mid North Spain

Spain is one of the countries with the largest number of cities with the Unesco World Heritage status; Santiago de Compostela, Salamanca, Ávila, Segovia, Cáceres, Alcalá de Henares, Toledo, Cuenca and Córdoba. During this cultural tour you can discover an endless number of historical cities, architectural sites, monasteries, parks and natural spaces. The tour starts in Santiago de Compostela and will discover the different stages
of the Spanish History.

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1st Day: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Arrival at Santiago airport. Welcome of the group and transfer to the hotel. Free time. In the evening all guests are invited to a Welcome cocktail where there will be a meeting with the group leader and a short briefing about the trip. All participants will receive a welcome pack with detailed information about the programme. Dinner will be served in the hotel. In the evening, optional walk downtown. Accommodation.

2nd Day: SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
Breakfast. In the morning a city tour will allow us to get a good look at Santiago, an UNESCO World Heritage City. The tour will start at the Obradoiro Square where some of its more prominent monuments can be seen: Gelmírez Palace, the Archbishop residence, which preserves some 12th century lounges; the Town Hall, former Raxoy Palace, with its classical façade; the San Jerónimo College, whose façade has Romanic reminiscences. However today it is the University Rector headquarter. We will also visit the Catholic Kings Hostel, today a "Parador de Turismo" (state-owned hotel), with its elegant Plateresque main façade and finally the most important building without doubt: the Cathedral. Although it was built between the 11th and 12th century, its appearance is of a baroque building. The Obradoiro façade, built in 1750 is the Spanish Baroque masterpiece. Behind it, we find the Pórtico de la Gloria, built by Mateo in 12th century and whose two hundred Romanesque-style sculptures represent a spectacle of unique beauty. The statue of Santiago's apostle is located on the altar. We also visit the Museum, the Cloister and finally, the Platerías Gate, the only Romanesque one that is still preserved. Lunch and free time. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

3rd Day: SANTIAGO-PONFERRADA-ASTORGA-LEÓN (333 Km)
Breakfast and departure for Ponferrada, with a stop at O Cebreiro, a town known for its peculiar architecture: the "pallozas", stone and straw dwellings of Celtic origins. Continuation to Ponferrada, arrival and visit of the Templarios Castle, built in the 13th century. Short sightseeing tour through the old town.
Departure for Astorga where, after lunch, we will walk in the old town and visit the 19th century Archbishop Palace, built in new gothic style by Antonio Gaudí. Inside we can find the Caminos Museum with a large number of Romanesque and Gothic items. Visit of the Cathedral, of a late gothic style, whose altarpiece was built by Gaspar Becerra.
Continuation to Leon where we will see the façade of the Old Covent of San Marcos, a Spanish Plateresque masterpiece. Transfer to the hotel for dinner and accommodation.

4th Day: LEÓN - ZAMORA - SALAMANCA (197 km)
Breakfast and today we visit the San Isidoro Colegiate Church, an important piece of western Romanesque where 23 Kings and Queens are buried. The Cathedral was built in the middle of the 13th century in a gothic style similar to the French cathedrals and is famous for the beauty of more than 100 glazed windows.
We reach the town of Benavente for lunch, then we shall continue our cultural journey to Zamora, a city considered an authentic Romanesque museum. Walk in the old town where samples of this style can be observed, one of them being the Magdalena Church, with a magnificent gate and San Claudio, the oldest church in the city. To finalize the visit we will enter the Cathedral, a magnificent Romanesque construction influenced by Byzantine style.
A short drive will take us to Salamanca. Arrival at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

5th Day: SALAMANCA - AVILA (97 km)
Breakfast. We start the tour by walking through the heart of the city and we reach the impressive Plaza Mayor, (Main square), then along the Rua Mayor to find the Casa de las Conchas, a gothic building decorated with more than 400 scallop shells.
The Clerecía, which today houses a public Jesuit University with a magnificent baroque courtyard; the Monterrey Palace, a Spanish renaissance Palace; the Patio de las Escuelas Menores, belonging to the University Campus and surrounded by Plateresque styled buildings. Alfonso X the Wise founded the University, one of the oldest in Europe, in 1254. The Old Cathedral, with a mixture of the Romanesque and pre-gothic styles, has the narrowest dome of this style. Next to it, we will find the Catedral Nueva, (New Cathedral) rich in renaissance and baroque decoration, some of them by José de Churriguera. Lunch. Free time for shopping (leatherwork, lace, gold and silver) and continue our cultural route by departure for Avila. A short stop at Los Cuatro Postes, before reaching the city, allows us to see a breathtaking view of the walled city of Avila. Arrival and transfer to the hotel, Dinner and accommodation.

6th Day: AVILA - SEGOVIA (67 km)
Breakfast. Avila is the best-preserved example of a medieval walled city in the world. Its impressive walls are approximately two and a half kilometres in perimeter, which enclose entirely the old town. We will start today’s route at the Cathedral, Romanesque and Gothic, both a church and a fortress set in the defensive precinct of the city.
The Royal Monastery of Santo Tomás, the summer residence of the Catholic Kings, was afterwards the headquarter site of the great inquisitor Torquemada. Lunch. Continuation of the cultural tour through the old town where we will see the Church of Santa Teresa with a baroque façade, the Guzmanes Tower, the Mansiones de los Deanes, baroque and Plateresque decoration and San Pedro Church. Finally, we will look at the outside of San Vicente Basilica Church, whose western gate represents a Romanesque jewel. Late afternoon we depart for Segovia, arrival at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

7th Day: SEGOVIA - LA GRANJA - SEGOVIA (45 km)
Breakfast. The first stop of today’s tour is at the Aqueduct: built around the year 50 BC, is the symbol of the city and an example of the most brilliant Roman architecture.
The Alcázar fortress, a former Royal residence, still preserves furniture and a coffered ceiling of the 15th century.
The Gothic Cathedral, built in the 16th century contains the "El Santo Entierro" by Juan de Juni and a beautiful collection of tapestries. The "Comuneros" destroyed the cloister and the old Cathedral in the Elizabethan times.
Departure for La Granja Royal Residence. After lunch we visit to the Royal Palace, with its magnificent Gardens and the French-inspired fountains, the Glass factory and the two churches inside: Nuestra Señora del Rosario and Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. Return to Segovia and transfer to the hotel for dinner and accommodation.

8th DAY: SEGOVIA - MADRID - DEPARTURE
Breakfast. Departure for Madrid Airport. Arrival and end of the cultural route.