The Silver Route

In the early Middle Ages, the Al-Andalus Mozarabs traveled along this road to make pilgrimages to Santiago de Compostela. During the American colonization period this route also helped people traveling from inland to access the port of Seville and then on to the New Continent. The Silver Route starts where we start our cultural route, in Oviedo. We follow this Silver Route and cross Spain from north to south entering 4 natural regions and 8 provinces. We will follow in the footsteps of the Pilgrims, discovering the history and myths around it, …

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1st Day: MADRID - SEVILLE (by plane)
Arrival at Seville airport and welcome of the group. 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 tour. 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: SEVILLE - ZAFRA - MÉRIDA (204 km)
Breakfast and sightseeing tour of the most interesting areas of this city founded by Hercules. We will visit the Cathedral, one of the Gothic masterpieces in Spain and built above the foundations of the main mosque, whose only remainders are the Orange Tree Courtyard and the Minaret of the Giralda. Next we enter the Reales Alcázares, the residence of the Monarchy and a Mudejar Palace, which was built by the King Peter I "the Cruel". Walk through the Santa Cruz Quarter, a labyrinth of narrow streets belonging to the ancient Jewish area. Lunch. Walking along the banks of the Guadalquivir River, we pass the Torre del Oro and the Real Maestranza de Caballería, a famous bullring. Departure to Mérida. On the way, we will stop briefly in Zafra to visit the famous Arcade and the Alcazar de los Duques de Feria; at present it is a Hotel-Parador where we can admire the Renaissance patio attributed to Juan de Herrera. Continuation to Mérida and arrival at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

3rd Day: MÉRIDA - TRUJILLO - CÁCERES (137 km)
Breakfast and walking visit to the city founded by August in the year 25 BC: the majestic Roman Bridge, over the Guadiana river is 792 meters long and has 60 arches, the late 1st century Temple of Diana and the Trajano Archway. During this route we will also visit the Roman Theatre, one of the best-preserved theatres in the world, the Amphitheatre and some ancient Palaces. Departure to Trujillo and lunch. In the afternoon we will visit the old town, founded by the Romans and fortified by the Arabs. We will admire the exquisite Plaza Mayor surrounded by different Palaces: the Casa de las Cadenas, the Torre del Alfiler, Mudejar style, and the Orellana Palace with its magnificent Plateresque courtyard. Continue our tour to the splendid town of Cáceres. Arrival at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

4th Day: CÁCERES-PLASENCIA-HERVÁS-SALAMANCA(220 km)
Breakfast and sightseeing tour of the medieval Cáceres, a walled city with a mixture of Gothic and Renaissance styled Palaces. Their façades are simple and ochre, only adorned with a family shield and carved cornices. We start our tour at the Estrella Gateway and walk to Santa Maria Square where we will visit the Concatedral Santa Maria and its impressive altarpiece, made of cedar wood, and the sculpture of a black Christ of the 14th century. Next to it we find the Renaissance Episcopal Palace with a dressed stone façade and two medallions that represent the New and Old World. We continue our visit with the Upper Golfines Palace, the occasional residence of the Catholic Kings; Church of San Francisco Javier; Casa de las Cigüenzas; Casa de las Veletas; Casa del Comendador de Alcuescar; the Lower Golfines Palace and back to the Estrella Gateway. Departure to Plasencia. Lunch and visit of the Old and New Cathedral and the magnificent Plaza Mayor. Leaving for Salamanca we will stop in Hervás for a walk through the well- preserved Jewish Quarter, its "casas de entramado" and the 12th and 14th century streets. Transfer to the hotel in Salamanca. Dinner and accommodation.

5th Day: SALAMANCA
Breakfast and walk along the historic centre of Salamanca, one of the most ornate cities of Spain. The cultural tour starts at the Plaza Mayor, in the heart of the city; we continue along the Rua Mayor and stop at Casa de las Conchas, (House of Shells) a 15th century gothic building decorated with 300 Santiago Apostle's shells. Then, the Clerecía, a public Jesuit University college with a magnificent baroque patio; the Patio de las Escuelas Menores, surrounded by Plateresque styled buildings and the University itself, founded by Alfonso X the Wise in 1254, with a façade entirely covered by a magnificent decoration in relief. Visit to the Old Cathedral, where we can observe elements of Romanesque and the pre-gothic styles and the New Cathedral, rich in renaissance and baroque decorations, some of them by José de Churriguera. We will finish the tour at the Monterrey Palace, a typical Spanish renaissance Palace. Lunch. In the afternoon we visit the San Esteban Church Convent with its Plateresque façade, and Las Dueñas Convent, built in the 15th century on a Mudejar Palace and with a magnificent cloister overlooking the Cathedral. Free time. Dinner and accommodation.

6th Day: SALAMANCA - ZAMORA - LEÓN (245 km)
Breakfast and departure for Zamora. Arrival and walk through the historical city centre to visit the main churches of the city: Santa Maria Magdalena, Santa Maria la Nueva and San Juan de la Puerta Nueva. All of them were built in the 12th century in a Romanesque style and each one with its own architectural characteristics. During today’s route we will visit the Cathedral where the traveller will observe the magnificent dome with Byzantine influences. You can't miss the museum and its great collection of Flemish tapestries of the 15th century. Departure to Leon. We stop our tour in the city of Benavente for Lunch. In Leon we visit the Basilica of San Isidoro, a western Romanesque monument, and the exquisite Cathedral, a masterpiece of the one of the world’s prime examples of Gothic splendour. A special mention goes to its stained-glass windows and its cloister. Transfer to the hotel in Leon, Dinner and accommodation.

7th Day: LEÓN - OVIEDO (129 km)
Breakfast and free time. Departure to Oviedo. Before entering the city we will stop for a visit to the Church of Santa Maria del Naranco, a prominent building of the Romanesque style in Asturias. Transfer to the hotel. Lunch. Sightseeing tour of the old city starting at the Cathedral, of the latest Gothic style. Indoors, a glance at the outstanding altar made of polychrome wood showing some parts of Jesus Christ's life; in the hall we find the 12 pillar-statues and the treasure on the apse.
We continue our tour and visit the Valdecarnaza Palace dated the 16th century and the ruins of the San Tirso Church, unique reminder of a temple of the 9th century. Before the end of the tour, we will pass through the Porlier Square surrounded by magnificent Palaces: the Toreno and the Camposagrado Palace are both from the 18th century. Free time. Transfer to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

8th Day: OVIEDO - MADRID (by plane)
Breakfast in the hotel and departure to Oviedo's airport. End of this cultural tour.