MADRID - 5 DAYS - SPRING

Flight from Athens to Madrid. Arrival and departure directly for a first acquaintance with the city through a panoramic tour with our bus. With stops for photos at places such as Plaza Castilla with its twin curved towers (Puerta de Europa), the Madrid bullring (Plaza de Toros Las Ventas) the largest in the country, as well as a walk in the largest natural lung in the city center, the Retiro Park, where we will see the artificial lake

Arrival and check-in at the hotel, some time to rest and we set off for a walk in the historic center Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel, and free time for dinner.

After breakfast at the hotel, we will depart on foot to the Prado Museum. We will pass through Plaza Colon, Paseo de Recoletos, and Plaza de Cibeles with the Bank of Spain and the City Hall, and through Paseo del Prado to arrive at the museum.

The Prado Museum is one of the most important art galleries in the world with a multitude of famous works that we would need whole days to be able to see them, in the 1 hour and 35 minutes that we are given to do our scheduled tour with an official guide we will enjoy mainly works from the Spanish School by El Greco, Velazquez and Goya as well as some paintings from the Venetian School such as Tintoretto or the Flemish School such as Rubens. We will also have an hour free here to be able to see other works or visit the museum shop.

We will then walk from the Madrid of the Bourbons with its large open spaces, i.e. squares, avenues, etc. and specifically from the Prado Avenue, also known as the Avenue of Arts, to the Madrid of the Habsburgs with its many narrow streets, and we will pass the Barrio de las Letras.

From there you will be free to <> in these streets, try a chocolate con churros at the San Ginés Chocolateria, or find yourself on Cava Baja Street in the La Latina neighborhood with its many Tapas Bars.

Later in the afternoon, we recommend visiting the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, specifically the 2nd floor where the permanent exhibition is located. There you will have the opportunity to admire some of the most famous works by Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí and of course the masterpiece of world art, Guernica by Pablo Picasso, as well as other very well-known works by the artist.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for Toledo, the old capital of Spain. Upon arrival, we will first take a panoramic bus ride around the perimeter and stop at a point from above to take photos, and Toledo will be presented to us like a bride showing off her wedding dress. Then we will head to the annex of the Damask and Swords factory, i.e. the two most characteristic examples of Toledo art.

Then we will start walking through the entire old town from one end to the other. We will stop to visit the vestibule of the church of Saint Thomas where El Greco's masterpiece, The Burial of the Count of Orgath, is located.

Then we will go to visit the most beautiful Cathedral in Western Europe, the Cathedral of Toledo. In addition to the temple, we will be able to see works by El Greco, who lived and worked in Toledo, and not only…

Later free time and return to Madrid.

For the evening, to end your trip to Madrid beautifully, we recommend a Flamenco show!!!

Today we have our optional excursion to medieval Segovia, where we will walk through its streets, see the 2,000-year-old Roman Aqueduct, the Plaza Mayor, the Alcazar de Segovia Castle-Palace and have the opportunity to try local restaurants, dishes such as cochinillo (baby pig) or try the local dessert Ponche Segoviano. Return to Madrid in the afternoon. For the excursion to take place, a minimum of 15 participants is required and the cost per person is €50.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for Madrid Airport and return to Athens.