Travel by coach with English speaking guide
Madrid – Saragossa – Barcelona – Girona – Chambery – Geneva – Leysin – Interlaken – Zurich – Strasbourg – Paris
10 Days and 9 nights
21 December 2024
Welcome to Madrid! Upon arriving at the airport, we will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. You can enjoy some free time until the beginning of your tour. Please check the informative posters placed at the hotel reception area, which have all the information about the welcome meeting with your guide and fellow travelers. Towards the end of the day, we provide a transfer to Plaza Mayor and La Latina: Madrid´s most famous area for night life and tapas restaurants where you can dine at your preferred restaurant: Indian, Chinese, Spanish and Middle Eastern are some of the options available.
The morning starts with a comprehensive tour through the center of Madrid, including the Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. Then we will visit Retiro Park, an oasis in the city center, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. Entrance included to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the football stadium of Real Madrid, for many, the best club in the world. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your own leisure. At the end of the evening we will return to the hotel.
In the morning, we’ll leave for Aragon, travelling through the lands of Castile. Our first stop will be in Zaragoza to admire the stunning Basilica del Pilar. We’ll then journey to the serene Poblet Abbey, one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (tickets included). Finally, we’ll head to Barcelona, where we’ll arrive in the evening.
In the morning we will enjoy the city tour of Barcelona, open to the Mediterranean Sea, famous for Gaudí and its modernist architecture, for its promenades and memories of the Universal Exhibitions and Olympics that took place there. Barcelona is considered one of the most beautiful and interesting European cities. In the evening we will leave Barcelona towards the north of Catalonia. Before the accommodation in the hotel we will have a walk through GIRONA, contemplating its historic center of a great beauty, highlighting its colorful houses, the old Jewish quarter and the cathedral.
We leave for France, crossing Provence. We will make a stop in ARLES, a small world heritage city where we will remember Van Gogh, and can see Roman theatre and small Romanesque churches. Time for a stroll and lunch. We carry on and include admission to CARRIERES DE LUMIERE, an impressive show of art, image and sound underground, in former quarries. CHAMBERY, arrival and accommodation in the charming capital of Savoy, a medieval city with a beautiful old town and a great castle.Note: When due to the influx of public it is not possible to obtain tickets for the Carrieres de Lumière show, as an alternative there will be a transfer provided to the Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard.
We travel to Switzerland. GENEVA, arrival. With our guide we will go to the Palace of Nations (the headquarters of the United Nations in Europe) to the pretty English Garden with its clock made of flowers and we can admire the “Jet d´Eau”, the tallest fountain in Europe. We go on to the picturesque walled village of GRUYERES, known worldwide for its cheese. Free time to stroll and have lunch. Nearby there are several of the main chocolate factories in Switzerland (NESTLE amongst them), and we will visit the Cailler chocolate factory, with a tasting included!After this we go on to CHILLON CASTLE, built in the waters of the lake. Entrance included to this fantastic medieval castle. We will continue travelling through smaller roads amidst bucolic mountain landscapes and very picturesque wooden villages.- Arrival in LEYSIN, a beautiful little holiday village with spectacular views of the Rhône plain and Mont Blanc, known for its winter sports resort or its hiking possibilities. Dinner included.Note: At times, accommodation may be arranged in another Swiss town nestled in the heart of the Alps, often Matigny.
Today´s stage has beautiful high mountain scenery. Don´t forget your winter clothes, we climb to one of the most spectacular spots in Switzerland, where you can see ice and snow all year round. We include the cable car ride up to GLACIER 3000, where you can walk on the suspended bridge in the gap between two mountain peaks, enter the Ice Cathedral or “play” in the Fun Park. We will make a stop in INTERLAKEN to have lunch. Among very picturesque lakes we continue to LUCERNE, one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. Continue to ZURICH, where there is time for a stroll downtown before going to the hotel. Note: Occasionally, for major weather reasons such as rain or strong winds, the cable car to Glacier 3000 may not operate.
We’ll depart from Zurich and travel to the French region of Alsace, where we’ll visit its capital, Strasbourg—a charming city that beautifully blends French and German influences. You’ll have time to explore and get to know the city. Afterward, we’ll continue our journey to Paris, arriving in the evening.
We come into contact with the history of France in the immense Palace of Versailles (admission not included) with its beautiful gardens. After that, on our way back to Paris, we head to Montmartre, and take a cable car (included) to go up to this bohemian neighborhood known for its painters, artists and cabarets. To contemplate the beauty of the impressive avenues and monuments of Paris, you will have the city tour with a local guide. Return to the hotel. Optionally you can attend the variety show.
We go to the center of Paris, starting by the Eiffel Tower area. You will have the opportunity to go up to the second floor of this remarkable metal monument (ticket included). Then we enjoy a boat cruise along the River Seine, which divides the north of Paris from the south. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore as you choose.Note: in some cases the waits to go up the Eiffel Tower are long. Thus the climb may take place at a different time (or on Sunday), if it is considered convenient for organizational reasons.Our journey will come to an end, leaving you with wonderful and lasting memories.Please, check the time of your flight in case you might need an additional night.
A Shamal Group Subsidiary All Rights Reserved © 2024