Day 1
Guests are greeted at the airport in London and transferred to the hotel. In the evening there is an introduction to the tour. Dinner at the hotel follows.
Day 2
In the morning we visit Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world, and the official residence of Her Majesty the Queen. Built over 900 years ago, the castle covers a massive 480,000 square feet. After lunch we discover Hampton Court Palace, former home of the flamboyant King Henry VIII, who extended and developed this grand palace after acquiring it in the 1520’s. Its many royal occupants have ensured that the palace has fabulous furnishings, tapestries and paintings. Set on 60 acres of formal gardens, which include the famous maze and Great Vine, this palace is well worth a visit.
Day 3
We start the day with a visit to the Tower of London, which is one of the world’s most famous fortresses and has seen service as royal palace, prison, armory, and even a zoo. The ancient stones reverberate with dark secrets, priceless jewels glint in fortified vaults and pampered ravens strut over the grounds. The group also visits Westminster Abbey, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, among other sights.
Day 4
Travel day to Paris via ferry over the English Channel.
Day 5
After breakfast we are guided through one of the most visited monuments in the world, the Palace of Versailles. Wanting to escape the busy life in Paris and to keep the nobility under his control, Louis XIV built this chateau in which he set up home and installed the government. Louis Le Vau was commissioned to renovate and extend an old hunting lodge, Le Notre created the gardens from swamp land and Mansart masterminded the hydraulic display of the fountains. After lunch the group visits the Eiffel Tower and the Arch of Triumph. Free time and shopping opportunities on the Champs Élysées are offered in the evening.
Day 6
In the morning we visit the Palais du Louvre, known first and foremost as a museum housing one of the most impressive collections of artwork in the world. For almost seven hundred years the buildings constituted one of the principal residences of the kings and emperors of France. We visit Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral, arguably the most stunning, and undoubtedly the most famous, Gothic cathedral in the world. Conceived in the 12th Century and completed in the 14th, Notre Dame Cathedral was the very heartbeat of medieval Paris. In the afternoon we discover Montmartre. Topped by the 19th Century Sacré-Cœur white basilica, Montmartre is the highest hill in Paris at 427 feet. Very rural until a century ago, Montmartre is nowadays the last village in the big city of Paris. It keeps a subtle and unique atmosphere in spite of the influence of tourists from all over the world.
Day 7
After breakfast we travel to Bordeaux, where you can enjoy large open boulevards, narrow paved medieval streets, large squares surrounded by cafés and restaurants, and lots of breathtaking individual sites.
Day 8
In the morning we visit the Palais de la Bourse, built in the 18th Century. This magnificent building is on the Place de la Bourse along with the Hotel des Douanes. The ensemble is a wonderful collection of 18th Century architecture, all with a view over the river. In the center of the Place de la Bourse is La Fontaine des Trois Graces, representing Empress Eugénie, Queen Victoria and the Queen of Spain. We also visit the Bordeaux National Opera House, a wonderful bell tower built in the 13-15th Centuries; Cathédrale Saint André; and the St-Pierre District which forms a charming contrast to the elegant splendour of the 18th Century boulevards around the Grand Théâtre. In the evening we taste world-famous Bordeaux vines.
Day 9
After breakfast in Bordeaux, the group departs for Barcelona.
Day 10
In the morning we visit La Sagrada Familia, one of Gaudi’s most famous works in Barcelona. A giant church that has been under construction since 1882, it is not expected to be completed for another 30 to 80 years. In the afternoon we take a walking tour of Barcelona and discover other Gaudi buildings like Casa Batló or Casa Mila.
Day 11
After breakfast we visit the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, the largest surrealistic object in the world. A 19th Century construction which occupies the building of the former Municipal Theater was destroyed at the end of the Spanish Civil War. On its ruins, Dalí decided to create his museum. After lunch it’s time to enjoy a more whimsical afternoon at Gaudí’s famous Parc Güell. According to experts, this is one of the world’s most impressive (and abnormal) man-made landscapes and the perfect place to add a bit of pizzazz to your vacation photo album. Covering several acres of green space in northwestern Barcelona, this area features everything from mosaic collages to mushroom-shaped chimneys. Gaudí’s artistic style and love of Catalan culture is evident through the numerous walking trails of the park.
Day 12
Travel day to Madrid. In the evening we take a guided walking tour in the medieval center of the Spanish capital discovering Puerta del Sol and Plaza Mayor.
Day 13
In the morning we visit the Royal Palace in Madrid, which is actually used (but not owned) by the King of Spain for state ceremonial activities. After lunch we visit the principle church of the Diocese of Madrid. The Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena is a relatively modern building, as its construction began in 1883 and it was not completed until 1993. There will be opportunity for our guests to have free time and go shopping on the Gran Vía before dinner. This avenue together with the Paseo de la Castellano, is Madrid’s most famous street, mentioned in zarzuelas (Spanish operettas), books and shown many times in films. It starts at the Plaza de Alcalá and leads across the city to the expansive Plaza de España. Along this Great Way, as its name translates, there are hundreds of businesses - shops, hotels, banks, restaurants, bars, cinemas and theatres - making this perhaps one of the most important commercial districts in the city. Farewell dinner in the evening.
Day 14
After saying goodbye, our guests are transferred to the International Airport of Madrid for their return flights.
