Madrid - Toledo, 5 days

Flight from Athens to Madrid. Arrival and departure directly for a first acquaintance with the city through a panoramic ride with our bus. With photo stops at places like Plaza Castilla with its twin curved towers (Puerta de Europa), Madrid's bullring (Plaza de Toros Las Ventas) the country's largest, the 2,500-year-old Egyptian temple Templo de Debod. As well as a walk in the largest natural lung in the center of the city, the Retiro Park, where we will see the artificial lake and the Crystal Palace (Palacio de Crystal).

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

After breakfast at the hotel departure for Atocha station. Atocha station is the biggest train station in Madrid, from here the high speed AVE trains to Barcelona, Zaragoza, Sevilla, Malaga, Valencia and Alicante depart. There is a wonderful lush garden inside the station which is the reason for our visit. Inaugurated in 1992, it occupies part of the old station after it was expanded to accommodate high-speed trains. In the garden you can find 7,000 plants, from more than 260 species of the plant kingdom!

Then we go across the station to visit the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, specifically the 2nd floor where the permanent exhibition is located. There we will have the opportunity to admire some of the most famous works of Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí and of course the masterpiece of world art Pablo Picasso's Guernica as well as other well-known works of the artist. Scheduled tours with an official guide are of a specific duration but you will always have an hour of free time to enjoy other works or visit the museum's remarkable shop.

Then we will walk through the Madrid of the Bourbons with its large open spaces, i.e. squares, boulevards, etc. and specifically from the Prado Avenue, also known as the Avenue of Art, and the Vertical Garden of the Caixa Forum in Habsburg Madrid with its many narrow streets, and we will pass the Barrio de las Letras Neighborhood of Letters.

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

After breakfast, there is an optional excursion that will depart for Segovia, the city of Queen Isabel, the old capital of Castile. Segovia is located in the most impressive location in Spain. The old city is built on a rocky hill and is surrounded by the rivers Eresma and Clamores. From a distance it looks like a ship, with the medieval fortress forming the bow, the turrets of the Gothic church rising like masts and the aqueduct at the back resembling a rudder.

At sunset, the view of the old town from the valley is magnificent. In Segovia there are many churches, a cathedral from 1525, a museum of Segovia with works of engraving from the Stone Age as well as tools, constructions, coins, etc. You can still see the aqueduct and the ALCAZAR that rises like a fairytale castle. Late afternoon return to Madrid. For the Segovia trip to happen, we need at least 15 participants and the cost is 50 euros per person.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for Toledo, the old capital of Spain. Arriving first, we will take a panoramic bus tour and stop at a vantage point to take pictures and Toledo will be presented to us like a bride showing off her wedding dress. Then we will go to the annex of the factory of Damascenes and Swords, i.e. the two most characteristic examples of Toledan art.

Then we will start to cross on foot from one end to the other, the whole old city. 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 also be able to see works by El Greco who lived and worked in Toledo, and not only that...

free time and return to Madrid.

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

Today our trip ends, leaving beautiful memories and a promise that we will come back.