TRIP ITINERARY TO MADRID AND ANDALUCIA

                       Day 1
Depart for your transatlantic flight to Spain.

                                       Day 2
You will be greeted at the Madrid airport by a bilingual ETS representative for a transfer to the hotel. After relaxing a little, you will visit the Plaza Mayor for a walking tour of Old Madrid before dinner. Overnight tonight in Madrid.  D

                                                    Day 3
This morning, take a guided walking tour of Madrid, including the Puerta del Sol. Walk along the Calle Alcala to the Plaza Monumental. Also, visit the Plaza Colon and the residential areas of Castellana and Recoletos. This afternoon, visit the Prado Museum. View its large selection of paintings from the Spanish school: El Greco, Velasquez, and Goya, as well as Reubens, Botticelli, and Rembrandt. In the afternoon, visit the Royal Place. The palace was home to the royal family until 1931, and today, is still used by the King for official receptions. Dinner and overnight this evening in Madrid. B

                            Day 4
Today, visit Segovia with its remarkable Alcazar, Roman Aquaduct, and Cathedral. Continue on to El Escorial. View the Royal Apartments and the Pantheon of Kings where almost all the Kings of Spain have been buried since Charles Quint. Then, travel to the Valley of the Fallen, which is a monument to the victims of the Spanish Civil War. Return to Madrid for dinner this evening and overnight. B/D

                          Day 5
After breakfast, depart for Toledo. Visit the Cathedral, the Santo Tome Church, and the home and museum of El Greco. Visit the Museum de Santa Cruz and Transito Synagogue. On your return to Madrid, if time permits, walk along the Plaza de Cibeles and pass through the Alcala Gate. Continue to Retiro Park with its monument to Alphonse XII and the beautiful Crystal Palace. Dinner and overnight this evening in Madrid. B

                                                        Day 6
Transfer to the station for the AVE to Cordoba. This city is twice the capital of Spain and thrived on its diversification. You will see three civilizations that had great influence on the city: Islam with the Mesquita, Christian with the Cathedral, and Jewish with the Synagogue and its traditional white streets and flowered walls. Dinner this evening and overnight in Cordoba.  B/D

                                            Day 7
Depart to Seville in the morning for a guided tour. This Andalucian city was the center of new world trade for 200 years. Visit the Giralda or weather vane for a very nice view from the top of its 300-foot tower. Enter the Cathedral by either the Porta de la Lonja or Porta San Christobal to see the tomb of Christopher Columbus that is carried by four kings, which is a symbol of the four realms of Leon, Castille, Navarre, and Aragon. This afternoon visit the Alcazar. Only the Patio del Yeso remains from its Moorish construction. Work was continued on the palace, dome, and gardens, and completed by Padro the Cruel in the 14th century. Dinner this evening before the flamenco show. Overnight in Seville.  B/D

                                                   Day 8
After breakfast, depart for Granada. This city was the capital of Moorish Spain for over 250 years. The Moors had great influence over this city, but the most spectacular is the Alhambra, one of the most remarkable fortresses ever built. Also, visit the Generalife, the country home for the Kings of Spain, with its terraced gardens. Then, journey on to the Mediterranean coast for the evening and dinner.  B/D

                                                                                  Day 9
Today, you are on your own to visit a few Spanish villages by local bus. Or, perhaps, you may choose to just relax on the beach. B

                                                 Day 10
Transfer to the Malaga airport. Depart for your transatlantic flight home. B