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Barcelona
(July 14 - 17) $435
In a privileged position on the northeastern
coast of the Iberian peninsula and the shores of the Mediterranean,
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain in both size and
population. It is also the capital of Catalonia.
- Day 1:
08:30 - Depart for Barcelona in
air-conditioned motorcoach transportation. Arrive at hotel
approximately at 18:00. Time to rest or to start
exploring Barcelona. We suggest you take L3
metro to the centre of town where you can
explore La Rambla, Barrio Gotico, and Port Vell.
- Day 2: Depart
at 09:30 for sightseeing tour of
Barcelona.
Tour takes you to places such as La Rambla,
Barrio Gotico, La Sagrada Familia, Parc Vell,
and Montjuic. Rest of the day free.
- Day 3:
Free day to explore Barcelona on your
own.
- Day 4:
Depart Barcelona at 08:30 for
Madrid.
Getting Around: There are generally no
shortages of taxis available to and from the centre of town and
it's approximately a 20 min. ride. The metro is the easiest and
cheapest way to get around the city. You can buy multiple-trip
city tickets that offer worthwhile savings. Line 3 takes you to
the area of La Rambla and Paseo de Gracias, the centre of town.
What to see:
La Rambla: Five separate streets strung end to end, La
Rambla is a tree-lined pedestrian boulevard packed with living
statues, mimes and itinerant salespeople selling everything from
lottery tickets to jewelry. The noisy bird market on the
second block of La Rambla is worth a stop, as is the nearby
Palau de la Virreina, a grand 18th-century rococo mansion,
with arts and entertainment information and a ticket office.
Next door is La Rambla's most colorful market, the Mercat de
la Boqueria. Just south of the Boqueria the Mosaic de
Miró punctuates the pavement, with one tile signed by the
artist. The next section of La Rambla boasts the Gran Teatre
del Liceu, the famous 19th-century opera house. Below the
Plaça Reial, La Rambla becomes decidedly seedy, with strip clubs
and peep shows. La Rambla terminates at the lofty Monument a
Colon (Monument to Columbus) and the harbour. You can ascend
the monument by lift. Just west of the monument, on Avinguda de
les Drassanes, stand the Reials Drassanes (Royal Shipyards),
which house the fascinating Museu Marítim. It has more seafaring
paraphernalia than you'd care to wag a sextant at - boats,
models, maps, paintings, ships' figureheads and 16th-century
galleys.
Must See: La Rambla, Barrio Gotico, Museo Picasso, La
Sagrada Familia, and Montjuic. |
Lisbon
(July 14 - 17) $435
Lisbon
is a
legendary city with over 20 centuries of
History. The Alfama is one of the oldest
quarters in Lisboa. Adjacent to the Alfama
are the likewise old quarters of Castelo and
Mouraria, and the stylish summer resort
of
Cascais. Nearby
is
Sintra with its lush wooded height and verdant
charm.
- Day 1: 08:30
- Depart for Lisbon. Stop in Mérida for lunch and visit the
Roman ruins there. Mérida was the capital of
Lusitania during Roman times and it is now one
of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world.
Continue on to Lisbon. Arrival around 18:00.
Rest of the evening free.
- Day 2: 09:00 - Tour of Lisbon and nearby
towns of Sintra and Cascais with professional tour guide.
Some places included in the tour are: the
Christian and the Arab neighborhoods, St.
George's Castle, and below it, the Alfama
neighborhood, the Monument to the Discoverers, Praca do Comercio and the Rocio.
Continue to nearby beac resrt of Cascais &
the area of Sintra.
Rest of the day free.
- Day 3: Free day
to explore Lisbon on your own.
- Day 4: 09:00 Depart for Madrid.
Getting
Around: Carris is the transportation
company that runs buses, trams and
funiculars in Lisbon. It is advisable to buy
the tickets in advance as they will be MUCH
cheaper and more convenient. The most
favorable way to get around in Lisbon is by
Metro. Metro trains run every day from 6.00
a.m. until 1.00 a.m. Single journey
tickets are costlier than to buy a book of
10 tickets.
What to see:
Alfama - Alfama is a village within a
city still made up of narrow streets, tiny
squares, churches, and whitewashed. The top
3 sights: Saint George's Castle, The Tile
Museum, São Vicente de Fora Church
Baixa - Baixa, or downtown Lisbon, is the
heart of the city. It is the main shopping
and banking district that stretches from the
riverfront to the main. The top 3 sights:
Comercio Square, Rossio Square, Santa Justa
Elevator
Bairro - Bairro is a picturesque quarter
dating from the 16th century that has
traditionally been the city's bohemian haunt
of artists and writers. Its grid of streets
is transformed at night into the city's
vibrant nightlife quarter.
Belem – Belem is Lisbon's most monumental
and historical area. The top 3 sights:
Jeronimos Monastery, Belem Tower, Berardo
Museum
Cascais – Cascais is a picturesque spot and
still a traditional fishing harbour. The
beaches of Cascais have names like the
"Pescadores", "Marchioness" and the "Queen",
reminding us of the time when it was the
"Land of Kings and fishermen".
Sintra – Sintra is a tourist region par
excellence and is one of the most delightful
places to be found in Portugal. With its
extensive range of green bills with its
crags - the Serra de Sintra - so
picturesquely situated and ostupendous views
of the coastline with its impressive beauty,
Sintra is indeed "a garden of the earthly
paradise". |
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Where is it located?
Situated in the central Eixample
area between Barcelona's two busiest
business areas, Plaza Catalunya and
Las Glorias, it is 5 minutes from
the city centre and 20 minutes from
the airport. Near the hotel are the
Tetuán metro station (Line 2) and
Arc de Triomf (Line 1) and the bus
stops of many urban routes, allowing
rapid access to any part of the
city. |
Where is it located? It is
situated near one of Lisbon's most
important streets, “Av. da República”
and walking distance from the Campo
Pequeno Arena. It is 5 minutes
walking distance from Calouste
Gulbenkian Museum, a business
district, and is easily accessible
to anywhere in town. |
