Madrid to Rome

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 leave for Aragón through the lands of Castile. In ZARAGOZA we make a brief stop to see the Pilar Basilica. We continue to the Monastery of Poblet, surrounded by its walls in a beautiful site that is one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance included). Following this we will continue to BARCELONA, arriving 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.

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 will leave Zurich early in the morning and cut across the Alps in order to reach the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Alongside the route we will get to see beautiful lakes and snow-capped mountains. LUGANO. Arrival in the cosmopolitan capital of the Italian Switzerland built next to its beautiful lake. Time to have a stroll and have lunch. Next, we will reach the enchanting little town of MORCOTE famous for its flowery stone houses. We will then travel to Italy. Arrival in MILAN where the guide will take us to the impressive Duomo Square. Here you will find a variety of local and international restaurants to have dinner at. Transfer to the hotel.

Today we continue our journey towards PISA. On a little tourist train, we will travel to the Piazza Dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), where there will be time to admire one of the most alluring and beautiful art complexes in Italy, including the well-known Leaning Tower of Pisa. Then, we continue to ROME, arriving at the end of the day.

In the morning, we have a scenic tour, which will be a great introduction to “The Eternal city”. We will visit the tiny state of the Vatican, the epicenter of Christianity in the world. You will be able to visit St. Peter’s Basilica. We include the entrance to the Imperial Forums, an impressive architectural complex formed by monumental buildings and squares, center of the political activity of Imperial Rome.At the end of the evening we arrange a transfer to Trastevere area for a stroll in the narrow cobbled streets of the district with hidden treasures, such as some modest medieval churches, small shops with the most peculiar of objects or scenes of daily life. Many trattorias (informal Italian eating establishments) and osterias (inns) imbued with the Italian spirit will be ready to serve you local dishes. Other restaurants serving Indian, Chinese and international food can be found in this area. Return to hotel.

After breakfast, end of our services.