Madrid and the Heritage Cities Tour IC4
Madrid – Segovia – Ávila – Salamanca – Cáceres – Toledo
Based on 14 nights self-drive independent tour in Spain
World heritage will be your travelling companion throughout this magnificent trip. Starting in Spain´s vibrant, cultural capital, and without straying too far from it, you will discover five fascinating cities, each with the status of World Heritage City, where the evidence of a great past can be found everywhere.
Monumental cathedrals, royal palaces, historic universities and truly awe-inspiring Roman remains have survived over the centuries to tell us epic stories of Conquistadores and Kings and illustrious characters from Romans to the Inquisition .
But it is not all about those ‘old stones’. The immense mountain Sierras of Castilla and the enchanting ‘dehesa’ landscape of Extremadura offer some of Europe’s best bird-watching and star gazing opportunities and you’ll discover a rich living culture and excellent regional gastronomy with wines to match at each stop along the way.
The full route takes two weeks but you can do as little, or as much, as you like.
- Tour Highlights:
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Madrid – Spain’s lively, artistic capital
- Ávila, Salamanca & Toledo
- Roman Mérida & Segovia’s aqueduct
- Ribera del Duero and many other wine denominations
- Cáceres – a living museum
- Dehesa landscapes & delicious Jamón Ibérico
- Sierra de Madrid, Sierra de Gredos, Sierra de Francia & Guadarrama
£1925 p/p
* Indicative mid-season price for 14 nights (including car hire – flights not included) in our suggested hotels.
Day 1 to 3 – Madrid
- Capital of Spain – one of Europe´s largest
- Golden Triangle of Art – Prado, Reina Sofia & Thyssen Bornemisza Museum
- Puerta de Alcalá, Royal Palace, Almudena Cathedral…
- World-class galleries, theatres, cultural centres & events
- Distinctive atmosphere in each barrio; lively bars & restaurants
- Royal Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial
Day 4 & 5 – Segovia & Sierra de Guadarrama
- Segovia – World Heritage Site – Roman Aquaduct, Moorish Alcazar, Cathedral and large Jewish Quarter.
- Sierra de Guadarrama National Park
- Sepúlveda & Hoces del Duratón Nature Park
- Medieval Pedraza & Cuellar
- La Granja de San Ildelfonso – the Spanish Versailles
Day 6 & 7 – Ávila & Sierra de Gredos
- Ávila with its magnificent walls, a World Heritage Site
- Gredos mountains rising to 2500m at Pico Almanzór
- Astronomy & stargazing in this Dark-Sky location
- Trekking, climbing, birdwatching, horseriding…
- Walk the Puerto del Pico Roman way
Day 8 to 10 – Salamanca
- Salamanca – truly monumental university city
- Toro, Rueda & Sierra de Salamanca wines
- Delicious jamon from Guijuelo
- Historic Tordesillas, Toro & Zamora
- Cruise on the river in the Arribes del Duero
- Sierra de Francia & villages of Las Batuecas
Day 11 & 12 – Cáceres
- Old Town of Cáceres – UNESCO World Heritage Centre
- Monfrague National Park – a lesser known gem
- Trujillo with its imposing castle
- Take a pilgrimage to Guadalupe
- 2nd century Roman bridge at Alcántara
- Excellent local cheese and game dishes
Day 13 & 14 – Toledo
- Churches, synagogues & mosques – The City of the Three Cultures
- Cathedral of Toledo – 13th Century´s Gothic masterpiece
- Ancient Alcázar – Toledo´s Army Museum
- Old Town & Jewish Quarter
- Toledo´s walls – from the Romans to the Christian Reconquest
- El Greco “The Greek” Museum – life and work of the painter
& why not?
- Add Córdoba to the tour
- Catch your return flight from Porto
- Dip into Portugal
- Ask about superior rooms or a larger rental car
- or more economical options if you're on a budget...
- Call us to talk through all the options - we'd love to hear from you!
The itinerary includes the following:
- Accommodation in our listed hotels – 2 sharing 1 std. double ensuite, B&B
- Economy 4dr car hire
- or ferry crossings with Brittany Ferries (car + 2 berth interior cabin)
- Guide book to Spain
- Personal Travel App including highlights, weather forecast and restaurant suggestions for all areas en-route
- Instructions to find all accommodation
Not included:
- Flights – but we are able to advise
- One-way car hire charges, where applicable (see your quote email)
- The following car hire extras – these can be added at pick-up point
- extra driver
- child seats
- GPS
- Garage parking where applicable (mostly city stops) – please ask us about parking charges
Getting there
A circular itinerary, this route is best enjoyed flying in to Madrid – the best options are:
- Gatwick & Edinburgh with Easyjet
- Heathrow with Iberia-BA
- Stansted, Manchester & Birmingham with Ryanair
- Dublin with Aer Lingus
NB_Madrid is also the best destination airport for intercontinental connections. There are several options for customers coming from EEUU, Australia, etc.
Please call us for help and advice if you don’t see you nearest airport here.
Flights are not included
Getting around
For passengers travelling by air we will include a hire car as part of the package. Normally we include a 4 door economy class car but please let us know if you would like something different.
Should you prefer to come by ferry we can adapt the itinerary to suit. This can be arranged at advantageous rates.
New route for 2019
