Madrid, Paris, & The Coast

10 DaysBy: Kayla Parker

Day 1- Overnight Flight

• Depart from USA

Day 2-Madrid

• ACIS Tour Manager offers a warm Bienvenidos and has Spanish cuisine for tonight.

Day 3-Madrid

• Sightseeing with a local guide shows Madrid’s broad boulevards and classical fountains.

Plaza De Cibeles Madrid Spain- ionic symbol of Madrid

Day 3-Continued

• Then view the masterpieces of the Prado with a guide.

The prado is Madrid’s top cultural sight, and is also housed in an 18th-century Neo-Classical building that opened as a museum in 1819.

Velazquez' Surrender of Breda in the castle of Breda- One of the many paintings in Prado Museum

Day 3- Continued

• In the afternoon make a short journey through the heart of old Castile to Segovia

Day 3-Continued

•With a local guide, see the Roman Aqueduct and visit the Great Alcazar.

Roman Aqueduct

• Aqueducts were used throughout the Roman Empire to carry clean water to the many towns. This was one of the most important inventions in ancient Rome.

Alcazar Castle

Alcazar castle used as a prison until 1764 when it became the Royal School of Artillery. The school was moved to the Convent of Saint Francis after a fire in 1862 destroyed many of the castles roofs. It was restore some twenty years later in a romantic style.

Day 3-Continued

• Return to Madrid and learn to eat like a madrileno on an ACIS-designed Tapas Route

Day 4-Madrid

•Now to Spain’s ancient capital Toledo

Toledo

• It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage as one of the former capitals of the Spanish Empire and place of coexistence of Christian, Jewish and Moorish cultures. Many famous people and artists were born or lived in Toledo. It was also the place of important historic events such as the Visigothic Councils of Toledo.

Day 4-Madrid Continued

• Next is sightseeing with a guide to see the Gothic Cathedral, Medieval Synagogue, and the Church of Santo Tome.

Gothic Cathedral

• The third largest Cathedral in the world

Medieval Synagogue

Church of Santo Tome

• Santo Tomé was founded in the 12th century, but was completely rebuilt in the 14th century thanks to funds from the Lord of Orgaz, the subject of El Greco's famous painting.

Day 4-Continued

• Return to Madrid in the evening to be taught how to flamenco dance.

Flamenco Dancing

• Flamenco is the music of the Andalusian gypsies and played in their social community. Andalusian people who grew up around gypsies were also accepted as "flamencos"

Day 5-Burgos

Visit a local Bull Ranch, then participate in a bullfighting lesson, and watch a demonstration of Matador skills with a real bull. Lunch at the ranch is included

Day 5-Continued

• Continue to Burgos then visit El Cid’s tomb in the Burgos Cathedral. He was one of the greatest heroes of Spain.

Day 6-Biarritz

• Drive to the city of Bilbao to visit Guggenheim Museum.

Guggenheim Museum

• The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is a museum of modern and contemporary art. When it was opened to the public in 1997, it was immediately hailed as one of the world's most spectacular buildings in the style of Deconstructivism. Architect Philip Johnson called it "the greatest building of our time".

Curves were designed to catch the light

Day 6-Continued

• Continue to Atlantic Coast and view San Sebastian, the Spanish resort of villas, gardens, and tiny streets.

Day 6-Continued

• Then cross the border to the French resort of Biarritz, famed for its Basque heritage, ocean promenade and foaming breakers.

Biarritz

• It is a city which lies on the Bay of Biscay, on the Atlantic coast, in south-western France. It is a luxurious seaside town and is popular with tourists and surfers.

Day 7-Biarritz

• A free day to explore Biarritz

Day 8-Paris

• Take a TGV train of French Provinces. Begin your stay in the City of Light.

Day 9-Paris

• A sightseeing tour of the Arc de Tromphe to the gargoyles of Notre Dame

Arc de Tromphe to the gargoyles of Notre Dame• Gargoyles are said to ward off evil.

They were used on this cathedral to ward off evil spirits from the church. They are used to direct rain water away from the building preventing deterioration.

Day 10-Departure

The End