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Day 3 -
Madrid, Spain
Set out this morning to discover its highlights on an included panoramic tour. Among the sights are the exterior of the 18th-century Palacio Real (Royal Palace), an opulent, 2,800-room complex inspired by France's Versailles. You'll also admire the Plaza de Espana, the city's main square. After your Madrid city tour, you'll have the remainder of the day to do as you please. Lunch is on your own today, and your choices are endless. Make your own discoveries this afternoon. Perhaps you will visit one of the city's greatest attractions: the Prado Museum. Intended as a natural science museum when it was conceived in 1785, it evolved into the repository of the royal art collection by the time it was completed in 1819, and is now one of the world's most renowned art galleries. Or, if you prefer, return to the Royal Palace to explore its ornate royal apartment, banquet hall, Royal Armory, and Royal Library with its first edition of Don Quixote. Stroll the austere Plaza Mayor, one of Europe's largest public squares; or simply relax at a cafe and encounter the legendary friendliness of this welcoming city, melting pot for all the varied regions of Spain. Savor an authentic taste of Spanish cuisine and get acquainted with your traveling companions over a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant this evening. Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner |
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4/16/18 |
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City tour 
Vibrant Madrid
- the highest capital city
in Europe - may put you in mind of the
paintings of Velazquez, with clear blue
arching skies that gave rise to the phrase, "De
Madrid al cielo" ("Madrid is the next thing to
heaven"). One of the few European capitals
not settled by the Romans, it became Spain's
capital city in 1561, when Philip II moved his
court from Toledo to the city in which he had
been born. Located at the geographic center
of Iberia, Madrid was a crossroads of the
peninsula and remains a thriving cultural and
artistic center, with the liveliest nightlife in
the country.