What to expect

Royal Palace of Madrid

Royal Palace of Madrid

Marvel at the architectural grandeur & fascinating history

World Heritage Cities

World Heritage Cities

Guided tours of Toledo, Avila, Salamanca & Segovia

Special Christmas Eve Dinner

Special Christmas Eve Dinner

Dine with your fellow Solos at charming local restaurants

About this trip...

Join us this Christmas for an unforgettable journey through the regal wonders of Madrid and its neighbouring regions. We'll begin in the enchanting lands of Castile and León, a realm steeped in history and graced with breathtaking monuments. Exploring the World Heritage cities of Avila, Salamanca, and Segovia. We venture southward to Castilla–La Mancha, where the medieval charm of Toledo awaits. Both regions, named after the Spanish word for castle, 'castillo', boast an array of awe-inspiring fortresses and medieval marvels that rival any in the world. And finally, we immerse ourselves in the vibrant heartbeat of Madrid—a city that effortlessly blends cool sophistication with timeless beauty. With its myriad attractions and irresistible charm, Madrid promises a journey filled with a thousand unforgettable moments.
Activity Level: Activity Level Rating
What's this?

What's Included

  • Return flights & transfers
  • Airport Taxes & Charges
  • Double for sole use room
  • Half Board with Gala Dinner
  • Welcome Drink & Information Meeting
  • Guided city tours of Segovia with visit to Cathedral and Alcazar, Salamanca with visit to Old and New Cathedral, Avila with visit to Cathedral, Toledo and Madrid
  • Guided tour of the Royal Monastery San Lorenzo de El Escorial
  • Guided tour of the Royal Palace in Madrid
  • Guided tour of the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso
  • Accompanying Solos Tour Leader
  • Fully financially protected

Itinerary

  • Arrival in Madrid and Transfer to Segovia
  • Segovia
  • Salamanca
  • Avila - Toledo
  • Toledo
  • Madrid
  • Madird
  • Departure Day

What you will be doing...

Day One: Arrival in Madrid and transfer to Segovia

Day One: Arrival in Madrid and transfer to Segovia

Upon arrival at Madrid airport, we transfer to the nearby city of Segovia and our hotel by private coach. On the way, we have a guided tour of the San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the imposing royal monastery that is another former residence of the King of Spain.
 
When evening comes, we will gather to enjoy a welcome drink before having dinner in a local restaurant.
  • Dinner Included
Day Two: Segovia

Day Two: Segovia

After breakfast, we meet our English speaking guide at our hotel, before journeying to the small town of San Ildefonso located in the hills just outside of Segovia. Once there, we'll enjoy a guided tour of the ‘Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso’ - a former summer residence of the Kings of Spain, constructed in the baroque style and surrounded by extensive ornamental gardens covering over 6 square kilometres. We will then have free time for lunch.

This afternoon, we take a four hour walking tour of the city starting at the Plaza Major and taking in the iconic historical feature of the city, the Aqueduct of Segovia - a mighty feat of ancient Roman construction. We will visit the ‘Segovia Cathedral’ which is also known as 'The Lady of Cathedrals' and was the last Gothic cathedral built in Spain. It is widely considered to be a masterpiece of Basque-Castilian Gothic architecture. We will walk through the manor houses, the palace of Enrique IV, the Jewish quarter of Segovia, Plaza de San Martín and many other places of interest.

We will also visit the magical ‘Alcazar de Segovia’ - a romantic medieval castle perched atop a rocky crag at the western end of the old town, above the Eresma River. It is one of the most distinctive castle-palaces in Spain and is thought to have inspired the castle used by Disney. We will then return to the hotel to relax and freshen up before having dinner in a local restaurant.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Three: Salamanca Golden City Tour

Day Three: Salamanca Golden City Tour

After breakfast, we leave our hotel in Segovia and travel by private coach to the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Salamanca. We will enjoy a three hour guided tour of the Golden city where we will discover the main attractions such as the magnificent Cathedrals in the heart of the city (old and new) which are adjacent to each other, the famous university, the Anaya square and school, the Casa de las Conchas, the Pontifical University, the Plaza Mayor and much more.

We will also have some free time to explore the heart of the city. We then return to the hotel to relax and freshen up before having dinner in a local restaurant.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included

Day Four: Avila Medieval City Tour

Day Four: Avila Medieval City Tour

After breakfast, we leave our hotel in Salamanca and will go by private coach to the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Avila where we enjoy a three hour guided tour of this impressive medieval walled city. This includes a visit to the Romanesque Cathedral which was constructed just as much to be a defensible fortification as much as a place of worship. We will have some free time in the city for lunch and explore more. We will then travel by private coach to the UNESCO World Heritage listed city of Toledo in the adjacent autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha.

We then arrive at the hotel to relax and freshen up before having dinner.
  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Five: Toledo

Day Five: Toledo

After breakfast, we enjoy a four hour guided tour of the old town of Toledo, nestled on the sloping hills by the side of the Tagus River with highlights that will include the striking city cathedral, the Islamic inspired Church of Santiago del Arrabal, the Castle of San Servando that overlooks the Tagus River and the Roman Alcantara bridge that crosses the river. We walk around the cities walls passing by some of its numerous, formidable ‘Puerta’ - ornate defensive gates that once controlled access into the city.


Following the guided tour, the rest of the day can be spent at leisure to find lunch in one of the many local restaurants and to explore the heart of the city. We then return to the hotel to relax and freshen up before having dinner in a local restaurant.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included
Day Six: Madrid

Day Six: Madrid

We leave our hotel in Toledo after breakfast and travel by private coach to Madrid. We check-in to our hotel, having the rest of the day at leisure to explore and enjoy the beautiful Spanish capitol city before dinner.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included

Day Seven: Madrid

Day Seven: Madrid

We enjoy a four hour guided tour of the city including the Madrid Royal Palace. After that, we have some free time to explore, before returning to the hotel to relax and freshen up before dinner.

  • Breakfast & Dinner Included

Day Eight: Departure Day

Day Eight: Departure Day

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our return flight home.

  • Breakfast Included

Accommodation

Christmas in Madrid & Castilla y Leon

We stay in comfortable hotels (or similar) throughout the trip :
  • Hotel Infanta Isabel Three-star - 2 Nights
  • Silken Rona Dalba Three-star - 1 Nights
  • Hotel Carlos V Three-star - 2 Nights
  • Novotel Madrid Centre Four-star - 2 Nights
 

Dates & Prices

Departure Return Nights Price from Other Info Regional flights
20 Dec 2024 27 Dec 2024 7 £2295.00 Limited space available Please call for regional flights

Frequently asked questions

Transfer Time
The transfer time between Madrid Airport and the hotel Infanta Isabel in Segovia is approximately 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on traffic. The transfer time between the Novotel Madrid Centre Hotel inMadrid and Madrid Airport is approximately 20 minutes, depending on traffic.
Dress Code
The dress code for during the day is casual. In the evenings the dress code is smart casual. Comfortable warm shoes for walking and sightseeing are recommended. Winters in Madrid can be extra chilly due to the city’s high altitude, so be sure to bring layers that will keep you cozy and warm. Bring a comfortable coat, thick scarf, hat and gloves.  Insulated boots and thermal tops are also good idea.
Gratuities
We suggest a Group Collection to cover guides, transfer drivers, and hotel staff of minimum £30.00 per person. Your Tour Leader will collect this on your behalf and distribute it accordingly, thus relieving you of the burden of who, when and how much to tip. The tipping of housekeeping will be left to your individual discretion (a small amount left in your room on departure should cover this and would be much appreciated). As is customary, ‘the hat’ will be passed around for the driver and guide on all optional excursions. For any meals that are not included in your itinerary, or taxi fares, your Tour Leader can advise of an appropriate % to add on.
Please Note
A reasonable level of fitness/mobility is required as we include plenty of sightseeing/travelling.

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