Spain and Italy April 2011 → → →

Leave for Spain Day 1

Hola, Madrid (Day 1) Hola, Madrid (Day 1) Travel day. Travel day. Meet tour director: Rolando Carbonell Meet tour director: Rolando Carbonell Meet driver. Meet driver.

Hola, Madrid (Day 2) Madrid city walk: Madrid city walk: Puerta del Sol – Original entrance to the city. Has shops, cafes, gov’t offices. Plaza Mayor – Most famous plaza in Spain. Heart of Madrid. Historic site of bullfights, executions during the Inquisition. Plaza de Espana – Former military barracks. Near palace. Tallest concrete structure in the world.

Hola, Madrid (Day 2) El Prado El Prado World-renowned museum. Famous paintings by Velazquez, Goya and many others.

Madrid Landmarks (Day 3) Guided sightseeing tour Guided sightseeing tour

Madrid Landmarks (Day 3) Royal Palace visit Royal Palace visit Built to impress, formerly occupied for centuries by the royal family. Now used for state occasions.

Madrid Landmarks (Day 3) Toledo excursion Toledo excursion The street view The Toledo Cathedral El Alcázar (fortress) Toledo craftsmanship & handmade swords are known worldwide. Toledo sits on the hill above the Tagus River, still has the old walls that line the city, was capital in 6th c. AD for the Visgoths. The home of El Greco.

Travel to Barcelona (Day 4) Stop at Zaragoza cathedral on the way to Barcelona. Stop at Zaragoza cathedral on the way to Barcelona. Zaragoza is now the 5th largest city in Spain, the old center retains a number of interesting and historic buildings.

Travel to Barcelona (Day 4) Tapas dinner in Las Ramblas- tapas are Spanish hors d’oeuvres Tapas dinner in Las Ramblas- tapas are Spanish hors d’oeuvres

Barcelona Landmarks Day 5 Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia Europe’s most unconventional church, embodies symbolism and inspired by nature, definitely a Gaudi original.

Barcelona Landmarks Day 5 Parque Güell Parque Güell Gaudi’s most colorful creation- a garden city. Room of a Hundred Columns, there are 2 entry pavillions and a gingerbread-style house where Gaudi lived.

Barcelona Landmarks Day 5 Montjuïc Hill Montjuïc Hill 699 ft above the commercial seaport, the 1992 Olympics were held here, many art galleries, museums and an open-air theater, Palau Nacional houses the greatest Romanesque art collection and fountains and cascades.

Barcelona Landmarks Day 5 Mercat de la Boquería Mercat de la Boquería A mosaic pavement by Miro and an Art Deco dragon designed for a former umbrella shop.

Barcelona Landmarks Day 5 Columbus Monument Columbus Monument Located on Las Ramblas, a cast-iron monument designed by Buigas marks the spot where Columbus stepped ashore in 1493 after discovering America, bringing with him 6 Caribbean Indians.

Barcelona Landmarks Day 5 Las Ramblas Las Ramblas The most famous street in Spain, alive at all hours day and night. Rambla means dried-up bed of seasonal river. The Boqueri food market, Opera House and grand mansions are located along this street.

Barcelona Landmarks Day 5 Paella dinner Paella dinner A Spanish rice dish made with seafood and/or chicken. It contains saffron, which gives it a characteristic color and taste.

Travel to Rome Day 6

Rome Day 7 Spanish Steps Spanish Steps The steps that lead up to the church of Trinita dei Monti at the top of the square. A fountain below, referred to as French Square (history of Spanish-French conflict and influence here) is crowded with visitors and artisans.

Rome Day 7 Trevi Fountain Trevi Fountain Throw a coin in the fountain to ensure your return. Features the central figure Neptune, the sea god. Water is supplied by a 19BC aqueduct.

Rome Day 7 Pantheon Pantheon The best- preserved building in Rome. Originally a temple to all the gods, then converted to a church. Contains the tombs of painters and kings.

Rome Day 7 Piazza Navona Piazza Navona Artisans set up here. Was built over the remains of ancient athletics stadium. There are 3 other fountains in this area including the fountain of Neptune, Fountain of the Four Rivers, and Fountain of the Moor.

Rome Day 8 Vatican Museums Vatican Museums

Rome Day 8 Sistine Chapel Sistine Chapel The Sistine ceiling with the famous frescoes of Michelangelo (the Fall of Man, the Last Judgment, Creation of Adam)…truly an experience of a lifetime!

Rome Day 8 St. Peter’s Basilica St. Peter’s Basilica The longest basilica in the world. Has 21 altars, 14 chapels, 9 domes and can hold 60,000 people. Has statue of Constantine, La Pieta by Michelangelo, the baldacchino, bronze throne of St Peter, and the tomb of Alexander VII.

Rome Day 8 Coliseum Coliseum Symbol of Ancient Rome. Its size and violent history have intrigued visitors for over 2,000yrs. Christians fought lions, gladiators fought each other to death. The training ground is connected to the arena via tunnels. Became a quarry to supply Rome with materials for buildings in the city.

Rome Day 8 Piazza Venezia Piazza Venezia All roads in Rome lead here, the center of the city’s road network. 800,000 cars squeeze through here every day.

Rome Day 8 Forum Forum Where the first permanent civic buildings were built. Was kept empty for training grounds in case of war. Julius Caesar was the first to improve the city and had gladiators wear silver armor at the city’s games. Augustus found Rome made of brick and left if of marble. Was also divided in rioni (zones of central Rome) that still exist today.

Return Home Day 9 We all board our plane to journey home. Everyone will be sad the trip is over, happy to get back home and exhausted from a long week of once-in-a- lifetime experiences! We all board our plane to journey home. Everyone will be sad the trip is over, happy to get back home and exhausted from a long week of once-in-a- lifetime experiences!