Spain & Switzerland with enchanted Alsace – Europe tour package

The morning starts with a comprehensive tour through the center of Madrid, including the Paseo del Prado, Cibeles, Neptuno, the Gate of Alcalá, Plaza de Colón and Plaza Mayor. Then we will visit Retiro Park, an oasis in the city center, where we will see the lake and the Glass Palace. Entrance included to the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, the football stadium of Real Madrid, for many, the best club in the world. Enjoy the rest of the afternoon at your own leisure. At the end of the evening we will return to the hotel.

In the morning we leave for Aragón through the lands of Castile. In ZARAGOZA we make a brief stop to see the Pilar Basilica. We continue to the Monastery of Poblet, surrounded by its walls in a beautiful site that is one of the best-preserved medieval monasteries in the world (entrance included). Following this we will continue to BARCELONA, arriving in the evening.

In the morning we will enjoy the city tour of Barcelona, open to the Mediterranean Sea, famous for Gaudí and its modernist architecture, for its promenades and memories of the Universal Exhibitions and Olympics that took place there. Barcelona is considered one of the most beautiful and interesting European cities. In the evening we will leave Barcelona towards the north of Catalonia. Before the accommodation in the hotel we will have a walk through GIRONA, contemplating its historic center of a great beauty, highlighting its colorful houses, the old Jewish quarter and the cathedral.

We leave for France, crossing Provence. We will make a stop in ARLES, a small world heritage city where we will remember Van Gogh, and can see Roman theatre and small Romanesque churches. Time for a stroll and lunch. We carry on and include admission to CARRIERES DE LUMIERE, an impressive show of art, image and sound underground, in former quarries. CHAMBERY, arrival and accommodation in the charming capital of Savoy, a medieval city with a beautiful old town and a great castle.Note: When due to the influx of public it is not possible to obtain tickets for the Carrieres de Lumière show, as an alternative there will be a transfer provided to the Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard.

We travel to Switzerland. GENEVA, arrival. With our guide we will go to the Palace of Nations (the headquarters of the United Nations in Europe) to the pretty English Garden with its clock made of flowers and we can admire the “Jet d´Eau”, the tallest fountain in Europe. We go on to the picturesque walled village of GRUYERES, known worldwide for its cheese. Free time to stroll and have lunch. Nearby there are several of the main chocolate factories in Switzerland (NESTLE amongst them), and we will visit the Cailler chocolate factory, with a tasting included!After this we go on to CHILLON CASTLE, built in the waters of the lake. Entrance included to this fantastic medieval castle. We will continue travelling through smaller roads amidst bucolic mountain landscapes and very picturesque wooden villages.- Arrival in LEYSIN, a beautiful little holiday village with spectacular views of the Rhône plain and Mont Blanc, known for its winter sports resort or its hiking possibilities. Dinner included.

Today´s stage has beautiful high mountain scenery. Don´t forget your winter clothes, we climb to one of the most spectacular spots in Switzerland, where you can see ice and snow all year round. We include the cable car ride up to GLACIER 3000, where you can walk on the suspended bridge in the gap between two mountain peaks, enter the Ice Cathedral or “play” in the Fun Park. We will make a stop in INTERLAKEN to have lunch. Among very picturesque lakes we continue to LUCERNE, one of the most beautiful cities in Switzerland. Continue to ZURICH, where there is time for a stroll downtown before going to the hotel. Note: Occasionally, for major weather reasons such as rain or strong winds, the cable car to Glacier 3000 may not operate.

We will leave Zurich to BASEL, an important city on the banks of the Rhine, border with Germany and France. You can walk through its old town, where the town hall square stands out and contemplate its cathedral that dominates the Rhine River. We continue our route to Alsace, a French region contested over the centuries between France and Germany, which maintains a dialect of its own German, “the Alsatian”, and an architecture and traditions of great Germanic roots. We will make a stop in COLMAR, city with unique architecture, with colored wooden houses and canals that cross it. It is known for its white wine and its gastronomy. We will have time for lunch and a peaceful walk. In the afternoon we will visit two of the most beautiful villages of Alsace: RIQUEWIHR, medieval town with cobbled streets and colored houses that seem to get out of a fairy tale and that inspired scenes of the movie “the Beauty and the beast”. RIBEAUVILLE, with its historic center and castles in ruins that dominate the town. STRASBOURG, arrival in the evening. We suggest walking through the Cathedral and Petite France area, full of charming places and small restaurants.

Time in STRASBOURG, the capital of Alsace. The city is the seat of the European Parliament. Its historic center is wonderful with its picturesque medieval streets, its impressive Gothic cathedral and its canals and flowers. We include a boat trip through the canals of Petite France, where we include the entrance to a traditional Champagne cellar and there we will learn in the visit and tasting, the secrets of the most famous sparkling drink in the world. After that, we´ll make a brief stop in EPERNAY, the capital of Champagne, for a stroll through this charming little town where some of the most famous wineries in the world are located. We will continue to PARIS, arrival in the evening.

After breakfast, end of our services.