GRAND TOUR OF SPAIN APRIL 8-24, 2018 TOUR LEADER: DR MICHAEL NEUMAN

GRANADA, CORDOBA, SEVILLE, MADRID & BARCELONA

Overview Spain’s remarkable history makes it a compelling destination for travellers. Its origins go back to at least the 11th century BC, when Greek and Phoenician settlers first encountered indigenous Iberian tribes. As the Roman province of Iberica, Spain was the birthplace of the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, before becoming a substantial Visigoth kingdom. Seven centuries of Moorish Islamic civilization – unique in Europe – created an artistic legacy of glittering palaces and mosques. By the early 16th century Spanish rulers controlled most of Europe and the New World, heralding a period of unprecedented wealth, and an explosion of building and artistic patronage. In the 19th and early 20th centuries a new dynamism and independent spirit emerged, expressed in exuberant modernista art and architecture.

This magnificent heritage is surveyed in Academy Travel’s 17-day tour from south to north, through the regions of Andalusia, Castille-Leόn and Catalonia. The itinerary commences with three nights each in the southern cities of Granada, Córdoba and Seville, home to Roman and Moorish treasures. Our four days in Madrid are an art-lover’s dream, with visits to outstanding galleries and royal palaces of the imperial period. The tour ends in Barcelona, a thoroughly modern city, but one with ancient roots.

Many of Spain’s historical cities can be explored on foot, and we have selected centrally-located hotels throughout to allow for individual exploration. The itinerary includes ample free time for this purpose.

Your tour leader Dr Michael Neuman is a former Professor at the University of New South Wales, where his work in urban history, specialising in Spain, has won international awards. Other areas of interest include architecture, culture, and the environment. He completed his PhD at the University of California at Berkeley focusing on Spanish urban history, politics, and urban planning. A Czech and American dual citizen whose first language

was Czech and who speaks several other European languages, Michael has a wide-ranging knowledge of European history, cities, art and architecture and taught and led projects in over a dozen European countries.

Michael lived in Spain for over five years, spending the majority of that period in Barcelona, and speaks Catalan and fluent Spanish. He has extensively explored the country and enjoys all aspects of its culture, from siestas to fiestas, with a deep knowledge of Spain spanning 35 years. “I’ve been an activist in local organisations,” Michael explains, “and was the first non-Spaniard to be a member of the ‘colla de castellers de Barcelona’, who perform the unique Catalan tradition of building human castles up to ten levels of persons high!” In addition to the semester abroad program he set up in Barcelona in 2001 for university students, Michael has led walking tours of Barcelona for 20 years. These have received exceptional reviews; with one colleague noting that “Professor Neuman has walked the distance from New York to San Francisco and back, twice, in Barcelona all told, over 10,000 miles.” Another tour participant explains that “Michael is the most European American I have ever known. He knows Europe better than many locals.”

GRAND TOUR OF SPAIN GRANADA TO BARCELONA

Tour dates: April 8-24, 2018

Tour leader: Dr Michael Neuman

Tour Price: $8,660 per person, twin share

Single Supplement: $2,250 for sole use of double room

Booking deposit: $500 per person

Recommended airline: Emirates

Maximum places: 20

Itinerary: Granada (3 nights), Córdoba (3 nights), Seville (3 nights), Madrid (4 nights), Barcelona (3 nights)

Date published: May 2, 2017

Enquiries and bookings

For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Kathy Wardrop at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email kathy@academytravel.com.au

Tour Highlights

ALHAMBRA OF GRANADA The 13th century palace complex of the Alhambra, meaning “red city” in Arabic. The patios, enclosed gardens and waterways of the last fortress of the Nasrid sultans of Moorish Spain are a superlative example of Islamic architecture. The backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains makes for a breathtakingly romantic setting which has inspired tourists for centuries.

MOSQUE OF CÓRDOBA The Mezquita, or Mosque, of Córdoba is considered the most important monument of the Western Islamic world. Commenced in the 10th Century when the city was an important seat of learning, a succession of Emirs ordered its expansion over several centuries. The forest of palm-like columns in its interior arch over the huge space and create an atmosphere of quiet reverence, no matter what your religion.

SEVILLE’S REAL ALCÁZAR The Real Alcázar, or Royal Palace, of Seville is a superb example of Mudéjar architecture; a symbiosis of Christian and Islamic influences. The exquisite tiles and carved wooden ceilings decorate a palace complex that dates from the 12th to the 14th centuries, a period of Moorish rule. The upper levels are still the official royal residence in Seville to this day.

MADRID’S WEALTH OF ART Three major art museums in Madrid: the vast Prado, with its treasures of Spanish and European art dating from the 12th to the early 20th centuries; the vast private collection of the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, once the second largest private collection in the world, and the Reina Sofia Art Centre, home to Picasso’s Guernica.

MODERNISM IN BARCELONA Modernism in Barcelona, and the works of architects Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner. We visit Gaudí’s best known work, the Sagrada Familia basilica and his lesser known Palau Güell, a mansion he designed for an industrial tycoon. Of Domènech i Montaner we see the huge Hospital de Sant Pau and the elaborate Palau de la Música Catalana, where, schedules permitting, we will hear a performance.

Detailed itinerary Included meals are shown with the symbols B, L and D.

Sunday April 8 Granada Flights arrive into Granada in the early evening. The city of Granada enjoys a lovely setting on a fertile plain overlooked by the Sierra Nevada and there is much to enjoy in the city, which reflects a rich and diverse history in its vibrant mix of Spanish and Arabic culture. After time to check in and freshen up, we meet for a light dinner in our hotel before having an early night, in anticipation of a full day’s activities tomorrow. Overnight Granada (D)

Monday April 9 granada Our walking tour this morning takes us from the Church of San Nicolás, overlooking the Alhambra, down through the Albaicín. The Moors retreated to the Albaicín to live after the reconquista and it remains Spain’s largest and most characteristic surviving Moorish barrio, or neighbourhood. We also visit the 11th-century Arab baths, among the best preserved in Spain, and then after a break for lunch, explore the Cathedral and Royal Chapel, a flamboyant late gothic building containing the mausoleums of the early Catholic monarchs. This evening we go back up to the San Nicolás square to dine in a restaurant with lovely views back towards the Alhambra – so bring your camera with you! Overnight Granada (B, D)

Tuesday April 10 The alhambra After a talk in our hotel we make our way to the Alhambra, palace fortress of the Nasrid sultans, rulers of the last Spanish Moorish kingdoms. Our guided tour will take us through the beautiful 14th-century Palacio Nazaries as well as the later Renaissance palace, built for Charles V within the walls of the citadel. We also visit the Alcazaba, the earliest part of the fortress around which the Palacio was built, before making our way to the Generalife, the summer palace of the Sultans with its series of patios, enclosed gardens and waterways. After a break for lunch there is time to relax and enjoy this exceptional site. Overnight Granada (B)

Wednesday April 11 Úbeda Departing Granada, we make our way to Úbeda. This elegant town flourished in the 16th century and still displays a rich heritage of Renaissance palaces, churches and fine squares. We enjoy lunch in a local restaurant before heading on to Córdoba. After checking into our hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Córdoba (B, L)

Caption

Images left: a manicured courtyard in the Alhambra and the famous Patio de los Leones

Thursday April 12 The mezquita Córdoba was the largest city in Roman Spain but its period of greatest glory was under the caliphate of the Moors. It is from this period that the beautiful mezquita dates. Begun around 780 on the site of an old Visigothic church, the mosque is the grandest and most beautiful ever built by the Moors in Spain. Our walking tour today takes us through the historic centre of Córdoba, visiting the 14th-century Alcazar and the mosque. We also stop at the synagogue, one of only three in Spain that survived the Jewish expulsion of 1492. We meet in the early evening for a talk in the hotel. Dinner tonight is in a local restaurant. Overnight Córdoba (B, D)

Friday April 13 córdoba

This morning we visit Córdoba’s fine Archaeological Museum, whose collection of pre-historic Iberian, Visigothic, Roman and Muslim objects is housed in a small Renaissance villa. Here we also see the remains of the Roman theatre, the largest in Roman Hispania. We also visit the small Romero de Torres Museum, dedicated primarily to the work of Córdoban painter Julio Romero de Torres (1874-1930). His moody canvases and view of southern Spain – particularly its women – have created an iconic and recognizable type. In the afternoon we head northwest of Córdoba to Medina Azahara, the site of a once-sumptuous palatine city built by caliph Abd al-Rahman III in the 10th century. At its peak the site extended over three terraces, and in addition to the palace buildings included a zoo, an aviary, numerous baths and a weapons factory. Sacked by Berber invaders in 1010 and then abandoned, excavations only began on the site in 1910. Today we can see parts of the palace and mosque and a section of reconstructed gardens, and visit the world-class and award winning museum. Returning to Córdoba the evening is at leisure. Overnight Córdoba (B)

Saturday April 14 CARMONA to seville

We depart Córdoba for Seville this morning. En route we stop at Carmona, a small picturesque town whose many heritage buildings overlook the Corbones River. We visit the Roman necropolis, where more than 300 tombs can be found in subterranean, rock-hewn chambers – some with frescoes still intact. Then we climb the Puerta de Sevilla, a fortified Roman gateway with Carthaginian and Moorish elements, for a wonderful view of the surrounding area. There is free time to explore the winding alleyways of the centre, including the church of Santa María, which preserves a carved Visigothic saints’ calendar, and to have lunch in a pavement café. After our visit we make the short drive to Seville and check into our hotel. Tonight we have dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Seville (B, D)

Images right: the beautiful interior of Córdoba’s mezquita; Porta de Sevilla, Carmona; and the lovely Moorish gardens of Seville’s Real Alcázar

Sunday April 15 The alcazar and barrio de santA cruz

Vibrant and theatrical Seville, the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro, is regarded as the quintessential Andalusian city. We begin our exploration with a visit to the Real Alcázar, dating from the 12th to 14th centuries. The Alcázar is an excellent example of pure Mudéjar style, a symbiosis of Christian and Islamic influences. Our visit also includes the lovely Moorish gardens of the palace. The afternoon is free to explore the nearby Barrio de Santa Cruz, the former Jewish quarter where shops, museums and cafes are interspersed with whitewashed houses along the cobbled streets. Tonight, schedules permitting, we will attend a flamenco performance in an intimate and authentic setting. Overnight Seville (B)

Monday April 16 sevillE

After a talk in our hotel we make our way to Seville’s magnificent cathedral, the largest Gothic church in the world. Work commenced on the cathedral in 1402 and was completed in just over a century – a monumental achievement. Our visit includes the Chancel, Royal Chapel and treasury, with significant works by Murillo and others. Little remains of the original 12th century mosque on the site, apart from the Patio de los Naranjos – the traditional ablutions area for the mosque – and the 12th-century Giralda, a beautiful 98-metre-high minaret whose summit offers excellent views. The afternoon is at leisure, perhaps to explore the Hospital de la Caridad, established in 1676 by Don Miguel de Mañara, a repentant rake who was reputedly the inspiration for Byron’s Don Juan. Don Miguel commissioned a number of paintings for the Hospital from some of the great Sevillian artists. Overnight Seville (B)

Tuesday April 17 Madrid

We depart Seville this morning, taking one of Spain’s high-speed AVE trains to Madrid – a journey of 2.5 hours. On arrival we transfer to our hotel, check in and have a light lunch before making our way to the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, an exceptional private collection with over 800 works dating from the 13th century to the present day. Partially acquired by the state in 1993 from Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen-Bornemisza (and the deal is continually renegotiated), the collection includes magnificent works by Raphael, Titian, the Impressionists and many other artists. Dinner tonight is in our hotel. Overnight Madrid (B, L, D)

Wednesday April 18 Madrid at leisure

Today is free for you to explore Madrid at your own pace or to head to Toledo on an easy day trip. The newly reopened archeological museum in Madrid is a highly recommended activity. Your tour leader will be happy to help with suggestions. Overnight Madrid (B)

Caption

Above: the Plaza de España, Seville Below: detail from Hieronymus Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, part of the exceptional collection held at Madrid’s Prado Museum

Thursday April 19 A wealth of art After a talk in our hotel, our focus today is on two more of Madrid’s great art galleries: the Prado and the Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. We begin with the Prado, one of the world’s premier art galleries. First opened to the public in 1819, the museum’s extensive collection includes, of course, an exceptional collection of Spanish paintings, established by Ferdinand VII from the Habsburg and Bourbon vaults and augmented over the centuries through careful acquisition. These works include masterpieces by artists such as Velasquez, Goya and El Greco. We take a tour of key works in the collection, after which there is time for an independent visit. In the afternoon we make our way to the nearby Reina Sofía, an outstanding museum of contemporary art whose permanent collection includes works by Juan Gris, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso. Picasso’s Guernica, painted in response to atrocities committed during the Spanish Civil War, is one of the museum’s most famous pieces and is complemented by a series of preliminary drawings which show how the major work was developed. This evening is at leisure. Overnight Madrid (B)

Friday April 20 Royal power

Our full-day excursion takes us out of Madrid to the monastery of San Lorenzo del Escorial. Commissioned by Phillip II to commemorate the defeat of the French at St Quentin, this vast structure of over 4,000 rooms (with 1,200 doors and 2,600 windows) was both monastery and austere royal residence. Our tour takes us through the monastery, royal apartments, basilica and library as well as the mausoleum, the final resting place of almost all Spanish monarchs since Charles V was interred in 1558. We then make our way to Segovia, beautifully sited on a rocky ridge above the Castilian plain. Here we enjoy a traditional lunch in a local restaurant near the impressive Roman aqueduct, before making our way up to the cathedral and the extraordinary Alcazar, a beautiful turreted fantasy which reputedly inspired Walt Disney. Returning to Madrid the evening is at leisure. Overnight Madrid (B, L)

Saturday April 21 Barcelona

We depart Madrid for Barcelona this morning, again taking the AVE train which enables us to travel the 600 kilometres to Barcelona in around three hours. On arrival, we transfer to our hotel and have time to freshen up before taking an orientation tour of the city, the harbour front and Montjuïc. In the evening, we head out to dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Barcelona (B, D)

Sunday April 22 Catalunya

After a talk in our hotel we transfer to Montjuïc where we visit the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), whose extraordinary collection includes Catalunyan and modern art.

Caption

Above: Renaissance architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries offers an austere façade on Philip II’s San Lorenzo del Escorial; and the Altar frontal from La Seu d'Urgell is a Romanesque altar frontal currently exhibited at the National Art Museum of Catalonia

Below: the vibrant stained glass ceiling in the Palau de la Música Catalana, Barcelona

After our visit, you may like to spend longer in the MNAC or make your way to the Fundació Joan Miró (prior reservation recommended). The afternoon is mainly at leisure but this evening, after a talk about Gaudí, and schedules permitting, we attend a performance in an icon of modern architecture in Barcelona, the Palau de la Música Catalana. Designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner and completed in 1908, this UNESCO World Heritage site is seen today as the epitome of the Catalan modernist architectural style – an exuberant mix of tiled mosaic decoration, stained glass and mural. Overnight Barcelona (B)

Monday April 23 modernism in Barcelona

Today we undertake a circuit of Modernist sites around the city. We start with the Palau Güell, a palace Antoni Gaudí designed for an industrial tycoon, before moving to a very different structure, his famed Sagrada Familia basilica. In the afternoon, we visit the fascinating Hospital de Sant Pau, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner. This was once a functioning hospital but is now restored as a museum and cultural centre. We meet up again tonight for a farewell dinner. Overnight Barcelona (B, D)

Tuesday April 24 Departure

Our tour concludes today. If you are departing Spain today we can organize a transfer to the airport. Keep in mind that the cost of airport transfers is included for all passengers booking their international flights and additional accommodation through Academy Travel. (B)

Hotels Hotels have been selected principally for their character and central location and are 4* in standard. Granada, Hotel Villa Oniria (3 nights) Córdoba, Hotel NH Amistad (3 nights) Seville, Hotel Casas de la Judería (3 nights) Madrid, Iberostar Las Letras (4 nights) Barcelona, H10 Urquinaona Plaza Hotel (3 nights)

Caption

Above: Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona – the world's largest Art Nouveau site, designed by the Catalan modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner Below: the colourful Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boquería; and Gaudí’s famed La Sagrada Familía

Extend your stay in Spain

In order to make the most of your time in Spain, we have designed the tour so that, should you wish, you can easily extend your visit and stay on in Barcelona to do some independent sightseeing or you can connect this tour with Northern Spain and Portugal: Bilbao to Lisbon commencing on Friday April 27. Please talk to your tour consultant Kathy Wardrop for further details.

Tour Price The tour price is $8,660 per person, twin share (land content only). The supplement for a single room is $2,250 per person. A non-refundable deposit of $500 per person is required to secure a place on the tour.

Tour Inclusions Included in the tour price 16 nights’ accommodation in carefully selected four-star

hotels All breakfasts, plus lunches and dinners as noted Land travel by air-conditioned coach and high-speed train Extensive background notes Background talks Services of an expert tour leader throughout the tour All entrance fees to sites mentioned on the itinerary Qualified local guides where appropriate Porterage of one piece of luggage at all hotels Tips for all services included in the itinerary

Not included International air fares, taxes and surcharges (see below) Travel insurance Meals not mentioned in itinerary Expenses of a personal nature

Air travel OPTIONS The tour price quoted is for land content only, beginning in Granada and ending in Barcelona. For this tour, we recommend flights with Emirates who fly into and out of Barcelona. Vueling has connecting flights from Barcelona to Granada. Please contact us for the best possible prices on economy, business or first class fares. Airport-hotel transfers will coincide with the Emirates-Vueling flight schedule into Granada at the beginning of the tour and out of Barcelona at the end of the tour. We can include airport transfers on other days or at other times if you book your flights with us – no matter which airline you fly.

Enquiries & bookings For further information and to secure a place on this tour please contact Kathy Wardrop at Academy Travel on 9235 0023 or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email kathy@academytravel.com.au

Weather on Tour April is an excellent time to travel to Spain with moderate temperatures, ranging from about 10-24 degrees C. There is a considerable variation in temperature between the south and the north, especially when at altitude, such as in Granada or Madrid, so it is worth bringing layered clothing and waterproofs in case of Spring rain.

Fitness Requirements of THIS tour

GRADE TWO

It is important both for you and for your fellow travellers that you are fit enough to be able to enjoy all the activities on this tour. To give you an indication of the level of physical fitness required to participate on our tours, we have given them a star grading. Academy Travel’s tours tend to feature extended walking tours and site visits, which require greater fitness than coach touring. We ask you to carefully consider your ability to meet the physical demands of the tour.

Participation criteria for this tour

This Grade Two tour is designed for people who lead active lives and can comfortably participate in up to five hours of physical activity per day on most days, including longer walking tours, challenging archaeological sites, climbing stairs, embarking and disembarking trains and/or boats, and a more demanding tour schedule with one night stops or several internal flights. You should be able to: keep up with the group at all times walk for 4-5 kilometres at a moderate pace with only

short breaks stand for a reasonable length of time in galleries and

museums tolerate uncomfortable climatic conditions such as cold,

humidity and heat walk up and down slopes negotiate steps and slopes on archaeological sites,

which are often uneven and unstable get on and off a large coach with steep stairs, train or

boat unassisted, possibly with luggage move your luggage a short distance if required

A note for older travellers

If you are more than 80 years old, or have restricted mobility, it is highly likely that you will find this itinerary challenging. You will have to miss several activities and will not get the full value of the tour. Your booking will not be accepted until after you have contacted Academy Travel to discuss your situation and the exact physical requirements of this tour. While we will do our best to reasonably accommodate the physical needs of all group members, we reserve the right to refuse bookings if we feel that the requirements of the tour are too demanding for you and/or if local conditions mean we cannot reasonably accommodate your condition.