Madrid
HISTORY, ART & FOOD
Explore one of the great art centre’s of Europe, home of the famed Golden Art Triangle, and nearby El Escorial and Segovia.
tour snapshot
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March 18-25, 2025 | 8 Days
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Elena Ortega. View full bio >
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$5,540 AUD per person, twin share (land content only)
$1,180 AUD supplement for sole use of a hotel room
A $1,000 AUD non-refundable deposit is required per person to confirm your booking on tour.
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7 nights’ accommodation in centrally located 4-star hotel. All breakfasts, 1 lunch and 2 dinners. Best available tickets to 1 perfromance. Services of an expert tour leader and an experienced tour manager throughout. All ground transport, entrance fees and tipping.
View standard tour inclusions >
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Final Places - One place remains.
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Grade One. This tour is appropriate for travellers in good health with good mobility.
Tour Status: Final Places - One place remains
tour overview
On a site occupied since prehistoric times, Madrid was transformed by the vast wealth that flooded into Spain from conquests in the New World. When Phillip II moved his court from Toledo to Madrid in 1561, it became the political centre of the monarchy where, under successive rulers, monumental palatial projects were undertaken and the arts and literature scene flourished. The turbulent times of the early 20th century were to produce further astonishing works from artists such as Picasso, Miró and Dalí, and Madrid has since become the vibrant heart of the modern Spanish counterculture.
This eight-day tour led by Elena Ortega, an art historian and Madrid local, combines extended walking tours with background lectures and guided visits to palaces, museums and galleries, giving you a deeper understanding of the rich history, art and culture of the city in context.
Time in Madrid is complemented by a full day excursion to El Escorial and Segovia, the chance to explore Spain’s superb gastronomy, and to experience the city the locals love, shopping in the famous flea markets on a Sunday and enjoying a performance at one of the many superb venues on offer.
tour highlights
The aim of every Academy Travel tour is to provide a rewarding, in-depth travel experience.
your expert tour leader
Elena Ortega has a Master of Fine Art (Painting) from the National Art School where she also completed her Bachelor of Fine Art. She has won numerous academic prizes for her study in art history and theory, including a scholarship to the Royal College of Art in London. Elena speaks fluent Spanish and is currently a resident of Madrid. She has taught Spanish language, culture and society at the University of Sydney, UTS and UNSW, as well as WEA and Instituto Cervantes.
In good hands...
In addition to your expert tour leader, you will be accompanied by a trained tour manager for the duration of the tour. Our tour managers will ensure your safety and comfort on tour, while also overseeing the behind-the-scenes logistics. Our tour managers are great travel companions who ensure your needs are well taken care of. From offering suggestions for your free time, to a lively chat at dinner or even providing space for a quiet moment of reflection, rest assured you are in good hands when travelling.
tour itinerary
Madrid (7 nights)
Included meals are shown with the letters B, L and D.
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The tour starts at 4.00pm on Tuesday 18 March, at the H10 Puerta de Alcalá, Madrid.
The tour ends in the afternoon on Tuesday 25 March, at the H10 Puerta de Alcalá, Madrid.
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Following independent travel arrangements to Madrid we meet in the hotel in the late afternoon before heading out for an orientation walk of the surrounding area, which includes the lovely El Retiro Park. Established in the 16th century, this green oasis, filled with fountains, monuments and a glass palace inspired by Joseph Paxton’s 19th-century crystal cathedral in Hyde Park, was a private retreat for the Royal Family until the Glorious Revolution of 1868. It is now a favourite place for Madrileños to relax. Returning to the hotel we have a talk by our tour leader before heading out for our welcome dinner in a local restaurant. Overnight Madrid (D)
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This morning we make our way to La Latina, the oldest barrio or neighbourhood in Madrid, whose narrow winding streets and hidden squares date back to the Middle Ages. Full of activity on the weekends as people flock to the bars and restaurants that line the streets, it’s equally charming but a little quieter for our weekday walking tour. We’ll visit the museum of San Isidro, dedicated to the history and archaeology of Madrid, and view the lovely little Garden of Anglona, hidden behind high walls and still retaining its original 18th-century layout, before pausing for lunch in one of the barrio’s many restaurants. In the afternoon we head to the Museo de la Historia de Madrid, housed in an impressive Baroque building which once served as the San Fernando hospice, which showcases the history, arts and customs of the city from 1561, when Madrid became the capital of Spain, to the present day. Returning to the hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Madrid (B, L)
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Established in 1819 under the auspices of Ferdinand VII and his wife, Isabel of Braganza, the Prado’s original collection was drawn from the magnificent works assembled over the centuries by Charles V and succeeding Habsburg and Bourbon monarchs. Enlarged with many notable works acquired from Spanish monasteries and convents and augmented since through careful acquisition, it is now one of the world’s foremost art galleries with a special focus on Spanish masterpieces including works by artists such as Velasquez, Goya and El Greco. After a talk in our hotel this morning we have a guided tour of key works in the collection, followed by a break for lunch and time to continue exploring the museum, or the city, independently. This evening we’ll make our way to the Temple of Debod in El Parque del Oeste. A gift from the Egyptian Government after Spain helped save the Abu Simbel temples during the construction of the Aswan dam, this 2,200 year old Egyptian temple is now the perfect place to watch the sunset at the end of the day. Overnight Madrid (B)
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A full-day excursion takes us out of Madrid today to El Escorial and Segovia. Our first destination is 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 was both monastery and austere royal residence. Our guided 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. After a break for lunch we make our way to the town of Segovia, beautifully sited on a rocky ridge above the Castilian plain with an impressive Roman aqueduct at its heart. Here we have a walking tour of the town centre before making our way up to the cathedral and the extraordinary Alcázar, a beautiful turreted fantasy which reputedly inspired Walt Disney. Returning to Madrid the evening is at leisure. Overnight Madrid (B)
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Spain produced some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, reflecting a time of turbulent change in Spain and around the world. This morning we explore the exceptional collection of modern art at the Museo Reina Sofia, whose permanent collection includes works by Juan Gris, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso. A highlight of the collection is Picasso’s Guernica, painted in response to atrocities committed during the Spanish Civil War and complemented by a series of preliminary drawings which show how the major work was developed. In the afternoon we stroll through nearby Lavapiés, once the centre of Madrid’s Jewish quarter and now a bohemian, multi-cultural district full of traditional and modern shops. This evening we will attend a ballet, theatre or concert performance at one of the city’s famous venues. Details will be available closer to the date once performance schedules are released. Overnight Madrid (B)
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Nothing is more popular in Madrid on a Sunday morning than a stroll around El Rastro, the vast flea market that overtakes the narrow streets of the Medieval Quarter, La Latina. Over 400 years old, the market sells a wide variety of goods and is perfect for finding that special Spanish souvenir. Once you have had your fill of the markets there are superb tapas bars in the area to grab some lunch. This afternoon we explore Las Letras, the literary quarter, an area in which some of Spain’s great authors, including Miguel de Cervantes, lived and wrote. Make sure you look out for inscriptions from the works of these great writers, incised on the cobbles of many of the streets. Dinner tonight is in a relaxed local restaurant. Overnight Madrid (B, D)
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Under the Habsburgs, Madrid was extensively rebuilt to make it the fitting centre of an empire that had extended across great swathes of Europe and the New World. This new Madrid – “el Madrid de las Austrias” – was enriched by Charles I with palaces and monuments, and greatly enlarged by his son Felipe II, much of whose austere architecture survives intact. This morning we take an extended walking tour of Habsburg Madrid, taking in the main squares, the Almudena Cathedral and the Market of San Miguel, a food lover’s delight. After a break for lunch we have a guided visit of the Royal Palace grounds including the Sabatina and Campo del Moro gardens, inspired by Versailles, before we make our way back to the hotel via the Plaza de Espana, stopping for an aperitivo en route. Overnight Madrid (B)
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The final morning of our tour is devoted to the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, an outstanding 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 (in a deal which is continually renegotiated), the collection includes magnificent works by Raphael, Titian, the Impressionists and many others. After a pause for coffee at Bellas Artes, whose beautiful Art Deco rooftop terrace offers panoramic views over Madrid, we return to our hotel. For those joining The Moors in Spain tour, we reconvene again at 6.00pm in the hotel lobby. (B)
Madrid, H10 Puerta de Alcalá
This four-star hotel is located near El Retiro Park, in Madrid’s exclusive Salamanca district, which houses the best boutiques. The hotel features elegant rooms, the La Galería Restaurant, a Lobby Bar and the impressive El Cielo de Alcalá Terrace with plunge pool and panoramic views of the city. Each room is equipped with air conditioning, free WiFi and TV. Amenities are included in the modern bathrooms.
tour booking
$5,540 AUD per person, twin share (land content only)
$1,180 AUD supplement for sole use of a hotel room
A $1,000 deposit is required per person to confirm your booking on tour. This deposit is non-refundable.
FINAL PLACES AVAILABLE
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your tour consultant
The consultant for this tour is Jamal Fairbrother. For further information or to discuss the tour, please call 9235 0023 (Sydney) or 1800 639 699 (outside Sydney) or email jamal@academytravel.com.au
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