Spain: Returning to our roots with you October 6-17 Main tour 6-19 Barcelona Extension - Your Custom Travels

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       Spain:
Returning to our roots with you

   October 6-17 Main tour
  6-19 Barcelona Extension
            2020

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                                   Presents:

         SPAIN: Returning to our roots with you
                  October 6-19, 2020

Your Trip Includes: Madrid, Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Santander, San
Sebastian and Barcelona

* 14 days & 13 nights
* Air between Madrid and Coruña
* Train between Zaragoza and Barcelona
* Ground transportation within and between cities as required
* All accommodations in Luxury Boutique hotels
* Entrance fees when applicable.
* All gratuities are included.
* Experienced tour guides (English, Spanish, Portuguese and French speaking are
available).
* Included meals: Breakfast each morning, all lunches, and all dinners
       * (5 Michelin Stars, 11 Michelin Guide, and The oldest restaurant in the world)
* Alcoholic drinks will be specified. (At least 1 each lunch and 2 each dinner included)
Please advise us about any dietary restrictions or food allergies.

Not Included:

* Baggage fees are common upon check-in at the airport. These fees are the
responsibility of the passenger.
* Airport transfer from Madrid airport to our first hotel.
* Fees for theatrical or live performances outside of our tour itinerary are the
responsibility of the passenger.
* Travel insurance is recommended for all travelers, in the event that they have need
to cancel.
* Items in Mini-Bar are at the expense of the customer.
* International airfare from originating city to Madrid, Spain. And return airfare from
Barcelona to home.

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Day 1/2 Arriving early morning
MADRID - 10-6/7-2020 Tuesday/Wednesday

Hola and happy arrival to Madrid! The capital of Spain is a city that shines
due to its culture and fullness of life. Its prominence dating back to the 14th
century as the seat of the Spanish Crown makes Madrid a wonderfully
historic destination. The next two evenings will be spent in this stately
renaissance masterpiece city.

Our hotel is conveniently located in the Plaza de España steps away from
the Gran Via and a short walk to the Royal Palace of Madrid. Housed within
the Torre de Madrid, what was once the tallest concrete building in the
world, is a microcosm of the city itself with its classic style and modern
construction. (This is where the group will meet for the first time)

We begin our journey with a half day walking tour of the city and palace
broken up with an excellent first lunch at one of the most popular and
traditional restaurants in the trendiest neighborhood in town. Once we
finish our walking tour we will enjoy welcome cocktails and tapas at
Mercado San Miguel or San Anton, before finishing our first evening with a
lovely meal in the chic and polka-dotted interior that accompanies the best
Sangria in town!

We will begin our second morning with breakfast at our hotel. Followed by
a walking tour of the Bourbon district, the home of enlightenment thought
and architecture in Madrid. Within this district we find two of the top 15
most visited and well respected art museums in the world- the Prado
museum as well as the Reina Sofia art museum. We will visit both before
adjourning to the world’s oldest restaurant and the specialty of suckling pig
so delicious that Ernest Hemingway had to write about it twice in both “The
Sun Also Rises” and “Death in the Afternoon”. After we stroll, shop or relax
for the remainder of the afternoon, we will work up our appetites for our
first Michelin star experience- and ensure we are prepared as this one is
eleven courses!

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Day 3/4
GALICIA - 10-8/9-2020 Thursday/Friday

Breakfast is included at our hotel. Though we start the morning in Madrid,
we will take an early flight to Coruña, the former capital of Galicia and a
city which has been conquered by many nations, shortly after breakfast.

Once referred to as the end of the world by the Romans, Galicia is the
north-westernmost community of Spain. Covered in attractive flora and
fauna, wide rocky estuaries that resemble Fjords, and a rich tradition of
Spanish-Celtic folklore.

We will take a panoramic tour of Coruña to see the main sites, including the
only working Roman Lighthouse in the world, the Tower of Hercules. Once
we get hungry we will enjoy lunch at the highest rated Michelin guide
restaurant in the city to try local specialties.

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Leaving Coruña we will drive to our home for the next two nights, UNESCO
world Heritage city and the culmination point of the Camino pilgrimage,
Santiago de Compostela. Our Hotel is located in the historical center of the
Galician capital just a short walk from the Cathedral. After we settle in and
walk the town for a bit, we will enjoy a truly unique dining experience at the
rural cottage of a couple who will prepare and serve an authentic meal for
us from their heart.

The next morning we will awaken with breakfast at our hotel before taking
a more formal walking tour of Santiago. We will learn more about this
deeply spiritual city before setting out to enjoy the southern region of
Galicia. Rias Baixas is also known as Albariño country for the creation and
prominence of this crisp light wine at over 20,000 vineyards in the area.
Our day will be filled with a tour of a wine cellar, a visit to a traditional
village, stopping for photos at a beautiful island and enjoying the wine and
a lunch of locally caught fish and seafood. We will accomplish all this in
Rias Baixas before returning to Santiago de Compostela in the afternoon to
relax and again enjoy the town. We will finish our day with a farm to table
style fresh meal in the greenhouse of a 400 year old musician’s home which
has been converted by two prominent local chefs into a specialized
experience.

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Day 5
ASTURIAS - 10-10-2020 Saturday

Breakfast is included at our hotel. We will leave Santiago de Compostela
and Galicia behind today as we begin to traverse the Northern Spanish
coast beginning in the Principality of Asturias. A wild region known for its
beautiful coastline and jagged mountains which cover 80% of the area,
many of which are Karst limestone like the Mogotes in Viñales.

Our first stop in Asturias will be the pristine port town of Luarca, known for
the contrast between its white houses and colorful fishing boats which dot
the bay. In Luarca we will visit several sites like the Cliffside church and
cemetery, and the Jardines de la Fonte Baxa botanical gardens before
visiting the port for some coffee or cider seaside. Leaving Luarca we will
next stop in Cudillero. Arguably Spain’s most beautiful seaside town and
very reminiscent of Italy’s Amalfi coast, Cudillero’s kaleidoscope of colors
will impress as we casually explore the towns sites. After visiting the Cabo
Vidio lighthouse, we will have a hearty traditional lunch and wander the
town until we decide to head towards our hotel outside of Oviedo.

The castle town of Oviedo is located between the Bay of Biscay and
Cantabrian Mountains. Known for its medieval old town, the capital of
Asturias is filled with history and culture. Our hotel fits this aesthetic well
as it is among the 25 best luxury hotels in Spain, and is housed in an
emblematic palace from the early 20th century in the beautiful heart of the
Asturian countryside. Our castle stay will not be complete without a grand
multi-course feast and free evening to enjoy the grounds as we choose.

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Day 6
ASTURIAS - 10-11-2020 Sunday

Breakfast is included at our hotel.

While we passed through Oviedo in the evening on the way to our hotel, we
will explore the city more thoroughly this morning after breakfast with a
walking tour. We will explore the famous Oviedo cathedral, traditionally
maintained old town, and two UNESCO heritage churches Santa María del
Naranco and San Miguel de Lillo. In between sites we will visit a traditional
Sidrería or two as Oviedo is Spain’s cider capital. After a few drinks we can
stroll through the lush Campo de San Francisco amongst the peacocks
before enjoying a modern twist on the traditional Sidrería with a heavy
emphasis on the gastronomic element to pair with the beloved beverage.

From Oviedo we will depart to Cofiño, one of the most remote of the 17
parishes in the region. While the stay here is short, the landscape in this
region along with the service at this special boutique property will become
lifetime memories. Our Hotel is located between the mountain valley and
the Cantabric Sea, sharing spectacular views of the Picos de Europa
National Park and is honored to have been voted the second best hotel in
Spain last year by Tripadvisor. The rooms are renovated traditional
farmhouses owned by a local noble and cover more than half of the tiny
village. Complete with an infinity pool and all modern amenities, we will be
comfortably transported to the past in comfort and style.

For dinner tonight we will enjoy our second Michelin starred restaurant,
with a special twist on traditional Asturian cuisine, the 15 courses will
surprise you with their creativity and special touches which take the
endemic cuisine to new levels.

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Day 7
ASTURIAS-CANTABRIA-SANTILLANA DEL MAR – 10-12-2020
Monday

This morning we will start with a farm-to-table style slow breakfast
prepared by the chef of our hotel. This meal changes frequently so we will
enjoy seasonal local produce grown on site for a breakfast to rival our
Michelin starred dinners.

Once we complete our meal and say goodbye to our farmhouses, we will
travel to the eastern edge of the Asturias region to the coastal towns of
Llanes and Colombres. We will explore caves, geysers and other beautiful
natural environments amongst the seaside cliffs. From there we will see
some local art in the port as Los Cubos de la Memoria depict scenes of the
town’s history in colorful fashion. To continue our historical study, we will
tour the emigration museum at Colombres’ Archivo de Indianos. Housed in
a colonial mansion from 1906, the airy structure is painted to evoke the
blues and green hues of the ocean the people of Asturias crossed to colonize
the Caribbean islands and Latin America.

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Leaving Asturias we will cross into Cantabria and visit an old village of
cultural designation, San Vicente de la Barquera, which enjoys both the
coast and snowcapped mountains on its borders. Fortified walls and a four
hundred year old bridge restrict access to a local specialty of lobster and
rice not unlike Paella Valenciana. This dish is also the main offer at our
lunch restaurant though a variety of very fresh simple and elegant food is
available.

Leaving San Vicente we will pass through Comillas to see our first of Antoni
Gaudí’s works. El Capricho de Gaudí is one of the few buildings the young
man designed outside of Catalonia and offers a colorful Moorish inspired
version of the artist’s classic style.

As a long day of driving comes to an end, we will arrive in quant Santillana
del Mar, while small in size, the town is respected due to its renaissance
palaces and historical-artistic influence on the region. Our Hotel itself is
even filled with amazing history dating back to the 15th century. Once the
home of the original Marquess of Santillana, one of the most prominent
poets and politicians of his era, today this five star retreat has been fully
restored to its original glory.

We’ll walk into town for a dinner that changes pace a bit as the open grill
kitchen offers a variety of local meats like lamb, venison, and primitive
cattle breeds. Tradition is everything tonight.

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Day 8/9
SANTANDER-BILBAO-SAN SEBASTIAN - 10-13/14-2020
Tuesday/Wednesday

Breakfast is included at our hotel before we depart for Santander.

The day will be spent between three important Cantabrian and Basque
cities. We will start with Santander the capital city of the Cantabria region
and a prominent port since ancient times. We will visit the emblematic
Royal Summer residence, the Palace of la Magdalena. We will also tour the
Centro Botín art gallery and Cabo Mayor Lighthouse.

From Santander we will drive to Bilbao, capital of Basque country and the
largest city in northern Spain. We will tour Frank Gehry’s master
architectural design of the Guggenheim Museum before visiting the
pedestrian old town to see examples of gothic, art deco, contemporary, and
art nouveau styles all in one place. Lunch will be served in a beautiful
modern open kitchen where we will see several chefs’ artistry as they
prepare our tasting meal in front of us. The restaurant itself also boasts a
traditional Iberian ham bar unchanged from 1927 to highlight the duality of
Bilbao as a whole.

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Once we finish our meal, we will continue to our home for the next two
nights, San Sebastian. Located in the mountainous Basque County, San
Sebastian is a coveted resort town on the Bay of Biscay. Our two evenings in
this region will include beach time, walking the cobblestoned streets and
enjoying vibrant pintxo bars with local wines of course!

For dinner tonight we will enjoy the artistry of presentation and culinary
mastery for which San Sebastian is so well known. Bright, fresh and
elaborate are three excellent adjectives to describe our first meal in this
culinary mecca.

With Mansion right in the name, our hotel is a stately nineteenth century
villa with perfectly manicured grounds and historical heritage status that
has been fully renovated and is waiting to spoil its guest’s just steps from
the center of town. We will stay here for two nights as we enjoy one of the
world’s greatest culinary cities.

We begin our first morning in San Sebastian with breakfast at the hotel
followed by a walking tour of “La Parte Vieja”, San Sebastian’s historic old
town. We will duck into narrow pedestrian alleyways and many varieties of
shops as we enjoy the beautiful colonial and baroque architecture. We can
also take the funicular to the top of Monte Igueldo to see the city as a whole
from above.

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For lunch we will visit our third Michelin starred restaurant, the newest
creation by Spain’s top chef Martín Berasategui, who holds thirteen stars in
total. During his illustrious career San Sebastian began without a single star
to now having the second densest concentration of Michelin stars in the
world.

This afternoon we will have time to visit la concha beach and relax if we
choose, or we can take a short boat ride to Santa Clara Island to take
advantage of the clear waters and sheltered beaches it offers. We will have
plenty of time to enjoy our afternoon in town or at the hotel as we choose.

Dinner this evening will be a very intimate experience as the restaurant has
fewer than seven tables, which is also roughly the number of courses we’ll
enjoy at this elegant gem.

As a final sweet surprise we can enjoy the sixty year old recipe for world
famous cheesecake at La Viña- its lightly burnt top and custard like texture
will stand out as unlike any cheesecake you’ve had before.

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Day 10/11
SAN SEBASTIAN - ABLITAS 10-15/16-2020 Thursday/Friday

Breakfast is included at our hotel. We will enjoy our last morning in San
Sebastian slowly as we visit any last sites or just take a longer breakfast
before heading south towards Navarra.

En route we will enjoy a creative lunch with a variety of fun and diversely
prepared dishes. We have time to enjoy the journey before arriving into the
region where we will soon settle.

Nestled between the Pyrenees Mountains and France to the north and east,
Navarra as a whole and particularly the small gothic town of Tudela enjoys
fertile soil due to the Ebro River that runs through it. Our hotel, surrounded
by vineyards and olive trees in typical French style will be our home for the
next two evenings, a place that certainly puts the local minerals to good use.
This impressive landscape is one that will fascinate those that enjoy the
world of wine.

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Our first night will allow us to settle comfortably into the bodega lifestyle as
we will enjoy a wine pairing dinner presenting the special flavors grown on
site in both the food and beverage.

We will continue to enjoy the comfortable ambiance as we enjoy breakfast
on site the next morning and relax on the perfectly manicured grounds or
enjoy the pool. We can choose to go into nearby Tudela for an elaborate
lunch or allow the hotel chef to create a different specialty food tasting for
us today. (We will either have lunch or dinner in town, as we choose)

We will tour the grounds and the inner workings of the vineyard and will
enjoy another extensive taste of the house blends. Taking the day we see fit,
we can spend as much of the day on site as we wish or visit the nearby
towns or even slightly more distant Pamplona.

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Day 12
ZARAGOZA FAREWELL (departure to airport/train)
10-17-2020 Saturday

On our final day, breakfast is included at our hotel amongst the grapevines.

This morning we will enjoy the vineyard for the last time before a quick ride
to Zaragoza and a short panoramic tour. Unfortunately this will be our final
activity as a complete group together for the main tour. We will say our
goodbyes as some of the group departs towards home from Zaragoza.

Those who choose to do the extension will continue on with us to
Barcelona by train as it is only a two hour ride.

     The above delineated tour is USD $6,400.00 per person

 Single Supplement – Contact us for additional fee information

 $1,500 per person deposit required to secure your space, final
          payment is due 90 days prior to departure.

                      (This deposit is not refundable)

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BARCELONA EXTENSION

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Day 12 Continued/ Day 13
ZARAGOZA FAREWELL – BARCELONA
10-17/18-2020 Saturday/Sunday

Barcelona the capital of the Catalonia region and second largest city of the
country is a unique architectural wonder with many famous artists calling
the city home. From Gaudi, Salvador Dali, Picasso and Joan Miró, to the
lively contemporary street performers and unique tapas bars this city only
offers colorful surreal experiences.

Our Hotel located in the hub of the city is only 200 meters from the Basilica
of the Sagrada Familia, with the city’s most iconic landmark rising large in
the view of our rooftop courtyard- it doesn’t get any better than that!

We will begin our day in Barcelona with arguably the best Catalonian tapas
in the city as we dive into the local fresh cuisine that further cements
Barcelona as a global icon. We will tour the impressive Sagrada Familia and
a portion of the city today, though we will leave time in the afternoon to
shop on La Rambla and stop for a few treats along the way.

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Once we have a craving for something sweet, we can try a special ice cream
experience crafted by Jordi Roca, the desert chef of a three Michelin starred
restaurant that has been awarded top 3 restaurant in the world status for
the last eight years.

Following our shopping time we will continue to explore the city or relax at
our hotel before a late dinner at a restaurant as eclectic as Barcelona. From
burratta cheese topped with roasted pears, to spicy fried chicken Bao buns
and prawn omelets, you will definitely find something to surprise you as
you sit back and sip wine on the golden sofas.

Our final day of the tour will begin as usual with breakfast at our hotel.

This morning we will tour the gothic quarter of the city and the Barcelona
Cathedral. We will see many of Gaudi’s architectural works in Park Güell, as
well as throughout the city as a whole. We will tour Casa Batlló and Casa

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Milà. We will also visit the Jewish quarter and several other important sites
before and after we break for lunch.

For lunch we will enjoy a rainbow of colors and flavors at this modern
bohemian twist of a Catalonian tapas bar. We can experience a variety of
flavors but will aim for a slightly lighter meal than the usual to allow space
for our final dinner event.

Between meals we will continue to take in the colors, sights and sounds of
the city as we finish any shopping and touring before returning to the hotel
to change for the evening.

Tonight for our final celebration we will delight in a meal of a level few
people have the privilege to experience. We will enjoy our final wine pairing
tasting dinner at the two Michelin starred restaurant where Spain’s
youngest chef to receive stars, Jordi Cruz (5 Stars currently), earned his
fame. This meal will be an excellent end and a proper farewell for our
journey.

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Day 14
DEPARTURE TO USA - 10-19-2020 Monday

Breakfast is included at our hotel on our final morning before we prepare
for the airport.
Airport transport is included and will be accounted for based on each
person’s departure time.

  The above delineated extension is USD $1,550.00 per person

 Single Supplement – Contact us for additional fee information