Our tour guide will welcome you at the airport of Barajas, Madrid, for a transfer to your excellent and very centrally located hotel (or apartment). Tonight we will make a tapas tour through the city’s most gastronomical neighbourhoods; Lavapiés and La Latina. We will stop at some of the best-kept secret tapas bars, where traditional dishes from all regions of Spain can be tasted. We end the tour at Plaza Mayor, where most bars have their very own specialty and in many cases just sell one kind of tapa. Famous examples are the establishments that sell the ‘champiñones al ajillo’ and the ‘bocadillo de calamares’ and the bar that is called ‘la casa de la tortilla’. Overnight in Madrid.

Today we will discover the surprising surroundings of the Spanish capital. On just 30 kilometres from the city centre we will find unspoilt nature, impressive mountain peaks and great cultural heritage. We will depart around midday, and drive to El Escorial, which is home to the largest and the most important monument of Madrid. ‘El Real Sitio de San Lorenzo de El Escorial’ is an enormous abbey complex located beautifully on a hillside and sur- rounded by high mountains. The complex was built between 1563 and 1584 by order of King Philip II, who actively participated in the design of the complex. The El Escorial monastery has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. From El Escorial we drive to the more than 2.000-year-old city of Segovia, in the region of Castilla Leon. Segovia is well known in Spain for it’s rich gastronomy. After tasting some of the local specialties we will make a walking tour through the fairy- tale like historic centre. We will see monuments from all periods of the city’s rich history; among others a Roman aqueduct, a medieval castle and several 18th century casonas. At the end of the afternoon we will drive back to the centre of Madrid, where will be able to enjoy the city’s bustling nightlife until early in the morning. Overnight in Madrid..

After a very rich breakfast we will start our guided walk through the city. After having seen the typical highlights we will start our discov- ery tour of the neighbourhoods of ‘la movida Madrileña’. La movida was a strong cultural movement that took place in the 1980’s just after the death of former dictator Franco. In the ‘barrios’ of Malasaña and Chueca a new urban hedonistic culture was born, which caused the emergence of a new Spanish identity. Famous exponents of la movida are film director Pedro Almodóvar and the tecno-pop group Mecano. Malasaña and Chueca have managed to conserve this enormous creative spirit and nowadays are two of the most popular neighbourhoods among the city’s inhabitants. This afternoon you will have sufficient time to visit one of the famous museums, to go and shop or to relax in the beautiful Retiro Park. We end the day with a festive farewell dinner. Shortly after you can join us for an authentic flamenco show in one the country’s best tablaos. Overnight in Madrid. Famous exponents of la movida are film director Pedro Almodóvar and the tecno-pop group Mecano. Malasaña and Chueca have managed to conserve this enormous creative spirit and nowadays are two of the most popular neighbourhoods among the city’s inhabitants.

This afternoon you will have sufficient time to visit one of the famous museums, to go and shop or to relax in the beautiful Retiro Park. We end the day with a festive farewell dinner. Shortly after you can join us for an authentic flamenco show in one the country’s best tablaos. Overnight in Madrid.

Breakfast in the hotel and check- out. As real Madrilenians we end our stay in Madrid with a visit of the Rastro flee market, where the sales of some of the most peculiar products is combined with the best gastronomy. Transfer to the airport in the afternoon.