Days 1 and 2: Madrid

Madrid Itinerary: Days 1 & 2

Madrid’s capital, a thriving city of over 300 million, is a cosmopolitan city whose highlights include the royal palace, grand plazas, serene parks, and top-notch museums...

 Arrive Madrid:

• Many US and European cities have direct flights to Madrid so it’s a great place to start an exploration of Spain.

• Madrid’s capital, a thriving city of over 300 million, is a cosmopolitan city whose highlights include the royal palace, grand plazas, serene parks, and top-notch museums housing some of the best Spanish and European art in the world.

To Do in Madrid:

• Palacio Royal (Royal Palace) – Built by the first Bourbon kings and today the lavishly decorated rooms house numerous antiques and paintings. The dining room, Porcleain Room and and Gasparini Rooms are especially remarkable.

• Museo del Prado (Prado Museum) – This extensive collection, started by the Hapsburgs, comprises famous works by Spanish masters such as El Greco, Velasquez and Goya, as well as Italian Renaissance artists and the infamous Garden of Earthly Delights triptych by Hieronymus Bosch.

• Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía –Known as the Moma of Madrid, this collection is the greatest compilation of 20^th-century art in the country. Picasso’s Guernica, the moving and massive Civil War protest painting, is considered one of the most important works of the last century.

• Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum – This important privately owned art collection is housed in the magnificent 18^th-century Villahermosa Palace. The collection includes significant works by Titian, Rubens, Goya, Van Gogh and Picasso.

• Plaza Mayor – This historic square started in 1617, with elegant balconies and colonnades, is the center of Old Madrid and was once used for bullfights, trials by the Inquisition and public executions. Nowadays it's a perfect spot to people-watch at an outdoor café or take in the Sunday flea market.

Day 2: Madrid / Cordoba:

• Depart from Atocha train station on the hi-speed AVE train to Cordoba (1h 45m trip). Reservations are recommended in the summer months.