Discovering Italy and Spain: Special Off the Beaten Path Tour

The energetic capital of Spain captures the country’s surrounding culture amid the city’s Royal Palace, Prado Museum, and lavish parks. Your private transfer will greet you at Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport upon your arrival and escort you to your luxurious accommodation. Your first day in Spain will offer you a unique view of the capital by highlighting the charms of the hidden gems that are tucked into the shadows of the mainstream sites across Madrid. The Naval Museum on Paseo del Prado hosts the oldest known map of America, which was discovered in a Paris bookshop in the mid-19th century. The map was drawn around the year 1500 by Juan de la Cosa, who sailed with Cristopher Columbus.

After breakfast, your guide will lead you out of Madrid to the hilltop town of Segovia. The most prominent figure in the town stretches across the heart of the city center. The Roman aqueduct was constructed around 50 AD and once carried water from the Acebeda River. The remarkable 12th century Alcazar crowns the rocky outcrop with turrets that resemble a fairytale castle. For a sample of the local delicacies, you can stop into a celebrated confectionery.

After a relaxing morning, your guide will greet you in the hotel lobby and lead you outside of Madrid to the town of Aranjuez. The quiet destination was founded as a retreat for the royal family, who wished to escape the rigors of daily life in Madrid while retaining the same opulent atmosphere. Only royalty and nobility were allowed at the palace and surrounding town in Aranjuez until the mid-18th century. The royal estate contains the elegance and sophistication associated with the Royal Family. Today, you will have a comprehensive tour of the complex before returning to Madrid with the evening at your leisure.

Cuenca is one of the most alluring cities in Spain but is often overshadowed by Madrid, Barcelona, and Seville. The town’s narrow streets wind beneath tall houses with wooden balconies. The lookout point of Mirador Barrio del Castillo offers a panorama of the plunging gorge and the textured landscape. The 14th-century houses are layered with balconies that emerge from the rocks like extensions of steep bluffs. Many of the houses juxtapose the antique artistry of their design by hosting abstract art museums and galleries.

The full-day excursion into the heart of classic Spain will feel like a journey back in time. Cáceres hosts a number of elegant palaces and mansions that add to a skyline of soaring turrets and spires. An arcade wraps around the Plaza Mayor, creating a public space in which locals sip wine, indulge in an afternoon snack, or gossip about the day’s events. Strolling around the city will lead you to Palacio de Los Golfines de Abajo. The extensive Roman ruins scattered across the streets and unlikely corners reflect the layers of heritage that are buried beneath the modern neighborhoods.

Alcalá de Henares is less than 22 miles from Madrid’s city center but feels like a journey back in time to the late 15th century. Elements of Roman, Visigoth, and Moorish history decorate the rolling hills along the countryside that were once connected to crumbling castles. You follow open lanes that lead to the College of San Ildefonso, which has been one of the most important institutions in the region since its founding in 1499. The façade was completed in 1537 and retains a golden hue that connotes the importance of the complex and the nobility of the design.

The morning light will wash over the greenery of Buen Retiro Park and reflect against the glass façade of the Crystal Palace. The regal structure houses exotic fauna from around the world. Your guide will escort you to the airport for a quick flight to Naples, Italy. You will travel through the bustling city famous for its pizza, port, and museums to reach the medieval village of Avellino. The town started as a Roman outpost. The nearby Palazzo Abbaziale di Loreto possesses a unique array of historic and religious documents that span nearly two millennia.

In the morning, you will travel by private transfer to the opulent grounds of Caserta Palace, which is located less than 38 miles from the center of Avellino. The compelling former palatial complex remains the largest palace in the world by volume and is known for its exuberant display of wealth that decorates the 18th and 19th-century Royal Apartments. The palace encompasses approximately 484,376 square feet over five floors and is adorned with period furniture, grand paintings, and elaborate frescoes.

The most popular monuments in Rome capture the eternal spirit of the city and its ever-evolving culture. After breakfast, you will travel to the former port of Ostia Antica to visit what was once ancient Rome’s premier port. Your guide will greet you at the entrance of the site and introduce you to one of Italy’s largest excavation sites. Your guide will lead you to the terrace for a better view of the large complex. From here, you can see the heating system that once kept the temperatures of the water consistent across the different selection of pools.

The quiet town of Cerveteri hides the largest necropolis in Italy. After breakfast, your private guide will escort you to the stunning collection of crypts and tombs that date back to the 9th century BC. The settlement eventually fell after a conflict with Rome in the 4th century BC, becoming a part of the Roman Republic. Your guide will point to the rolling hills across the landscape and Etruscan tombs. You will then enter the Tomb of the Reliefs, which was crafted during the 4th century BC. The furnishings include preserved frescoes that adorn the walls.

After breakfast this morning, you will travel to the cobblestone lanes of Orvieto. Etruscans originally founded the settlement, laying the groundwork for the local struggles between the Guelfs and Ghibellines. The majestic cathedral of the town was founded in the 13th century to honor the Miracle of Bolsena. The unique façade contains Gothic mosaics that contrast with the usual Byzantine style of gilded mosaics and frescoes across Italy.

In the morning, your private transfer will greet you at the hotel lobby after breakfast and escort you to Fiumicino Airport for your flight home. You can spend more time in Italy by extending your trip to include Puglia or Sicily.