La Alberca - Ciudad Rodrigo - Salamanca

Route: Madrid - La Alberca - Ciudad Rodrigo - Salamanca - Madrid
Duration: 14 h
Our first poin of our tour will be  atLa Alberca which is located in the beautiful mountain area of the 'Sierras de Bejar y Francia' which is a UNESCO listed Biosphere reserve.  In the resort is one of the oldest and largest forests of strawberry trees (Arbutus unedo) in the world.  La Alberca is one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. Its buildings are lovely half-timber houses and in the summer they are hung with vibrant displays of geraniums and summer flowers. The main square, the Plaza Mayor, is surrounded by these lovely buildings with their columned arcades offering shelter from the bright sunshine. The 18th Century Church of the Assumption has a 16th century granite pulpit and a wonderful Gothic Processional cross. La Alberca's Feast of the Assumption on the 15th August is one of the best in Spain. Women of the village dress in fabulous traditional dresses. The main square offers lots of cafés where you can sit and soak up the atmosphere. It is surrounded by beautiful arcaded buildings. Do not be suprised if you see a pig wandering the streets. Every year a piglet is selected and blessed in July and released to wander freely in the town where it is fed by all the town's residents. Our туче stop will be at Ciudad Rodrigo which is a perfectly located getaway destination with tons to see and do. The architecture and history of the town are two of the main attractions which serve as reminders of the city's turbulent past. Originally inhabited by Neolithic Settlers and later Vettones, Romans, Moors and Christians, Ciudad Rodrigo's strategic position on the Spain-Portugal border means it is was of great importance in the Peninsular war. France took the city in 1810 and two years later it was violently seized by the British. A wander round the tiny winding streets to take in some of the beautiful Renaissance Mansions is a great pleasure in itself. You will see the enormous 12th century walls which surround it, the Plaza Mayor as one of their most vivid memories of Ciudad Rodrigo - and that fact that it is very very pretty, the Cathedral of Santa Maria is another landmark - an eclectic mish mash of styles and add-ons from between the 12th and 14th centuries, the Renaissance Mansions which are scattered around the city centre are truly beautiful, in particular, the Palacio de Moctezuma which is also the Casa Municipal de Cultura. Our last stop will be at Salamanca. Discover the most important monuments in Salamanca during this tour.You will immerse yourself in the artistic, historical center of Salamanca, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the interiors of monuments where illustrious professors like Fray Luis de León, Francisco de Vitoria, and Miguel de Unamuno left their mark. Begin your unforgettable experience at the Casa de Las Conchas (Shell House). Visit its patio and find out why there are so many shells, then observe the front of the Clerecia Church and the Pontifical University of Salamanca. Continue to Plaza Anaya and go inside Anaya Palace, if it's open. Tour the insides of both the Old and New Cathedrals, too. Then it's the turn of the Univerity of Salamanca with its Escuela Menores courtyard and beautiful Sky of Salamanca painting. After this, make your next stop at the Escuela Mayores courtyard. Admire its richly ornamented, plateresque facade then enter the building. End your tour at the beautiful and thriving Plaza Mayor, one of the reasons that Salamanca is a World Heritage city. After that we will return to Madrid.
Price: Per person