TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Castles of Loire. A day to learn more about the Loire region. First a stroll through Amboise in the early hours to the Clos Lucé mansion where Leonardo da Vinci spent the last 3 years of his life. Exploring the Loire region in a little more depth, we visit CHENONCEAU CASTLE (tickets included), built like a bridge over the River Cher. We continue to CHAMBORD, the largest castle of Loire (en- trance to the park included). We will then travel to the center of France, making a stop for coffee in ARGENTON SUR CREUSE, a small medieval town on the banks of the Creuse River. We continue to LIMOGES, a city known for its porcelain, where we recommend a stroll in the center to see its cathedral.

TODAY´S HIGHLIGHTS: Dordogne Valley of unforgettable villages. Lascaux cave museum. Beynac medieval castle. Dinner included. We will leave Limoges for the Dordogne. Few regions contain so many villages full of charm and unforgettable countryside. We arrive at LASCAUX, we will include admission to the museum and replica of the caves, we will learn about the site’s prehistory with the magnificent cave paintings. After that we see SARLAT, a world heritage town with an incredibly well-preserved Renaissance historic center, where there will be time to stroll and have lunch. In BEYNAC we see a medieval castle overlooking the river (admission included). ROCAMADOUR, a beautiful medieval village with an important sanctuary “hung” over a ravine; we suggest you walk down the via crucis and come back up in the lift. Dinner included.

HIGHLIGHTS: Padirac Caves, Midi Region and winemakers. We will go to the impressive PADIRAC caves, where we include a boat ride on the river 75 meters underground. A stop at COLLONGE LA ROUGE, a very picturesque village built with red stone on the Way of St James. Time for lunch. After lunch we travel to ST. EMILION, at the heart of the Bordeaux wine producing region. Time for a stroll. BOR- DEAUX, arrival at the end of the afternoon. Notice: The caves may be closed in November or due to the weather conditions.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Cite du Vin in Bordeaux. Lourdes. Dinner included. The entire center of Bordeaux has been declared a world heritage site. You will be amazed by the “water mir- ror” and stroll through the old town with its pedestri- an streets and 11th century cathedral. We will include admission (free visit with audio information in English, Spanish or French) to the CITE DU VIN, an impressive interactive museum that recounts the history of the wine and its production; wine tasting included at the viewpoint over Bordeaux. You will have free time later to stroll and have lunch on the banks of the Garonne River, an area full of small restaurants. We continue our way towards the Pyrenees, arriving to LOURDES in the mid-afternoon. We have time to see the sanctuary (we recommend attending the candle procession). Dinner included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Medieval villages of St. Bertrand and Carcassonne. Dinner included. Skirting the Pyrenees, we will stop in SAINT BERTRAND, a medieval village perched on the mountainside, dominated by its great cathedral. Time for a stroll before travelling on to CARCASSONNE, a city surrounded by beautiful walls. We continue through the Pyrenees on a journey between the, often, snow-capped summits, and cross into the small country of ANDORRA. Dinner included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Catalonia region. Montserrat Monastery. Rack train climb. We will have free time in ANDORRA for shopping and exploring. After lunch, we will continue our trip and head to Catalonia. The mountain countryside leads us to the impressive site of the MONTSERRAT MONASTERY, where you will go up the mountain on a rack train to see its fantastic scenery. Following this we will continue to BARCELONA, arriving in the late afternoon.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfer to Las Ramblas district. Today we will explore Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Mediterranean Sea. Starting by an informative city tour with a local expert (note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide.) We will also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neighborhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. We will also get the chance to see La Sagrada Familia Basilica, the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This open-air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy the Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different regions that make up Spain. You will then have some free time to explore the city at your own leisure. In the evening we provide a transfer to Las Ramblas and the Plaza Catalunya area for dinner, where you can choose from a wide variety of restaurants. We will return to the hotel in the late evening.

After breakfast, end of our services.