Self-Drive Tour in Spain: Madrid and the North - 6 Days

Madrid, Segovia, Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1: Full day in Madrid

You should start this day early in the morning to discover as much as possible about Spain 's beautiful capital which is an important business centre, as well as the headquarters for the Public Administration, Government, Spanish Parliament and the home of the Spanish Royal Family. Start your visit with the Royal Palace ( Closed when official acts are held). This vast and elegant palace is no longer used as a residence since the 1930's but keeps the original furniture and decoration as if kings still lived there. Next to the palace you can see the modern Almudena's Cathedral started in 1879 and finished a century later. From here start your walk from Calle Mayor ( Main Street ) till the majestic Plaza Mayor ( Main Square ) which used to be a marketplace and was the scene of popular events. Under the arcades, you can find different shops that sell fabrics, costume jewelry and souvenirs together with outdoor cafes, taverns and bakeries. Nearby you have the Puerta del Sol (Sun Gateway), once a 15th century gate from Madrid 's defensive walls. Now it's one of the most popular meeting points for local people and the starting of the old city's shopping area. Continuing along the Calle Alcala you'll reach Plaza de Cibeles , an important symbol of Madrid , surrounded by some of the city's most important monuments. Now, the Prado Museum (Closed on Monday) shall not be missed. This museum is considered one of the most important art galleries in the world. It houses masterpieces by Velazquez, Goya, El Greco and many other artists. If you like gardens, Parque del Retiro (behind the Prado) is worth a short walk. As an alternative, you can visit the National Museum Reina Sofia (Closed on Tuesday), a cultural centre containing a permanent collection of Spanish contemporary art. From Plaza Cibeles, continue along the famous shopping street Gran Via and Plaza del Callao, surrounded by cinemas, department stores and shops. At the end of Gran Via is the huge Plaza de España , noted for two skyscrapers from the 1950's: the Edificio España and the Torre de Madrid. In the center of this square is the statue of the famous Cervante's character Don Quijote de La Mancha.

Accommodation in Madrid (please follow the link for more details):

Level A Hotel: Hotel Hesperia Madrid (5 stars Deluxe - "Leading Hotels of the World")

Level B Hotel: Hotel de Las Letras (4 stars - "Design Hotels")

Day 2: Departure to El Escorial and Segovia

You'll start your day by collecting your car at the rental station and then heading to San Lorenzo de El Escorial, 49 Km from Madrid and 1,000 meters above sea level, in the Guadarrama mountain range. Nowadays, this area is the location for many weekend and summer houses. Built after a victory over the French in 1557, this granite complex was built between 1563 and 1584 as monastery, royal residence and Mausoleum for the Spanish kings. You'll experience an impression of grandeur and austerity that has never been equaled. Afterwards, proceed to the city of Segovia, located on a high rocky ground delimited by two rivers. When you see it from far, it has the appearance of a ship, the Alcazar beeing the prow and the Cathedral's pinnacles the masts. Its old town centre and Roman aqueduct are in UNESCO's list. The entrance gate to the historic quarter of Segovia is the Aqueduct. This masterpiece of Roman engineering was used until the end of the 19 th century. Inside the city are important medieval and Renaissance buildings, such as the Casa de los Picos, a mansioned whose façade is adorned with star-shaped stones. From this point you can continue your walk until the last Gothic Cathedral to be built in Spain. The Alcazar (fortress) of Segovia probably dates back to Roman occupation. However, what you can see nowadays is a reconstruction performed after a fire in the 19th century. After accomodating yourself in your hotel, you can still take a night walk and dine in one of the historical section's restaurants.

Accommodation in Segovia (please follow the link for more details):

Level A Hotel: Parador de Segovia (4 stars Parador)

Level B Hotel: Hotel Eurostars Plaza Acueducto (4 stars)

Roadbook - Approximate distances and times:

Madrid - El Escorial --- 60 km (50 minutes)

El Escorial - Segovia --- 55 km (45 minutes)

Day 3: Departure to Avila and Salamanca

This morning, you'll drive till Ávila, another World Heritage Site, mainly due to its Medieval walls, amongst the best well preserved in Europe, being its perimeter more than 2 km. Since it's the birthplace of Santa Teresa de Jesús, the city has a number of religious buildings, inside and outside the city walls, related to her life. Some of them are the Convent of Saint Teresa, built over the place where the Saint was born; and the Encarnación Monastery (outside the walls), where Saint Teresa lived for 20 years. The Cathedral claims to be the oldest Gothic one in all of Spain. This building was built benefiting from the defensive wall, being part of it. After visiting this outstanding fortified city, head towards Salamanca. Here you'll find the ambiance of one of the oldest university cities in Spain. To stroll on its streets, you can start from the arcaded Plaza Mayor (Main Square) one of the nicest squares of this type in the country. You can enjoy the beauty of the buildings while sitting down on one of the cafés and restaurants located here. Don't miss the unusual façade of the 16th century Casa de las Conchas (House of Shells), adorned with hundreds of shells. It was built by a member of Saint James Religious Order, reason why it is decorated with shells, symbol of pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. The nearby Renaissance University is considered one of Spain's oldest ones. Don't miss the inside as well. Amongst the religious buildings, stands out the magnificent Cathedral, which is in fact made by the junction of two different buildings: the Old Cathedral (12th century) and the New Cathedral (16th century).

Accommodation in Salamanca (please follow the link for more details):

Level A Hotel: Hotel AC Palacio de San Esteban (5 stars - AC Selection)

Level B Hotel: Hotel Melia Las Claras Boutique (4 stars - Melia Boutique Hotel)

Roadbook - Approximate distances and times:

Segovia - Avila --- 85 km (55 minutes)

Avila - Salamanca --- 97 km (1 hour and 20 minutes)

Day 4: Departure to Puebla de Sanabria and Santiago de Compostela

Today you'll spend most of the day driving, but you'll have the chance to enjoy beautiful views of the regions of Castilla Léon and Galicia. In Castilla you'll see the rural countryside with plenty of attractive villages. One of these, Puebla de Sanabria, can be your stopping point for some rest. At the same time it is worthy to walk on its steep streets lined with stone houses, where you can still notice the traditional life of people. One of the streets takes you to the Fortress and Church. After this stop, you shall continue driving through the green region of Galicia, whose main city, Santiago de Compostela, will be the next place for you to overnight and visit on the next day.

Accommodation in Santiago de Compostela (please follow the link for more details):

Level A Hotel: Parador Santiago Reyes Catolicos (5 stars GL Parador)

Level B Hotel: Hotel Hesperia Peregrino (4 stars)

Roadbook - Approximate distances and times:

Salamanca - Puebla de Sanabria --- 179 km (2 hours and 20 minutes)

Puebla de Sanabria - Santiago --- 250 km (2 hour and 45 minutes)

Day 5: Full-Day in Santiago de Compostela

This morning you'll discover this old pilgrimage goal on the best way possible: walking. In Santiago , the historical area (World Heritage Site) is located around the Cathedral, which has been a pilgrimage site for centuries. It was once the 3rd most important pilgrimage site after Jerusalém and Rome. Although the building's exterior underwent many changes along the times, the interior was almost left untouched since the 11th century. The Obradoiro Square faces the cathedral's main façade. Here you can find some nice buildings, as the Raxoi Palace (which nowadays is the Town-Hall), the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos (built as a shelter and hospital for sick pilgrims) and the Colegio de San Jeronimo, which is now part of Santiago's University.The cathedral was built over the site where the tomb of the apostle Saint James was found. Inside, after passing underneath the 12th century Portal da Gloria (Gloria Gate), you can visit the crypt with the silver coffin that has the Saint's mortal remains. Don't miss the other squares around the cathedral, since all of them have a particular beauty and are surrounded by valuable buildings: Imaculada Square , Quintana Square and Praterias Square. After visiting all these places you can sit down in one of the many tapas' bars and restaurants, in the nearby streets, and enjoy a local meal as well as admire the souvenir shops displaying the local handicraft.

Accommodation in Santiago de Compostela (please follow the link for more details):

Level A Hotel: Parador Santiago Reyes Catolicos (5 stars GL Parador)

Level B Hotel: Hotel Hesperia Peregrino (4 stars)

Day 6: Hotel Check-out and Delivery of Rented Car

Today you shall deliver your car early in the morning and return back home or continue your trip through Europe, since Santiago de Compostela has its own airport (If you can extend your holidays, please ask us to include extra nights to this pack).

End of Self-Drive Tour

PRICES (per person)

Total Adult Passengers / Car Group	2010
Total Adult Passengers / Car Group	Hotels Level A	Hotels Level B
2 Pax (1 Double Room) Group C vehicle	986 €	616 €
3 Pax (1 Double & 1 Single Room) Group C vehicle	1.039 €	635 €
4 Pax (2 Double Rooms) Group F vehicle	906 €	549 €
5 Pax (2 Double & 1 Single Rooms) Group F vehicle	939 €	566 €
6 Pax (3 Double Rooms) Group K vehicle	886 €	545 €
Single Room Supplement (where double is stated)	465 €	308 €
Car Upgrade Group C to E	101 €
Car Upgrade Group F to I	339 €
Car Upgrade Group F to K	357 €

For Children rates, please contact us

Prices not valid for special dates like Fairs and Easter Season. Please ask us for a quote for these special dates.

Our price includes:

- 5 Nights accommodation on selected hotel (level A or B)

- 5 Full Breakfasts

- 4 days rent-a-car (air-conditioned vehicle) with CDW and TP insurance & unlimited kms.

Please check Car Groups here: Rent-a-Car Section

Optionals (payable at rent-a-car desk):

- Car collection at Airport

- Car delivery at your hotel

- Aditional driver

- GPS

Please ask us for a printable version of this itinerary if you need one.