Madrid to Paris: A Journey Through Northern Spain and France

Toledo is surrounded on three sides by the Río Tajo, which has cut a deep gorge out of the encircling mountains. Christianity, Judaism and Islam coexist on the tiny streets of this ancient city, which was once the capital of Spain. Indeed, the entire panorama of Spanish history is embodied in its churches, synagogues, Moorish mosques and fortifications.

A full-day local guide, well-educated and specially-trained on the history and culture of Toledo, will accompany you today.

Visit one of the most impressive Spanish cathedrals, completed in 1492, after nearly 300 years. Its treasury contains an impressive display of gold and silver vessels and alabaster sculpture.

Visit the Church of St. Thomas to view El Greco's Burial of the Count of Orgaz, a fresco commissioned in honor of a Spanish nobleman who was known for his generosity and charitable deeds.

Enjoy a visit to one of the city's two remaining medieval synagogues.

For centuries, Toledo has excelled in the manufacture of swords and damascene artifacts made of steel inlaid with gold and silver. Skilled artisans carry on the tradition, as you will see during a damascene manufacturing demonstration.

Check out the Santo Tomé Obrador de Mazapán, an elegant shop that's widely known as one of the top marzipan manufacturers. Using the best ingredients (selected Levantine almonds, pure honey, high-quality sugar and farm-fresh eggs), its confectioners have elevated marzipan to gastronomic and artistic heights rarely seen elsewhere.

Enjoy some free time to explore this evening

Board your coach and travel to the beautiful city where Isabella, who sponsored Christopher Columbus' voyages to the New World, was proclaimed Queen of Castile.

On a walking tour led by your tour director, you will see why Segovia is said to resemble a "living museum," replete with ancient houses, splendid courtyards, a well-preserved Roman aqueduct and an imposing cathedral crowned by crenellated towers.

Walk to the elegant aqueduct bridge built by the Romans c. AD 90 as part of a waterway that brought water to the city from mountains miles away.

Visit the most-photographed of all the Spanish castles, El Alcázar de Segovia. With its perfectly-proportioned features, it has become a symbol of Spain's medieval heritage.

You will stop in Valladolid's historic center. Landmarks include the cathedral, the Pimentel Palace and Royal Palace and the House of Cervantes.

Travel across the Castilian countryside to Burgos, long prominent among Spanish cities.

Enjoy an overview of Donostia and its bay at he end of a one-hour or so hike to the top of the promontory known as Monte Urgull, which is crowned by the Castillo de la Motta and its with a monumental statue of Christ.

Take in the bird's eye view of the coast, including La Concha Beach, the mountainous hinterland, and Monte Igueldo, the promontory that rises on the western side of the bay.

Enjoy some free time in San Sebastian today.

Travel to the Atlantic seaside resort of Biarritz, located on a stretch of the Atlantic coast known as the Silver Coast.

Set out to explore a seaside resort famous for having one of the longest sandy beaches in Europe, known as "the Beach of Queens and the Queen of Beaches" ever since Empress Eugénie of France and Queen Victoria vacationed there in the 19th century. Nowadays, Biarritz is popular with surfers from all over the world, earning another nickname: the California of France.

Exhilarating experience today as a high-tech Train à Grande Vitesse whisks you away at 170 mph across the scenic provinces of France. The foreground will be a dizzying blur, but look beyond at hundreds of miles of sleepy farmlands and villages huddled around parish churches.

Arrive a few hours later in a whole different world: the broad boulevards and stately monuments of the French capital.

Set out on a coach tour of the city in the company of a local guide. On the Right Bank of the River Seine, see Napoléon's Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysées, the Place de la Concorde, and the exuberant Opéra Garnier. On the Left Bank, discover the Eiffel Tower, the Invalides, the Latin Quarter and Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Enjoy a bit of relevant French history today at the palace where the Sun King, Madame de Pompadour and Queen Marie-Antoinette all come to life. In this ultimate example of Baroque architecture, you will marvel at the lavish decoration, abundant gilding and exuberant ornamentation, particularly in the Royal Apartments of Louis XIV and in the Hall of Mirrors. Imagine the sense of self-importance that must have inflated the ego of these kings and queens.

The main gardens, designed by the famous landscape architect André Le Nôtre, are an integral part of the palace's overall design, showcasing a harmonious blend of French formal gardens and Italian Renaissance influences. Covering approximately 800 hectares, the gardens boast intricate geometric patterns, magnificent fountains, and extensive parterres, all aligned with the palace's central axis, creating an awe-inspiring vista.

A walk through the main gardens of Versailles offers visitors a chance to witness the spectacular fountains, such as the grand Fountain of Apollo, which represents the Sun King himself riding a chariot drawn by four horses. Visitors can also explore the perfectly manicured lawns, the grand canal, and the numerous statues and sculptures that adorn the garden. The intricate groves, such as the enchanting Bosquet de la Salle de Bal, provide a sense of intimacy and a place for quiet contemplation amidst the grandiosity of the estate. A visit to Versailles' main gardens is a journey through history, offering a glimpse into the lavish lifestyle of the French royalty.

Return to Paris using the efficient RER transit system.

Discover panoramic views of the city as you make your way up to the Sacré-Coeur for a visit to this white-domed basilica, which anchors the Parisian skyline.

This evening, enjoy dinner in Montmartre.

Your destination is Marne-la-Vallée, a tranquil and quintessentially French farming community which has been propelled into the multinational world of entertainment with the construction of the Disneyland Resort Paris amusement park.

The original Disneyland Park offers a variety of futuristic, exotic, or chilling attractions in "lands" called Frontierland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, Discoveryland and Main Street, USA.

At the Walt Disney Studios Park, you'll discover the magical world of cinema and television: explore studio lots, preview blockbuster attractions, meet Disney characters, go on tours behind the scenes, and watch spectacular stunts.

Visit Notre-Dame de Paris, gutted by the fire of April 15, 2019, but still standing, solemn and magnificent with its iconic towers miraculously preserved from destruction.

Begun in 1163 and completed in 1272, this cathedral has presided over centuries of glorious and somber French history, including its desecration during the French Revolution. In 1831, Victor Hugo launched a campaign of restoration with a novel he titled Notre Dame de Paris. Because he saw the cathedral as the main character, he strongly objected to the title of the English edition: The Hunchback of Notre Dame.