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| Music is probably the greatest product
of the longstanding rivalry that has existed between these two great Spanish metropolitan
cities. Each city has its own particular history. The younger capital city may
regret its lack of a medieval past, but has largely compensated for this with
its Bourbon style palaces, its legacy of museums and its grandiose Baroque and
Neoclassical urbanism. The Catalan city, in turn, maintains the essence of medieval,
commercial and proud Mediterranean cities. To this it has added, since the 19th
century, the opulence of the Catalan industrial bourgeoisie and its daring urban
plans. Even today it is interesting to observe how each city attempts to respond
the challenges of the future in its own way. |
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A first glimpse of Madrid provided by a scenic tour will allow us to appreciate the dimension and beauty of this city of three million inhabitants
and its urban development over the last 150 years. We will see the vital points
of the city, the Paseo de la Castellana avenue, the Manzanares River, Alcala Street
and Gran Via; the Salamanca district, urban expressions from the Arturo Soria
garden-city to the more recent Plaza de Castilla district, the Colon, Espana and
Atocha squares, and extensive green areas such as the Retiro Park. Nearby we find
one of the best examples of the Bourbon urban layout: the Paseo del Prado with
its fountains, gardens and museums. Of special interest are the Mile of Art, Prado
Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. In the surrounding
area is the Teatro de la Zarzuela, a building dating more than 150 years, the
first and only stage dedicated to the traditional Spanish lyric genre. The Zarzuela,
a popular musical genre that began in the 19th century, is characterized by musical
numbers, songs, and dances inspired in the European scenography of the time. Overnight
in Madrid Possibility to attend a performance at the Teatro de la Zarzuela |
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Today we will discover the
Madrid of the Austria Dynasty, a city that became the capital in 1561. Our visit
will take us to the Royal Palace and next to it the Almudena Cathedral, a temple
started towards the end of the 19th century when Madrid received its first bishop.
Our route concludes at the Plaza de Oriente and the Teatro Real, a Bourbon structure
from the Post-Napoleonic period that, following its remodel, offers superb acoustics.
From there, our path takes us to Calle Mayor, the Plaza de la Villa and the San
Miguel Market, arriving at the Plaza Mayor, the prototype for so many other Castilian
plazas of the 17th and future centuries. We will pass along Toledo Street until
arriving to Puerta del Sol with its many recesses that evoke Spanish history of
the last five hundred years. Overnight in Madrid Possibility to attend a performance
at the Teatro Real Possibility of organizing a special dinner |
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After our flight from Madrid to Barcelona, we
will enjoy a scenic tour of the "City of Counts". Our visit begins on the grand
avenues of the Eixample district with its modernist buildings -notably the homes
on the Paseo de Gracia such as Lleo Morera, Amatller, Batllo and Mila- and we
will arrive at the Sagrada Familia, masterpiece of architect Gaudi. Following
a stop in another of his better known works, the Guell Park, we will arrive at
the top of Montjuich with its magnificent views of the city and the coast. In
the city's historical district we will find the Gran Teatre del Liceu, the oldest
of the city and, during the last 150 years, one of the most famous opera stages
where Arias have been sung by the best tenors and sopranos of the world. The most
recent remodeling has updated the building with the most modern technologies.
Overnight in Barcelona Possibility to attend a performance at the Gran Teatre
del Liceu |
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Barcelona's historical district is known for its Gothic
neighborhood where we will visit Santa Maria del Mar, one of the most beautiful
examples of the peculiar Catalan Gothic style. Our visit takes us to such exemplary
sites as the Cathedral, the Palau de la Generalitat, the Plaza Real and the famous
Ramblas, a lively avenue perfect for a stroll. We will have the opportunity to
see the emblematic Boqueria Market, the largest market in Spain, bound to the
city, its traditions and popular celebrations. Of course we will visit the Palau
de la Musica Catalana, designed by famed architect Domenech i Montaner, and one
of the great monuments of Catalan Modernism, which earned it the title of World
Heritage Site. Built in 1908, it still serves as an internationally renowned concert
hall offering productions by the most notable performers and orchestras worldwide.
Overnight in Barcelona Possibility to attend a performance at the Palau de la
Musica Catalana Possibility of organizing a special farewell dinner |
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Transfer to the Barcelona Airport |
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