Insight Vacations Review – Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco – Granada to Madrid
Insight Vacations Review – Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco – Granada to Madrid
WJ Tested: Insight Vacations – Day 16: Granada to Madrid, Spain
Insight Vacations Review – Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco – Granada to Madrid
16-Night Motorcoach Trip in 2011
Granada to Madrid
Waking up this morning at 6:45 am from our final wake-up call we were on the coach by 8:15 am and trundling down the highway in the direction of Madrid.
By 10 am we stopped at another service area for a 25-minute comfort stop. This one also had lots of olive and ham products available for purchase and other items that would make great souvenirs and gifts to take home.
Puerto Lapice
As we drove into the Castilla-La Mancharegion around noon it was a perfect time to make a 45-minute lunch stop at Puerto Lapice on Ruta Don Quijote (route of Don Quixote). This very pretty village, made famous by Cervantes book “Don Quixote,” with its whitewashed windmills perched on the surrounding hills had a few nice souvenir shops and a lovely bodega, Venta del Quijote, where we could try more local and regional food.
Insight Vacations Review – Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco – Puerto Lapice
Madrid
The scenery during the rest of our drive to Madrid continued to be beautiful and highlighted by Javier’s commentary describing what we were seeing. At 2:30 pm we arrived at the 5-star Occidental Miguel Angel Hotel, not far from the Prado Museum. At this point some of our group bid farewell as our included excursions had finished and not everyone would attend the optional excursion of dinner at a traditional Meson (featuring typical dishes that Madrid is well known for).
Optional Excursion: Madrileno Dinner
The remainder of the afternoon was free to explore on our own before meeting in the lobby at 6:30 pm, to take the coach for the optional dinner. After a 15-minute drive through the city we arrived at Bar-Restaurante Avelan that serves a typical Madrileno (from Madrid) dinner. Starting with a glass of sherry, followed by wine, beer, sangria or cava, we then feasted on a wonderful 3-course meal, including: starter – gaspacho and garlic soup; entree – suckling pig or roast lamb; dessert – Baked Alaska and coffee. After our meal we were entertained by a lively local trio, Tuna Boleros Y Pasodobles, as they sung, played guitars and encouraged us to join in singing the Spanish standards – “Spanish Eyes,” “Granada,” and “Viva Espana.”
Insight Vacations Review – Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco – Madrid
Arriving back at the hotel by 9:30 pm we gave a final fond farewell to our fellow passengers with whom we had spent 15 days exploring 2 continents. Although many would remain in Madrid for a day or two longer, we were taking the transfer to the airport the next morning and were continuing on in Spain with a new adventure. Sadly, our Treasures of Spain, Portugal and Morocco tour had drawn to an end. We only wished we could continue on with Insight Vacations and Javier to experience and explore more of Europe… but that will have to wait until our next trip.
If You Go:
Visit WAVEJourney’s Insight Vacations Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco Review:
Overview | Itinerary | Hotels | Photos | Day 1: Madrid | Day 2: Segovia | Day 3: Toledo & Salamanca | Day 4: Fatima & Lisbon | Day 5: Lisbon & Cascais | Day 6: Sevilla | Day 7: Cordoba | Day 8: Gibraltar & Tangier | Day 9: Fes | Day 10: Fes & Meknes | Day 11: Marrakesh | Day 12: Ourika Valley & Marrakesh | Day 13: Casablanca & Rabat | Day 14: Torremolinos | Day 15: Granada | Day 16: Madrid |
