2022 Pacific Ridge Spain Cultural Journey
| Travel Dates: | May 29, 2022 - June 10, 2022 |
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| WTT Contact: |
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Spain Cultural Journey South
The smell of paella, the rhythmic tapping of flamenco, the rugged peaks of the Pyrenees, the soft waves of the Mediterranean, the world class museums, the Moorish palaces, the medieval villages, and the people who seem to have more lust and passion for life than anywhere else; this is Spain! Whether you’re hiking along the Camino de Santiago, exploring the colorful streets of Barcelona or sketching in front of a piece at the Prado, this gem of a country is sure to leave you wanting more.
Cultural Journeys
Cultural Journeys allow travelers to gain insights into the heritage, history and modern realities of their destination by offering a broad diversity of experience. We rely on the expertise of our local staff to plan itineraries which not only explore the prominent sites but also make time for the lesser-known local gems and are intentional about regular interaction with local people.
Program Highlights
Check out some of the featured experiences of your program!
Have the adventure of a lifetime with your friends
Tour a family-run olive farm in Seville for a tour and tasting
Learn to make traditional Spanish cuisine during a cooking class
Travel across Andalucia, a region in Southern Spain home to many of the countries greatest cities.
Wander through The Alhambra, a majestic palace and fortress from the 13th century
Attend a flamenco dance performance in Granada
The Itinerary
We do everything possible to run safe, engaging, and immersive programs for our travelers and given the unpredictable nature of international travel we must remain flexible in our planning. Changes to a schedule are uncommon but, we reserve the right to adjust programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 29 | USA - Madrid | Today the group will travel from the USA to Madrid, Spain, arriving the following day. | Airplane |
| May 30 | Madrid | We'll arrive in Madrid and settle into the hotel after the long day of travel. Later, we'll hold an orientation meeting to discuss the upcoming trip in details before heading out to explore our neighborhood and have dinner near Plaza Santa Ana. | TOC Hostel Madrid |
| May 31 | Madrid | Today we'll visit the Prado museum, to admire the collections in one of the most impressive art museums in the world. In the afternoon we'll stroll through the Retiro Park, once the king's personal refuge, and enjoy churros con chocolate along the old winding streets. | TOC Hostel Madrid |
| June 1 | Madrid | For our final day in Madrid, we'll spend the day exploring Spain's metropolitan capital by foot. Depending on what students are interested in, we may visit the Royal Palace, the Temple of Debod and the West Park or visit the famous Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. | TOC Hostel Madrid |
| June 2 | Madrid - Toledo | This morning we'll embark on a scavenger hunt around town and practice our language skills in Mercado San Miguel. After lunch, we will leave Madrid for the famous "City of Three Cultures," Toledo. We will we will discover why Toledo is known as "The City of Three Cultures" by visiting the Jewish quarter and the district of the convents with a guided tour of the area. | Hotel Abacería |
| June 3 | Toledo - Granada | This morning we will be exploring the city a little bit more and have a chance to get some souvenirs. We'll get a chance to enjoy some coffee in the city and see the city's two most important monuments: the Cathedral and the Alcázar fortress. After lunch, we'll hit the road for Granada, taking in the beautiful countryside as we wind through the Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia regions of Southern Spain. We'll get settled into our hotel tonight upon arrival and rest up ahead of our upcoming adventures. | Hostal Atenas |
| June 4 | Granada | We'll have a guided tour of Alhambra during the day, one of the most photogenic places on the planet. Afterwards, we'll have some free time to wander through the old quarter, possibly visit a traditional Moroccan tea house, and attend a flamenco performance in a cave above town this evening. | Hostal Atenas |
| June 5 | Granada - Ronda | Travel to Ronda, in the heart of Andalucia, and visit the precipitous ravine before enjoying a bike tour around the outskirts of this ancient city to Setenil de las Bodegas, a spectacular pueblo blanco partially built into a cliff-face. In the evening we'll have dinner with some local Spanish students where we can take turns speaking in Spanish and English. ¿Que guay, no? | Hostel San Cayetano |
| June 6 | Ronda- Sevilla | Morning departure to Sevilla, stopping on the way at an olive farm where some of the finest organic olive oil in the world is produced. We'll arrive in the afternoon to Sevilla and have a dinner of delicious tapas. | TOC Hostel Sevilla |
| June 7 | Sevilla | This morning we'll explore the city, including the impressive cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried. After a lunch of tapas we'll go up to the "Setas de Sevilla" to take in the impressive views. In the evening we'll prepare our own authentic Spanish dinner in a cooking class! | TOC Hostel Sevilla |
| June 8 | Sevilla - Cordoba | After breakfast we'll make our way by train to Cordoba, one of the most prominent Islamic centers during the Moorish empire's reign in Spain. We will check in to our hotel and grab lunch, before setting out to explore and get our first taste of this fantastic city. We'll take a walking tour of the various Jewish, Muslim and Christian neighborhoods that call this city home. We will take some time later this afternoon for some group activities and reflections before tapas this evening! | Albergue Inturjoven Córdoba |
| June 9 | Cordoba- Madrid | This morning we will visit the exceptional moorish mosque, La Mezquita, possibly the most spectacular in Europe. We'll then catch a train from Cordoba back towards Madrid, passing beautiful countryside scenery, in order to get ready for our final full day in Spain. Dinner in the capital this evening. | TOC Hostel Madrid |
| June 10 | Madrid - USA | Today we will head to the airport to catch our international flight home. ¡Hasta luego! | Your own bed, eventually! |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing program accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, clean and safe. We vet and inspect the accommodations to ensure they uphold the ethos of our programs, are great values for our travelers and nice places to rest after enriching days of travel.
TOC Hotel Madrid
TOC is a spacious and hip hotel located in the heart of Madrid, just minutes away from the metro and major tourist attractions. This is a modern and hi-tech hotel with a friendly staff and a great breakfast! Travelers will have their own beds, distributed between double, triple and quadruple rooms.
Albergue Inturjoven Córdoba
Cordoba Inturjoven Youth Hostel is located in the heart of the historic centre of Cordoba. Only two minutes from the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba and within the old Jewish quarter, this youth hostel is ideal for exploring the prime monuments of the city. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Hotel Atenas
The hotel is located in the heart of Granada in one of the main streets in the city, Gran Via de Colon, a five minute walk to the Cathedral. All travelers will have their own beds, distributed between double, triple and quadruple rooms.
Hostal San Cayetano
Hostal San Cayetano is located downtown in Sevilla Street in Ronda (Málaga), just 250m from the city’s historic bullring. The hostal is perfect for travelers who want to know Rond’s streets and its famous and historical monuments. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
TOC Hostel Sevilla
TOC Hostel Seville is situated in an exclusive modern building at the heart of the city and is surrounded by the main places of tourist interest. This is a modern and hi-tech hotel, includes security technology with fingerprint room access control system, 24/7 Reception, , safes for your personal belongings and other features, such as free Wi-Fi, bar & restaurant, kitchen, main living room, and a playroom. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Hotel Abacería
The Hotel Abacería, is located in an orchard in the residential area, “Los Cigarrales”, in Toledo, and is surrounded by nature and views of the historic quarter. Its location allows guests to get to the monumental zone in the center of Toledo, World Heritage Site, in just 20 minutes on foot. This charming and modern Hotel Abacería offers a variety of services, such as equipped rooms, a restaurant, outdoor pool in the summer, parking, garage, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a function room for meetings. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender and availability.
Safety and Support
EASY FUNDRAISING & PAYMENT
24/7 GLOBAL EMERGENCY LINE
HIGHLY VETTED PARTNERS
EXPERT LEADERSHIP
PRIVATE GROUP GUARANTEE
COMPREHENSIVE CURRICULUM SUPPORT
DEDICATION TO CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
ALL-INCLUSIVE PRICING
My experience with your organization was exceptional. The communication was prompt, courteous, and thorough. The trip was very well planned and the educational focus made me feel this such trip had a great value. My daughter has grown and matured in a wonderful way because of this trip.
Jim
Parent of Teagan, traveler on 2017 program to Thailand
Your Adventure Includes
Program Tuition Excludes: Travel insurance, baggage fees, passport/visa fees, laundry, souvenirs, and activities not listed on the itinerary.
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Resource Center
Why should high school students travel abroad? What happens if a participant gets sick? How quickly do we need to enroll? We’re sure you have plenty of questions and we’ve got you covered! Visit our Resource Center to discover the answers to your most pressing questions and contact us anytime with additional questions.