EVENT: Sightseeing in Spain: Ávila, Segovia, Salamanca and Ciudad Rodrigo

DATE OF REALISATION: 14 to 17 February 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 31 December 2025

EVENT DESCRIPTION: "Touring Spain: Ávila, Segovia, Salamanca and Ciudad Rodrigo"

In this activity proposal, we'll go for a walk and visit some of the most fabulous places in the region of Castilla y León. Our trip stops in Ciudad Rodrigo, where we'll take a stroll through the historic centre and the riverside area by the River Águeda. We'll then continue on to Ávila, a walled city with a magnificent cathedral, convents and churches of great beauty, where we'll stay for a day so that we can better appreciate it. Another day will be spent in Segovia, where we'll see the Roman aqueduct, the Alcazaba (castle) and the cathedral. We'll end the day with a visit to the Royal Palace of La Granja de Santo Ildefonso (a kind of Versailles Palace). On the last day we'll also pass through the always beautiful monumental city of Salamanca. It will be a long weekend full of strong emotions and landscapes to remember for a long time. Come with us!

These will be some of the most important places on our itinerary: 

• Tour of Ciudad Rodrigo (Historic Centre, Walls, Puerta del Sol, Roman Bridge and Águeda riverfront)
• Tour of Ávila, with a guided tour of the Cathedral and Historic Centre
• Places of interest to visit in Ávila: Viewpoint of the 4 Posts, Medieval Bridge, Walls, Basilica and Museum of Teresa of Jesus, Plaza del Mercado Chico, Plaza de La Santa, Plaza de La Catedral, Plaza Adolfo Suarez, Garden of San Vicente, Basilica of San Vicente, Jewish Quarter, Royal Monastery of Santo Tomás and Church of San Pedro Apóstolo.
• Tour of Segovia, with a guided tour of the Cathedral, Castle (Alcazar) and Historic Centre
• Places of interest to visit in Segovia: Poets' Garden, Roman Aqueduct, Devil's Statue, San Nicolás Church and Square, Plaza Mayor, Jewish Cemetery, San Andrés Gate, Mill Route, Viewpoints, etc.
• Sculpture of the Capitoline She-wolf of Segovia, a replica of the She-wolf of Romulus and Remus, the original of which is on the Capitoline Hill in Rome.
• Visit to the Palace and Gardens of the Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso
• Tour of Salamanca: Roman Bridge and historic centre, possibility of visiting some monuments such as Salamanca Cathedral.
• Natural landscapes

TIME: Departure from Lisbon at 6.30am
RETURN: Arrival in Lisbon at 8.30pm

Ciudad Rodrigo

This is a fortress city, declared a Historic Site and its walls conceal an extremely valuable historical and cultural heritage. Highlights include the Praça Maior, St Mary's Cathedral, the Castle, some churches and palaces. The wall and moat represent the most important monumental ensemble, along with religious and civil buildings. The castle is currently home to the Parador de Turismo. To get to know the city better, we'll also take a pleasant stroll along the banks of the River Águeda.

Ávila

A visit to Ávila is the ideal way to discover the essence of medieval Spain. Ávila is also known for being the birthplace of St Teresa of Ávila, the seat of the Grand Inquisition and for its formidable medieval walls. The walls, together with the churches, have earned Ávila's Old Town a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The wall is already impressive from afar and you can walk 1,700 metres along it, including its nine gates.

Ávila Cathedral is considered to be the first Gothic cathedral in Spain and, seen from the outside, its fortress-like appearance is a surprise. In fact, the cathedral is part of the city walls. Inside, the choir and the main altarpiece, the work of Pedro Berruguete, among other artists, stand out. Outside the walled enclosure of Ávila's Old Town, a visit to the Basilica of San Vicente is a must. Only surpassed in importance and significance by the cathedral, the ancient basilica is the oldest sanctuary in Ávila. It is the great model of Avila's Romanesque style, built between the 11th and 12th centuries, a unique building in the Hispanic Romanesque style due to its careful proportions.

Segovia

The city of Segovia is a World Heritage Site with unique monuments that are worth a visit in themselves. A two-thousand-year-old aqueduct, a fairytale castle and an imposing Gothic cathedral are all must-see attractions. The Segovia Aqueduct is one of the best preserved Roman monuments in all of Spain. Standing for two millennia, it is the laws of physics, the force of gravity and the balance of forces that hold up this engineering marvel, which rises 28 metres at its highest point and has a total of 167 arches.

Nicknamed the "lady of the cathedrals", Segovia Cathedral, with its 18 chapels, is a magnificent 16th-century religious temple, one of the last Spanish cathedrals to be built in the late Gothic style when the whole of Europe was already making the transition to the Renaissance style.

The Castle (Alcazar de Segovia) looks like a palace from a fairytale. Surrounded by verdant gardens, where Segovia's old cathedral used to stand, the moat and drawbridge that give access to the Alcazar of Segovia stretch our imagination even further.

Segovia was built on a rocky promontory, and its strategic location didn't stop the Romans from building the first defensive fence, which over the centuries has been extended, restored and reinforced. It is 3 kilometres of impregnable wall that has been maintained in its entirety (only Avila and Lugo can boast of such an achievement).

Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso

The palace is located in the Guadarrama mountains and was once a royal residence. The Granja de San Ildefonso is first and foremost a "Royal Site". The town, declared a Monumental Historic Site, is one of the best examples of 18th century monarchical splendour, and its Royal Palace, the Royal Crystal Factory and the spectacular gardens inspired by Versailles are a good example of this. Philip V, "the Animoso", the first king of Spain's Borbon dynasty, acquired the site - a farm belonging to the Jerónimos monks - as a modest resting place after abdicating the throne in favour of his son. However, his son's premature death forced him to return to the throne, and he extended the palace to house his court. The work of the famous architects Ardemans, Procaccini and Juvarra, the palace stands out for its sumptuousness, characteristic of the Baroque style. Attached to the palace is the Real Colegiata de la Santísima Trinidad, the former chapel of the Real Sitio. The Royal Palace of La Granja de San Ildefonso is reminiscent of the splendour of Versailles, due to the rich ornamentation of its rooms, as well as the importance of its fountains, sculptures and gardens, designed by Carlier, a disciple of Louis XIV's architect. Covering more than 146 hectares, the space includes woods and garden areas, 26 monumental fountains, a French-style labyrinth and a huge lake known as "El mar", which supplies the fountains in the gardens.

Salamanca

Salamanca is just one of the most beautiful monumental cities in the whole of Spain, given the built, historical and cultural heritage that we can easily find, whatever route we take in the city. Places like the Cathedral (new and old), the Plaza Mayor (one of the most beautiful in Spain), the Casa de las Conchas, the University of Salamanca, the Church of the Holy Spirit, the Roman Bridge, among others, are almost obligatory.

Saturday 14th February

- 6h30 - Departure from Lisbon
- 12h00 - Free lunch in Ciudad Rodrigo
- 13h00 - Tour of Ciudad Rodrigo (with the option of a walk along the riverside)
- 16h15 - Departure for Avila
- 19h00 - Accommodation and Dinner

15th February (Sunday)

- 8h00 - Breakfast at the hotel
- 9h00 - Departure to visit Ávila
- 12h30 - Free time for lunch
- 14h00 - Tour / walk around the Walls and sights of Ávila
- 19h00 - Accommodation and Dinner

16th February (Monday)

- 8h00 - Breakfast at the hotel
- 9h - Departure to visit Segovia
- 13h - Free time for lunch
- 14h - Sightseeing tour of Segovia
- 16h15 - Departure for the Granja de San Ildefonso
- 17h00 - Visit to the Royal Palace of San Ildefonso and Gardens
- 20h15 - Accommodation and Dinner

17th February (Tuesday)

- 8h00 - Breakfast at the hotel
- 9h00 - Departure for Salamanca
- 10h30 - Free tour of Salamanca
- 13h - Free lunch
- 14h - Departure for Lisbon
- 20h30 - Estimated time of arrival in Lisbon

Equipment: Footwear and clothing suitable for walking / and short hikes

Registration fee:

Price includes:

- Bus transport from Lisbon to each of the locations described above
- Transport to the locations of each walk and accommodation
- 3 nights' accommodation in a 4-star hotel with breakfast
- 3 dinners (drinks, water and wine included)
- Guided tours of Ávila, Segovia and the Royal Palace of San Ildefonso
- Guided tours of Ciudad Rodrigo and Salamanca
- The proposed accommodation option includes various room types
- Guided Walks
- Compulsory insurance

575€ (Price per person in double room)
675€ (Price per person in single room)
Entry fee for seat reservation: 50€

Prices valid until 31 December 2025. From dai  the amounts are 625€ and 725€ respectively

Notes: 

a) Registrations are limited and accommodation options are limited to availability at the time of booking.

b) If you have a group interested in this trip, contact us, we have personalised solutions.