Komfort- Mietwagenrundreise "Kastilien & Extremadura"

About the destination: Madrid has a tempo of its own: The dry air of the Castilian plain crackles with its cosmopolitan crowds. If the illuminated shop windows along the Gran Vía, and the unrelenting elegance of Paseo de la Castellana are overwhelming, retreat to Old Madrid. Its tangle of side streets south of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol are what makes the real Madrid. Spend half a day in the Prado Museum, thaat sit to rest on the steps leading down to the lake in lush Retiro Park. The city begins to live it up as soon as the sun goes down. Madrid claims to boast the largest number of bars per capita of any European city. Madrid teems with cultural events all year round. After concert, play or film, you can choose among literally hundreds of tapas bars and an endless array of nightspots. Madrid successfylly combines its cosmopolitan sophistication with its most cherished local traditions, the result is fascinating to explore.

About the destination: Toledo flourished in the medieval era during the peaceful coexistence of Christians, Muslims and Jews. This fact has left behind a dignified and slightly mystical walled city. Toledo’s monuments crowd together in a dizzying anarchy of periods and styles, held together in a medieval matrix of sagging houses, churches, synagogues, and mosques. The city that El Greco portrayed in a few of his rare landscapes has changed little over the years. Surrounded by Rio Tajo, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of Spain’s most visited cities. Artifacts of Christian, Muslim and Jewish origin continue to complement one another in this city, often within the same building. The cathedral is a complex banquet of architectural and artistic styles. Two synagogues, Sinagoga del Tránsito and Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca, and a museum, the Museo Sefardi, are all that remain of what was once the largest Jewish community in Spain. Reminders of the Muslim presence are visible near the Puerta del Sol a 14th century Mudéjar gate and the 10th century mosque, Mezquita del Cristo de la Luz. The legends and traditions of Toledo seem to come alive at sunset. Visitors can explore the city’s mysterious medieval atmosphere walking through its narrow streets in one of the many night tours organized throughout the city. It is a fascinating experience that will transport travellers to another era.

About the destination: Trujillo is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, in the autonomous community of Extremadura, Spain. Trujillo is both a centre for tourism, with over 25 hotels, and a regional market town. The old town contains many medieval and renaissance buildings. Many of these were built or enriched by the conquistadors born in the city. The most important monuments are the castle (old Arab fortress), the church of Santa María (thirteenth century), and the church of San Francisco. It hosts the national cheese festival in early May.

About the destination: Merida is the capital of the Extremadura region in Spain. The Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. Mérida is a perfect city for cultural tourism. The main tourist attractions are the Roman Theatre and Amphitheatre; Los Milagros Aqueduct, the Diana’s Temple, or the Roman Bridge, whose construction gives meaning to the existence of this town and because of its strategic value it is a crucial element for trading and all the wars that took place in the east of the peninsula.

About the destination: What a pleasure it is to walk around a city like Cáceres, where every stone tells a piece of history. Its monuments dating from medieval times are one of the best preserved. Explore the narrow alleyways of the Ciudad Monumental, the old town, which has been declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, and decorates the city’s skyline with spires, gargoyles, turrets and enormous storks' nests. The monumental highlights are many, with the exceptional Plaza Mayor, an unforgettable highlight, as well as the excellent Museo de Cáceres housed in a 16th-century mansion and built over an evocative 12th-century aljibe (cistern), a surviving element of Cáceres' Muslim castle. Cáceres is a favourite place for nature-lovers due to its wealth of natural resources just a short distance from the city centre, which include the Monfragüe National Park and a nature reserve. The Jerte valley is also well worth visiting in spring to see the cherry trees in blossom. Take advantage of the cool of the night, when the crowds have gone, to discover a city that takes you directly to the past.

About the destination: Plasencia is a walled market city in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Western Spain. Situated on the bank of the Jerte River, Plasencia has a historic quarter that is a consequence of the city's strategic location along the Silver Route, or Ruta de la Plata. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS - The double line of walls, with six gates and 68 towers, dating to 1197. - Remains of the Roman aqueduct. - Renaissance Town Hall, in the Plaza Mayor. - Palacio de los marqueses de Mirabel (16th century) with a two-order court - Church of San Martín (13th century).

About the destination: Cuacos de Yuste is a Spanish municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura. It is the administrative capital of the La Vera community, located in the northeast of the province, and it has 850 inhabitants in 2017. Its historical-artistic ensemble is extensive and focuses largely on the figure of Emperor Carlos I of Spain and V of the Holy Empire, who chose this town to retire after abdicating his titles in his son, Felipe II of Spain, and in his brother, Fernando I of the Holy Roman Empire.

About the destination: Salamanca is an architectural tapestry woven in sandstone. Though there are excellent examples of Roman, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and baroque structures, the golden stone itself is the thread of continuity and harmony. Nonetheless, this ancient university town, has many monumental highlights. Plaza Mayor, considered by many the most beautiful main square in Spain is a fine place for admiring architecture. The town hall is the large, elegant building in the centre of the square. Two beautiful cathedrals stand side by side: the New Cathedral boasts beautiful Plateresque facades and it is the only entrance to the connecting old, Romanesque Catedral Vieja. The university, the focal point of the city, is one of the best examples of Spanish Plateresque style. Salamanca at night is a party. The illuminated city is the meeting point for hundreds of students collecting tapas and beer. But make no mistake, it is also a city to enjoy a quiet night, savoring some wine on a terrace of Plaza Mayor.

About the destination: Avila is a near-perfect 11th century walled city set against the backdrop of the snow-capped ridge of the Sierra de Gredos. This town in its entirety is a national monument. The walls that enclose it are the oldest and best preserved in Spain. Avila is the birthplace and home of Santa Teresa of Jesus, a devout Catholic nun famous for writing poems dedicated to Jesus in which she expressed her devotion to Him. The cathedral, with its red-splotched interior and stone relief works, is actually embedded in the walls. The Basilica of San Vicente is another Romani-Gothic structure. The Convento de San José is the first founded by Santa Teresa. The Convento de Santa Teresa was built on the site of her birth, she later had quite a few mystical experiences at the Convento de la Encarnación. Food in Avila means roast veal and yemas, a local confection made of egg yolks. Avila is certainly no ordinary medieval walled town. Most tourists who visit this place will either feel a surge of chivalry or become poetic or filled with religious fervour.

About the destination: Segovia is Castile at its best. Splendid golden churches and twisting alleyways filled with the smell of sopa castellana, a rich garlic soup of sausages, bread, and eggs. Only the unwise dash past the massive Roman aqueduct, the cathedral, and the stunning Alcazar in a quick day trip; other know about Segovia’s cool plazas after sundown. The imposing Roman aqueduct has been moving water for over two millennia. View if from Plaza del Azoguejo where the structure reaches a maximum height of 30m, or catch its profile from the steps on the left side of plaza. The city’s position at the confluence of the Rivers Eresma and Clamores has led to compare Segovia to a sailing ship, with the Alcazar, a fortress, as its majestic bow. The fortress commands a stellar view of Segovia and the surrounding plain, inside is a collection of medieval weaponry and several spectacular handcrafted ceilings. The cathedral is a massive late Gothic edifice. Elegant and graceful, Segovia is the true essence of Old Castile.

About the destination: San Lorenzo de El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Arriba is a town and municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain, located to the northwest of the region in the southeastern side of the Sierra de Guadarrama, at the foot of Mount Abantos and Las Machotas, 47 kilometres (29 mi) from Madrid. It is head of the same name judicial party. The settlement is popularly called El Escorial de Arriba, to differentiate it from the neighbouring village of El Escorial, also known as El Escorial de Abajo.

About the destination: Madrid has a tempo of its own: The dry air of the Castilian plain crackles with its cosmopolitan crowds. If the illuminated shop windows along the Gran Vía, and the unrelenting elegance of Paseo de la Castellana are overwhelming, retreat to Old Madrid. Its tangle of side streets south of Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol are what makes the real Madrid. Spend half a day in the Prado Museum, thaat sit to rest on the steps leading down to the lake in lush Retiro Park. The city begins to live it up as soon as the sun goes down. Madrid claims to boast the largest number of bars per capita of any European city. Madrid teems with cultural events all year round. After concert, play or film, you can choose among literally hundreds of tapas bars and an endless array of nightspots. Madrid successfylly combines its cosmopolitan sophistication with its most cherished local traditions, the result is fascinating to explore.