Manaca :: ecotravel :: ecotourism

THE TRADITIONAL MERCï Barcelona is a lively, restless city, constantly renewing itself, constantly reinventing itself. But the city's modernity, its commitment to working for the future, has always gone hand in hand with a real respect for the past that the has made it what it is: complex, vibrant, dense, profoundly vital. And this is why the Mercï, that great pretext for getting together and letting our hair down at the end of September, is a party that is constantly on the lookout for new proposals, and at the same time keeps the past in mind, drawing on tradition, making history a living presence. The various traditional activities are the backbone of the Mercï¿½, the elements that give cohesion to the festival. From the official Inauguration ceremony to the displays of castelleres, from the cavalcade to the popular dances, Barcelona's festa major celebrations are rooted in traditions that in many cases have been revived after years of neglect to become, today, the heart and soul of this first 21st-century Mercï. THE FESTIVAL OF FIRE Sparks dancing in the air, firecrackers exploding in the night, rockets painting the sky with colours... Fire, a central element in so many Mediterranean festivities, is one of the principal protagonists of the Mercï¿½, and the very essence of three activities that have been attracting a loyal and enthusiastic following for a number of years now. The Correfoc is a creation of the Mercï¿½ that has become a firm tradition, a noisy, high-spirited cavalcade through the night that has inspired similar processions in many other parts of the country. A parade that fills the city with smoke and noise and fantastical, hair-raising creatures. Another Mercï activity that has been taken up by other cities is the Piromusical, a spectacle which combines fire, music and water and draws large numbers of people each year, fascinated participants in one of the most intense and exceptional moments of the four-day celebrations. Finally, the Festival Pirotïcnic, first launched just four years ago, offers a magnificent opportunity to admire the genius of some of the world's most prestigious fireworks makers, creators of spectacles in which beauty is achieved through sheer technical virtuosity.

Guests will have staff waiting outside customs with the transportation ready, and any documentation that they require. As soon as they walk outside customs, they will be approached with a welcome to Madrid and a smile. The luggage will be taken care of until it is received again at the hotel room where the owner is staying. TRANSFER & TRANSPORTATION Transfer from Madrid International Airport to hotels in the city of Madrid by deluxe motor-coach, full air-conditioned in summer and heated in winter, with bilingual guide to ensure that your arrival in Madrid is a pleasant one. Transfer time 30 ï¿½40 minutes to hotel of the city Hospitality desk attendance A desk will be set up in a visible area at the hotelï¿½s lobby or in one of the meeting rooms. At this desk the staff will solve any problems or questions that the group members might have; including restaurant reservation arrangements for activities out side the groupï¿½s agenda, or any request whatsoever.

After breakfast, you will have your choice of which excursion you can take: MADRID PANORAMIC TOUR AND ROYAL PALACE Visit one of the most beautiful and preserved palaces in Europe. The Royal Palace is undoubtedly the finest example of Neoclassical architecture to be seen in Madrid. Several rooms are visited during the tour: you will see the chandelier collection, the clock collection, most of the State rooms and some of the private rooms. The whole palace abounds with paintings and sculptures, Roccoco furniture, Buen Retiro, Sï¿½vres and Saxony porcelainï¿½ The Royal Pharmacy, Royal Armory and the Carriage Museum are interesting and well worth a stop. or PRADO MUSEUM & THYSSEN MUSEUM A visit to the Prado Museum is an unforgettable experience which gives the opportunity of looking at the worldï¿½s immortal art eye-to-eye. This museum is one of the most important Art Galleries in the World. Close to the Prado Museum, take a short walk in company of your guide and spend some time admiring one of the most comprehensive art collections in the world. The collection extends from the very beginning of the times to nowadays and gives you an idea of the evolution of this fine art. For dinner, enjoy "tapas" at a choice of two restaurants specializing in Spanish flair and cuisine.

Seventy kilometres from Madrid lies the Imperial Clty of Toledo which sprawls over an enormous crag that seems to be challenging space, while the fast-flowing. Tagus river surrounds the city in a tight curve as though the ancient walls were anchored in this natural moat. The silhouette of the city stands out in sharp contrast against a background formed by the crest of the encircling hills and more distant mountain ranges. Toledo is the "city which presents the most characteristic ensemble of alï¿½ that genuinely Spanish land and civilization have ever been". First and foremost among the Gothic monuments is the Cathedral of the Cardinal Primate of Spain. More stoutly built and more massive than other examples of this style to be seen in other countries, its silhouette stands out like a huge cube. About the year 1577, the painter Domenikos Theotokopoulos, better known as "El Greco", arrived in Toledo. His encounter with the city's stormy horizons, its magic and mystery, was to be a great event for Spanish art. The painter discovered hidden bonds that chained him to this place as though by a spell. El Greco painted and bequeathed to Toledo his best works. The Cretan artist's finest paintings are still in the city and its province, thus becoming a museum of his works. Toledo is proud to display the masterly work of El Greco, the visionary, so that city and man are closely identified. lnside visits to Cathedral, Santo Tomï¿½ chapel, and the Synagogue are included.. In the evening enjoy dinner at the Royal Opera House Restaurant or enjoy a Flamenco Show at Corral de la Moreria. [B,D]

After breakfast transfer to the local airport for your flight to Barcelona. It is important for the visitor to Barcelona to get an overview of the city, especially in relation to the hotel. This is a guided tour of the city. We will view the main areas; such as Plaza de Cataluï¿½a, Las Ramblas, the harbor area, Montjuic Hill, and Paseo de Gracia, the main shopping area of the town. Also, a stop at the world famous 'Sagrada Familia' (Holy Family Church), the masterpiece of architect Antonio Gaudi, an unfinished cathedral on which construction has been going on for over 100 years. We will also drive up Diagonal Street where we will see the famous soccer stadium, the University City of Barcelona, and the Royal Palace as well. This tour includes no inside visits to these sites, but the bus will stop occasionally so that the passenger can take pictures. Evening and dinner are at your leisure. We can definately make some suggestions as to where to go or where to eat. [B,L]

After a buffet breakfast, you will have your choice of optional day tours to choose from: GOTHIC QUARTER & PICASSO MUSEUM The Gothic Quarter is what used to be called the "Cathedral Quarter". The great Gothic buildings in the uppermost part of the old town mark the culmination of Barcelona's medieval development. This is also the site of ancient city walls and buildings, including a Roman temple dedicated to Augustus, which sits on a hill called Mons Taber. The Picasso Museum features the paintings, drawings, ceramics and graphic work of Picasso (1881-1973) that shed light on his artistic development. OR MODERNIST BARCELONA FEATURING GAUDI In June of 1926, a trolley car struck down a humble elderly man. He looked so wretched that the conductors did not take him to the hospital. Hours later, the manï¿½s identity became known. He was Antonio Gaudi, the world-renowned architect of the Sagrada Familia Church. He was the man who left a heritage of originality and expression in a very personal architectural language, a distinctive style characterized by freedom of form, voluptuous color and texture, and organic unity. OR GOTHIC QUARTER & THE RAMBLAS After viewing some of the great monuments of the famed Gothic Quarter. After the Gothic Quarter, the group will be taken to the Ramblas. Nobody has any doubt that the Ramblas are the live-liveliest place in Barcelona - here the cityï¿½s pulse can be felt. The Ramblas -a unique avenue, colourful, bustling, heterogeneous, spectacular, a genuine agora- stretching straight down to the sea, to die. A paradise for the observer, even more for the idler, where time can be lost without regret. We must say that never has such an easy walk had so many possibilities. [B]