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Classical Cities of Old Castile with Toledo

The great cities of central Spain
 
Discover treasures from Spain’s Golden Age as you explore the great cities of Segovia, Salamanca, Madrid and Toledo on this journey by rail. Learn about the cultural explosion of the 16th century while exploring on foot following our self-guided city walking tours and detailed cultural notes.
Classical Cities of Old Castile with Toledo. 8 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
Classical Cities of Old Castile with Toledo. 8 nights
+44 (0)1653 617001 Call now
 

Holiday information

 

A touring holiday from Segovia to Toledo

Embark on a historical and artistic voyage through the heart of Spain that explores the extraordinary cultural explosion that occurred in the 16th century. Journeying by rail, and accompanied by our detailed notes, you learn about the pivotal events that paved the way for the Golden Age, discover something of its remarkable monumental legacy, encounter the centre of 16th-century Spanish thought, and enter the worlds of El Greco, Cervantes and Velázquez. Little by little, each of our four chosen cities reveal their unique contribution.
Beginning amid the soaring spires of Segovia, you trace the very foundations of the Spanish state, as it was here that Ferdinand and Isabella united the dynasties of Castile and Aragon. From here you travel westwards to Salamanca, an ancient centre of learning that once rivalled Oxford and Padua – its ornate secular and religious buildings are testament to its prestige and make it one of the great jewels of Spain. Next up is Madrid, the geographical, political and cultural heart of the country, boasting many Spanish art treasures in its three world-class galleries. Your last stop is Toledo, cradled in a loop of the Tagus River, and with a striking skyline that was most famously captured on canvas by El Greco. The city was a melting pot of Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures and, as such, perfectly encapsulates all of Spain’s long and varied history. 
 
Gallery

 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • Arrival in Segovia
    Night 1: at Hotel Don Felipe (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night's accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Segovia
    Segovia was once one of the most illustrious cities in the whole of the Iberian Peninsula. It is a UNESCO-listed cultural gem that remains delightfully off the tourist radar and richly repays exploration on foot using our self-guided walking tour. Wander the medieval back streets, gaze upwards in awe at soaring spires and the astonishing Roman aqueduct, and pay a visit to the ornate Alcázar where the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon came together, giving birth to ‘Spain’ itself. Treat yourselves too, perhaps, to the local delicacy, suckling pig, in one of the many traditional restaurants.
    Segovia's Roman aqueduct
  • Segovia to Salamanca
    A scenic train journey via the rolling Castilian plain takes you west to Salamanca, a renowned seat of learning where you stay two nights at the Hotel Rector.
  • Explore Salamanca
    One of the great jewels of Spain, Salamanca’s ornate secular and religious buildings are testament to the city’s prestige as a centre of learning that once rivalled Oxford and Padua. Climb the great bell towers to admire the city skyline, rest in one of the many tranquil cloisters, marvel at the extraordinarily intricate masonry of the cathedral and pause for tapas in the remarkable Baroque central square, a lively gathering place for old and young alike.
    Glorious Salamanca
  • Salamanca to Madrid
    The train ride from Salamanca to Madrid takes about two-and-a-half hours, meaning that, with a morning departure, you can enjoy a full afternoon in the capital after dropping off your cases at the Hotel Catalonia las Cortes, where you spend two nights.
  • Explore Madrid
    Spain’s capital since the Golden Age, Madrid is the heart of the country, not only geographically, but culturally, too, boasting many Spanish art treasures. As well as great masterpieces, it has parks, extraordinary food and, more surprisingly, a collection of traditional working neighbourhoods. From your centrally located hotel, try one of our two walking tours, the first focusing on the world-class museums of the Prado, Reina Sofía and Thyssen-Bornemisza and the surrounding quarter, the other exploring the Barrio de los Austrias district, where you might be tempted to linger among the many small shops and tapas bars before taking in the grand royal palace and cathedral.
    Explore traditional neighbourhoods
  • Madrid to Toledo
    From Madrid there are frequent departures to Toledo, a 35-minute journey away, giving you the option of spending most of the day in the capital if you wish. Alternatively, you can catch an earlier train and, after checking into the Hacienda del Cardenal, spend a couple of hours getting a feel for Toledo, the city where El Greco lived for the second half of his life.
  • Explore Toledo
    Our walking tour leads via Toledo’s quieter streets to all the main sights, several of which house works by El Greco, including the Disrobing of Christ and his most important painting, The Burial of the Count of Orgaz. Art aside, UNESCO-protected Toledo – the capital of the Spanish empire until the mid-16th century – was a melting pot of Jewish, Muslim and Christian cultures in the Middle Ages and you will be struck as you explore by how much all three have contributed to its architectural and cultural richness. The Moorish influence is everywhere, from the towers to the alcázar fortress, while the Jewish quarter contains two early synagogues, one decorated with elaborate friezes. Together with the Gothic cathedral, the city’s greatest Christian monument, they create a striking skyline which you can appreciate to best effect by heading outside the city walls. 
    Visit the ornate cathedral
 

Accommodation

You stay at high-quality hotels hand-picked for their excellent locations.
 

Options to extend or shorten your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 8 nights: 03 January 2023 - 24 December 2023

    Start Tuesday-Saturday | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    3 Jan - 28 Feb 2023 £1045 £570
    1 - 17 Mar 2023 £1085 £545
    18 Mar - 1 Apr 2023 £1140 £620
    2 - 9 Apr 2023 £1255 £690
    10 Apr - 10 Jun 2023 £1160 £635
    11 - 24 Jun 2023 £1050 £545
    25 Jun - 31 Aug 2023 £1105 £575
    1 Sep - 31 Oct 2023 £1245 £655
    1 - 30 Nov 2023 £1105 £575
    1 - 16 Dec 2023 £1255 £690
    3rd & 4th person discount £0
    Single traveller supplement £0

    Includes accommodation, meals, travel between hotels and any other services integral to the holiday as described, plus a detailed information pack, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel: Madrid-Segovia-Salamanca-Madrid-Toledo-Madrid by rail
    Pay locally for travel arrangements between city stations and hotels

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Hotel Rector, Salamanca
    Deluxe: 03 Jan - 24 Dec 2023 £16
    Junior Suite: 03 Jan - 24 Dec 2023 £50
    Suite: 03 Jan - 24 Dec 2023 £70
    Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes, Madrid
    Premium: 03 Jan - 31 Mar 2023 £26
    Premium: 01 Apr - 24 Dec 2023 £32
    Superior: 03 Jan - 31 Mar 2023 £60
    Superior: 01 Apr - 24 Dec 2023 £72
    Hacienda del Cardenal, Toledo
    Superior: 03 Jan - 24 Dec 2023 £36

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Hotel Don Felipe, Segovia (B&B) Double room Single room
    03 Jan - 28 Feb 2023 £66 £122
    01 Mar - 30 Mar 2023 £62 £112
    31 Mar - 04 Apr 2023 £78 £140
    05 Apr - 08 Apr 2023 £138 £260
    09 Apr - 09 Apr 2023 £88 £166
    10 Apr - 28 Apr 2023 £66 £122
    29 Apr - 31 May 2023 £78 £140
    01 Jun - 31 Jul 2023 £66 £122
    01 Aug - 16 Oct 2023 £78 £140
    17 Oct - 31 Oct 2023 £66 £122
    01 Nov - 01 Dec 2023 £62 £112
    02 Dec - 04 Dec 2023 £78 £140
    05 Dec - 05 Dec 2023 £100 £184
    06 Dec - 10 Dec 2023 £138 £266
    11 Dec - 22 Dec 2023 £62 £112
    23 Dec - 24 Dec 2023 £66 £122
    Add £28pp/n (£56pn in a single) in 2023 or £31pp/n (£62pn in a single) in 2024 for all Friday & Saturday stays
    Hotel Rector, Salamanca (B&B) Double room Single room
    03 Jan - 02 Apr 2023 £100 £182
    03 Apr - 09 Apr 2023 £110 £204
    10 Apr - 30 Jun 2023 £100 £182
    01 Jul - 06 Sep 2023 £106 £198
    07 Sep - 14 Sep 2023 £114 £218
    15 Sep - 10 Oct 2023 £106 £198
    11 Oct - 13 Oct 2023 £114 £218
    14 Oct - 03 Dec 2023 £106 £198
    04 Dec - 08 Dec 2023 £114 £218
    09 Dec - 24 Dec 2023 £106 £198
    Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes, Madrid (B&B) Double room Single room
    03 Jan - 18 Jan 2023 £100 £160
    19 Jan - 24 Jan 2023 £136 £230
    25 Jan - 23 Feb 2023 £100 £160
    24 Feb - 28 Feb 2023 £136 £230
    01 Mar - 19 Mar 2023 £106 £172
    20 Mar - 17 Apr 2023 £136 £230
    18 Apr - 28 Apr 2023 £116 £192
    29 Apr - 13 Jun 2023 £128 £220
    14 Jun - 30 Jun 2023 £116 £192
    01 Jul - 31 Jul 2023 £110 £176
    01 Aug - 05 Sep 2023 £98 £156
    06 Sep - 29 Sep 2023 £126 £208
    30 Sep - 01 Nov 2023 £140 £238
    02 Nov - 24 Dec 2023 £110 £176
    Add £37pp/n (£74pn in a single) on 4-8 Dec 2023 or £41pp/n (£82pn in a single) on 4-8 Dec 2024
    Hacienda del Cardenal, Toledo (B&B) Double room Single room
    03 Jan - 07 Mar 2023 £60 £86
    08 Mar - 14 Jun 2023 £70 £96
    15 Jun - 31 Aug 2023 £64 £86
    01 Sep - 02 Nov 2023 £74 £100
    03 Nov - 03 Dec 2023 £62 £86
    04 Dec - 08 Dec 2023 £74 £100
    09 Dec - 24 Dec 2023 £62 £86
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Madrid
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Madrid.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Madrid British Airways,  Iberia,  Ryanair 
    Birmingham - Madrid (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Madrid easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Madrid easyJet,  Iberia 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Madrid easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Madrid British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Madrid Air Europa,  easyJet,  Iberia,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Madrid British Airways,  Iberia 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Madrid easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Madrid Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Madrid Iberia,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Madrid (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Madrid.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together.

    Unless otherwise stated, connecting travel by rail or bus tends to be from the city centre station, rather than from its airport, and connections between the two should be paid for locally.

    Where a price range is given, the price you pay depends on your date of travel.
     

    Connecting travel options - flying via Madrid

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    rail Madrid Chamartin to Segovia AV (0h30) included 1700
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    rail Toledo to Madrid Atocha (0h30) included 1030 (1300 Sat & Sun)
What is included
  • 8 nights
  • 8 breakfasts
  • city maps and notes for walking tours
  • detailed cultural information
  • rail travel Segovia-Toledo
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

All 8 reviews
  • Mr J Marsh
    Altrincham
    05 October 2023

    This was can excellent tour of 4 wonderful cities, each of which we have long wanted to explore. The 2 nights in each location turned out to be just enough. All the hotels had character and quality, and were uniformly well positioned for exploring. The Hotel Rector was quite outstanding. There are a lot of churches, but the ones not to be missed are Segovia Cathedral, the Old Cathedral in Salamanca, San Francisco el Grande in Madrid and Toledo cathedral. The Alcazar in Segovia is a "must see", as is Salamanca University buildings and Casa Lis in Salamanca, the art deco museum. It is worth hunting down the El Greco in Toledo. The Inntravel notes were excellent as usual. The architecture everywhere is stunning.

  • Valerie
    04 October 2023

    This was an excellent trip which we would recommend. We added an extra night in both Segovia and Toledo which allowed us to be more leisurely and to visit more places. We would recommend the easy walk outside the city walls in Segovia to visit Vera Cruz church and San Juan de la Cruz convent (check opening times). The aqueduct is amazing and do find the view point for it on the high point of the city walls just off the walk notes. The Alcazar is well worth visiting also. In Salamanca we loved the Museo Lis, the new and old cathedrals and Convent de las Duenas. In Madrid we would recommend the jazz evening at the Cafe Central, the Royal Palace, the Thyssen museum. Lots of nice tapas bars on Cava Baja both lunchtime and evening. We had more time in Madrid by travelling later to Toledo which worked well as we had an extra night there. In Toledo we would recommend the monastery of Santo Domingo, the Mesquita del Cristo de la Luz (it's possible to get to this in 10 min directly from the hotel), the cathedral (don't miss all the areas off to the side of the main nave), the El Greco museum and the Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca. For good restaurants just 5 min walk from the hotel, turn right on leaving and then immediately right again through a city wall gate where you will find the very good Estrella restaurant and an excellent Italian restaurant Napoli dei Borboni (may need to book). Hotel Rector in Salamanca was beyond excellent!

  • Anon
    04 October 2023

    The Roman Aqueduct in Segovia was the undoubted highlight of all we saw - what a feat of engineering! The Hotel Rector is superb and Salamanca is a beautiful and interesting city. We extended our stay in Madrid by a day (to accommodate our flights). In retrospect, Salamanca would have been a better choice!

  • Tony
    20 September 2023

    Good way to learn more about Spanish history with some very interesting places to visit. The highlights for us were Salamanca and Toledo.

  • Ms L Hayes
    Bristol
    05 May 2023

    HIGHLIGHTS: Hotel Rector! Restaurante Hacienda del Cardinal (try the marzipan cake!).

    Walks: if time, do the walk outside the city walls in Segovia and especially in Toledo along the river (very beautiful, need about an hour).

    Salamanca - Casa Luz (beautiful interior and IS open on Mondays); we enjoyed the view from the tower in La Clerica (an alternative to the cathedral tower). Segovia - a short walk to get there but we loved the small but wonderfully shaped 13c Knights Templar 'Iglesia de la Vera Cruz'. Madrid - Basilica de San Franciso El Grande - magnificent. Warning: the Templo de Debod had no water at all in its pools and very long queues to get in (as only 10 people can be inside at one time) so think twice about making the journey there!

              

  • Anon
    12 March 2023

    Our highlights

    Segovia:  Roman Aqueduct & Alcazar  

    Salamanca: Hotel Rector - exceptional service and concern for guests, Plaza Mayor and University buildings, Gonzalo's restaurant 

    Toledo:  site of old city reached by 6 escalators,  amazingly narrow streets,  El Greco Museum

    Spanish trains

  • Mrs A Mackinnon
    Bury
    23 October 2022

    We had too many highlights to mention all of them. We absolutely loved the Hotel Rector in Salamanca. The understated but wonderful elegance of the hotel and the service could not be surpassed! There were so many little extras which added such a lot to our stay. The Museo Lis was fantastic as well as the Palace of Monterrey. We found a great little restaurant called ' The Pecado' which was on Calle San Pablo. Small, upstairs with excellent food, mainly frequented by locals.

    The Hacienda de Cardenal hotel was wonderful and we were delighted to have a wedding going on while we were there. Food there excellent. Segovia was lovely too and a walk on the opposite side of the river was a nice experience as was our visit to the Alcazar. The hotel in Segovia was perhaps the least interesting in itself but was in a great location. Madrid was great and we enjoyed the Royal Palace and the Thysanoptera gallery although it was difficult to navigate. We loved the market and the Venecia bar on our last night was great fun. On your recommendation we went to the jazz bar too and loved it.

  • Mr M Hooton
    Romsey
    09 April 2022

    Travelling in Spain by train is a pleasure and a wonderful way to move between these fascinating cities. We went in Semana Santa, somewhat by chance, and it was wonderful to be part of this cultural highlight for Spaniards too. The walk notes allow you to really explore each city and their intriguing corners, with plenty of opportunities to stop and find delicious refreshment along the way. We recommend relying on the excellent bars and tapas as you go for a relaxing and interesting time well spent! 
 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • The information that we send to you 2-3 weeks before your holiday includes practical information about each stage of your journey so that you can travel confidently from one hotel to another, recommendations for places to visit and eat out in each place, plus cultural information about the area. Where applicable, we also provide notes for a self-guided walking tour of most cities, and some large towns. Sample travel pack >
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Absolutely! We are experts in tailored rail travel. Making use of sleeper trains or stopovers in cities along the route, we can get you from London to virtually anywhere in mainland Europe. We can even make arrangements to Mallorca, Sicily and Norway with a combination of ferries and rail. Please contact us to discuss your plans.
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Spain, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • (Castilian) Spanish is one of several official languages; Catalan, Basque and Gallego have equal status in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, respectively. The currency is the Euro. Spanish time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
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