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May 20
- May 27, 2008
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$3,395 (8
days, 7 nights) |
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The cloister of the Royal Monastery, Guadalupe
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Guadalupe
To get to the pilgrimage town of Guadalupe we'll hike Isabel la Católica's route, arriving the same way that kings, soldiers and bandits did for thousand of years. We'll pass thousand year-old trees and cave paintings on our way to Guadalupe, whose Royal Monastery stands brilliant and daunting at its midst. It was here, on the banks of a hidden river, that an apparition of a Black Virgin appeared, making the town a spiritual center revered like no other in Spain, save Santiago de Compostela in the north. We'll rest our feet in the cascading gardens and swimming pool of the Parador of Guadalupe, which overlooks the entire town and surrounding mountains.
We'll spend our second day here visiting the sanctuary and monastery, still considered one of Spain's greatest museums for its relics, paintings, and sculptures. While learning stories of the wise shepherds and queens who traversed the hills to visit this holy site, we'll learn why countless women from Argentina to Peru carry the name of Guadalupe.
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From ancient times, the kitchen of the Hospice of the Monastery, where we´ll have lunch, has enjoyed fame and prestige for its exquisite delicacies, some typical of Guadalupe like bacalao monacal (cod, potatoes, and spinach), ajo blanco extremeño (garlic soup), Iberian sausages and lamb stew. We'll spend two evenings at the renowned Parador of Guadalupe, which was once the School of Princes. Overlooking the monastery and the entire village, we'll enjoy breathtaking views of the lush valley and surrounding mountains as we meander the cascading gardens or enjoy a quiet afternoon at the private swimming pool. 
Click on a link to get the detailed itinerary for each place that we visit:
Madrid - Trujillo - Cáceres (days 1-2) | Guadalupe (days 3-4) |
Mérida - Vila Viciosa - Elvas (days 5-6) | Olivenza - Madrid (days 7-8)
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