23401SPA
Morning or afternoon sightseeing with local guide on foot
· Groups will be provided in advance with whisper sets (you should receive a text message confirming this approx. 24 hours before group arrival), please check with the hotel in advance that they have arrived.
· Call or text your local guide at least 24 hours in advance to confirm time and place of meeting.
· If you have more than 30 pax in your group they will have two guides for the Prado.
· Make sure everyone in your group has these before heading out on sightseeing ( and that you have the microphone/s for the local guide, you will need two if your group is over 29 pax )
· Ensure that you have extra batteries/whispers and earphones with you at all times.
· As this tour is now all on foot please remind the group to pack light as any backpacks will need to be checked at the Prado museum which will slow you down.
· If you have an afternoon visit to El Escorial etc, a bus will be provided for that service – check your itinerary for details – Madrid office will text you in advance with the driver’s name and number to liaise where to pick up the group and when
The city sightseeing tour is now all on foot – liaise in advance with your teachers to see what they are most interested in seeing bearing in mind your appointment time at Prado museum.
The following places are just suggestions – all will not be possible!
· Cibeles fountain & City Hall (old post office)
· Tropical Garden at Atocha railway station
· Templo de Debod
· Plaza Mayor
· Puerta del sol
· Gran Vía
· Plaza de España
· Retiro Park
· Royal Palace
Group entrances to The Prado are tightly controlled and timed reservations are made in advance. If this is your first day with the whisper sets, distribute them in advance to make sure that they all work.
The guide will enter the museum to pick up the tickets. Meanwhile, your group should line up outside the entrance. This will ensure a faster and smoother entrance into the museum for your group.
The Prado Inside visit. Local guides can only be with groups for a maximum of 1 hour and 15 minutes in the museum. We aim to get entrance times that will make The Prado the last stop on your visit, however with new booking regulations this is somewhat out of our hands. Please ensure that the group will have time to look around more / go to the shop after the guided portion of the museum visit.
If sightseeing is scheduled for Saturday afternoon or Sunday, the Royal Palace may be visited instead. Check your itin and vouchers and warn your group about this on arrival day to avoid disappointment. Groups interested in visiting the Prado Museum must do so in their free time. The Tour Manager should reimburse participants upon receipt of entrance tickets, however, please be advised that the museum is free for under 18s (ID required) every day and for everyone from 6pm to 8pm, and on Sundays from 5pm to 8pm.
If arriving from another city the times may differ. Check your voucher for timings.
TIMES
09:30 Rendezvous at hotel with local guide
12:30 End of tour. Give local guide the signed voucher.
Many groups like to walk up to the Retiro Park after the Museum visit to use the row boats (if available) have an ice cream/ sandwich. Some also want to visit Reina Sofía. This can be combined if you walk the group to Reina Sofía after Prado and give them free time there, pointing out where Retiro is. There are places for lunch near Reína Sofia, including El Brillante, famous for bocadillo de calamares, the local specialty.
Give free time suggestions.