43402MAD
Walking morning or afternoon sightseeing with local guide
Sightseeing includes:
Cathedral inside visit
Iglesia de Santo Tomé inside visit
(to see El Greco’s “El Entierro
del Conde de Orgaz”)
Sinagoga de Santa María La Blanca inside visit
Sword and Damascene Jewellery Factory inside visit
· Lunch is normally included on this day instead of dinner.
· Call or text local guide at least one day in advance to confirm appointment and meeting place.
· The local guide pays all entrances.
· Groups will be provided in advance with whisper sets – they are delivered to your hotel in advance of the group`s arrival. Please make sure everyone in your group has these before heading out on sightseeing (and that you have the microphone/s for the local guide)
· Handout headsets to pax and make sure that they are all working well before heading off on tour – it is advisable to take spare batteries and a couple of spare whispers sets with you on the tour in case they run out during the visit. Make sure to take extra earphones as they break easily.
· The sightseeing is all done on foot so comfortable shoes are essential.
· Tell pax to dress appropriately for the Cathedral – all hats removed and no bare shoulders or thighs!
· Warn the group that it is very easy to get lost in Toledo and that they must keep together. You should either stay at the end of the group or have one of the group leaders do so to ensure all the group is together.
· If the Cathedral is closed, the local guide will give a brief explanation outside and the church of San Juan de los Reyes will be visited instead.
· There are no public restrooms in Toledo. If necessary, a stop can be made near the Iglesia Santo Tomé halfway through the sightseeing – however guides will usually try to include a brief café stop.
· If your restaurant for lunch is in the old town, it is better to do the panoramic tour and Suarez sword factory before the visit and make the rendezvous with the driver in the bus park after lunch.. See Map below.
· If the pax buy any swords, you have to be mindful of whether you have to take the AVE later during the trip – if so, the swords need to be shipped to the US or to your last hotel if Suarez can guarantee arrival in time. Suarez will also offer to provide receipts that show purchase a maximum of 24 hours prior to the AVE departure. This is allowed but students need to declare any weapons at the x-ray machines and show receipts to prove purchase. If there is an option and time to send the swords to the final destination in Spain, then this is preferable.
· If your group has free time in Toledo warn them about the Moreno shops as there have been many reports of tourists being ripped off here.
· For afternoon visits with lunch in a restaurant in the old town, arrange your rendezvous with the local guide here.
TIMINGS:
09.00 Depart Madrid, taking the N401
The following timings are suggestions. You may find that you have time to do the panoramic drive before you pick up your local guide or do the sword factory and the panoramic drive first – discuss this with the guide, as well as the pickup place, which might just as well be at the bottom of the new escalators.
10.30 Pick up local guide at the “escaleras mecánicas” and continue with the coach to the panoramic drive. After you will either drop off and continue on foot with the guide to do the wlaking tour or visit the sword factory first with the bus before starting the tour. The benefits of doing it the second way fare hat they can use the restrooms before the tour. Set a rendezvous time with your driver at the Puente San Martín and take his mobile number in case of any delay.
12.30/13.00 Re-join bus at the Puente de San Martín and drive to factory if you haven’t already visited. After the visit, the guide will leave you to make your way to lunch.
12.30 – 15.00 LUNCH
15.00 Depart for Madrid, taking the Ronda de Toledo panoramic route (photo stop).
16:15 Arrival in Madrid.
Sunday Visits:
Timings are different on Sundays as the Cathedral is not open for tourist visits
until 2pm.
10.00 Depart Madrid
11.30 Meet local guide at Puerta Bisagra and continue with the coach up to the bus park near the Plaza Zocodover (see map). Set a rendezvous time with your driver at the Puente San Martín and take his mobile number in case of any delay.
13.00 Lunch in a restaurant in the Toledo.
14.00 Meet local guide and visit the Cathedral.
15.00 Re-join bus at the Puente de San Martin and drive to factory for a demonstration of sword-making and the local jewellery. After the visit the guide will leave you.
16.00 Depart for Madrid, taking the Ronda de Toledo panoramic route (photo stop).
17:15 Arrival in Madrid
Please note that you have the bus for a full day (9 hours) – so a later return to Madrid is possible. However, please let your bus driver know as soon as possible about your timing