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Mikado Magic Rail Tour in Spain
Please, note! This Tour is no longer offered
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Key Information:
Tour Duration: 8
- 10
day(s)
Group Size: 40
- 56
people
Destination(s):
Spain
Specialty Categories:
Railway Trips
Season: October
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: No
Minimum Per Person Price: 1349 Pound Sterling (GBP)
Maximum Per Person Price: 1599 Pound Sterling (GBP)
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Join us for a quite incredible steam hauled tour of north-west Spain. Featuring over 800 kms of mainline steam operation with four different locos. Something that will never be repeated. Along the way we visit some fascinating cities and superb scenic lines. All hotels are of a 4-star standard and include breakfast and evening meal. We will also have a road-coach "shadowing" the tour and therefore transferring our luggage for us.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1 - (D) Various flight options from the UK to Madrid. Overnight in Madrid.
Day 2 - (B,D) Today we join the fabulous Tren de la Fresa vintage train formed of vintage wooden carriages hauled by a 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive. Our journey is to the royal town of Aranjuez. Here you have the choice of a visit to the spectacular royal palace with its extensive riverside gardens. Alternatively join our coach for the short jounrey to Arganda del Rei. Here we have a steam hauled trip on this restored section of narrow gauge line. Both groups then meet back at Aranjuez for the return steam hauled Tren de la Fresa back to Madrid. In the evening we travel by service train to the city of Salamanca for the first night of our 2-night stay.
Day 3 - (B,D) Today is free for your own leisure and exploration of this city. The great university city of Salamanca is Spain's finest showcase of Renaissance and Plateresque architecture. Major sites are the Plaza Mayor, two cathedrals and the 13th-century university; one of Europe's oldest and most distinguished. Alternatively for those who want a day on the rails! You can travel by service train over the pretty little line to Avila (not included). Overnight in Salamanca.
Day 4 - (B,D) This morning we catch a service train the short distance to Medina del Campo and join the first of our steam hauled charters. Again our locomotive is a beautifully restored 2-8-2 Mikado steam locomotive (from Leon museum). Our journey takes us along the spectacular "Zamora" line. This was the last mainline to be built in Spain and has some amazing engineering. It is beleived that train will be the first steam hauled run on this line for at least 30 years. Our destination is the town of Puebla de Sanabria. In the late afternoon you have time to explore this attractive old town with cobbled streets of stone and slate houses. We also have the option of a coach journey across the border into Portugal to visit the railway museum at Braganza. Overnight in Puebla de Sanabria.
Day 5 - (B,D) We rejoin our steam hauled train and continue north to the fine town of Ourense. In the late afternoon we catch the loco hauled Diurno service train west to the important port of Vigo. Overnight in Vigo.
Day 6 - (B,D) Today we have a superb run behind the third of our
Mikado steam locomotives. Today's locomotive, 141-2111 was built in Manchester and is based at the Monforte museum. Our journey is along one of Galicia's most scenic lines as we following the river Sil along the border with Portugal. Arriving back in Ourense we then continue along the spectacular deep river gorge to Monforte de Lemos. After a short break we change trains back on the Leon owned Mikado locomotive. We now head east and climb uphill and use a spiral to gain height. This will be the first time this has been attempted "uphill" with steam for at least 30 years so should be quite some event. Our destination for the night is the fine town of Leon with its famous cathedral. Overnight in Leon.
Day 7 - (B,D) This morning we head south from Leon, by service
train, to the town of Palencia (1 hour) and join another steam hauled charter train. Today's locomotive is an 0-8-0 which dates from the 1880s. Our journey is south down the mainline to Valladolid. Here we take a short branch to the old station where our locomotive is turned. You may fly back from Valladolid on the Ryanair flight to Stansted (deduct £60 from tour price) or remain with us as our special train takes us back to Venta de Baños. Overnight in Palencia.
Day 8 - (B) We catch the morning Talgo train which arrives in Valladolid at 11.12 (for flight to Stansted) and Madrid at 13.42 (for flights to other UK airports). For those with later flights there will be the opportunity to visit the fine Madrid Railway Musuem housed in the old Delicias station. Why not fly out a day earlier and join in the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the coastal line from Barcelona to Reus.
Day 9 - (D) Various low-cost flights available from the UK to
Barcelona. Evening travel by service train from Barcelona to Reus for our overnight stay.
Day 10 - (B,D) We join the special 150th anniversary train
hauled by the unique restored 2-8-2 Garratt locomotive No.0421. We travel south from Reus to Tarragona and then along the coast to the large railway museum and roundhouse at Vilanova i la Geltru. Plenty of time to visit the museum. In the evening we have a group dinner before catching the overnight sleeper train to Madrid. Twin berthed sleepers. We arrive in Madrid at 08.00 and join up with the main group.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
Spain
Railway Trips
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