On 15th March a group of friends of Lux Mundi, Torre del Mar, set off by coach for a 5 day excursion to Madrid, Aranjuez and Toledo.
On arrival at the Hotel Senator Spa, on the Gran Via, after a swift check in there was time to explore some of this wonderful city before the evening meal.
On the second day all were given vouchers for the tourist bus and under a clear blue sky they went their own way, some visiting the beautiful Royal Palace and the Cathedral, others the various museums including the Prado, or a few chose to jump off the bus to explore the numerous parks, including the Retiro.
The next morning the friends left the hotel in Madrid and the first stop was at El Valle de los Caidos, where they were given a guided tour, learning about Franco’s era and viewing the huge cross, the tallest in the world at 150 metres high. The next stop was at the impressive Palace of Aranjuez where the group was shown around the outside of the palace and the gardens by another guide who talked about their history and explained the meaning of all the beautiful statues. There was then free time for lunch before walking through the beautiful rooms of the palace, including the glorious porcelain room. This was followed by a sightseeing tour in the land train, through the town and the extensive gardens with an English commentary. In the late afternoon, still under a blue sky, the coach departed for Toledo. On arrival at the Eurostars Toledo hotel, there was time for a rest before dinner. Whilst eating the group was able to enjoy a fantastic view of the lit up Toledo skyline.
On Friday morning the friends enjoyed a panoramic tour in the coach, when there was an opportunity to take some wonderful photographs from the other side of the River Tajo and the coach stopped near the elevators which took them up to the city. There they could visit the Alcazar, the cathedral and the many museums or some chose to wander around the narrow, picturesque streets, steeped in history.
On the Saturday morning the group said goodbye to Toledo, joined the coach and headed back home to Torre del Mar. All agreed that this had been a fantastic trip as they had been blessed with good weather, good company, good food and they had seen so many wonderful places. Lux Mundi, Torre del Mar would like to thank all the friends who supported the excursion, which enables the Centre to continue with its Charitable Work and we look forward to seeing you all again at our various events and coach excursions.
