Private tour in Madrid Paul O
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Paul O.
4.9
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Hello! Let me briefly introduce myself. I'm half British and half Spaniard, fully bilingual in English and Spanish. I also speak good French. Traveling has always been my passion since I was a little kid, as my father worked for an American company, and I had the chance to travel to several countries. I've primarily lived in Spain, but also in France (Paris, the UK, and the US). I can speak English with both British and American accents. I had my first trip as a tour guide when I was 15, as my American family came to Spain, and I went with them to Madrid's old town, Segovia, Toledo, and El Escorial. I discovered I liked it a lot. I have been organizing private tours since then. I have a degree in Music (piano and musical language) and Geology. This latter allowed me to explain many facts about the landscape and even several historical facts about old towns like Toledo, Segovia, and Madrid. Geology is, surprisingly, pretty important to establish a settlement. Among other things I've done during my professional career, I had two restaurants and two small wineries, so food and wine have no secrets for me. I can humbly say I'm a good chef. I have been teaching how to cook Spanish cuisine to many people throughout my life, many of them foreigners. Wine production is an art, and I have been collaborating with several enologists to obtain high-quality wines. With this experience I would be able to teach you how to prepare genuine Spanish food, not to mention organizing visits to wineries and get a good understanding about how to produce good wines and how to taste them. Personalized tours are my best approach to obtaining a unique experience for tourists. Just in Madrid, there are a lot of unknown places, full of history and even anecdotes, that most people don't know, and will give you the best understanding of Spanish history and culture. Many other places around Madrid remain unknown to visitors, like the seven Romanic churches of Guadalajara (dated from the XII century), the "magical" and mystic canyon of Duratón river in Segovia, with vultures flying over the Templar hermitage built in the plateau over the river, the castles and fortresses that "El Cid Campeador" held in his exile from Castille to Valencia in the XI century, and many others. I'll be glad to offer you any possible personalized tour, in addition to the pre-built tours you'll see displayed here. Traveling is one of the best things we can do in this life, and having a local guide will help you to squeeze every little drop of your experience and make your trip unforgettable. Hope to see you soon! Degree in Geology from Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1981 Degree in Piano and Musical language from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Madrid (1982) None
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Paul O.
On this tour, we'll visit Toledo's main monuments, ilie the Gothic Cathedral, The Royal Alcázar, the Jewish district, an ancient mosque, two synagogues and several Romanic Churches. The town dates probably from the V century BC. The Romans made it the capital of the Iberian Peninsula, and the Visigoths kept it as the capital of their kingdom. It was conquered by the Arabs in the VIII century, and unconquered by King Alphonse VI who also named it the capital of Castille, and the Catholic Kings made it the capital of modern Spain in the XV century until the year 1561 when Madrid became the capital of Spain. Christians, Jews and Muslims lived together in perfect harmony for centuries, building churches, mosques and synagogues, turning Toledo into the main manufacturing and trading centre of Spain. The famous "Toledo Schools of Translators" preserved many of the Judeo-Islamic philosophies and scientific works of the middle-ages. Please see the detailed map of the journey and the photo gallery
I will pick you up at your hotel or agreed place in Madrid, arrive in Toledo and take the escalators directly to the upper part of the town. 1. The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes was built in 1477. 2. The Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, late XII or early XIII century. 3. The Synagogue of El Tránsito was built around 1357 and holds the Sephardic Museum. 4. - Have a walk around the Jewish Quarter. 5. -The Primatial Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledos, 13th century. 6. Zocodover Square is the principal trading place of Toledo and one of the biggest squares in Spain. 7. Cristo de la Luz mosque. An ancient mosque was sacralized and turned into a Christian church in the year 999. It preserves the original Arab arches. 8. "Bisagra Gate", the main entrance to Toledo was built by Emperor Charles V to strengthen the second line of walls of the town. I will drive you back to Madrid The itinerary is customizable.
Tell your guide which places matter to you, skip what doesn't, and tailor the experience for your group's needs. Not finding what you want? Message your guide to build something unique.
We'll depart from Madrid to Toledo (and vice versa) in a rental car, model Opel Astra or similar depending on the rent-a-car company availability. Once in Toledo, there's no need to use any transport, just walking.
Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain
Airport: ,Cruise: ,ByGuide: The tour would start from Atocha Square, or at the tourist hotel with no extra cost, depending on the location of the hotel.
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