Wellington and the Peninsular War
Custom Tour Offerings
Spanish & Frontier
Campaigns - Suggested Itinerary
DAY 1 - Arrival in Madrid
Meet you at Barajas and transported to a central 3 star hotel I highly
recommend. Tapa & history walking tour through old quarter of MADRID.
DAY 2 - Salamanca and Arapies
Depart 10am for SALAMANCA. Check in hotel off Plaza Mayor. Drive the short
distance to battlefield including the San Miguel Heights where the 27th
Inniskillings were positioned prior to the attack.. Lunch at Arapiles at a
friend's steak house. Afterwards a healthy hike up the French Grande hill,
Marmont's observation post for a magnificent panoramic view of the whole
battlefield. We finish with a visit to the dead ground occupied by
Pakenham's3rd Division including the 88th Connaught & 83rd County of
Dublin. Evening tapas off Plaza Mayor & free time to stroll & explore this
famous university (my second home!).
DAY 3 & DAY 4 - Ciadad Rodrigo, Fuentes De Onoro, Fort Concepcion
and Alemeida
CIUDAD RODRIGO: Options for hotel stay ranging from 2 star to 3 Star to
Parador. We use Rodrigo as our base for 2 nights. Visit the breaches, the
heights of the Teson batteries & panoramic view, walk the walls, cross the
old bridge as O'Toole did, lay wreath to Craufurd at the site where he is
buried. Explore FUENTES DE ONORO & ridge occupied by the 88th before their
attack & capture of the village below them. The Spanish stronghold of FORT
CONCEPCION which is an eerie time-warp. Over to Portugal to the massive
town cum fort of ALMEIDA. The defences are intact and a sight to behold.
(my friend has a delightful place for a real Portuguese meal & cheap!)
DAY 5 & DAY 6 - Fuente Guinaldo, Badakpz. Elvas amd Albira
Short drive to FUENTE GUINALDO Lord Wellington's HQ for 2 yearson and off
during the PW. Visit his house (owner a friend of mine) & the Mayor
(ditto) & chapel still pock-marked from the fighting there in September,
1811. BADAJOZ. Our hotel for 2 nights is excellent, 3 star and within the
walls, a few minutes from the Cathedral. We take my singular walk visiting
both breaches stormed in part by 27th, of Foot ,then up to the castle
taken as we all know by the 83rd & 88th (little help from the 4th!). Our
coach will take us over the border to visit ELVAS & the fort & military
museum. Back in Spain we drive the 25 minutes south to ALBUERA to both the
village & a good hike over the battlefield from the Allies position. The
location where Cole's4th Division marched to save the day is still unbuilt
on.
DAY 7 - Trujillo and Oropesa
Now it is all motorway north. Option is a stop at Merida & visit the
famous Roman Museum as it is on our way.We have lunch at the medieval town
of TRUJILLO. The reataurant is one of the oldest and finest. We visit the
castle and then depart of the PARADOR at OROPESA for overnight stay. This
is for me, one of the most wonderful Paradors in all of Spain.
DAY 8 - Puenta Del Arzobispo amd Talavera
Early start as we drive the short distance to the ancient & mighty bridge
over the Tagus at PUENTA DEL ARZOBISPO where Wellington's Army crossed
days after the battle. Short drive to visit TALAVERA.the monument (which
the WS was deeply involved in) the heights which was Wellington's
observation post. the owners of the country house there are patron of the
WS and we shall be invited to drinks & tapas. More sites, early lunch and
the 1hr.30mins drive to Barajas & your flight home. Well there you are my
man! I would make all the hotel arrangements & Yolcar etc and my fee would
remain the same as last time. An offer very few could refuse!
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