We are booked for the tour (our 3rd RS) and planning for the time on our own. May 5 in Madrid, we are planning to take the tour of the Plaza de Toros de las Ventas including the demonstration. The cost goes down the larger the group.
Are any others that are booked on this tour interested in also attending?
Please PM me.
Is anyone who has been to Spain or is planning ahead for this tour have suggestions for unique experiences?
Can you provide an example of what you would consider a unique experience and how much total free time you’ll have in Madrid? I’ve been to multiple bull fights, one at Las Ventas, and have also toured a couple bull rings, but not Las Ventas. If it is a good tour you’ll gain a pretty good perspective of bullfighting and why it is ingrained in Spanish culture without having to actually attend a fight. One thing about bullfights, you either like them or hate them. There is very little middle ground.
This tour includes a visit to a bull farm in Andalusia, and to the historic bullring and museum in Ronda, but no actual bullfighting. So if that's your goal the Plaza de Toros in Madrid may be your best bet.
There's a good deal of free time at most of the multi-day stops, and I hope you'll be arriving a few days early and staying a few days beyond the tour to add to your experience. For me the best "unique experience" (i.e. unique to me) was the Mezquita in Cordoba, where I spent two nights after the tour ended. Cordoba is an easy stop if you're returning to Madrid to fly home, deserving at least one night if you can manage it.
I just looked at the itinerary for this tour. After visiting Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, the rest of your day is free. I would highly recommend taking the 10 minute walk from SF to Saint Pau. You might end up preferring Montaner to Gaudi!
