Daily Itinerary - Here are some of the Highlights

There is lots to see to do and last not least many wonderful places to sing in - here are the day to day highlights of the 2009 YPAS Performance Tour to Spain & Portugal. A detailed itinerary with times will be made available to all of the participants as well as the families of the singers before departure.

March 26 - Overnight flight to Europe: Sit back, relax, talk, eat etc - enjoy the ride on Delta Airlines to arrive in Spain the morning.
March 27 - Arrival in Madrid: Meet your Incantato tour managers Katia and Stefania, your first set of drivers and coaches and then explore the capital city of Spain first on the bus, then on foot. After check-in to your tour hotel (this information has been emailed to all of you and is available again upon request, but will not be displayed on the blog), meet your local guides a panoramic tour. It will give you an overview of Madrid's many highlights: Plaza de España (Monument of Cervantes and Don Quijote), Royal Palace, Almudena Cathedral - where the choir is singing High Mass on April 3, Calle Mayor and Plaza Mayor (Old Madrid), Puerta del Sol, you will see the Prado,Thyssen and Reina Sofia Museums (from the outside), Atocha Railway Station, Retiro Park, Bullring Ventas, Paseo de la Castellana (Modern Business Madrid), Plaza de Cibeles
Gran Via (Main street). There will be photo stops, short walks and the opportunity to stay downtown for exploring in your chaperone groups. Return to your hotel for dinner and your first overnight abroad.
March 28 - Head to charming Segovia: The city tour and a visit to the Alcazar are followed by free time and a special welcome dinner (we wanted you to be awake and well rested to really enjoy it, thus the timing for today instead of yesterday).
March 29 - Via Leon to Oviedo: Two singing opportunities await you today - first a recital at the magnificent Cathedral de Leon, than your first formal concert joined by singers from the Joven Coro in Oviedo. After this special performance which is already advertised on local radio and TV, the YPAS group will eat dinner together with the Spanish singers, their teachers and some family members - a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other better.
March 30 - Now it is time to explore beautiful Oviedo, one of the many gems Spain has to offer. Here are some of the highlights of the city tour with local guides: Orientation drive of the city center, followed by a visit to the market of Oviedo (El Fontán) and the Old Quarter (Town hall, medieval streets, the old "Camino de Santiago" crossing Oviedo etc), and a tour of the Cathedral of Oviedo (El Salvador). You will continue North via the beach town of Luarca - and some time to take a dip in the Med, to the pilgrimage town of Santiago di Compostela. All in all, a very relaxing day with lots of beautiful countryside to take in.
March 31 - Get to know Santiago di Compostela: In the morning, you'll take a guided city tour of Santiago's highlights with local guides: The panoramic driving tour will show the city and monuments located outside the center; followed by a walking tour around the main squares, streets and monuments of Santiago, including an in-depth visit of the Cathedral with a stop at the tomb of Saint James. The YPAS Touring Concert Chois is the featured guest performer for this evening's High Mass and there may well be 500, 1000 or even more people in the cathedral when you sing.
April 1 - Time to say good-bye to Spain, for two days: Off to Portugal you are, with your first stop being Oporto. A guided city tour of Oporto's highlights: Visit the Clérigos Tower, the ancient prison, in the city center see the Main place, Praça da Liberdade, passing along the railwaystation S.Bento, with the very interesting tiles covering the walls, and take a look at the Cathedral of Porto. Walk down to the Ribeira river, along the medieval streets and reach the old harbour. Optional visit to a Port Wine Cellar Continue on the bus to the pedestrian street Santa Catarina, to visit the market Bolhão and the most famous Café of Oporto: the Majestic. The choir has the opportunity to present a recital at Lapa Church, then you'll continue to Lisbon for dinner and overnight.
April 2 - Lisbon in-depth: Explore the capital city of Portugal with your local guides through a panoramic drive, then continue to Belém and visit the Monastery of Jerónimos, the Tower of Belém and Monument of the Discoveries. The bus tour is followed by a walking tour of to the old city quarters ending at the Cathedral where YPAS is the featured guest choir for High Mass. After plenty of free time, prepare for your second formal concert at the Estrela Basilica.
April 3 - Back to Spain for one more special performance and a very fun farewell: Relax as you ride back to Madrid today for another invitation to sing High Mass in an amazing venue, the beautiful Almudena Cathedral. Then it is party-time at a traditional Flamenco restaurant. Check out the following clips we found on Youtube: Flamenco 1, Flamenco 2. Better bring your dancing shoes!!!
April 4 - Will be the day to say good-bye to Europe as you return home to Louisville.