Incantato Performance venue: Dominican Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha, Tuesday 28 May - 8 pm: Holy Mass and Choral Concert.

The Providence College Choir will be featured choir on the Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha, where they will sing during Holy Mass, and they will offer a Choral Concert at 8pm, on Tuesday 28 May.

Our Lady of Atocha is the Patron of the Royal House of Spain, Custodian of the Dominicans.

The Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha or Real Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Atocha is one of the three basilica churches in Madrid.

The buildings on the site have a long history. There was a the shrine to Our Lady of Atocha, a Spanish contraction for “Theotokos”, meaning “Mother of God,” or a simplification of “Antiocha” which in the 12th Century under this title was already ancient and beloved.

Our Lady of Atocha chapel was already in Madrid when there was only a field of reeds and a hermitage. The Moor and the Muslim times came – they respected her and left her alone.
When Toledo was sacked in 1170, she remained there, but at some point some sculptures dissappeared.
The original name "Atocha" refers to a lost sculpture of Our Lady, from this former chapel, which was found among some high grasses, (called Tocha) during the time of the Reconquista.

The parish was entrusted to the Dominican Order in 1523, and still is today.
 In 1525 Charles V brought her his bride and asked her blessing upon their marriage; Don Juan of Austria, departing for the Battle of Lepanto, knelt at her feet and pledged his sword to her; after his victory he sent in thanksgiving his sword to her along with the captured Moorish banners.
Despite all these trappings of the high and wealthy, she still remains Our Lady of all the people, beloved of kings and farmers, such as St Isidore.
In 1863, the temple was elevated to the rank of Basilica by Pius IX

The old church was in disrepair and rebuilt in the 1890s in a Neo-Byzantine style designed by Fernando Arbós y Tremanti. The church was destroyed during the Spanish Civil War and reconstruction completed in 1951.

Atocha is Madrid’s royal shrine: there is not a Spaniard of public importance for a thousand years who would not kneel to ask her help. Her gowns are made from the bridal gowns of queens

To know more
http://www.parroquiadeatocha.es/
http://www.interfaithmary.net/pages/Madrid.htm

Incantato performance venue: Providence College Choir will perform Holy Mass at Santa Catalina Convent - Barcelona, Wednesday May 22, 8:00 pm

Our travelers from the Providence College Choir will start their Incantato performance Tour in Spain in the city of Barcelona, where they will perform Holy Mass at the Dominican Convent of Santa Catalina, on Wednesday 22, at 8 pm.

The Convent of St. Catherine, Virgin and Martyr, in Barcelona was founded in 1219, and according to tradition, during a stay of Santo Domingo in the city.
The Convent of the Preachers of Barcelona was prompted by the Bishop Berenguer of Palou (Bishop of Barcelona between 1212 and 1241).

First Convent site memorial (monastir.cat)

 Returning from Rome and passing through Bologna, the bishop came into contact with the Dominicans and requested the establishment of a Convent in Barcelona. Those efforts were successful and in 1219 the first Dominicans arrived to the city. The location of the first Community of Preachers was in the Jewish quarter (now Carrer de Sant Domènech 39; at the Call old quarter). They settled in some houses in the neighborhood, and made use of the nearby church of Sant Jaume (in the square of this name, and no longer existing), for liturgical celebrations.


In 1221 a bull of Pope Honorius III, asked the Bishop Berenguer to care for the Preachers that were arrivng into the city.  

Saint Ramon of Penyafort, Cathedral of Barcelona (monastir.cat)

In 1223 it became necessary to build a new convent more spacious. King James I favored the initiative and, with the help of many citizens, built a magnificent Gothic building, right in the current Plaza de Santa Catalina.

This Convent became a great center of evangelization, with great social and cultural influence in Catalonia until 1835, when it was sold off and demolished. The Community of the Dominicans was restored in 1889, and since the beginning of s. XX was at Bailen street and Marc Ausiàs.
This Community is a continuation of a long tradition of over 800 years, with such prominent figures as Saint Ramon de Penyafort, Saint Francis Gil de Frederich or Exart Lluis Beat, among others.

Home away from home: Hotel Torremangana in Cuenca, 25 May

Cuenca is an enchanting and unique city in the castilian spanish region, where our Providence College travelers will be hosted in the 4-star Hotel Torremangana for their stay from Saturday 25 until Sunday 26 of May.

Located in front of one beautiful park and leisure area of Cuenca, by the riverside of the Jucar and next to Cuenca old town, the Hotel Torremangana will provide a wonderful and relaxing rest to our travelers.

The hotel has 119 rooms, all of them fully equipped with free Wi-fi access, satellite TV, work desk area, safe deposit box and a spacious bathroom fully equiped with hair dryer.

The garden area and terrace will provide a nice and fresh environment, perfect in the middle of the Providence College Choir performance Tour.

Home away from home: Hotel NH Avenidas in Madrid, 28 May until departure.

Dear travelers,

During your stay in the vibrant city of Madrid, you will be staying at the Incantato selected hotel NH Parque de las Avenidas****.

This modern 4-stars hotel is located in the chic Salamanca neighborhood near the Las Ventas bullring, and
spans a large area of 400 square meters as well as a pleasant garden and terrace measuring over 900 square meters.


The comfortable and contemporary 20-square-meter rooms feature a modern style elegantly presented in warm colors with chic wood floors. All beds feature stylish headboards and super-thick, 32-centimeter mattresses for a superior rest. 

Rooms are equipped with all the amenities you need to feel at home during you business and pleasure travel, including a desk and comfortable chair, upholstered bench, wireless Internet access, individually controlled air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe, Satellite TV, bathtub, hairdryer, and soundproof windows. 

 NH Parque Avenidas hotel in Madrid boasts a swimming pool, a garden, and tennis courts for ours guests' enjoyment---plus free WiFi in our hotel lobby. 

Home away from home: Hotel Barceló in Valencia, 23 and 24 May

The Providence College travelers will spend the nights of May 23 and 24 at the Barceló Hotel**** in Valencia city.

Situated in the very heart of new Valencia, in the City of Arts and Sciences, opposite the recently opened Palacio de las Artes and just a few minutes from the historical old quarters and monuments, the Barceló Valencia**** provides easy access to all the leisure and business possibilities this modern dynamic city has to offer, which at the same time preserves all its former glory and tradition.

Being in one of the most modern and attractive areas of the city of Valencia, the hotel gives you easy access to all the leisure and business possibilities of Valencia. The hotel is very close to the port and the Palau de la Música (Music Hall).
Also, the Malvarrosa beach and the historic city centre are just 5 minutes away, with the stunning Albufera nature reserve only 10 minutes away. If you are arriving by plane, Valencia Airport is only 20 minutes away.

This 4-star hotel boasts 187 light-filled, spacious rooms,
The hotel also offers you its new and improved free Wi-Fi service and Canal+ satellite TV.
Rooms are equiped with minibar, heating, air conditioning, 26" SAT LCD TV, Wi-Fi internet connection (free), telephone, safe, hairdryer and free gym access.

As well as the excellent gastronomy on offer is the hotel's U-Wellness centre spread over 500 m2 located on the 10th floor with spectacular views of the City of Arts and Sciences. This health and beauty centre offers 4 treatment rooms, gym and a complete water circuit featuring a Finnish sauna, ice booth, pediluvium with cascades, hydromassage beds, pressure jets, activation shower, central aromatherapy shower, Turkish bath and many health and beauty treatments.

Discover Cuenca with Incantato Tours

Castilla-La Mancha, the central region of Spain with its windmills and medieval castles, was made famous by Cervantes in Don Quixote's adventures. It is in this region that you will come across the monument-filled city of Cuenca, a picturesque town with a historical center that looks out over rocky canyon walls in the heart of the Cuenca mountains. Cuenca's old town was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list precisely for its wealth of monuments. At the heart of the old town is the cafe-lined Plaza Mayor. You can find the 18th-century Baroque tow hall at the south end. However, one of the first sights you may notice is the Torre Mangana, a ruined lookout tower at the top of the town and all that remains of an Arab fortress that once stood here. With winding, narrow streets, this Gothic and Renaissance city's main sight to see is the Cathedral, construction on which began in the 12th century. It is one of the most original works of Spanish Gothic, with Anglo-Norman influences. The cathedral's treasures, now housed in the Palacia Episcopal, include painting by El Greco. Also not to be missed are the 14th-century Hanging Houses, which jut out over a ravine and were once used as a summer residence for the royal family. They have now been converted into the Museum of Abstract Art.

Travel Insurance: Making sure you protect yourself and your investment

Incantato Tours requires getting travel insurance for your upcoming journey.
Not only are you covered medically should anything happen when traveling, but with a company of your choice or with our preferred supplier and TravelGuard's policies, you also protect your investment should you have to cancel or interrupt the trip. Last but not least, there is also coverage for delayed and lost luggage, etc.
Here is a direct line to purchase travel insurance online, and you can do so with your credit cards and also select the option that is best for you.



In the meantime, have a look at the most comprehensive coverage option The Protect Assist Gold below.

Protect Assist (Gold) -

Comprehensive Travel Protection for the World Traveler

Trip Cancellation JUST ADDED! - Trip Cancellation due to employment loss or layoff if employed with the same employer 1 year or longer Trip Interruption and Travel Delay Emergency Medical and Emergency Medical Transportation Baggage and Travel Document Protection Baggage Delay and Lost Baggage Tracking NEW - Cancel For Any Reason option now available NEW - Cancel For Work Reasons option now available NEW - Children age 17 and under covered at no additional cost IMPROVED -Trip Cancellation limit increased to $100,000 (from $15,000), IMPROVED - Trip Interruption coverage increased to 150% of Trip Cost IMPROVED - Travel Delay required hours reduced to 5 hours (from 12) ProtectAssist special features: Best coverage for Weather Related Cancellations Pre-existing Condition Exclusion Waiver* Default/Bankruptcy Protection* $50,000 Flight Accident Insurance* 24-Hour "LiveTravel" Travel Agency Emergency Cash Transfers Identity Theft Restoration * These additional benefits apply If you are purchasing within 15 days of making your initial trip deposit or payment, however, coverage may still be purchased at any time up to 24 hours prior to departure. Increase your coverage with these valuable additions to your Protect Assist Plan: Cancel For Any Reason – 50% reimbursement of nonrefundable expenses if you cancel your trip for any reason, up to 48 hours prior to your departure. Only available when this plan is purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment. Cancel For Work Reasons – Offers additional work-related reasons for cancellation or interruption. Also includes our exclusive “Business Assistant” services if you have work obligations during your travels. Only available when this plan is purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment. Umbrella Package – Medical Expense limits are doubled and coverage is upgraded to primary. Emergency Medical Transportation limits are doubled and benefits upgraded to take you home or to the hospital of your choice. $25,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment coverage will be added. Car Rental Collision Coverage – $35,000 in primary coverage. Covers cost of repairs for covered collision damage to a rental car for which the car rental contract holds you responsible. Subject to $250 deductible. Optional coverages cannot be purchased separately. Must be purchased with base ProtectAssist plan.

Comprehensive non-insurance travel services* automatically included with plan!
With the ProtectAssist plan, every customer also has access to these valuable travel services when they travel:
· Arrangements for last-minute flight changes
· Hotel finder and reservations
· Rental car reservations
· Emergency medical assistance
· BagTrak® -- lost baggage tracking
· Pre-trip health and safety advisories
· Live e-mail and phone messaging to family and friends
· Cash transfers
· Airport transportation
· Golf course reservations
· Event ticketing
· Floral services
· Identity Theft restoration

Business Assistant* (available when Optional Cancel for Work Reasons coverage is purchased)

*Non-Insurance services are provided by AIG Travel Assist.

Eligibility
Citizenship: All Nationalities
Residency: United States
New York, Oregon, and Washington residence please call to purchase
Some rider options are not available and other restrictions may apply
Destination: Worldwide
Ages: All Ages
Max Trip Length: 365 Days

Fun Facts about Madrid with Incantato Tours

• Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-most populous in the European Union after Paris and London.
• Its sister city in the USA is New York City.
• Madrid is home to the soccer team Real Madrid, that plays in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid is one of the most prestigious soccer clubs in the world, having won a record 9 European Soccer Championships.
• The city bid to host the 1972 Summer Olympics, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2016 Summer Olympics, which were lost to Munich, London, and Rio de Janeiro respectively.
• Madrid hosts the largest Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Spain, Las Ventas, established in 1929. Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world centre of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000.
• The Auditorio Nacional de Música is the main venue for classical music concerts in Madrid, is home to the Spanish National Orchestra, the Chamartín Symphony Orchestra and the venue for the symphonic concerts of the Community of Madrid Orchestra and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra.
• The Royal Botanic Garden or Real Jardin Botanico was an 18th century creation. It was used as a base for the plant species being collected across the globe.
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Spain - there's an App for that

Since the Providence College group will be focusing on Spain for their 2013 performance tour, some of those traveling may be interested in being inspired by the "Experience Spain" App.
It is the best of Spain told by its own travelers as the app is based on travelers' experiences on the Minube social network. A guide that includes the Spanish travelers' favorite corners, this app includes more than 350 spots that represent the culture, gastronomy and landscape of Spain. Surely some of the Providence College group's destinations, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, or Toledo, will be included in this list. You can enjoy a whole range of different experiences through fiestas and special events in Spain. And best of all - it's free. For more information, check out the Experience Spain site. 

Intriguing Spain - a first itinerary for the 2013 PC Performance Tour with a special emphasis on music and Dominican traditions

Here is a first itinerary for the upcoming journey:

Day 1, Monday, May 20, 2013

Overnight group flight to Spain

Those choosing the air-land package will depart from Boston today.

Day 2, Tuesday, May 21

Benvenidos en Espanya

Meet your Incantato Tour Manager and bus driver at the airport, then embark on an orientation tour of Barcelona’s highlights prior to check-in at your hotel and a special welcome dinner.

Day 3, Wednesday, May 22

Barcelona sightseeing - Mass

Your guided tour of Spain‘s second largest city will include many highlights, but also retrace Dominican history. A special Mass featuring the PC choir is scheduled today, followed by free time for exploring.

Day 4, Thursday, May 23

Scenic Route to Modern Valencia

Bid farewell to Barcelona late this morning. You’ll experience a rapid change in scenery as you take the coastal highway to the artistic city of Valencia. Meet with students from the Conservatory and rehearse for tomorrow’s highlight performance.

Day 5, Friday, May 24

Valencia Sightseeing - Exchange Concert & Reception

Known as the city of Arts and Sciences, Valencia is also haven for musicians. Embark on a guided tour, followed by a second rehearsal at the Conservatorio Profesional de Musica de Valencia, followed by a special concert.

Day 6, Saturday, May 25

Ancient Cuenca & Concert

There is lots to see and do today as you explore the historical hilltop town of Cuenca in the La Mancha province. Learn more about the Dominican routes of this unique place, then presents a special concert tonight at one of three unique venues.

Day 7, Sunday, May 26

Dominican Mass - To Toledo

After participating in Sunday Mass, continue to Toledo - declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986 for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage as one of the former capitals of the Spanish Empire and place of coexistence of Christian, Jewish, and Moorish cultures. Enjoy a guided tour and plenty of free time for exploring.

Day 8, Monday, May 27

Toledo in-depth & Concert

There is so much to see and do in beautiful Toledo. After a guided tour and recital at the magnificent Cathedral, your next concert will take place in the historical city center.

Day 9, Tuesday, May 28

Madrid sightseeing - Farewell performance & Dinner

Madrid is only a short drive away. After a guided tour of the capital city‘s highlights including the Gran Via, the PC ensembles prepare for a farewell performance at one of the city‘s stunning Dominican churches followed by a tapas farewell dinner.

Day 10, Wednesday, May 29

Flight back to Boston

Return home with memories to last a lifetime.

Discover the UNESCO side of Barcelona with Incantato

Did you that know that Barcelona has several sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List? Here are just a few examples of the many sights to see while you are visiting this vibrant city:

La Sagrada Familia
This iconic cathedral from the 19th century was first started by architect Francisco de Paula, who had originally envisioned a Neogothic building. However, when the famous Spanish architect Gaudi took over the project in 1883, he soon began to change the project to his own personal and very distinctive style. He was only able finish the chapel of San Jose, the crypt and the door o El Nacimiento  before he died. Work on the project continues to this today.

La Casa Mila "La Pedrera"
Another masterpiece by Gaudi also on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites is the so-called "La Pedrera" House. It is one of the best-known works by the architect and one of the symbols of Barcelona. Built between 1906 and 1912, everything in this building is curved and undulating. Reflecting Modernist techniques and tendencies, there are chimneys and sculptures on teh roof, large windows and iron balconies set into the stone walls on the outside and the interior consists of two painted courtyards.


Palacio Guell
Gaudi created the small Guell Palace during the 19th century on top of some basements and columns. The site measures only 18 x 12 meters and features a dome, stained glass windows and stairs that create an optical illusion to make the palace seem larger. The entrance doors are iron work with coiled sculptures snakes and the terrace is a veritable outdoor museum. 

Palau de la Musica Catalana
The Palau de la Musica Catalana Auditorium was inaugurated in 1908. It took the architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner three years to complete what is now one of the world's major concert halls. An excellent example of Modernism, the interior is decorated with ceramic mosaics and glass with floral motifs.

Welcome to Valencia with Incantato Tours

Spain's third largest city after Madrid and Barcelona, Valencia, being on Spain's coastline, has a warm climate and is situated in the middle of a fertile plain of orange gorves and market gardens. The city was founded by the Romans in 138 BC and later conquered by the Moors. The three finest buildings in Valencia were built in the 14th and 15the century, when the city's economic prospere: the Torres de Serranos, a gateway, the cathedral and La Lonja. 

Torres de Serranos
The tower was erected in 1491 as a triumphal arch in the city's walls. It is a gateway that combines defensive and decorative features and the two towers are crowned with battlements and lightened by delicate Gothic tracery. 

The Cathedral
The original Cathedral was built in 1262, however much has been added over the centuries. The three doorways are in different styles, the oldest of which is the Romanesque Puerta del Palau. The Cathedral's bell tower, the Miguelete, is Valencia's main landmark.   

Lonja de la Seda - The Silk Exchange
Built in the 15th century, the Silk Exchange is Valencia's jewel of European Gothic civil architecture. The majority of the Exchange was built between 1482 and 1492. After the master mason Pere Compte's death, a pupil completed the work, adding in some Renaissance elements. Similarly to old medieval castles, the Silk Exchange is based on a fierce, fortress-like appearance re-enforced by its stone walls. The complete site, consisting of the Sea Consulate Room, the Orange tree Patio, and the Room of Columns, covers more than 2,000 square meters. It is considered one of Europe's most beautiful examples of Gothic civil architecture and for that was added to the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.