Payment of bespoke tour program of Andalusia. 29th of March – 8th of April 2022. 2pax
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Description and schedule of services
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29th of March. Flight from the US to Madrid and high-speed train to Seville.
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8:25am: upon arrival of your flight to Madrid airport, collect your luggage and take a taxi to Madrid Atocha train station to board your train to Seville. We leave some margin here in case there’s a delay in your flight. Also, now it takes a little longer to exit the airport as you have to show a vaccination certificate.
11:50am: departure of your high-speed train from Madrid to Seville.
2:28pm: upon arrival of your train to Seville train station, take a taxi to your accommodation in the city.
3pm: upon arrival to accommodation in Seville, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to recover from your trip.
Overnight in Seville: standard double room with breakfast included in Hotel Amadeus (4*).
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30th of March. Walking tour of Seville’s impressive Moorish palace followed by a cooking lesson with a local lady in her cooking studio and lunch there.
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9:30am: be met by your personal local guide at your hotel to start a private walking tour that will take you through the winding streets of Seville’s Jewish quarter to the most impressive World Heritage Site of the city: the Alcazar or Royal Moorish Palace. Along the way, you will be given an introduction about the history, architecture and urban planning of this section of the city, before entering the Alcazar.
The Alcazar is a massive complex of palaces erected in different periods and of breath-taking gardens of different styles. It has stunning historical constructions featuring a very particular crossover between Hispanic-Muslim and Christian architecture styles, called Mudejar. This style became very fashionable in Spain in the 14th and 15th centuries amongst the Christian nobility and it reached its maximum splendour in Seville. Another essential part of the Alcazar is the famous house of Trade, which once hosted the offices from where all the commerce with the new world was managed. After enjoying these inner areas, you will be taken to the gardens which are an exquisite sample of European gardening from the 16th until the 20th centuries.
12pm: after your visit to the Alcazar and the Jewish quarter, you will be escorted by your local guide to the house of a local lady who has a cooking studio in her house.
Every trip to Spain should include at least one meal cooked by a caring and knowledgeable Spanish host in a house. Spanish home food is the best that can be found in the country, so a homemade Spanish feast (at least!) is a must on every trip to Spain for any food lover.
Besides, learning how to cook some Spanish recipes will allow you to travel back to Spain from your own kitchen whenever you like! All this and more is what you will get to experience and learn during this cooking lesson.
Upon arrival at the house of your cooking instructor, you will be offered something to drink and then your culinary experience will start with some explanations about the origin and quality of some selected produce accompanied by some tastings. Then it will be time to cook a selection of regional recipes that will make an excellent and comprehensive lunch, that you will be able to enjoy alfresco (weather permitting) in the fabulous terrace of your host, which overlooks the Cathedral of Seville, or in the dining area of her kitchen (depending on the weather). Finally and after a sweet indulgence, your culinary experience will finish leaving you with a happy belly and a happy soul!
3pm: end of your cooking lesson and lunch and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Seville: standard double room with breakfast included in Hotel Amadeus (4*).
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31st of March. From Seville to Jerez for a food and sherry adventure in Jerez old town.
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9:30am: private transfer in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with your own personal local host and a dedicated driver from your hotel in Seville to Jerez old town. Explanations along the way about the geography, history, landscape, economy and character of Southernmost continental Spain.
10:45am: arrival to Jerez luggage drop-off at your hotel to later start a private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its Hispanic-Muslim origins and on the transformations that it experienced (architecture, urban-planning, social composition and overall character) with the Christian conquest in the 13th century and later in the 18th and 19th centuries when the local wines (sherries) became probably the most fashionable drinks in the world. Your tour will also include a private visit to the local market in order to understand not only the essential proximity service it is for the local community but also the important role it plays in the social fabric of the city.
11:50am: end of your introductory walking tour in a selected sherry bodega and private visit aimed at learning about the ageing process of the different types of sherry. This will be followed by the corresponding tastings and by some basic notions about the art of pairing food and sherry.
1:15pm: end of the visit to the sherry bodega and short walk to a selected sherry and tapas tavern.
1:30pm: arrival to the sherry and tapas tavern and tapas and sherries lunch there. Further notions about the art of pairing food and sherry will be given through a pairing lunch including a selection of 5 – 8 dishes to share and up to 4 sherries per person.
3pm: end of lunch and short walk back to your hotel in Jerez.
3:15pm: arrival to your hotel in Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: standard double room with breakfast included at Hotel Palacio de Garvey (4*).
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1st of April. Visit of a selected farm of Andalusian horses outside Jerez for a ride and lunch there with the owners.
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9:30am: meet your private driver at your accommodation and be transferred to a selected private farm of Andalusia purebred horses in the countryside outside the Jerez.
10am: upon arrival at the farm, be met by the owners who will show you their stables and their Spanish purebred horses to later give you horses for a ride through their vast extension of farmland and rolling hills.
The owner, who raises and trains horses, will take you on an exploration journey of his beautiful farm on horseback together with him. Along your journey you will visit the land where they have their crops, their cattle and some wilder areas too.
Halfway along the ride, you will take a stop at one of the estates of the family where they have the private family chapel (which belonged to a nearby Carthusian monastery), a 17th century bullring and the private family bodega, where you will be treated to a glass of ancient sweet sherry. During approximately 4 hours, you will enjoy an authentic immersion into the life of a grand Andalusian farm estate with the landlord himself.
1:30pm: back at the stables, you will dismount your horses and you will be welcomed for lunch with the owners who are delightful people.
2:30pm: private transfer from the farm to your accommodation in Jerez.
3pm: arrival to your accommodation in Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: standard double room with breakfast included at Hotel Palacio de Garvey (4*).
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2nd of April. From Jerez to Tarifa via the whitewashed hilltop villages of Medina – Sidonia and Vejer de la Frontera
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9:30am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to the whitewashed town of Medina-Sidonia.
10:05am: upon arrival to Medina – Sidonia, enjoy some free time there at leisure to explore its quaint whitewashed streets, squares and to also enjoy its panoramic views (recommendations will be given for you to make the most of your time in the town).
11:05am: private transfer from Medina Sidonia to Vejer de la Frontera.
11:35pm: arrival to Vejer de la Frontera and free time there at leisure to explore its old Moorish old town and to maybe have a coffee in one of its many picturesque squares (recommendations will be given for you to make the most of your time in the town).
1pm: private transfer from Vejer de la Frontera to Tarifa.
1:45pm: arrival at your hotel in Tarifa and rest of the day at leisure in town to enjoy its heavenly beaches, views of the African continent and relaxed coastal vibe.
Overnight in Tarifa: superior double room with breakfast included at hotel La Sacristía.
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3rd of April. From Tarifa to Ronda through the valley of the Genal river with an immersion into the life of one of its villages.
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10am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the village of Benalauría, in the heart of the Genal Valley. Along the way you will be explained about the geography, economy, lifestyle, history and customs of this unspoilt valley in the province of Málaga.
11:30am: upon arrival to Benalauría, you will be dropped off at the top of the village, to enjoy some beautiful views of its whitewashed houses and of the nature that surrounds them. Then it will be time to make your way down to the centre of the town, where you will have an immersion into its present culture and lifestyle through visiting some selected local spots and meeting the local community.
Your first stop will take you to the old local mill (not in use anymore), where you will understand how the local chestnut wood and stone allowed for the construction of very robust houses and local infrastructures until the late 20th century. The old mill is in an excellent state of conservation and the local population has donated several old artifacts to create a little exhibition space representing its roots and ancient industries.
Your second stop will be the local bakery, founded in the 19th century by the same family who owns it today and where bread and cakes are still made following traditional recipes. At the bakery, you will meet the owners, learn about their business and about the important proximity service they operate for the local population as well as for the surrounding towns.
Your third stop will take you to the winery of a small local winemaker. There you will learn how the Genal Valley had a thriving wine industry until a devastating pest arrived in the late 19th century. Slowly, more than 100 years later, this wine scene is having a comeback and this winemaker is one of the pioneers in the recovery. At the winery you will enjoy a tasting of his red and white wines as well as a local pairing lunch cooked by his wife. This will be the icing on the cake for your immersion into the life of a remote mountain village in South West Spain.
2:30pm: end of lunch and private transfer from Benalauría to Ronda.
3:15pm: arrival to your hotel in Ronda and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Ronda: basic double room with breakfast included at hotel Soho Boutique Palacio de San Gabriel (4*)
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4th of April. Ronda discovery journey.
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10am: meet your personal local host at your hotel in Ronda and take a short walk to the local bullring (the oldest in Spain) for a guided tour. This tour will allow you to learn about the origins and evolution of bullfighting in Spain, while you see the different sections of the bullring, from the pens where the bulls are kept before the fight, to the arena where the actual fight takes place, from the chapel where the matadors say their prayers before the fight, to the areas where the audience and the bullring authorities sit. You will also be explained about brave bull breeding and about how different bullrings choose different bulls with different characteristics for their fights.
After your tour of the bullring, enjoy a private walking tour of Ronda old town with a special focus on its history, most representative landmarks, viewpoints and picturesque locations.
This private walking tour of Ronda old town will give you an excellent overview of the Hispanic-Muslim origins of the city and of the transformations that it started to experience in 1485 when it was conquered by Christians. It was then when many wealthy military orders settled down in Ronda in order to defend its strategic location near the straits of Gibraltar and very well connected to the main Southern Spanish cities.
These new inhabitants erected many noble residences and funded the construction of impressive religious constructions too. In the 18th century Ronda experienced a time of maximum splendour and its main landmark was built: the majestic New Bridge, which you will visit during your tour.
Ronda has also stunning nature in its surroundings and your tour will take you to the best viewpoints. This will allow you to understand why this whitewashed gem attracted so many romantic travellers in the 19th century during their Grand Tour and the impact that their written, drawn and painted portraits of Andalusia had in the international perception of Spain in the following decades until today.
1pm: end of your tour of Ronda and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Ronda: basic double room with breakfast included at hotel Soho Boutique Palacio de San Gabriel (4*)
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5th of April. Transfer from Ronda to Granada with a stop en-route to hike el Caminito del rey and followed by lunch in Antequera.
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8:30am: meet your personal driver by the reception desk of your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the start of El Caminito del Rey hike.
9:20am: upon arrival to the start of the hike, meet your personal local host and start your guided walk with him. El caminito del rey is a walkway with some sections pinned along the steep walls of a stunning gorge, offering amazing views of the surrounding nature. Along your hike, you will learn about the geology, flora and fauna of the area and also about the history behind el caminito del rey and about the greater engineering project it is related to.
1pm: after the hike, say goodbye to your guide and be transferred for lunch to the monumental town of Antequera.
1:45pm: arrival to Antequera and free time for lunch at leisure. We will give you recommendations of places to eat in Antequera and we will book a table for you if you wish.
3:15pm: after lunch, reconnect with your driver and be transferred to your accommodation in Granada.
4:30pm: arrival to your accommodation in Granada and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Granada: standard double room with breakfast included at hotel Palacio de Santa Inés (3*)
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6th of April. Private walking tour of the Alhambra and el Generalife and evening flamenco and tapas tour of Granada old town.
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10am: be met by your personal local host at your hotel and be transferred by taxi to the top of the hill of la Sabika, where the Alhambra and el Generalife are located.
10:15am: upon arrival to the Alhambra, be taken on a private walking tour of this palatial city which is the most exquisite example of the Hispanic-Muslim architecture. The Alhambra was the city where the Hispanic-Muslim sultans used to live with their army, their court and some selected artisans. Because of this, it has several parts, all of which you will get to visit during your tour while you understand the role that each of them had. Later you will visit the summer palace or Generalife. This is the place where the sultans would go to escape from the hustle and bustle of the Alhambra. It was a place designed for relaxation and contemplation and because of this, it has the most beautiful gardens and some of the nicest views that the city of Granada has to offer.
1:15pm: end of your tour of the Alhambra free time at leisure until your evening flamenco and tapas tour.
6pm: be met at your accommodation by your personal local host to go on a flamenco and tapas tour of Granada old town.
This tour will start with an introductory walk aimed at understanding the origins and evolution of flamenco music. This will help to set the context for (and enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of) the flamenco performance in a small and intimate venue that will follow and where 4 performers will uncover the passion, intensity and charm of this ancient form of popular music.
After the flamenco performance you’ll be taken on a discovery journey of the fabulous tapas scene of Granada city by going to 2 – 3 selected tapas bars where the locals like to gather with relatives and friends and where you will try a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share, paired with the corresponding drinks (up to 3 – 4 per person). Finally and after a sweet local treat, you will be escorted back to your accommodation.
10:30pm: end of your tour at your accommodation.
Overnight in Granada: standard double room with breakfast included at hotel Palacio de Santa Inés (3*)
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7th of April. From Granada to Madrid vía Córdoba to tour the great Mosque – Cathedral and to have lunch in the city at leisure.
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9am: be met by your personal driver at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to Córdoba.
11:15am: upon arrival to Córdoba, be met by your personal local host to go on a 2h discovery journey of the historical centre of the city (your driver stays in the van with your luggage). A UNESCO site since 1994, Córdoba is an inspirational city, which during the Middle Ages, saw a peaceful interaction between the three great Mediterranean cultures. Jews, Muslims and Christians coexisted then in the city turning it into a unique intellectual hub that gave birth to very renowned philosophers, poets, scientists and doctors. This also resulted in the construction of unique buildings of remarkable historical significance. During your private walking tour, you’ll learn about the period of maximum intellectual splendour of the city and you will see beautiful examples of architecture and urban planning that will allow you to recreate all the grandeur of this era, which has the Great Mosque – Cathedral as its most representative constructions.
The Great Mosque-Cathedral is probably the most thought-provoking building in Spain and your personal local host will uncover all its beauty and complexity for you. You will understand its origins, its different enlargements and the role that the building has played in the culture and social fabric of the city throughout the centuries.
1:15pm: end of your private walking tour of Córdoba and free time for lunch at leisure in the city. Your guide will point you in the right direction for lunch and will give you instructions on how to reconnect with your driver after lunch.
2:30pm: reconnect with your private driver and be transferred to Córdoba train station.
2:45pm: arrive at Córdoba train station on time to catch your high-speed train to Madrid.
3pm: departure of your high-speed train from Córdoba train station to Madrid train station.
4:55pm: upon arrival of your train to Madrid train station, take a taxi to your hotel in Madrid and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Madrid: standard double room with breakfast included at hotel Petit Palace Santa Barbara (4*)
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8th of April. Flight back to the US.
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9am: make your own way by taxi from your accommodation in Madrid to Madrid airport to catch your flight at 11:35am.
9:30am: arrival to Madrid airport on time to catch your flight to the US.
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Pricing
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The price of this bespoke trip for a private group of 2 people is 7890 Euros.
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This price includes
– 10 nights accommodation with breakfast included as per mentioned above.
– All private transportation services mentioned above in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with a dedicated uniformed driver.
– All private tours and experiences mentioned above with a knowledgeable, personable, kind and flexible fully licensed guide.
– All entrance tickets and admissions for all the sites that the tours include.
– A private cooking lesson in the house / cooking studio of a local lady in Seville including all necessary ingredients and lunch with drinks there.
– A private visit to selected sherry bodega in Jerez with the corresponding tastings there.
– A tapas and sherries lunch in Jerez including a selection of 5 – 8 dishes to share and up to 4 sherries per person (or beer, wine, refreshments or water).
– A private visit to a selected farm of Andalusian horses in the countryside outside Jerez with a private horse ride with the owner followed by a homemade lunch with the owner and his wife in their house.
– A private immersion into the local life of the village of Benalauría with private insider’s visits to the bakery, to an old olive mill and to a local winery where you will be treated to a homemade lunch paired with the wines from the winery.
– Tickets to hike el Caminito del rey with your personal nature guide.
– Tickets for a selected flamenco show in a small and intimate venue in Granada.
– A tapas and wines dinner in Granada including a selection of 6 – 9 dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (beer, wine, refreshments or water).
– High speed train tickets to travel from Madrid to Seville on the 29th of March and from Córdoba to Madrid on the 7th of April.
– A list of recommended things to do and see and of places to eat suited to your taste in each of the cities where you will stay.
– Management of the reservations you may want to have in any of these restaurants.
– All taxes.
– All expenses of your drivers and of your guides.
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This price excludes
– Your flight/s from the US to Spain.
– Any meals not mentioned in the above section.
– Anything else not mentioned right above.
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Confirmation and payments
In order to confirm this tour program we required a deposit which has been already paid (1955,4 Euros). The final balance (5934,6 Euros) must via the same method no later than 30 days prior to the start of the tour program.
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Deposit paid on the 22nd of November to confirm the tour: 1955,4 Euros
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Final balance to be paid no later than 30 days prior to the star of the trip: 5934,6 Euros
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Cancellation policy
– If you cancelled your tour program more than 30 days prior to its start: we’d charge the 30% deposit only.
– If you cancelled your tour program between 30 and 15 days prior to its start: we’d charge 50% of the full cost of the tour program.
– If you cancelled your tour program between 15 and 8 days prior to its start: we’d charge 75% of the full cost of the tour program.
– If you cancelled your tour program 7 days or less prior to its start: we’d charge 100% of the full cost of the tour program.
*If the travel restrictions related to the pandemic didn’t allow for the tour program to happen, we’d give you a full refund deducting only the bank charges involved in the refund.
**Please note that the travel restrictions we would take as official would be the ones imposed by the corresponding government/s for the general vaccinated traveler coming to Spain from your country of origin and not your specific personal circumstances.
