Payment of bespoke trip to Spain. 10th – 18th of April. 2 pax
Description and schedule of services:
10th of April: arrival to Madrid and train to the South:
9am: upon arrival of your flight to Madrid airport, be met by a personal driver to be driven to Madrid Atocha train station.
10am: arrival to Madrid atocha train station.
** We leave a little bit of time here in case your flight is delayed **
11:35am: departure of your high speed train from Madrid to Antequera Santa Ana.
1:52pm: arrival of your train to Antequera Santa Ana and private transfer with a personal driver to your hotel in the city of Granada.
3pm: arrival to your hotel in Granada and rest of the day at leisure to recover from your trip.
Overnight in Granada: superior double room with breakfast included at hotel Villa Oniria.
11th of April: discovery of the city of Granada and of the majestic Alhambra and Generalife and tapas tour of Granada old town in the evening:
9am: be met by your personal local host and a dedicated driver and be transferred to the top of the hill of la Sabika where the Alhambra and El Generalife are located.
9:15am: upon arrival to the Alhambra, be taken on a private walking tour of the site and also of el Generalife or summer palace of the Hispanic-Muslim sultans. The Alhambra is the most beautiful example of Hispanic-Muslim architecture in the world. It was a palatial town where the Hispanic-Muslim sultans lived together with their court, with some selected artisans and with their armies. You will also be taken to visit the Generalife or summer palace of the Hispanic-Muslim sultans. This was the place where the sultans would go to escape the hustle and bustle of life in the Alhambra. It was a place designed for relaxation and contemplation and it features beautiful gardens as well as probably the most beautiful views of the city of Granada.
12:15pm: after your tour of the Alhambra, take a walk to the iconic quarter of El Albayzín. This is the quarter where regular people would live: people whose social scheme within the wall of the Alhambra was rather unclear. El Albayzín is a UNESCO site and it preserves its original Hispanic-Muslim architecture and urban planning to a very large extent. Your tour will take to its most iconic corners and to the places that offer the most beautiful views of the Alhambra.
1:30pm: end of your introductory tour of Granada and fee time until your evening tapas tour.
8pm: reconnect with your personal local host at your hotel to take a private tapas tour of Granada old town. Understanding how Spain works when it comes to celebrating food can be one of the most revealing experiences of the culture of the country. Tapas play a key role in the wide variety of options that the country has to offer gastronomy-wise. They are small portions of food that people usually have as an appetizer before a meal. However, especially when eating out, a meal can consist of several different tapas and this is exactly what this tour is about. Your local Spanish foodie host will meet you at your hotel to take you on a tapas journey through 2 – 3 selected tapas bars of the city, during which you’ll be able to taste a selection of 6 – 9 different local tapas dishes, combined with the corresponding drinks. Along the tour, you’ll be explained about the origins and evolution of Spanish gastronomy and also about the hectic social life that Granadinos have and how most of it takes place around food in tapas bars.
10:30pm: end of your tapas tour back at your hotel.
Overnight in Granada: superior double room with breakfast included at hotel Villa Oniria.
12th of April: hiking the stunning caminito del rey:
8:30am: private transfer from your hotel to the start of probably the most breath-taking hike in Southern Spain: the caminito del rey.
10:15am: upon arrival to the start of the hike, meet your personal local host and start your adventure. 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. Spring is simply gorgeous in Southern Spain and this hike will allow you to enjoy its beautiful nature through a fun adventure.
1:15pm: end of your hike and private transfer to the town of Ronda.
2:15pm: arrival to Ronda and rest of the day at leisure (recommendations will be given for you to make the most of your time in the town).
Overnight in Ronda: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Catalonia Ronda.
13th of April: cycling and visiting villages in Southern Spanish countryside:
9:15am: meet your personal local host at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable vehicle with a dedicated driver to the quaint whitewashed village of Olvera.
10am: upon arrival to Olvera, collect your country bikes and your helmets and together with your local host, start a 36km cycle ride going slightly downhill through the rolling hills of Southern Spain. Your route will offer beautiful views of olive groves, mediterranean forests, fertile valleys with small rivers and it will cross farms, tunnels and bridges. The route goes along a former railway and it is ideal to cover by bike as traffic is not allowed.
1:45pm: end of the hike and private transfer to the whitewashed village of Arcos de la Frontera for lunch.
2:15pm: arrival to Arcos de la Frontera and lunch.
3:30pm: after lunch, be taken on a private walking tour of this picturesque town with a special focus on its combination of traditional architecture and grand historical buildings, on its countless quaint corners and its impressive views of the surrounding valleys.
4:45pm: end of the tour of Arcos de la Frontera and private transfer to the whitewashed town of Vejer de la Frontera.
6pm: arrival to Vejer de la Frontera end of services for the day.
Overnight in Vejer de la Frontera: exclusive room with a prvate terrace and breakfast included at hotel V
14th of April: exploration of the coast of light and afternoon horseback ride on the beaches of cape Trafalgar:
9:30am: meet your personal local host at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle by a private driver to the heart of the natural park of the Straits of Gibraltar.
10:15am: upon arrival to the park, take a stop to see some primitive Christian tombs carved on the rocks to understand how this area has been inhabited for millennia by very different settlers from different civilsations.
10:30am: after this short introduction, start a hike to the summit of the sierras of Saint Bartholomew. You will walk through a forest of Mediterranean pines that slowly will become less and less dense, giving way to different Mediterranean bush and allowing for breath-taking views of Southernmost Spain, Northernmost Africa, the Mediterranean sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
11:15am: arrival to the summit and small mid-morning picnic to celebrate the simply spectacular views and the achievement of having made it to the top of this mountain range.
11:45am: start of your walk down to the bottom of the mountain range, enjoying the views that our your way up, you left behind you.
12:30pm: arrival to the bottom of the mountain range and private transfer to the archaeological Roman site of Baelo Claudia.
12:45pm: arrival to Baelo Claudia and private walking tour of the site aimed at understanding the very important Roman settlement that it once was. This was thanks to a particular local industry that produced a fermented fish sauce, called Garum, that was an absolute delicacy for the Roman empire. You will be explained how this sauce was produced and the industrial configuration that this Roman city had.
1:30pm: end of the walk through Baelo Claudia and private transfer to a coastal family restaurant for lunch.
1:45pm: arrival to the restaurant and lunch.
2:45pm: end of lunch and private transfer back to your hotel in Vejer.
3:30pm: arrival to Vejer and free time before your horseback ride.
5:30pm: private transfer from your hotel to a nearby horse farm on the coast of cape Trafalgar.
5:45pm: upon arrival to the farm, be met by your horse-riding instructor and go to the stables to pick your horses for the ride.
6pm: once on your horses, take a small ride within the training grounds to get familiar with your horses and for your instructor to see your riding skills.
6:20pm: after your introduction, start a horseback ride that will take you from the farm, through some farmland to the beaches of cape Trafalgar. There you will enjoy a ride along the beach with the beautiful light of the coast of light towards sunset.
9pm: back at the farm, dismount your horses and be transferred back to your hotel in Vejer.
9:15pm: arrival to Vejer and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Vejer de la Frontera: exclusive room with a prvate terrace and breakfast included at hotel V
15th of April: private transfer to Seville and introduction to Seville:
10am: private transfer from your hotel in Vejer to your hotel in Seville in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver.
12pm: arrival to your hotel in Seville and free time to check-in and to have lunch before your introductory walking tour of the city.
2:30pm: be met by your personal local host at your hotel to go on foot on a discovery journey of the World Heritage Sites of Seville. These are:
– Its Alcazar or Moorish palace, which features a stunning crossover of Hispanic-Muslim and Christian styles called Mudéjar as well as beautiful gardens and the famous “house of trade” from where all the commerce with the new world was once managed after the discovery of America.
– Its Cathedral which is the largest gothic temple in the world and where Christoph Columbus is buried in a simply breath-taking tomb.
– The Jewish quarter, once home of a large Sephardic community and that is delightful to explore due to its houses of traditional architecture, narrow streets, cosy squares and countless quaint corners.
6pm: end of your walking tour and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Seville: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa del Poeta.
16th of April: venture into the quarter of Triana to be ceramicists for a day and enjoy flamenco dance and flamenco music in the evening:
9:30am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation start a private walking tour that will take you to the iconic quarter of Triana. Located across the Guadalquivir river, the quarter of Triana was a former suburb of Seville home of ceramicists, potters, fishermen, bullfighters and flamenco dancers. Your tour will start with a short introduction about this quarter before taking you to a small ceramics and pottery workshop where you will meet some selected artisans with whom you will engage in a fun and hands-on activity.
First you will be explained the origins and evolution of ceramics and pottery in Seville. You will learn about the different techniques that have been used in the city throughout the centuries to craft the gorgeous tiles and ceramics that Seville is famous for. Then, you will get to paint your own tile and to make your own piece of potter on the potter’s wheel assisted by the artisans. The result of your work can be fired and shipped to your house as a lovely souvenir of your stay in the city.
12:30pm: end of your ceramics and pottery workshop and free time until your flamenco evening.
5:30pm: make your own way to the dance studio of your flamenco instructor to take a pivate flamenco dance lesson for beginners.
5:50pm: upon arrival to your meeting point, you will be welcomed by your personal instructor: a professional and cheerful flamenco dancer!. She will first introduce herself and then she will lead you to her dance studio, located right at your meeting point.
6pm: The lesson will start with a very brief introduction about flamenco and then it will be time to enjoy flamenco music through corporal expression. Everybody will be given some basic elements of a flamenco outfit and will be taught some basic steps (involving different parts of the body) with which you will create a flamenco choreography. Then it will be time to rehearse it to later dance all together like a real flamenco ensemble!
7pm: with all the inspiration, knowledge and understanding of flamenco music, make your own way to a nearby small and intimate flamenco venue where you will have 1st row tickets to see a traditional flamenco performance.
7:30pm: flamenco show starts.
8:30pm: end of the flamenco show and evening at leisure.
Overnight in Seville: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa del Poeta.
17th of April: day in Madrid
9am: private transfer from your hotel in Seville to Seville train station, to board your high-speed train to Madrid.
9:20am: arrival to Seville train station.
10am: departure of your high-speed train to Madrid.
12:30pm: arrival of your high speed train to Madrid and private transfer from Madrid train station to your accommodation in Madrid.
1pm: arrival to your hotel in Madrid, free time to check-in and to have lunch before your orientation tour of Madrid.
3pm: meet your personal local host at your hotel to go on an introductory tour of the Spanish capital. This walking tour will take you from your hotel to visit first the oldest quarters of the city. It is in these areas where Madrid has its roots and from where it has evolved until becoming the vibrant and cosmopolitan city it is today. There you will visit the iconic Plaza Mayor and you will be explained about the important events that have happened there over the past 400 years. From there, you will be taken to visit the sections where the Royal Palace and the Opera house are. Your tour will take you then to visit the grand avenue that Gran Vía is and that once had all the major theatres and cinemas of Madrid. You will then make your way back to your hotel along the chic and bohemian quarters of Malasaña and Chueca, where you will be given recommendations for a nice farewell dinner in the city.
6:30pm: end of your tour and evening at leisure.
Overnight in Madrid: premium double room with breakfast included at hotel Only You Boutique
18th of April: departure
8am: private transfer from your hotel to Madrid airport in a modern and comfortable vehicle with a personal driver.
8:30am: arrival to Madrid airport and end of services.
Price of this bespoke trip for a private group of 2 people: 4250 Euros per person.
This price includes:
– 8 nights accommodation with breakfast included as per mentioned above.
– High-speed train tickets (1st class seats) to travel from Madrid to Antequera on the 10th of April and from Seville to Madrid on the 17th of April.
– All private transportation services mentioned above in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver.
– All private tours and experiences mentioned above with a personal local host.
– All entrance tickets and admissions for your private tours and experiences (except for your Alhambra tickets which you have already booked yourselves).
– A tapas dinner in Granada including a selection of 6 – 9 different dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (wine / beer / refreshments / water).
– Bicycles and helmets for your private cycling tour.
– Private horseback ride along the beaches of Cape Trafalgar with your own personal riding instructor.
– Private ceramics and pottery workshop in the quarter of Triana with your own personal instructors.
– Private flamenco dance workshop for beginners with your own personal flamenco instructor.
– Tickets (1st row) to see a selected flamenco performance in the quarter of Triana.
– A list of recommended things to see and do and of places to eat during your free time in each city.
– All taxes.
This price excludes:
– Flights.
– Your Alhambra tickets which you have already booked yourselves.
– Any meals not mentioned right above. We always selects local restaurants serving good traditional food while touring but meals are not included during the tours unless specified (like in your Granada tapas tour).
– Anything else not mentioned right above.
Confirmation and payments:
In order to confirm this tour program we require a 30% deposit of the grand total no later than the 27th of January 2020 via credit/debit card. The final 70% of the grand total must be paid no later than 45 days prior to the start of the tour program.
Grand total of this trip: 8500 Euros
30% deposit needed (no later than the 27th of January) to confirm the trip: 2550 Euros.
Final 70% needed (no later than 45 days prior to the start of the trip): 5950 Euros.
Cancellation policy:
– More than 45 days prior to the start of the trip: we’d charge the deposit only.
– 45 – 15 days prior to the start of the trip: we’d charge 50% of the full cost of the trip.
– 15 – 10 days prior to the start of the trip: we’d charge 75% of the full cost of the trip.
– 9 days or less prior to the start of the trip: we’d charge 100% of the full cost of the trip.
