Payment of bespoke program of private tours in Andalusia. 5th – 15th of April 2022. 2pax
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Description and schedule of services
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5th of April: morning high-speed train from Madrid to Jerez and welcome walking tour of the old town.
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7:05am: departure of your high-speed train to Jerez.
10:51am: upon arrival to Jerez train station, make your own way by taxi to your accommodation in the city.
11:15am: arrival to your accommodation in Jerez and free time to check-in and freshen-up before your introduction to the city.
4pm: meet your personal local host at your accommodation (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) to go on a history tour of Jerez old town. Along this tour you will be explained about the Hispanic-Muslim origins of the city and about the transformations that it experienced (architecture, urban planning, social composition and overall character) in the 13th century with the Christian conquest and later in the 18th and 19th centuries when its local wines (sherries) became probably the most fashionable drinks in the world.
Finally, you will be taken to one of the gipsy quarters of the city in order to learn why Jerez is considered the cradle of Flamenco music and how flamenco emerged from South West Andalusia, evolving throughout history until becoming the iconic form of art that it is today.
6pm: end of your walking tour in a local cafe or bar serving food. Then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Jerez. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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6th of April. (Re) discovering Sherry in Jerez and its countryside with lunch in a private vineyard.
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9am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation in Jerez (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) to go on a private tour of the local food market. There you will be explained about the different ingredients that shape the local gastronomy and how the market remains not only an essential proximity service for the local community but also a key element in the social fabric of the city.
10am: end of your morning market tour in a selected Sherry bodega and private visit with the owner aimed at learning about the aging process of the different types of Sherry in Jerez. The visit will include a vertical tasting (direct from the cask) through which you will learn and taste how the local white wine becomes sherry through fortification and aging in the solera-criadera system.
11:20am: taxi transfer from the Sherry bodega to a selected Sherry vineyard in the countryside outside Jerez.
11:40am: upon arrival to the vineyard, you will be welcomed by the owner, who will take you on a private tour through his vines in order to share with you some basic notions of sherry viticulture. This will provide you with an understanding of the particularities of the soil, of the climate, of the vines and of the grapes that make sherry so unique.
12:15pm: end of the walk in the private bodega of the owner, where he makes and ages Sherry only for him and his family. Here you will enjoy a second round of tastings accompanied by some light afternoon bites to open your appetite.
1:15am: after your tasting, you will be called for a homemade country lunch (starters, mains and dessert) in the vineyard house of the owner, cooked on site by his wife and accompanied by the corresponding sherries.
2:45pm: end of lunch with the owners of the vineyard and your local host and farewell sherry cocktail. Sherries are becoming popular amongst mixologists from all over the world for their creations and you will taste a popular sherry cocktail before leaving the vineyard.
3:15pm: taxi transfer from the vineyard back to your accommodation in Jerez.
3:35pm: arrival to your accommodation in Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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7th of April. History and gastronomy day trip to Cadiz from Jerez
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9:15am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) and walk together to Jerez train station to catch your train to Cadiz at 9:45am.
9:45am: departure of your train from Jerez to Cádiz. Along the journey, you will be able to enjoy the views of the natural park of the bay of Cádiz, which is formed by a series of coastal towns, marshes, estuaries and salt pans. During the ride, you will be explained about the particular activities and industries that have taken place along the bay of Cádiz throughout history.
10:30am: upon arrival to Cadiz, you will start a private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on the foundation of the city by the Phoenicians 3000 years ago and on the period when the city held the monopoly of all trade with America, formerly established in Seville.
You will start this tour seeing incredibly well preserved evidence of the Phoenician past of the city. This will allow you to understand who the Phoenicians were, where they came from, why they based themselves in Cadiz 3000 years ago and the impact that their arrival had in the present history, culture, gastronomy and wines of Southern Spain.
Later, you will travel forward in time to the 18th century, when the city held the monopoly of all trade with the Americas, formerly established in Seville. The bourgeoisie that settled down in Cádiz in this period transformed the city completely into a refined and cosmopolitan colonial hub. These new inhabitants of the city brought to Cádiz not only gold, silver, mahogany and other precious materials but also new ideas that transformed the mentality of the city and later of the whole of Spain. Along this second part of the tour you will visit some selected buildings that will reveal the wealth, refinement and change of mentality that the city enjoyed in this colonial period.
12:45pm: end of your introductory walking tour in the local market of Cádiz with tastings of selected local produce in hand-picked stalls. Explanations about the similarities and differences between the markets in Jerez and Cadiz and between the gastronomy of both cities.
1:10pm: end of your tour of the market and small walk to a selected tapas bar for a tapas and wines lunch there including a selection of 6 – 9 dishes to share and up to 3 wines per person.
2:30pm: end of lunch and short walk to a selected local tavern to learn about the famous fortified wines that traveled from Cádiz to América. Tasting of selected local fortified wines there.
3:05pm: end of the wine tasting and walk back towards Cadiz train station.
3:25pm: arrival to Cadiz train station on time to catch the train at 3:45pm.
3:45pm: departure of your train from Cadiz to Jerez.
4:30pm: upon arrival to Jerez, be escorted back to your accommodation (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central spot will be agreed upon to finish the tour there).
4:45pm: arrival to your accommodation and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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8th of April: from Jerez to Ronda with a hike on the summit of Las Palomas (Cerro Coros hike) and with visits to the villages of Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra.
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8:30am: private transfer from your accommodation in Jerez in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with your own personal local host and a dedicated driver to the whitewashed hilltop town of Zahara de la Sierra. Explanations along the way about the agriculture, farming, rural landscape and geography of the mountainous areas of the province of Cádiz.
9:40am: arrival to Zahara de la Sierra and private walking tour of the old town aimed at enjoying its traditional Southern Spanish charm and to learn about its history and evolution from a fortified settlement on top of a rock to a more spread-out rural settlement. During the tour you may also want to walk to the top of its Moorish castle, which offers not only very representative evidence of the medieval configuration of the town, but also beautiful views of the nearby lake of Zahara – El Gastor.
10:40am: private transfer from Zahara de la Sierra to the Summit of Las Palomas, in the heart of the natural park of Grazalema.
11am: upon arrival to the summit of las palomas, start a circular 3,4km hike around Mount Coros (Cerro Coros in Spanish). Cerro Coros is a small mountain in the middle of the natural park that offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscapes of Spanish Firs, pine trees and of the lake of Zahara – El Gastor. Hiking around its perimeter will allow you to enjoy the views of the surrounding nature from every possible angle.
Halfway along the hike, you will take a trail that will take you to the very top of the mount. Once at the top, you will have the very best views of the natural park.
1pm: reconnect with your driver and be transferred to the village of Grazalema for lunch.
1:20pm: arrival to Grazalema and lunch in a selected local restaurant. Lunch will be followed by a small private walking tour of the old town aimed at enjoying the beauty of its charming location in the middle of a natural park and its picturesque architecture and urban planning.
3:30pm: private transfer from Grazalema to your accommodation in Ronda.
4:15pm: arrival to your accommodation in Ronda and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Ronda. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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9th of April: day trip from Ronda to the Genal Valley for a hike there and for an immersion into the life of one of its rural villages.
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9am: meet your personal nature guide at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable minivan with a dedicated driver to the village of Benadalid, in the heart of the valley of the Genal river, a magical unspoilt reserve south of Ronda.
9:30am: arrival to the village of Benadalid to start an easy 5km guided hike towards the village of Benalauría. You will first be explained about the bereber origins of Benadalid, which still keeps its Moorish castle. Later you will take the old paths that the cork workers used to use in the past to transport the cork that they would harvest every 9 years and that are actually still in use today. You will cross a vast extension of Mediterranean forest filled with old olive trees, chestnut trees, holm oaks and cork oaks while you are explained about the many species of flora that you will see and how they have been used by the people of the area throughout the centuries.
11:30am: upon arrival to Benalauría, 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.
3pm: end of lunch and private transfer from Benalauría back to Ronda.
3:45pm: arrival to your accommodation in Ronda and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Ronda. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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10th of April. Ronda discovery journey
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10am: meet your personal local guide at your accommodation (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) to take a private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its history, most representative architecture 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 landmarks were built: the bullring (the oldest in Spain) and the majestic New Bridge both of which you will also 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 back at your accommodation (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon to finish the tour there) and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Ronda. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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11th of April. Day trip from Ronda to cycle the green way that goes from Olvera to Puerto Serrano, followed by lunch in Arcos de la Frontera and a tour of the town
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8:30am: be met by your personal local host and a dedicated driver at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the start of your cycling route in the Southern Spanish countryside.
9:15am: arrival to the start of the cycling route and delivery of bikes and helmets to start a picturesque 36km cycling route going slightly downhill along a former railway. Your personal host (an experienced local touring cyclist) will accompany you along the journey to show you the way, to assist in case of emergency and to provide you with water and some small bites for the adventure. You will cross farms, tunnels, bridges and olive groves for approximately 3 or 3,5 hours before arriving to your destination, where you will drop off your bikes and meet your driver again.
12:45pm: arrival to Puerto Serrano, bike drop-off and private transfer to Arcos de la Frontera.
1:15pm: arrival to Arcos de la Frontera and lunch in a selected local restaurant in the village.
2:30pm: after lunch, enjoy a private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its Hispanic – Muslim urban planning and traditional constructions, on its Christian monumental buildings, on its traditions and on its breath-taking viewpoints. Understanding of what life on the frontier between the Christian Kingdom of Castilla and the Muslim Kingdom of Granada was like in the 14th and 15th centuries.
3:45pm: private transfer from Arcos de la Frontera to Málaga.
6:10pm: arrival to your accommodation in Málaga and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Málaga.
Overnight in Málaga. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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12th of April. Discovery of Málaga´s history, architecture, art and food scenes.
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9:30am: meet your personal art and history expert at your accommodation in Málaga (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) to start a private walking tour of the city that will take you to visit its Roman Theatre, its Hispanic-Muslim fortress (Alcazaba) and its main art museums: the Picasso Museum and the Thyssem museum.
Your tour will start with an introduction about the origins and evolution of the city of Málaga while you are taken by your guide to visit first its main Roman and Hispanic-Muslim landmarks: the Roman Theater and the so-called Alcazaba. This will allow you to travel back in time in order to understand the important settlement that Málaga was in the Roman and Hispanic-Muslim periods and the evolution of the city after the Christian conquest until the present times.
Then you will continue on with a private tour of the Picasso Museum. There and led by your local host, you will learn about the life and work of this iconic local artist through some of the most representative paintings that the museum collection has.
After the Picasso Museum and to top up your history, architecture and art journey, you will be taken to the Thyssen museum which features an important part of the collection of Spanish art collector Carmen Thyssen. This museum focuses mostly on the Spanish art pieces from the 19th and 20th centuries collected by her. This will give you a good overview of Spain’s modern history through selected art pieces.
1pm: after your introduction to the city, enjoy a tapas and wines lunch with your guide. During lunch you will taste a selection of 5 tapas and 3 wines per person and you will understand the vibrant foodie hub that Málaga is becoming, while you are given recommendations of the best tapas bars in the city.
2:30pm: after lunch, be escorted back to your accommodation (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon to finish the tour there) or enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure in the city.
Overnight in Málaga. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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13th of April. Day trip from Málaga to Nerja, Frigiliana and the unspoilt Mediterranean cliffs of Maro.
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8am: private transfer from your accommodation in Málaga to Nerja with your own personal local host and a dedicated driver in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan.
9am: arrival to Nerja and private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its beautiful viewpoints overlooking the Mediterranean sea, and on its traditional Mediterranean architecture. Along your tour you will learn about the evolution of Nerja from a traditional fishing village to a much-loved destination for Mediterranean lifestyle lovers.
10am: private transfer from Nerja to the car park of the unspoilt beach of El Cañuelo.
10:15am: upon arrival to the car park of the beach of El Cañuelo, you will be taken on a short introductory hike towards this unspoilt Mediterranean beach. Then, from there, you will be taken along the cliffs of Maro to the also unspoilt beach of Cantarriján. This hike will offer you beautiful views of the Mediterranean coast while you cross green areas of Mediterranean forest. Once at the beach of Cantarriján, continue on towards the tower of Cerro Gordo for spectacular final views of your hike.
12:30pm: reconnect with your driver near the tower of Cerro Gordo and be transferred to the inland hillside village of Frigiliana for lunch and for a relaxed walk of its old town.
1pm: arrival to Frigiliana and lunch in a selected local restaurant representative of the gastronomy of the area.
2:15pm: after lunch, enjoy a private walking tour of Frigiliana old town with a special focus on its countless quaint corners, whitewashed streets and unbeatable Mediterranean charm.
3:30pm: end of your tour of Frigiliana and private transfer back to Málaga.
4:30pm: arrival to your accommodation in Málaga and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Málaga. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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14th of April. Train from Málaga to Granada and Introductory walking tour of Granada old town and the quarter of El Albaicín.
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8:30am: make your own way from your accommodation in Málaga to Málaga train station.
8:50am: arrival to Málaga train station on time to catch your train to Granada.
9:10am: departure of your train from Málaga train station to Granada train station.
11:42am: arrival of your train to Granada train station and free time to check-in and to have lunch at leisure before your introductory tour of the city.
4pm: be met by your personal local host at your accommodation in Granada (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) to go on a 3h walking tour of Granada old town that will allow you to get familiar with the different quarters of the city. This tour will also help to set the context for your visit to the Alhambra and El Generalife palaces the next day.
With this introductory tour of Granada, you will explore two key areas in the history of the city that also stand out for their beauty and authenticity. You will start visiting the first quarters that developed in Granada after the Christian conquest of the city in 1492. It is in these areas where the Cathedral of Granada was erected and in one of its chapels, the so-called Royal Chapel, you will visit the tombs of the monarchs that were responsible for this conquest (Isabel of Castille and Ferdinand of Aragón). Their tombs are an exquisite sample of Spanish renaissance sculpture. Near this chapel, you will also visit the palace of la Madraza: a unique building that originally was a medieval Quran School and that later was used as a residence. During your visit, you will see beautiful evidence of its original use and of the one that followed.
Later, you will be taken to the iconic quarter of el Albayzín, located on top of a hill and overlooking the Alhambra. El Albayzín was the part of Granada where regular people would live. People whose social scheme inside the walls of the palatial areas of the Alhambra was rather unclear. The quarter of Albayzín is a UNESCO site and it treasures some of the most beautiful corners and views of the Alhambra that the city of Granada has to offer. Your local host will share the most special ones with you, while you are explained about the architecture and infrastructures that the quarter had in the medieval times and of which you will see beautifully preserved evidence.
7pm: end of your tour in Granada old town and rest of the evening at leisure.
Overnight in Granada. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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15th of April. The Alhambra and el Generalife.
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8:45am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) and be transferred by taxi to the top of the hill of La Sabika, where the Alhambra and el Generalife are located.
9am: 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 relax 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.
12pm: end of your tour of the Alhambra and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Granada. (Not booked through Genuine Andalusia).
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Pricing
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The price of this bespoke tour program for a private group of 2 people is 5660 Euros.
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This price includes
– All private tours and experiences mentioned above with a personal local host from Genuine Andalusia.
– All private transportation services mentioned above in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver.
– All entrance tickets and admissions for every guided tour.
– A private visit to a selected sherry bodega in Jerez with the corresponding tastings there.
– A private visit to a selected sherry vineyard in Jerez with the corresponding tastings there.
– A homemade country lunch in a selected vineyard in Jerez including starters, mains, desserts and a farewell sherry cocktail.
– Taxi rides to get from Jerez old town to the vineyard and back.
– Taxi ride to get from your accommodation in Granada (as long as it is located in the old town. Otherwise a central meeting spot will be agreed upon) to the Alhambra.
– Train tickets (short-distance train) to travel from Jerez to Cadiz and back during your day trip to the city.
– Tastings of local produce in selected stalls in the food market in Cádiz.
– A tapas and wines lunch in Cadiz including a selection of 6 – 9 dishes to share and up to 3 drinks per person.
– A wine tasting in a selected local tavern in Cádiz old town.
– Bikes and helmets for your cycle ride in the green way of the mountains of Cadiz.
– A wine tasting in a selected winery in the village of Benaluaría.
– A pairing lunch in this winery including a starter, a main course and a dessert, all paired with wines from the winery.
– A tapas and wine lunch in Málaga old town including a selection of up to 5 tapas and 3 wines per person.
– Petrol, parkings and tolls during the private transfers.
– All taxes.
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This price excludes
– Accommodation
– Flights
– Any meals not mentioned in the section “this price includes”.
– Any train rides not mentioned in the section “this price includes”.
– Anything else not mentioned in the section “this price includes”.
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Confirmation and payments
In order to confirm this bespoke program of private tours we require a 25% deposit of the grand total no later than the 12th of February via credit/debit card. The final 75% must be paid via the same method no later than 15 days prior to the start of the program.
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Grand total of this tour program: 5660 Euros.
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25% deposit needed no later than the 12th of February to confirm the program: 1415 Euros.
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Final 75% needed no later than 15 days prior to the star of the program: 4245 Euros.
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Cancellation policy
If you cancel your tour program more than 15 days prior to its start, we’ll charge the 25% deposit only.
If you cancel your tour program between 15 and 7 days prior to its start, we’ll charge 50% of the full cost of the program.
If you cancel your tour program between 6 and 3 days prior to its start, we’ll charge 75% of the full cost of the program.
If you cancel your tour program 2 days or less prior to its start, we’ll charge 100% of the full cost of the program.
(*) If the travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic didn’t allow for this tour program to happen, we’d give you a full refund. Please note that the travel restrictions we will take as official will be the ones imposed by the corresponding government/s on the general fully vaccinated traveller coming to Spain from the US and not your specific personal circumstances.
