Payment of bespoke trip to Spain | 1st – 19th of October | 2 pax
–
Description and schedule of services
–
1st of October: arrival of your flight to Málaga airport, private transfer to your hotel and day at leisure to recover from your journey
–
8:10pm: upon arrival of your flight to Málaga airport (British Airways 2796), collect your luggage and walk to the arrivals hall. Your private driver will be waiting for you there holding a sign saying “Greg and Bronwyn – Genuine Andalusia”. Then be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to your hotel in Málaga.
9:30pm (estimated): arrival to your hotel in Málaga and rest of the day at leisure to recover from your journey. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see in Málaga and of places to eat. We will also book tables for you if you wish.
Overnight in Malaga: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Palacio Solecio (4*)
–
–
2nd of October: History, architecture, art and gastronomy tour of Málaga old town
–
9:30am: meet your personal art and history expert at your hotel 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 museum: Museo Picasso.
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 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.
12:45pm: after your introduction to the city, enjoy a tapas and wines lunch through 1 or 2 local tapas bars, carefully selected by your guide. During lunch you will taste a selection of 6 – 9 different local specialties to share and up to 4 wines per person while you are explained about the vibrant foodie hub that Málaga has become over the past few years.
2:30pm: after lunch, be escorted back to your accommodation or enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure in the city.
Overnight in Malaga: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Palacio Solecio (4*)
–
–
3rd of October: from Málaga to Córdoba with a stopover in Antequera to tour the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the dolmens of Antequera and Antequera old town
–
9am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the town of Antequera.
10am: upon arrival to Antequera, meet your personal local host to start a private tour of both the archaeological site of the dolmens and of its old town.
Your first part of the tour will take you to discover the dolmens. With more than 6000 years of age, this archaeological site was granted the World Heritage Site recognition in 2016, due to its singularity and very surprising state of conservation.
These majestic prehistorical constructions were used in the area for different rituals and funerary celebrations. It is the number, size, weight and volume of the stone blocks transported and assembled in the basin of Antequera, using rudimentary technology, and the architectural characteristics of the monuments formed by these megaliths, what makes the Antequera Dolmens one of the most important engineering and architectural works of European Prehistory. Antequera Dolmens Site provides an exceptional insight into the funerary and ritual practices of a highly organised prehistoric society of the Neolithic and Bronze Age in the Iberian Peninsula.
From the Dolmens, you will be taken on a panoramic tour of Antequera that will allow you to get a great perspective of the size of the city, of its geography and of its morphology.
Afterwards, you will venture into the heart of the old town for a private walking tour during which you will learn about its Iberian origins, about its Roman period, about its Hispanic-Muslim past and finally about the Christian era. It was during the years that followed the Christian conquest of the city when Antequera flourished with splendour and wealth and when the countless magnificent civil and religious constructions that the town has were erected.
Your private tour will also take you to visit its mediaeval Alcazaba, which has been a witness of different historical periods of the city and which offers impressive views of its surroundings.
1:15pm: after your archaeological and historical journey, you will be be given some free time for lunch at leisure (we will give you recommendations of places to eat and will book a table for you if you wish).
3pm: after lunch, reconnect with your driver and be transferred to your hotel in Cordoba.
4:15pm: arrival to your hotel in Córdoba and end of services for the day. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see in Córdoba and of places to eat. We will also book tables for you if you wish.
Overnight in Cordoba: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel El Balcón de Córdoba (4*)
–
–
4th of October: discovery journey of Córdoba old town including the Great Mosque Cathedral
–
10am: be met by your personal local host by the reception desk of your hotel to go on a 3,5h discovery journey of the historical centre of the city.
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 Córdoba 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, the synagogue, the Chapel of Saint Bartholomew and the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs 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.
The synagogue will allow you to understand the very important Jewish – Sephardic community that Córdoba once had and how much it embraced Hispanic-Muslim decorative arts in its places of devotion.
In the Chapel of Saint Bartholomew you will be explained about the transformations that the Jewish quarter of Córdoba suffered after the pogrom of 1391 and how it was repopulated with Christians, who were also very heavily influenced by Hispanic-Muslim decorative arts.
The Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs will be your last stop. This is a fortification treasuring Roman and Visigothic remains that became an important royal residence in the Hispanic-Muslim and Christian times. Your tour of this landmark will be a journey through the history of the city and also through probably the most beautiful gardens that one can find in Córdoba.
1:30pm: end of your tour at the impressive Roman Bridge of the city and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Cordoba: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel El Balcón de Córdoba (4*)
–
–
5th of October: half day trip from Cordoba to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Medina Azahara
–
9am: be met by your personal driver at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the archaeological site of Medina Azahara.
9:25am: upon arrival to Medina-Azahara, meet your personal local host and start a private walking tour of the site to understand the massive palatial complex that it once was, the different parts it featured, their functions, the relationships between the people who inhabited it, its defensive system, the political role it played during the caliphate of Córdoba and the reasons that led to its decay and abandonment.
12:30pm: reconnect with your driver and be transferred back to Cordoba.
1pm: arrival to Córdoba and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Cordoba: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel El Balcón de Córdoba (4*)
–
–
6th of October: from Córdoba to Granada via the UNESCO World Heritage Site renaissance cities of Úbeda and Baeza.
–
9am: be met by your personal driver at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the UNESCO city of Úbeda.
10:40am: upon arrival to Úbeda, meet your personal local guide and take a private walking tour aimed at discovering its splendid monumental legacy made up of churches, palaces and noble houses.
Ubeda’s Renaissance Monumental Ensemble has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO and your tour will take you to visit the interiors of its most exquisite temple: the Chapel of El Salvador. Then you will be taken to discover the Sephardic history and heritage of Úbeda, while you learn about the important Jewish community that lived in the city in the middle ages.
1:30pm: end of your private walking tour of Úbeda and free time for lunch at leisure. Your guide will point you in the right direction for lunch and will ask your driver to pick you up at the restaurant after lunch.
3pm: reconnect with your private driver and be transferred to Baeza.
3:20pm: upon arrival to Baeza, meet your personal local guide again to start a private walking tour of the old town.
Baeza has also an incredible Renaissance legacy, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, where the carved stone contrasts with the whitewashed farmhouses. Your tour will take you to stroll through the main mediaeval streets while admiring (outside only) the Plaza del Pópulo, the Puerta de Jaén, the Arco de Villalar, the Plaza de Santa Cruz, the Plaza de Santa María, the Palacio de Jabalquinto, the old University, the Cathedral and the Iglesia de Santa Cruz. This will make a delightful afternoon stroll to top up your visit to NorthEast Andalusia.
4:50pm: end of your tour of Baeza and private transfer to your hotel in Granada.
6:20pm: arrival to your hotel in Granada and end of services for the day. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see in Granada and of places to eat. Tables will be booked for you also if you wish.
Overnight in Granada: deluxe double room with Alhambra views and breakfast included at hotel Casa 1800 (3*)
–
–
7th of October: introductory walking tour of Granada old town and evening flamenco and tapas tour.
–
10am: meet your personal local host by the reception desk of your hotel to go on a 3’5h walking tour of Granada old town that will allow you to discover, learn about the history and architecture and experience the beauty of three different quarters of the city.
These are three 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 the conquest of the city (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 mediaeval Quran School and that later was used as a residence by the Spanish nobility. During your visit, you will see beautiful evidence of its original use and of the one that followed.
From there you will be taken to the nearby quarter of El Realejo. This part of Granada was once home to the Sephardic community that lived in the city from the 8th century until 1492. Your tour of El Realejo will take you to the spot where the main synagogue was while you are explained about the origins of this Hispanic-Jewish settlement and about the events that happened in this part of the town during the centuries when it was inhabited by Jewish people. Along your tour you will also learn about important members of the Sephardic community of Granada and about their contribution to subjects such as medicine, poetry, philosophy and translation in mediaeval Spain.
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 mediaeval times and of which you will see beautifully preserved evidence.
This introduction to the city of Granada will set the historical context for your tour to the Alhambra and el Generalife the next day.
1:30pm: end of your tour and rest of the afternoon at leisure before your evening flamenco and tapas tour.
6pm: reconnect with your local host by the reception desk at your accommodation to go on a flamenco and tapas tour of Granada old town.
This tour will start with an introductory walk aimed at learning how flamenco music emerged from Southern Spain as a result of a slow fusion of the ancient multicultural musical heritage of Southern Spain with the original gypsy rhythms and musical roots. This will set the context for (and enhance your appreciation and enjoyment of) the flamenco performance in a small and intimate venue that will follow, with 4 people on stage (one singer, one guitarist and two dancers).
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 and up to 4 drinks per person (beer, wine, refreshments, water). 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: deluxe double room with Alhambra views and breakfast included at hotel Casa 1800 (3*)
–
–
8th of October: discovery journey of the Alhambra and el Generalife.
–
9:30am: be met by your personal Alhambra expert and be transferred by taxi to the top of the hill of la Sabika, where the Alhambra and El Generalife are located.
9:45am: start your private walking tour of the Alhambra and el Generalife. This tour will allow you to enjoy the exquisite refinement of the most splendorous construction that the Muslims built in Spain: the Alhambra. The Alhambra was a palatial town, formed by different parts, all of which you will get to discover with your local host in order to understand how they all worked together, the role that each of them had and the different people who inhabited them. After your tour of the Alhambra you will be taken to the Generalife or summer palace of the Nasrid Sultans, where they would go to get away from the hustle of life in the Alhambra. The Generalife is a magical place designed for relaxation and contemplation and its gardens, architecture and views are simply spectacular.
1:30pm: end of your private tour of the Alhambra and rest of the day at leisure in Granada.
Overnight in Granada: deluxe double room with Alhambra views and breakfast included at hotel Casa 1800 (3*)
–
–
9th of October: from Córdoba to Ronda and introductory walking tour of Ronda old town.
–
10:30am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to your accommodation in Ronda.
12:45pm: upon arrival to your accommodation in Ronda, check in (subject to your room being ready. Alternatively drop off your luggage at your hotel) and enjoy some free time in town for lunch at leisure.
3pm: meet your personal local host at your accommodation to start your private walking tour of Ronda old town.
This tour will start a private tour of its bullring, which is the oldest in Spain. Along this part of the tour you will 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. This will make a perfect introduction to this Spanish tradition before visiting a farm of brave bulls later on during your trip.
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 also has 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.
6pm: end of your tour of Ronda and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Ronda: duplex double room with breakfast included at Parador de Ronda (4*).
–
–
10th of October: day trip from Ronda to the nature reserve of the Genal Valley for a gentle hike and an immersion into the life of one of its rural villages including a visit to a local winery with a pairing lunch there
–
9am: meet your personal nature guide at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle 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 6km guided hike towards the village of Benalauría. You will first be explained about the Berber 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 house of a local family. There you will enjoy a local homemade lunch. The father of the family is a winemaker too and you will get to tour his winery and pair his wines with your lunch. This will make a wonderful opportunity to get to know the lifestyle of those Southern Spanish people who have embraced village life and will be the icing on the cake for your immersion into the life of a remote mountain village in South West Spain.
3:30pm: end of lunch and private transfer back to your accommodation in Ronda.
4:15pm: arrival to your accommodation in Ronda and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Ronda: duplex double room with breakfast included at Parador de Ronda (4*).
–
–
11th of October: day trip from Ronda to visit three artisanal food producers in their properties: olive oil, cheese and salt
–
9am: meet your personal local host at your hotel in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with a dedicated driver to a traditional olive oil mill.
Along the way you will be explained about rural life in Southernmost Spain and about its artisanal producers, before meeting some selected ones yourself!
10am: arrival to the traditional olive oil mill. Meeting with the owner and explanation of how they make their olive oil, with olives coming from both the surrounding groves and wild olive trees. Tasting of their olive oil at the end of the visit.
11am: private transfer from the olive oil mill to the farm of a salt producer where everything has been done manually since Roman times.
11:15am: arrival to the farm of the salt producer and private tour of the area where he has a natural salt water spring and the facilities that he uses to extract the salt from this water. These facilities have been used since Roman times and the family who owns them today still follows the same ancient methods to extract the salt. You will learn about them and about the different types of salt that they produce.
12:15pm: private transfer from the salt farm to the farm of a local goat shepherd.
12:45pm: arrival to the farm, meeting with the shepherd (who was recently awarded a World Cheese Award), understanding of his very artisanal approach to cheese making and tasting of selected cheeses in the farm with him.
1:30pm: end of the visit to the shepherd and private transfer to a nearby town for lunch.
2pm: arrival to the town and lunch there.
3:30pm: end of lunch and private transfer back to your accommodation in Ronda.
4:30pm: arrival to your accommodation in Ronda and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Ronda: duplex double room with breakfast included at Parador de Ronda (4*).
–
–
12th of October: from Ronda to Jerez via the whitewashed hilltop villages of Arcos de la Frontera and Medina – Sidonia
–
9am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with a dedicated driver to the village of Arcos de la Frontera.
10:15am: arrival to Arcos de la Frontera and private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its history, its combination of houses of traditional architecture and grand historic landmarks, traditions, stunning viewpoints and including tastings of some local treats along the way.
12pm: end of the tour in Arcos de la Frontera and private transfer to Medina Sidonia.
12:45pm: arrival to Medina Sidonia and small tour of the quarters located both inside and outside the mediaeval city walls. Understanding of the long and colourful history of the village and of its periods of maximum splendour, which are the ones when the nearby city of Cadiz held the monopoly of all trade with America.
2pm: after your walking tour of Medina – Sidonia, you will be taken for lunch to a selected local restaurant run by two sisters from the village.
3:30pm: end of lunch and private transfer to your accommodation in Jerez.
4:15pm: arrival to your accommodation in Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
–
–
13th of October: discovery journey of Jerez old town and of its local food and wine scene (sherry)
–
9:30am: meet your personal local host at your hotel (a certified Sherry Educator by the Sherry Regulatory Board and fully licensed guide) and start a private walking tour of the old town aimed at learning about its Hispanic-Muslim origins and about the transformations in 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 the local wines became the most fashionable in the world. Your tour will also include a visit to the local market in order for you to see the ingredients that shape the local gastronomy and also to understand the important resource it is for the local community and the key role it plays in the social fabric of the city.
11am: end of your introductory tour in a selected sherry bodega and private tour with the owner aimed at learning about the ageing process of the different types of sherry. This will be followed by the corresponding tastings (some of them straight from the cask). For the driest sherry, you will be offered a vertical tasting aimed at learning how the base wine evolves in the ageing system until becoming a sherry.
12:30pm: after your visit to the sherry bodega take a taxi to a selected private vineyard in the country outside Jerez.
12:50pm: arrival to the vineyard and meeting with the owner to later take a walk through his vines, aimed at learning about the particularities of the soil, of the grapes, of the climate and of the vines that make sherry so unique. This will be followed by a tasting of the sherries that the owner makes and ages only for him and his family. This will be accompanied by a selection of tapas.
2:30pm: then be called to the dining area of the house for a homemade country lunch cooked on site by the owner’s wife. This will make a great opportunity to interact further with your hosts and ask as many questions as you like about them and their fortified wines.
4pm: after lunch, enjoy a farewell sherry cocktail to learn how versatile sherries can be for these types of drinks.
4:30pm: taxi transfer back to Jerez.
5pm: arrival to your hotel in Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
–
–
14th of October: day trip from Jerez to the colonial city of Cadiz
–
9:15am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the colonial city of Cadiz. 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.
10:15am: upon arrival to Cadiz, enjoy a panoramic tour of the perimeter of the old town aimed at learning about its peculiar geography and about its defensive colonial architecture.
10:35am: after your panoramic tour, 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.
1pm: 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.
1:30pm: end of your tour of the market and and short walk to a selected local tavern to learn about the famous fortified wines that travelled from Cádiz to América. Tasting of selected local fortified wines there.
2pm: small walk from the tavern 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.
3:30pm: end of lunch and short walk to a historic cafe where the local bourgeoisie used to gather during the times of thriving transatlantic trade.
3:40pm: arrival to the cafe and farewell coffee there with a tasting of the most typical local sweets.
4:10pm: reconnect with your driver and be transferred back to your hotel in Jerez.
Overnight in Jerez: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
–
–
15th of October: from Jerez to Seville with a stop en-route to visit a farm of brave bulls and Spanish horses and have lunch there with the owner.
–
10:30am: meet your personal local host at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver to a selected farm of brave bulls in the countryside outside Jerez.
11am: upon arrival to the farm, be welcome by the owner, who will show you first the family estate while giving you an introduction about the history of breeding brave bulls in the family. Then it will be time to get on a 4 x 4 vehicle to go and explore the areas where their brave bulls are bred.
Along the journey you will learn about the art of breeding brave bulls. From the selection of the mother cows and breeding bulls, to the identification of the characteristics that are demanded by different bullrings in Spain for the bullfights. Then you will learn what being a farmer of brave bulls is like in the middle of the 21st century.
Back at the house of the family, you will be able to enjoy some relaxed time with the owner and ask as many questions as you like while you are served some appetisers. Then you will be called for a homemade lunch that you will enjoy with the owner and your personal local host. This will make an excellent opportunity to immerse yourselves into the life of a farmer of brave bulls and to learn some very interesting facts about this Spanish tradition.
3pm: reconnect with your private driver and be transferred to your hotel in Seville.
4pm: arrival to your hotel in Seville and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa del Poeta (4*)
–
–
16th of October: private walking tour of Seville World Heritage Sites
–
9:30am: be met by your personal local guide at your accommodation in Seville to start a private walking tour that will take you to the most impressive World Heritages Sites of the city (the Alcazar and the Cathedral with its Giralda tower) and to the quarter of Santa Cruz.
You will start your discovery journey by visiting the Alcazar, which is a massive complex of palaces erected in different periods and of breath-taking gardens of different styles. The Alcazar 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 landscaping from the 16th until the 20th centuries.
Then you will be taken to visit the Cathedral, which is the largest gothic temple in the World and where Christopher Columbus is buried. The Cathedral of Seville was built on a vast extension of land where previously a Mosque had been erected. An important part of the Mosque was preserved and it is now a part of the Cathedral. This makes it a unique construction featuring styles as diverse as Hispanic-Muslim, Gothic, Renaissance, Neoclassical and Baroque. A most important part of the Cathedral is its bell tower known as la Giralda. During your tour you will be taken to the top in order to enjoy the wonderful views of Seville that one can admire from there.
To finish you will visit the quarter of Santa Cruz, with its countless quaint corners, narrow streets, cosy squares, houses of traditional Southern Spanish architecture and Moorish urban planning. It is in this quarter where an important part of the Jewish Sephardic community of Seville lived in the mediaeval times and you will learn about what life in the quarter was like then and how it has evolved until becoming what it is today.
1pm: end of your tour and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Seville: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa del Poeta (4*)
–
–
17th of October: half-day trip from Seville to the Roman archaeological sites of Italica and Carmona
–
9:30am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation in Seville, be escorted to where your dedicated driver will be waiting for you with his Mercedes vehicle and start your day trip to the archaeological site of Itálica and the town of Carmona.
Located only 15km and 35km respectively outside Seville, the archaeological site of Itálica and the town of Carmona are a must for those travellers willing to learn about Hispania: the Roman territory that Spain once was. The proximity to Seville of both places and the very reasonable distance that separates one from the other (a 35min drive), make an ideal combo day trip from the Andalusian capital.
This day trip will take you first to Itálica. This former Roman city was built in 216 B.C. as a fortified military settlement and it soon became a prestigious city with impressive constructions such as a theatre, an amphitheatre, Roman baths and several grand residences. This tour aims at recreating the splendour of a city that saw the birth of emperor Trajan in the 1st century A.D. and arguably of Hadrian too. Amazing mosaics in a surprising state of conservation, streets with their original paving, an urban planning of perfect square blocks and the breath-taking space where gladiators would fight each other in front of more than 20000 people will make you understand the level of refinement and development of the Roman empire 20 centuries ago.
From Itálica, you will travel to Carmona where you will start visiting its vast Roman necropolis, which features several extremely monumental tombs as well as other types of funerary chambers that reveal the level of economic, cultural and spiritual development that the city enjoyed during the Roman times.
Later, you will be transferred to Carmona old town where you will see its beautifully preserved Hispanic-Muslim walls and its countless noble residences and grand Christian constructions.
Then it will be time for a well deserved local lunch in charming Carmona and after that, you will be transferred back to Seville.
4pm: arrival to your hotel in Seville and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa del Poeta (4*)
–
–
18th of October: day trip from Seville to the natural park of Aracena to visit a farm of Iberian pigs and learn all about the production of Iberico ham
–
9am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation in Seville and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver to the natural park of Aracena, home of the best Iberian Ham in the world.
Along the way, you will be given some explanations about the geography, landscape, economy, culture, agriculture and farming of South West Spain.
10:30am: upon arrival to the natural park of Aracena, visit a private extension of dehesa forest with an expert, to learn about the habitat where free range, acorn-fed, Iberian pigs live and about the animals themselves. Dehesa is a unique type of ecosystem ideal to raise Iberian pigs for the production of top-quality Iberian ham. During your visit you will discover the particularities of this ecosystem and about its connection to the breeding of Iberian pigs.
11:30am: after your visit to the dehesa and with all the knowledge acquired there, be transferred to the facilities where the Iberian ham of this farm is cured.
11:45am: upon arrival to the curing cellars, you will be taken on a private tour aimed at learning about the very specific artisanal treatments and particular humidity and temperature conditions to cure Iberian pig meats. This will be followed by a guided tasting of iberian ham, which will make a great end to your discovery journey of the most iconic food from SouthWest Spain.
1pm: after your visit to the iberian ham farm, be transferred to the whitewashed village of Aracena for lunch.
1:30pm: arrival to Aracena and lunch in a selected local restaurant.
3pm: after lunch, you may want to take a stroll around Aracena to enjoy its picturesque streets and traditional architecture.
4pm: end of your visit to Aracena and private transfer back to Seville.
5:15pm: arrival to Seville and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville: deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Casa del Poeta (4*)
–
–
19th of October: departure from Seville
–
9:30am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Seville airport.
10am: arrival to Seville airport on time to take your flight at 12:15pm (Transavia 4607).
–
–
Pricing
–
The cost of this bespoke trip for a private group of 2 people is 21405 Euros.
–
This price includes
– 18 nights accommodation with breakfast included as per mentioned above.
– All private transportation services mentioned above in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated uniformed driver.
– All private tours and activities mentioned above with a knowledgeable, personable, kind, flexible and interactive fully licensed guide.
– All entrance tickets and admissions for each of the tours / activities.
– A tapas and wines lunch in Málaga old town including a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water).
– A tapas and wines dinner in Granada old town including a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water) and finishing with a sweet local treat.
– Admission to a selected flamenco venue in Granada old town for a flamenco show with 4 people onstage (2 dancers, 1 singer and 1 guitarist).
– Taxi ride to get from your hotel in Granada to the Alhambra.
– A private visit to a family-owned and family-run small winery in the heart of the Genal Valley with the corresponding tastings there and a homemade pairing lunch including 2 starters, 1 main course and 1 dessert, all of them paired with wines from the winery.
– Private visits to an olive oil mill, to a cheese farm and to a salt farm with the corresponding tastings there.
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant on the day of your visits to the olive oil mill, to the cheese farm and to the salt farm including a selection of 2 starters to share, 1 main course per person, 1 dessert per person and up to 3 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water).
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant in the village of Medina-Sidonia including a selection of 2 starters to share, 1 main course per person, 1 dessert per person and up to 3 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water).
– A private visit to a selected sherry bodega in Jerez old town including the corresponding sherry tastings there.
– A private visit to a selected sherry vineyard in the countryside outside Jerez with a tasting of the sherries that the owner makes and ages only for him and his family, followed by a homemade country lunch including starters, mains, desserts and all paired with sherries made and aged by the family.
– Taxi rides to get from Jerez old town to the vineyard and back.
– Farewell sherry cocktails to finalise the visit to the sherry vineyard.
– Tastings of selected local produce in the local market in Cadiz.
– A wine tasting in a selected local tavern in Cadiz old town.
– A tapas and wines lunch in Cadiz including a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water).
– A coffee with local sweets in a grand café in Cadiz old town.
– Private visit to a selected brave bull ranch in the countryside between Jerez and Seville with a homemade lunch in the farm estate of the family who owns it, including appetisers, a starter, a main course, dessert and wines from the family cellar.
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant in the town of Carmona including a selection of 2 starters to share, one main course per person, one dessert per person and up to 3 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water).
– A private visit to a selected farm of Iberian pigs with its corresponding curing cellars including a tasting of different types of Iberian Ham and other cured meats at the end paired with 3 different local wines.
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant in the town of Aracena including a selection of 2 starters to share, one main course per person, one dessert per person and up to 3 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water).
– A list of recommended things to do and see and of places to eat in each of the places where you will be based.
– 24h support throughout your trip.
– Petrol, parking and tolls.
– All taxes.
–
This price excludes
– Your international flights.
– Any meals not mentioned right above.
– Anything else not mentioned right above.
–
Confirmation and payments
In order to confirm this bespoke trip at this price we require a 20% deposit of the grand total no later than the 29th of December 2022 at 11:59pm (Madrid time) via credit/debit card. The remaining 80% must be paid via the same method no later than 30 days prior to the start of the trip.
–
Grand total of this trip: 21405 Euros
–
20% deposit needed no later than the 29th of December 2022 at 11:59am (Madrid time) to confirm the trip: 4281 Euros.
–
–
Balance needed no later than 30 days prior to the start of the trip: 17124 Euros
–
Cancellation policy
– If you cancel your trip more than 30 days prior to scheduled departure, we will charge the 20% deposit only.
– If you cancel your trip between 30 and 10 days prior to scheduled departure, we will charge 50% of the full cost of your trip and we will refund the remaining 50%.
– If you cancel your trip between 9 and 4 days prior to scheduled departure, we will charge 70% of the full cost of your trip and we will refund the remaining 30%.
– If you cancel your trip 3 days or less prior to scheduled departure, we will charge 100% of the full cost of your trip.
(*) If Spain closes its border due to a national or global emergency and you are not able to enter the country to take this trip, we will give you a full refund.
(**) Genuine Andalusia strongly recommends buying travel insurance for any international trip. Most of our guests buy their travel insurance via MedJet.
(***) Please note that partial cancellations won’t result in partial refunds. This applies to the group size and to the length of the trip.
