Payment of bespoke trip to Spain | 20th of May – 4th of June | 2 pax
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Description and schedule of services
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20th of May: Arrival to Seville airport and private transfer to hotel. Rest of the day at leisure to recover from your journey
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9:30am: upon arrival to Seville airport, collect your luggage, walk to the arrivals hall and meet your personal driver there. He will be holding a sign saying “Linda and Tom – Genuine Andalusia”. Then be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to your hotel in Seville.
10:45am (estimated): arrival to your hotel in Seville and rest of the day at leisure to recover from your journey.
Overnight in Seville: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Mercer (5*).
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21st of May: half-day trip from Seville to a private farm of brave bulls in the country to learn about the art of breeding brave bulls and to have lunch with the owner in the farm estate of the family, then evening flamenco and tapas tour of Seville old town
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10am: 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 Seville.
11am: upon arrival to the farm, be welcomed 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 appetizers. 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.
This will make a perfect introduction to bullfighting before your tour of the bullring in Ronda.
2:30pm: reconnect with your private driver and be transferred to your hotel in Seville.
3:30pm: arrival to your hotel in Seville and free time to rest before your evening flamenco and tapas tour.
6:30pm: meet your personal local host by the reception desk of your hotel to start a guided walk towards a selected flamenco venue.
This introductory walk is aimed at learning how flamenco music emerged from South West 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).
7:30pm: start of the flamenco performance.
8:30pm: after your flamenco performance, enjoy a tapas tasting tour through Seville old town. Along the journey, you will be taken to 2 – 3 different bars where Sevillanos like to gather with relatives and friends and where you will be immersed into the local culture through its gastronomy and wine. Along the tour you will taste a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water). This tour will also make an excellent opportunity to start learning about the iconic wines from SouthWest Spain.
10:30pm: after your tapas and wines adventure, be escorted back to your hotel stopping along the way for a sweet local treat.
11pm: arrival to your hotel and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Mercer (5*).
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22nd of May: late morning walking tour of Seville UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Alcazar or Moorish palace, the Cathedral and the Archive of the Indies
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10am: be met by your personal local guide at your hotel in Seville to start a private walking tour that will take you to visit its impressive World Heritages Sites: the Alcazar or Moorish palace, the Cathedral with its Giralda tower and the Archive of the Indies.
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 splendor 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, which is a perfectly preserved Hispanic-Muslim minaret from the period when a Mosque occupied the grounds where the Cathedral stands today. 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 Archive of the Indies. The Archive of the Indies is an iconic neoclassical building erected to keep invaluable documents from all those commercial expeditions that took place between Seville and the New World. Learning about it will uncover probably the most glorious period of the history of Seville and how it connects to the American continent and to the present character of the city.
1:30pm: end of your tour and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Seville: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Mercer (5*).
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23rd of May: day trip from Seville to the natural park of Aracena to learn about the production of Spain’s most iconic delicacy: acorn-fed Iberico Ham
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8:30am: 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 this particular area in South West Spain.
10am: 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.
11am: 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.
11:15am: 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.
12:30pm: after your visit to the iberian ham farm, be transferred to the whitewashed village of Aracena for lunch.
1pm: arrival to Aracena and lunch in a selected local restaurant there.
2:45pm: after lunch, you may want to take a stroll around Aracena, while Shelli and Corey visit the Gruta de las Maravillas, 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: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Mercer (5*).
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24th of May: Seville morning market tour and Spanish cooking lesson with a local chef
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9:30am: meet your personal cooking instructor at your accommodation to start your food and culture experience of the day.
After meeting your cooking instructor at your hotel, you will be taken to a local market to buy all the necessary fresh ingredients for today’s lunch. Along your shopping route, your cooking instructor will provide you with some important explanations about the origins and quality of different produce. This will allow you to understand how the Spanish like to carefully select the ingredients they use for their dishes. Then, your instructor will take you to her cooking studio, just outside Seville old town.
Upon arrival, you will be offered something to drink and then your culinary experience will continue with some further explanations about the origin and quality of some selected produce, this time through 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 in the cooking studio of your instructor. Finally and after a sweet indulgence, your culinary experience will finish leaving you with a happy belly and a happy soul!
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 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 tour.
2:30pm: end of your cooking experience with your local host and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Seville: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Mercer (5*).
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25th of May: Day trip from Seville to Córdoba to tour the Great Mosque Cathedral, the Jewish quarter and a selection of its iconic courtyards
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9am: meet your personal driver at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to Cordoba old town.
10:40am: upon arrival to Cordoba old town, be left in the hands of your personal local host to go on a 3h discovery journey of the historical center 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 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 splendor 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 construction.
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.
After your visit to the Great Mosque Cathedral you will be taken to the quarter of San Basilio to see some of its iconic courtyards decorated by their owners with plants and flowers. This is a very common tradition in Córdoba and you will be explained about it and how UNESCO has now declared it immaterial World Heritage.
1:40pm: end of your tour at the impressive Roman Bridge of the city and free time for lunch at leisure. We will give you recommendations of places to eat and book a table for you if you wish.
3:30pm: reconnect with your driver and be transferred back to Seville.
5:10pm: arrival to your hotel in Seville and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Mercer (5*).
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26th of May: day trip from Seville to the Sherry capital of Jerez for an initiation to the world of Sherry wines including a homemade country lunch in a private vineyard
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9am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Jerez old town.
10:15am: upon arrival to Jerez, meet your personal sherry host and start a private walking tour of the old town aimed at learning about the Hispanic-Muslim origins of the city and about the transformations that it experience (architecture, urban planning, social composition and overall character) in the 18th and 19th centuries, when the local wines became probably the most fashionable drinks in the world.
Your visit will also include a tour of the local market in order for you to understand not only the produce that shapes the local gastronomy but also the very important proximity service it is for the local community and the role it plays in the social fabric of the city.
11:15am: end of your walking tour in a selected sherry bodega and private tour with the owner aimed at learning about the aging process of the different types of sherry. This will be followed by the corresponding tastings.
12:45pm: end of the visit to the sherry bodega and private transfer to a selected vineyard in the countryside outside Jerez.
1:05pm: arrival to the vineyard, meeting with the owner and tour around the vines with him, aimed at having an introduction to sherry viticulture. Understanding of the particularities of the soil, of the climate, of the vines and of the grapes that make sherry so unique.
1:35pm: end of the walk in the private bodega of the owner, where he makes and ages Sherry only for him and his family. Tasting of his artisanal sherries accompanied by a selection of tapas.
2:30pm: homemade lunch (starters, mains and dessert) in the vineyard house of the owner cooked on site by his wife and accompanied by the corresponding sherries.
4:15pm: end of lunch and farewell sherry cocktail.
4:45pm: private transfer from the vineyard to your hotel in Jerez.
5:10pm: arrival to your hotel in Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
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27th of May: culture and gastronomy day trip from Jerez to the colonial city of Cadiz: the oldest city in Western Europe
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9:30am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a dedicated driver to the 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.
10:10am: upon arrival to Cadiz, enjoy a panoramic tour along the perimeter of the city in order to understand its particular geography and to see its colonial defensive architecture.
After your panoramic tour, 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 walk 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 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.
1:45pm: end of the tasting and short 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.
3:15pm: end of lunch private transfer back to Jerez.
4pm: arrival to your accommodation in Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
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28th of May: day trip from Jerez to visit artisanal food producers in the natural park of Grazalema: bread, salt and cheese
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8:30am: meet your personal local host at your hotel in Jerez and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with a dedicated driver to the farm of a salt producer in the middle of the mountains.
9:20am: 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 now 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 in a fully artisanal way without any machinery.
10:20am: private transfer from the salt farm to the farm of an award-winning local goat shepherd.
10:45am: arrival to the farm, meeting with the shepherd, understanding of his very artisanal approach to cheese making and tasting of selected cheeses in the farm with him.
12pm: private transfer from the cheese farm to a water mill and bakery in a nearby whitewashed town.
12:30pm: upon arrival to the mill, you will be introduced to the miller who owns a water mill dating from the 17 hundreds. After being introduced to the miller, he will show you his water mill to later grind some wheat to obtain the necessary flour for the bread-making workshop that will follow. Seeing the water mill in full operation will allow you to travel back in time to an era when electricity or petrol didn’t exist and when machines were powered by natural forces. Once you obtain the flour, you will start a bread-making workshop with the miller himself (who is also the local baker). This will make a fun and interactive way to learn about the lifestyle of a rural village in Southern Spain.
2pm: after your wheat-grinding and bread-making workshop, be escorted to a nearby restaurant for lunch.
2:10pm: arrival to the restaurant and lunch there.
3:40pm: end of lunch and private transfer back to Jerez.
4:40pm: arrival to Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: Junior Suite with breakfast included at Hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
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29th of May: from Jerez to Granada via the clifftop town of Ronda to tour the town and discover its gastronomy and re-emerging wine scene
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9:30am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Jerez and be transferred in a modern and comfortable minivan to Ronda old town.
11am: upon arrival to Ronda old town, meet your personal local host to start a private walking tour of the old town including the oldest bullring in Spain.
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.
1:15pm: after your private tour of Ronda, reconnect with your driver and be transferred to a selected local winery just outside Ronda.
1:30pm: upon arrival to the winery, be welcomed by a member of the family and enjoy a private visit to both their vineyard and their aging facilities to later enjoy a pairing lunch there including 3 courses and 1 dessert, all paired with their wines.
3:45pm: end of your experience at the winery and private transfer to your accommodation in Granada.
6pm: arrival to your hotel in Granada and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Granada: Junior Suite with breakfast included at hotel Palacio de los Patos (5*)
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30th of May: walking tour of the Alhambra and el Generalife and evening tapas tour
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9:30am: be met by your personal local host and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with a dedicated driver to the top of the hill of la Sabika, where the Alhambra and el Generalife are located.
9:45am: 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.
1pm: after your tour of the Alhambra, enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure.
7:30pm: reconnect with your personal local host to enjoy a tapas and wines journey through Granada old town.
Understanding how Granada works when it comes to celebrating food can be one of the most revealing experiences of the local culture. Tapas play a key role in the wide variety of options that the city 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 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 hectic social life that Granadinos have and how most of it takes place around food in tapas bars.
This second tapas tour of your trip will make a perfect continuation after your introduction in Seville to this genuinely Southern Spanish eating habit. Besides, it will allow you to understand the differences between the gastronomy and wines of the Western and Eastern regions of Southern Spain.
10:30pm: end of your tapas tour back at your hotel.
Overnight in Granada: Junior Suite with breakfast included at hotel Palacio de los Patos (5*)
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31st of May: from Granada to Jaén vía the UNESCO World Heritage Renaissance town of Ubeda with a tour of the old town upon arrival.
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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 to take a private walking tour of the old town, aimed at discovering its splendid monumental legacy made up of palaces, noble mansions and majestic temples.
Úbeda is a unique example of the arrival of Renaissance trends in Spain in the 16th century and its monumental old town section has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Your tour will allow you to understand why this town in Northeast Andalusia became one of the most prosperous in the Christian kingdom of Castilla in the 16th century while you are taken to visit the interiors of its most exquisite temple: the Chapel of El Salvador, which is considered one of the best examples of funerary architecture in Europe. Then in the surroundings of the chapel, you will be taken to see and learn about some of the best Renaissance constructions in Úbeda.
Then you will discover the Sephardic history of the city to finally top up your tour with a visit to the inhabited palace of a noble family guided by one of the owners and accompanied by your local host.
1:10pm: end of your private walking tour of Úbeda and free time for lunch at leisure. Your private guide will give you recommendations of places to eat and will assist you in getting a table at a restaurant.
2:40pm: end of lunch and private transfer to your hotel in Jaén.
3:20pm: arrival to your hotel in Jaén and rest of the day at leisure. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see in Jaén during your free time and also of places to eat. We will book tables for you if you like too.
Overnight in Jaén: superior double room with balcony and breakfast included at Parador de Jaén (4*)
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1st of June: day trip from Jaén to the town of Baeza and to an award-winning olive oil mill to learn about and taste probably the best olive oil in Spain
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9:45am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the nearby Renaissance town of Baeza.
10:25am: upon arrival to Baeza, be met by your personal local host to start a private walking tour of its historic center.
Declared a historic-artistic site, Baeza has also an incredible Renaissance legacy, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, where the carved stone contrasts with the whitewashed farmhouses.
Your journey will start by visiting the old Market Square and today’s heart of the city. The Market Square is the symbol of the evolution of the city through the centuries and will allow you to understand its Islamic and Renaissance roots. Later, you will enter the Old town through its main gate, a 12th century Islamic arch transformed into a stunning Renaissance construction for the visit of Emperor Charles V.
Once inside the city walls, you will find a maze of cobblestoned alleys, churches and palaces in an impeccable state of conservation. There you will visit the cathedral, an eclectic combination of Islamic, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles to later get to the Mirador del Guadalquivir, a breathtaking spot overlooking the Valley of Guadalquivir river. From there, you will get to see an endless ocean of olive trees. It will be then when your guide will explain to you why this region in Northeast Andalusia is the main producer of olive oil in the world.
Finally, to top up your tour, you will be taken to the old Seminary of Baeza, the evocative palace of Jabalquinto and the Old University. This will make a delightful visit to top up your history and architecture exploration of NorthEast Andalusia before proceeding to learn about and taste its most iconic delicacy (extra virgin olive oil) in an award-winning mill.
12:20pm: reconnect with your driver and together with your local host be transferred in a modern and comfortable minivan to a selected olive oil mill just outside Baeza.
12:30pm: arrival to the mill and private tour with one of the in-house olive oil experts and aimed at learning about its production, properties, quality and enjoyment. At the end of the tour, you will enjoy a tasting of different types of olive oil. This will give you an appreciation of how different olives are used for the production of different oils with unique aromas and tastes and why each of them is suited to different culinary purposes.
2pm: after your olive oil tour and tasting, reconnect with your driver and be taken to Baeza old town for lunch. Your guide will escort you to a restaurant after suggesting some options.
2:15pm: arrival to the restaurant and lunch there at leisure.
3:40pm: after lunch reconnect with your driver and be transferred back to your hotel in Jaén.
4:20pm: arrival to your hotel in Jaén and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jaén: superior double room with balcony and breakfast included at Parador de Jaén (4*)
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2nd of June: from Jaén to Toledo and orientation walking tour of Toledo old town
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10:30am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Jaén and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Toledo old town.
1:15pm: upon arrival to Toledo, check into your hotel (subject to your room being ready. Alternatively drop off your luggage there) and enjoy some free time for lunch before your introductory tour of the city. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see and of places to eat during your free time in the city.
4pm: meet your personal local host at your accommodation to start a private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its Jewish history, from its origins and maximum splendor under the Hispanic-Muslim rule until the Christian conquest of the city.
Along your tour you will visit the synagogues of Santa María la Blanca and of El Tránsito, which are extraordinary examples of the Jewish-Sephardic heritage of the city.
To finish you will visit a former Hispanic-Muslim palace (taller del Moro) in order to discover the similarities between the Moorish architecture of Toledo and Andalucía and to understand the important Hispanic-Muslim city that Toledo was along with Cordoba, Granada and Seville in the middle ages.
6:30pm: end of your tour and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Toledo: Junior suite with breakfast included at Hotel Eugenia de Montijo (5*)
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3rd of June: discovery journey of Toledo
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10am: meet your personal local host in Toledo again to keep exploring the fascinating history and legacy of the city.
Today your tour will take you to see some further remarkable evidence of the presence of the Hispanic-Muslim culture in the city in the former Mosque of el Cristo de la Luz.
You will then visit the former church of San Román which is the most exquisite example of the interaction between the three great Mediterranean cultures that took place in Toledo. This is especially present in the architecture and iconographic program of the church which features some impressive frescoes from the Middle ages.
Finally, to top up your tour you will visit the Cathedral of Toledo, which is one of the most important ones ever erected in Spain.
1pm: end of your tour and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Toledo: Junior suite with breakfast included at Hotel Eugenia de Montijo (5*)
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4th of June: departure from Madrid
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9:25am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Madrid airport.
10:25am: arrival to Madrid airport on time to take your flight back to the US
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Pricing
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The cost of this bespoke trip for a private group of 2 people is 21445 Euros
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This price includes
– 15 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 driver.
– All private tours mentioned above with a personal local host (a knowledgeable, personable, kind, flexible and interactive fully licensed guide).
– All entrance tickets and admissions during these tours.
– A private visit to a selected farm of brave bulls and Spanish horses outside Seville including a homemade lunch there with the owner.
– Admission to a selected flamenco performance in Seville in a small venue with 4 people onstage (2 dancers, 1 singer, 1 guitarist).
– A tapas and wines dinner in Seville with a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share, up to 4 wines per person (or beer, refreshments or water) and a sweet local treat to finish.
– A private visit to a selected farm of iberian pigs with its own curing cellars with the corresponding tastings of acorn fed Iberian ham, paired with local wines.
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant in the town of Aracena including a selection of starters to share, one main course per person, one dessert per person and up to 3 drinks per person.
– Admission to the Gruta de las Maravillas for Linda (Tom and the guide stay in the town of Aracena having a coffee or exploring the town).
– Market tour and cooking lesson with tastings before enjoying a home made lunch in the house and cooking studio of a local lady in Seville and including 2 appetizers, 1 main course, 1 dessert and drinks (wine, beer, refreshments, water). We will send you a menu proposal for you to approve before the cooking lesson.
– Private visit to a selected sherry bodega in Jerez with the corresponding sherry tastings there.
– Private visit to a selected sherry vineyard in Jerez with a second round of sherry tastings there (that the owner makes and ages only for him and his family) followed by a homemade country lunch with starters, mains, desserts and sherry.
– Farewell sherry cocktail at the sherry vineyard.
– A private visit to a salt farm in the natural park of Grazalema with the corresponding explanations and tastings there.
– A private visit to the farm of a goat’s cheese producer (an award winning one) and a tasting of his best cheese there.
– A private visit to a 17th century water mill to learn about its operation grinding wheat. This will be followed by a bread-making workshop with the miller.
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant near the water mill including a selection of starters to share, one main course per person, one dessert per person and up to 3 drinks per person.
– A private visit to a selected winery outside Ronda with a homemade pairing lunch there (4 courses and 4 wines).
– A tapas and wines dinner in Granada with a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share, up to 4 wines per person (or beer, refreshments or water) and a sweet local treat to finish.
– A private visit to a selected olive oil mill outside Baeza with the corresponding olive oil tastings there.
– A list of recommended things to do and see and of places to eat in each of the places you will visit. We will also book tables for you if you like.
– 24h Guardian Angel service throughout your trip.
– All taxes.
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This price excludes
– Your international flights.
– Any meals not mentioned right above.
– Anything else not mentioned right above.
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Confirmation and payments
In order to confirm this tour program we require a 30% deposit of the grand total no later than the 26th of February at 11:59pm (Madrid time) as well as a photo / scan of each of your passports. The final 70% must be paid no later than 30 days prior to the start of the trip.
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Grand total of this bespoke trip: 21445 Euros
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30% deposit needed no later than the 26th of February at 11:59pm (Madrid time) to confirm the trip: 6433,5 Euros.
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Final 70% needed no later than 30 days prior to the start of the trip: 15011,5 Euros
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Cancellation policy
– If you cancel your trip more than 30 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge the 30% deposit only.
– If you cancel your trip between 30 and 8 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 50% of the full cost of the trip and we will refund the other 50%.
– If you cancel your trip between 7 and 4 days prior to its scheduled departure, we will charge 75% of the full cost of the trip and we will refund the other 25%.
– If you cancel your trip 3 days or less prior to scheduled departure, we will charge 100% of the full cost of the trip.
(*) Please note that partial cancellations won’t result in partial refunds. This applies to the group size and to the tours, activities and duration of the trip.
(**) If Spain closes its borders due to a national or global emergency and you are not able to enter the country because of this, we will give you a full refund.
(***) Genuine Andalusia strongly recommends buying travel insurance for any international trip. Most of our guests purchase their travel insurance from Medjet.
