Payment of bespoke trip to Spain | 21st – 28th of April 2024 | 2 pax
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Description and schedule of services
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21st of April: arrival of your ship to the port of Málaga and private transfer to Ronda. Introductory walking tour of Ronda upon arrival and late afternoon trip to the village of Setenil de las bodegas
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8:30am: upon arrival of your ship to the port of Málaga, collect your luggage and walk to the terminal building. Your personal driver will be waiting for you just outside holding a sign saying “Laurie Richter – Genuine Andalusia”. Then be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to your hotel in Ronda.
10am (estimated): upon arrival to your hotel in Ronda, do the check-in (subject to your rooms being ready) or dropoff your luggage at the reception desk before your introductory walking tour of the city.
10:30am: meet your personal local host at your hotel to start a private introductory tour of Ronda old town.
This tour of Ronda old town 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.
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.
1:30pm: end of your tour of Ronda and free time in town for lunch at leisure. We will give you recommendations of places to eat in Ronda and also of things to do and see during your free time. We will also book tables for you if you wish.
4pm: meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred to the picturesque village of Setenil de las bodegas.
4:20pm: upon arrival to Setenil de las bodegas, enjoy some free time at leisure to explore the village and maybe enjoy a coffee there. We will give you recommendations of the most iconic corners and spots to visit in town.
6:20pm: reconnect with your driver and be transferred back to your hotel in Ronda.
6:40pm: arrival to your hotel in Ronda and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Ronda: superior double room with breakfast included at Parador de Ronda (4*)
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22nd of April: day trip from Ronda to the Genal Valley nature reserve for a small hike in the area, followed by an immersion into the life and customs of one of its small 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 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 visits to some selected local spots and meeting the local community along the way.
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: superior double room with breakfast included at Parador de Ronda (4*)
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23rd of April: from Ronda to Granada via Antequera for a small hike in the nature reserve of El Torcal de Antequera and a visit to the UNESCO site of the dolmens
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9am: be met by your private driver by the reception desk of your hotel in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to the UNESCO nature reserve of El Torcal de Antequera.
10:30am: upon arrival to the UNESCO nature reserve of El Torcal de Antequera, meet your personal guide there and start a guided hike through the reserve.
El Torcal de Antequera features some of the most spectacular karst landscapes in Europe.
The shaping of this unique landscape started around 150 million years ago when this whole area was safely tucked under the Tethys Sea. One day, the seabed was pushed upwards by a massive tectonic shift, which created a series of mountains, some of them up to 1300 meters high above sea level.
The following millions of years, the erosion from rain and wind slowly turned this part of the world into some of the most impressive limestone landscapes on the European continent.
12pm: after the hike, reconnect with your driver and be transferred to the UNESCO site of the Dolmens of Antequera.
12:30pm: upon arrival to the UNESCO site of the Dolmens of Antequera, meet your personal local expert again to start a tour of the site, which treasures some of the best preserved and most important megalithic monuments in Europe.
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 organized prehistoric society of the Neolithic and Bronze Age in the Iberian Peninsula.
2pm: end of your private tour of the UNESCO sites of the dolmens and private transfer to Antequera old town for lunch at leisure.
2:05pm: arrival to Antequera old town and lunch at leisure there. We will give you recommendations and will book a table for you if you wish.
3:30pm: end of lunch and private transfer to your hotel in Granada.
4:45pm: arrival to your hotel in Granada and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Granada: deluxe premium room with terrace and Alhambra views with breakfast included at hotel Casa 1800 (3*)
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24th of April: morning discovery journey of the Alhambra and el Generalife. Rest of the day at leisure
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9:30am: be met by your personal local host at your hotel and be transferred by taxi to the top of the hill of la Sabika, where the Alhambra and el Generalife are located.
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.
Overnight in Granada: deluxe premium room with terrace and Alhambra views with breakfast included at hotel Casa 1800 (3*)
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25th of April: from Granada to Seville via Cordoba for a walking tour of the old town including the Great Mosque Cathedral
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9am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Córdoba old town.
11:15am: upon arrival to Córdoba, meet your personal local host and enjoy a private walking tour of the old town. A UNESCO site since 1994, Córdoba is an inspirational city, which during the Middle Ages, saw a peaceful interaction between the three great Mediterranean cultures. Jews, Muslims and Christians coexisted then in the city turning it into a unique intellectual hub that gave birth to very renowned philosophers, poets, scientists and doctors. This also resulted in the construction of unique buildings of remarkable historical significance.
During your private walking tour, you’ll learn about the period of maximum intellectual splendour of the city and you will see beautiful examples of architecture and urban planning that will allow you to recreate all the grandeur of this era, which has the Great Mosque – Cathedral, the synagogue and the Chapel of Saint Bartholomew 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.
1:45pm: end of your tour of Córdoba old town and free time for lunch at leisure and to maybe explore the town a little but further on your own.
3:30pm: reconnect with your driver and be transferred from Córdoba to Seville.
5:15pm: arrival to your accommodation in Seville and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville: deluxe room with breakfast included at hotel Casas del Rey de Baeza (4*)
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26th of April: morning walking tour of Seville’s most impressive World Heritage Sites and evening flamenco and tapas tour through the quarter of Triana
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9:30am: 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 and the Cathedral with its Giralda tower) and 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, which is a delightful part of town with 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 medieval 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 free time at leisure until 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: deluxe room with breakfast included at hotel Casas del Rey de Baeza (4*)
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27th of April: private day trip from Seville to Jerez for an immersion into the world of Sherry wines and to learn the local art of pairing food and sherry, finishing in Málaga
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9am: private transfer in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with your own personal local host and a dedicated driver from your hotel in Seville to Jerez old town. Explanations along the way about the geography, history, landscape, economy and character of Southernmost continental Spain.
10:15am: arrival to Jerez and private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its Hispanic-Muslim origins and on the transformations that it experienced (architecture, urban-planning, social composition and overall character) with the Christian conquest in the 13th century and later in the 18th and 19th centuries when the local wines (sherries) became probably the most fashionable drinks in the world.
Your tour will also include a private visit to the local market in order to understand not only the essential proximity service it is for the local community but also the important role it plays in the social fabric of the city.
11:20am: end of your introductory walking tour in a selected sherry bodega and private visit aimed at learning about the aging process of the different types of sherry. This will be followed by the corresponding tastings and by some basic notions about the art of pairing food and sherry.
1pm: end of the visit to the sherry bodega and short walk to a selected sherry and tapas tavern.
1:15pm: arrival to the sherry and tapas tavern and tapas and sherries lunch there. Further notions about the art of pairing food and sherry will be given through a pairing lunch including a selection of 5 – 8 dishes to share and up to 4 sherries per person.
3pm: end of lunch and private transfer to your hotel in Málaga.
5:45pm: arrival to your hotel in Málaga and end of services for the day. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see and of places to eat during your free time in Málaga.
Overnight in Málaga: deluxe palacio room with breakfast included at hotel Palacio Solecio (4*)
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28th of April: departure from Malaga
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8:50am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Málaga airport.
9:20am: arrival to Málaga airport and end of trip.
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Pricing
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The cost of this bespoke trip for a private group of 2 people is 9680 Euros
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This price includes
– 7 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 and travel experiences mentioned above with a knowledgeable, personable, kind, flexible and interactive fully licensed guide.
– All entrance tickets and admissions for all the guided tours mentioned in the itinerary.
– A wine tasting and a homemade lunch in the winery and house of a local winemaker in the Genal valley.
– Admission to a flamenco performance in a selected flamenco venue in Seville with 4 artists onstage (2 dancers, 1 guitarist and 1 singer).
– A tapas and wines dinner through 2 – 3 selected tapas bars of Seville old town and including a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (beer, wine, refreshments, water).
– A private visit to a selected sherry bodega in Jerez with the corresponding tastings there.
– A pairing tapas and sherries lunch in a selected tapas and sherries tavern in Jerez including a selection of 5 – 8 dishes to share and up to 4 sherries per person (or beer, wine, refreshments or water).
– Petrol, parkings and tolls.
– A list of recommended things to do and see and of places to eat in each of the places you will visit.
– 24h support 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 trip we require a 15% deposit of the grand total no later than the 15th of July 2023 via credit/debit card. The final 85% must be paid via the same method no later than 45 days prior to the start of the trip.
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Grand total of this bespoke trip: 9680 Euros
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15% deposit needed no later than the 15th of July 2023 to confirm the trip: 1452 Euros
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Final 85% needed no later than 45 days prior to the start of the trip: 8228 Euros
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Cancellation policy
– If you cancel your trip more than 45 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge the 15% deposit only.
– If you cancel your trip between 45 and 30 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 30% of the full cost of the trip.
– If you cancel your trip between 29 and 15 days prior to its schedule start, we will charge 50% of the full cost of the trip.
– If you cancel your trip between 14 and 7 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 70% of the full cost of the trip.
– If you cancel your trip 6 days or less prior to its scheduled start, 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 duration / activities of the trip.
(**) Genuine Andalusia always recommends buying travel insurance for any international trip. Most of our US guests buy their travel insurance from Medjet.
(***) If Spain closes its border due to a national or global emergency and you are not able to enter the country for this trip, we will give you a full refund.
