Payment of bespoke trip to Spain | 23rd – 30th of March 2024 | 3 pax
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Description and schedule of services
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23rd of March: arrival of your flight to Seville airport and rest of the day at leisure to recover from your flight
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4:20pm: upon arrival of your flight to Seville airport (DL8766 from Paris), collect your luggage and walk to the arrivals hall. Your personal driver will be waiting for you there holding a sign saying “Heimark family – Genuine Andalusia”. Then be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to your hotel in Seville.
5:30pm (estimated): arrival to your hotel in Seville and rest of the day at leisure to recover from your flight. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see in Seville during your free time and of places to eat too. We will also book tables for you if you wish.
Overnight in Seville: 1 premium suite for double occupancy and 1 deluxe room for single use, both with breakfast included at hotel Alfonso XIII (5*)
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24th of March: Palm Sunday walking tour of Seville old town in the morning and flamenco and tapas tour in the evening
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10am: meet your personal guide at your hotel to go on an introductory tour of the city with a special focus on its most representative festivity: Semana Santa.
Along this tour, you will be explained about the origins and evolution of the Semana Santa processions to later be taken to see a selection of the impressive floats that will be ready in different churches of the city to be taken out in procession during the week. These floats include exquisite works of carpentry, gilding, floral arrangements, sculpture, embroidery and silver smithery and you will be explained about their iconography and present role in the traditions and social fabric of the city too.
This will make an excellent opportunity to learn about the city, to see some fabulous examples of religious architecture and to start your immersion into the most iconic local tradition.
1pm: end of your tour and free time for lunch at leisure before your evening flamenco and tapas tour.
6:30pm: reconnect with your personal local host by the reception desk of your hotel to start a guided walk towards a selected flamenco venue in the iconic quarter of Triana, across the Guadalquivir river.
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 the quarter of Triana. Your tour will take you to 2 – 3 selected tapas bars where the locals like to gather with family and friends and where you will taste a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share and up to 4 drinks per person (wine, beer, refreshments, water). This will make an excellent opportunity to learn about Southern Spanish gastronomy and wines, about the connection of different foods to different festivities, regions and specific periods of history and also about the dynamics of tapas bars in Southern 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: 1 premium suite for double occupancy and 1 deluxe room for single use, both with breakfast included at hotel Alfonso XIII (5*)
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25th of March: walking tour of Seville World Heritage Sites in the morning and insider’s Semana Santa experience from a private balcony in the evening
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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 medieval Jewish quarter.
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 the tour you will visit the quarter of Santa Cruz, with its countless quaint corners, narrow streets, cozy 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.
1:30pm: end of your tour and free time at leisure before your Semana Santa experience from a private balcony.
4:30pm: meet your personal local host at your hotel and take a short guided walk to the property where the private balcony that you will have to watch the processions is.
4:45pm: arrival to the property and start of your in-depth Semana Santa experience.
The city of Seville lives and breathes for its most spectacular festivity: Semana Santa. The very many religious brotherhoods from the Andalusian capital are formed by hundreds of members who await with extreme impatience and devotion the arrival of Easter. This is the only week of the year when they take their breath-taking and meticulously ornate floats outside the churches where they are kept, to go on a selected itinerary through the most meaningful spots of the historical center for the members of the brotherhood.
With an impressive level of reverence and respect for this combination of religious fervor and fine art, thousands of Sevillanos flood the streets to witness the floats, with their corresponding penitents, musicians and associated religious authorities pass by. People go hours in advance on the hunt for a great spot to watch the processions. However, there’s no better and more comfortable place to enjoy the processions than from a well located balcony.
With this tour, you will be able to watch and experience this fascinating tradition from a privileged balcony located on a first floor in one of the main squares of Seville old town. This square is part of the so-called “Carrera oficial” or “official route”, which every procession must take to get to the cathedral, so you’ll have plenty of Semana Santa action guaranteed!
Upon arrival to the property, a selection of tapas, wine and Easter sweets will be served. Your personal local host will then be at your disposal to enhance your experience by interacting with you and by answering as many questions as you like about Semana Santa and about what it represents in Seville.
Then it will be time to enjoy the processions all together from the balcony and to comment on the different brotherhoods and floats and on as many details as you like about them.
After watching the processions pass by (4 processions are expected to parade in front of the balcony on Monday during your stay: El Cautivo, El Beso de Judas, Santa Genoveva and Santa Marta), you will have more time to reflect on the experience and to wait until the crowds dissolve.
– Brotherhood of El Cautivo (2 floats). 900 Penitents. 3500 Brothers. Carriers: 45 (first float) 35 (second float). 33 minutes from the passing of the guiding cross (head of the procession) until the passing of the last member of the band (tail of the procession) by the balcony. Approximate arrival time of the procession to the spot where the balcony is: 5:05pm.
– Brotherhood of El Beso de Judas (2 floats). 1400 Penitents. 4100 Brothers. Carriers: 45 (first float) 35 (second float). 47 minutes from the passing of the guiding cross (head of the procession) until the passing of the last member of the band (tail of the procession) by the balcony. Approximate arrival time of the procession to the spot where the balcony is: 5:38pm.
– Brotherhood of Santa Genoveva (2 floats). 1800 Penitents. 4500 Brothers. Carriers: 30 (first float) 30 (second float). 59 minutes from the passing of the guiding cross (head of the procession) until the passing of the last member of the band (tail of the procession) by the balcony. Approximate arrival time of the procession to the spot where the balcony is: 6:25pm.
– Brotherhood of Santa Marta (1 float). 1100 Penitents. 2200 Brothers. Carriers: 48 (only one float). 32 minutes from the passing of the guiding cross (head of the procession) until the passing of the last member of the band (tail of the procession) by the balcony. Approximate arrival time of the procession to the spot where the balcony is: 7:24pm.
8pm: afterwards you will be escorted back to your hotel by your personal local host or be given recommendations to make the most of your evening in Seville at your own leisure.
Overnight in Seville: 1 premium suite for double occupancy and 1 deluxe room for single use, both with breakfast included at hotel Alfonso XIII (5*)
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26th of March: day trip from Seville to Jerez for an immersion into the world of Sherry wines and to meet the Spanish nobility in a private palace with lunch there
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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 at your hotel and leave your luggage there until the afternoon when you will do the check-in. Then 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) first 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 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.
11:45am: 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 and by some basic notions about the local art of pairing food and sherry.
1:15pm: after your visit to the sherry bodega, take a short walk to the palace of a local aristocrat, who is a distinguished member of the Spanish nobility.
1:30pm: upon arrival to the palace, be welcomed by the aristocrat himself. Then start a private visit to his palace aimed at learning about the history of the family and of the palace. During this tour, you will see the family collection of paintings (Spanish and Flemish mostly from the 18th century), pieces of furniture (from the 16th until the 19th century) and ceramics (mostly from the 19th century) while you are shown around the different sections of the palace.
Afterwards you will be welcomed into the dining room of the palace where together with the aristocrat and your local host you will have lunch. This will make a wonderful opportunity to interact with the Spanish nobility in their aristocratic environment and to also enjoy the wonderful gastronomy of Southern Spain.
4pm: after some table talk, say goodbye to your host, take a short walk back to your hotel.
4:15pm: arrival to your hotel and end of services for the day. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see in Jerez during your free time and of places to eat too. We will also book tables for you if you wish.
Overnight in Jerez: Suite María Luisa for double occupancy and premium room for single use, both with breakfast included in Hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
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27th of March: Culture and gastronomy day trip from Jerez to the colonial coastal city of Cadiz
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9:30am: meet your personal local host at your accommodation and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Cadiz old town.
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, you will first be taken on a panoramic tour of the perimeter of the city in order to understand its particular geography and to learn about its colonial defensive architecture.
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 Phoenicians 3000 years ago and on the period when it 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 erected some impressive colonial mansions and 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.
12:30pm: end of your introductory walking tour in the local market of Cádiz. At the market, you will be taken to selected stalls to do some tastings of selected local produce. You will also be given explanations about the similarities and differences between the markets in Jerez and Cadiz and between the gastronomy of both cities.
1pm: end of your tour of the market and small walk to a selected local tavern. Once at the tavern, you will enjoy a wine tasting aimed to learn about the wines that traveled from Cadiz to the new world.
1:30pm: end of the wine tasting and small walk to a family-owned and family-run tapas bar. There you will enjoy a tapas and wines lunch based on local specialties and including a selection of 6 – 9 dishes to share and up to 3 drinks per person.
3pm: after lunch, enjoy a coffee with a special local dessert in a historic grand café where the local bourgeoisie used to gather in the times of thriving Transatlantic trade.
3:45pm: end of the tour and private transfer back to Jerez.
4:20pm: arrival to Jerez and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Jerez: Suite María Luisa for double occupancy and premium room for single use, both with breakfast included in Hotel Casa Palacio María Luisa (5*)
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28th of March: day trip from Jerez to Gibraltar to learn about the city’s history, character, local dynamics and to meet the local and playful monkeys, finishing in Ronda.
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9am: meet your personal driver for the day at your hotel and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to the border between Spain and Gibraltar.
10:30am: once at the border, make your own way on foot from the Spanish side to the British side.
10:35am: once on the British side, meet your Gibraltarian driver guide who will be waiting for you there and start a private tour of the city. Along this tour, you will learn about the origins, history and present social composition, local dynamics and general character of the city. You will also enjoy the stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean, of the Mediterranean Sea, of the African continent and of Spain from the top of the rock, which is a protected nature reserve with indigenous monkeys. There you will be able to interact with the monkeys, learn about their habitat, their habits and about the theories there are about their arrival to the Iberian Peninsula from Africa.
You will also learn the important role that the city played during WWII while you visit some unique remaining infrastructures that were created during this period in the city.
Your visit will also take you to visit the caves of Saint Michael and to drive along the scenic coastal road that surrounds the city. You will understand the interaction that there is between this British city and the neighbor Spanish town of la Línea the la Concepción and how this has generated a very particular economy in the area throughout the decades.
1:40pm: after your tour of Gibraltar, enjoy some free time in the city for lunch at leisure. We will give you recommendations.
3pm: cross the border to the Spanish side to reconnect with your Spanish driver.
3:15pm: be transferred from the border to your hotel in Ronda.
5:05pm: arrival to your hotel in Ronda and end of services for the day. We will give you recommendations of things to do and see in Ronda during your free time and of places to eat too. We will also book tables for you if you wish.
Overnight in Ronda: 1 duplex double room for double occupancy and 1 standard room for single use, both with breakfast included in Hotel Parador de Ronda (4*)
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29th of March: day trip from Ronda to the Genal Valley nature reserve for a small hike there and an immersion into the life of one of its rural villages including a visit to a winery and a homemade pairing lunch there
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9am: meet your personal nature guide at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable 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 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 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 him. 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: 1 duplex double room for double occupancy and 1 standard room for single use, both with breakfast included in Hotel Parador de Ronda (4*)
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30th of March: private transfer from Ronda to Málaga airport and departure from there
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7:40am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Málaga airport.
9am: arrival to Málaga airport on time to take your flight to Paris and end of trip.
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Pricing
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The cost of this bespoke tour program for a private group of 3 people is 19750 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 luxury Mercedes minivan with a dedicated driver except for in Gibraltar city where you will have a driver – guide.
– All private tours and experiences mentioned above with a knowledgeable, personable, kind, flexible and interactive fully licensed guide with a great command of the English language.
– All entrance tickets and for these guided tours.
– Admission to a selected flamenco performance in Seville with 4 artists onstage (2 dancers, 1 singer and 1 guitarist).
– A tapas and wines dinner in Seville including a selection of 6 – 9 local dishes to share, up to 4 drinks per person (beer, wine, refreshments, water) and a sweet local treat to finish.
– Private and exclusive use of a 1st floor balcony in Seville’s Plaza de San Francisco to watch the Semana Santa processions on Monday from 4:45pm until 8pm with your personal local host for the experience.
– A selection of tapas, wines and Easter sweets during your stay in the property where the balcony is. This will make a good dinner.
– Private visit to a selected sherry bodega in Jerez including the corresponding tastings there.
– Private visit and lunch (starter, main course, dessert and wine) in the palace of a local aristocrat in Jerez.
– Tastings of selected local produce in different stalls at the local market in Cadiz.
– A wine tasting in a selected local tavern in Cadiz old town (2 wines per person).
– A tapas and wines lunch in a family run and family owned tapas bar in Cadiz old town including a selection of 6 – 9 dishes to share and up to 3 drinks per person (beer, wine, refreshments, water).
– Private visit to a small artisanal winery in the heart of the Genal Valley led by the owner who is also a chef including a homemade pairing lunch there.
– Petrol, parkings and tolls.
– 24h Guardian Angel service during your trip.
– A list of recommended things to do and see and of places to eat in each of the places where you will be based.
– 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 bespoke trip we require a 20% deposit of the grand total no later than the 1st of September 2023 via credit/debit card. The final 80% must be paid via the same method no later than 30 days prior to its scheduled start.
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Grand total of this bespoke trip: 19750 Euros
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20% deposit needed no later than the 1st of September 2023 to confirm the trip: 3950 Euros
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Final 80% needed no later than 30 days prior to the start of the trip: 15800 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 20% deposit only.
– If you cancel your trip between 30 and 15 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 40% of the full cost of the trip and we will refund the remaining 60%.
– If you cancel your trip between 14 and 8 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 50% of the full cost of the trip and we will refund the remaining 50%.
– If you cancel your trip 7 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 strongly recommends buying travel insurance for any international trip. Most of our US guests purchase their travel insurance from Medjet.
(***) If bad weather results in the cancellation of the processions on the day they are scheduled for, you will be offered an alternative Easter Week tour of Seville as well as the possibility to use the balcony for the tapas and drinks mentioned above but please note that no refund will be issued as we cannot take responsibility for the cancellation of the processions due to bad weather.
