Payment of bespoke trip to Spain | 26th of October – 5th of November 2022 | 2 pax
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Description and schedule of services
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26th of October. Arrival to Málaga airport and private transfer to Granada. Rest of the day at leisure in Granada to recover from your flight
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12:50pm: upon arrival of your flight to Málaga airport, collect your luggage, head to the arrivals hall and meet your personal driver there. Your driver will be holding a sign saying “Bo and Joann – Genuine Andalusia”. Then be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to your accommodation in Granada.
3pm (approximate): upon arrival to your accommodation in Granada, check in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to recover from your trip.
Overnight in Granada. Deluxe double room with terrace and Alhambra views with breakfast included in hotel Casa 1800 Granada (3* Superior)
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27th of October: morning walking tour of the Alhambra and el Generalife and evening flamenco and tapas tour of the city
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10am: 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.
10:15am: 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.
1:15pm: end of your tour of the Alhambra and rest of the afternoon at leisure before your evening flamenco and tapas tour of the city.
6pm: reconnect with your local host at your accommodation by your personal local host 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. 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 terrace and Alhambra views with breakfast included in hotel Casa 1800 Granada (3* Superior)
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28th of October: private transfer from Granada to Ronda and private walking tour of Ronda old town including the oldest bullring in Spain
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10am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Granada and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to your accommodation in Ronda.
12:15pm: upon arrival to your accommodation in Ronda, check into your hotel (subject to your room being ready) and enjoy some free time for lunch at leisure before your introductory tour of the town.
2pm: meet your personal guide at your hotel to start your discovery journey of Ronda old town. This tour will allow you to learn about the origins and evolution of bullfighting in Spain, while you see the different sections of the oldest bullring in the country, 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 splendor 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 travelers 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.
5pm: end of your tour of Ronda and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Ronda. Duplex room with breakfast included in hotel parador de Ronda (4*)
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29th of October: day trip from Ronda to the Genal Valley for a gentle hike and for an immersion into the life of one of its rural villages with a homemade lunch there, finishing in Grazalema.
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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 5km guided hike towards the village of Benalauría. You will first be explained about the bereber origins of Benadalid, which still keeps its Moorish castle. Later you will take the old paths that the cork workers used to use in the past to transport the cork that they would harvest every 9 years and that are actually still in use today. You will cross a vast extension of Mediterranean forest filled with old olive trees, chestnut trees, holm oaks and cork oaks while you are explained about the many species of flora that you will see and how they have been used by the people of the area throughout the centuries.
11:30am: upon arrival to Benalauría, you will have an immersion into its present culture and lifestyle through visiting some selected local spots and meeting the local community.
Your first stop will take you to the old local mill (not in use anymore), where you will understand how the local chestnut wood and stone allowed for the construction of very robust houses and local infrastructures until the late 20th century. The old mill is in an excellent state of conservation and the local population has donated several old artifacts to create a little exhibition space representing its roots and ancient industries.
Your second stop will be the local bakery, founded in the 19th century by the same family who owns it today and where bread and cakes are still made following traditional recipes. At the bakery, you will meet the owners, learn about their business and about the important proximity service they operate for the local population as well as for the surrounding towns.
Your third stop will take you to the house of a local family. There you will enjoy a local lunch cooked by the mother of the family. The father of the family is a winemaker too and you may want to taste his wines with 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.
3pm: end of lunch and private transfer from Benalauría to your accommodation in Grazalema.
4:15pm: arrival to your accommodation in Grazalema free time to check-in.
4:45pm: reconnect with your driver and guide and be transferred from El Tambor del Llano to the village of Grazalema. Along the way, your guide will give you an introduction about the history, geography, economy and present character of the village.
5pm: arrival to the village of Grazalema and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Grazalema. Superior double room with breakfast included in hotel Tambor del Llano.
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30th of October: private transfer from Grazalema to Seville meeting artisanal food producers along the way: olive oil, cheese and salt
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9:15am: meet your personal local host at your hotel in Grazalema 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 the 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 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.
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, 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 lunch in a nearby local restaurant
4pm (estimated but flexible): end of lunch and private transfer from the restaurant to Seville.
5:30pm (estimated but flexible): arrival to your hotel in Seville and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville. Suite 6 with breakfast included at Casa de Triana
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31st of October: day trip from Seville to the natural park of Aracena to visit a private farm of Iberian pigs and its corresponding curing cellars
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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 place suited to your preferences.
3pm (estimated but flexible): after lunch, you may want to take a stroll around Aracena to enjoy its picturesque streets and traditional architecture.
4pm (estimated but flexible): end of your visit to Aracena and private transfer back to Seville.
5:15pm (estimated but flexible): arrival to Seville and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Seville. Suite 6 with breakfast included at Casa de Triana
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1st of November: private walking tour of Seville’s Moorish palace and of the former Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz
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9:30am: be met by your personal local guide at your hotel to start a private walking tour that will take you through the winding streets of Seville’s Jewish quarter to the most impressive World Heritage Site of the city: the Alcazar or Royal Moorish Palace. Along the way, you will be given an introduction about the history, architecture and urban planning of this section of the city, before entering the Alcazar.
The Alcazar is a massive complex of palaces erected in different periods and of breath-taking gardens of different styles. It 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 gardening from the 16th until the 20th centuries.
12pm: after your visit to the Alcazar and the Jewish quarter, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure following our recommendations.
Overnight in Seville. Suite 6 with breakfast included at Casa de Triana
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2nd of November: day trip from Seville to Córdoba finishing in Toledo
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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 Córdoba.
10:45am: upon arrival to Córdoba, be met by your personal local host to go on a 2h discovery journey of the historical center of the city (your driver stays in the vehicle with your luggage).
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 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.
12:45pm: end of your private walking tour of Córdoba and free time for lunch at leisure in the city. Your guide will point you in the right direction for lunch and will give you instructions on how to reconnect with your driver after lunch.
2:15pm: reconnect with your private driver and be transferred to your hotel in Toledo.
5:45pm: arrival to your hotel in Toledo and end of services for the day.
Overnight in Toledo. Junior Suite with breakfast included in hotel Adolfo (4*)
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3rd of November: Toledo discovery journey and transfer to Madrid
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9:30am: 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 synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, which is an extraordinary example of the Jewish-Sephardic heritage of the city.
Your tour will also take you to see some remarkable evidences of the presence of the Hispanic-Muslim culture in the city, such as 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.
12pm: end of your private walking tour of Toledo and free time for lunch at leisure before your transfer to Madrid.
1:30pm: meet your personal driver at your accommodation and be transferred to your hotel in Madrid.
2:30pm: arrival to your hotel in Madrid and rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight in Madrid. Suite with terrace at hotel Urso (5*)
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4th of November: private introductory walking tour of Madrid old town including the Prado Museum
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10am: meet your personal guide at your hotel to go on an introductory tour of Madrid old town aimed at setting the context for your stay in the city. Your tour will take you through the oldest quarters of the Spanish capital in order for you to understand where Madrid has its roots and from where it has evolved until becoming the vibrant and cosmopolitan capital it is today.
A first highlight of your walk will be the iconic Plaza Mayor where you will be explained about the important historical events that have happened there over the past 400 years and their importance in the history of Madrid and of Spain. Another highlight will be learning about the history of the Spanish monarchy while you stroll along the grand façades of the Royal Palace, to later enjoy a panoramic view of its gardens and of the nearby opera house.
12pm: after this introduction to the Spanish capital, take a taxi with your guide to the Prado Museum. There your guide will take you on a private tour that will allow you to travel through Spanish history of art while you enjoy the remarkable works of Spanish master painters such as Velazquez, Goya and El Greco amongst others. This will allow you to understand how different historical periods shaped the artistic creation at each time and how much of Spain’s culture and sentiment is expressed in the works of its main artists.
2pm: after your tour of Madrid, enjoy the rest of the day at leisure following our recommendations.
Overnight in Madrid. Suite with terrace at hotel Urso (5*)
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5th of November: private transfer from Madrid to Madrid airport.
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8am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Madrid and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle to Madrid airport.
8:30am: arrival to Madrid 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 13850 Euros
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This price includes
– 10 nights accommodation with breakfast included as per mentioned above.
– All private transportation services mentioned above in a modern and comfortable Mercedes vehicle with a personal driver.
– All private tours and experiences mentioned above with a knowledgeable, personable, kind, flexible and interactive fully licensed guide.
– All entrance tickets, admissions and tastings during your private tours.
– Admission to a selected flamenco show in Granada with 4 people onstage (2 dancers, 1 guitarist and 1 singer).
– A tapas dinner in Granada 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.
– A homemade lunch in a private house in Benalauría cooked on site by the mother of the finally including (if you like) wines from the private winery of the family.
– Visit of a private family owned iberian ham farm including the dehesa forest where they have their pigs and later, to the curing cellars.
– A list of recommended things to do and see and of places to eat in each of the places where you will be based.
– Petrol, parkings and tolls.
– 24h support during your trip.
– All taxes.
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This price excludes
– Your flights to and from Spain.
– 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 at this price, we require a 30% deposit of the grand total no later than the 3rd of July at 11:59pm (Madrid time) via credit/debit card. The final 70% must be paid using the same payment method no later than 30 days prior to the start of the trip.
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Grand total of this trip: 13850
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30% deposit needed no later than the 3rd of July at 11:50pm (Madrid time) to confirm the trip: 4155 Euros
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Final 70% needed no later than 30 days prior to the start of the trip: 9695 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 15 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 50% of the full cost of the trip.
– If you cancel your trip between 15 and 7 days prior to its scheduled start, we will charge 75% of the cull cost of your trip.
– 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.
(*) If Spain closes its borders due to a national or global emergency and you cannot enter the country to start your trip, we will give you a full refund.
(**) Please note that partial cancellations won’t result in partial refunds. This applies to the trip length and to the trip activities / tours.
(***) Travel insurance is always recommended by us on any international trip. The company that most of our US guests use is Medjet.
