Payment of bespoke trip to Spain | 5th – 11th of June | 2 pax

Description and schedule of services

5th of June: private transfer from Marbella to Ronda and introductory walking tour of Ronda

2pm (recommended but flexible): meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Marbella and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to your hotel in Ronda.

3pm: arrival to your hotel in Ronda and free time to check-in and freshen up before your introductory tour of the city.

4pm: meet your personal local host at your accommodation in Ronda to take a walking tour of the old town, with a special focus on its colorful Hispanic – Muslim and Christian history, on its picturesque locations and viewpoints and on its main landmarks: the New Bridge and the bullring, which is the oldest in Spain.

Your discovery journey will start with a private guided tour of the bullring. 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, you will venture in the medieval quarters of the town. This second part of the tour 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 host 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.

7pm: end of your tour of Ronda and rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the wonderful local food & wine scene.

Overnight in Ronda. Duplex room with breakfast included at Hotel Parador de Ronda (4*)



6th of June: day trip from Ronda to the Genal Valley for a hike there and for an immersion into the life of one of its rural villages

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. Duplex room with breakfast included at Hotel Parador de Ronda (4*)



7th of June: day trip from Ronda to the sierras of Cádiz for a 36km bike ride through rural Andalusia followed by lunch and a tour of the whitewashed hilltop town of Arcos de la Frontera, finishing in Seville

9am: be met by your personal local host and a dedicated driver at your accommodation in Ronda and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to the start of a selected cycling route in the sierras of Cadiz.

The stunning Southwestern Spanish countryside offers a landscape of rolling hills, whitewashed villages and small rivers which is delightful to explore by bicycle and this is what this day trip will take you to enjoy.

9:45am: upon arrival to the start of the cycling route, be given your bikes and helmets to start a picturesque 36km cycling route, going slightly downhill along a former railway. Your personal host (an experienced local touring cyclist) will accompany you along the journey to show you the way and to provide you with water and some small bites for the adventure. You will cross farms, tunnels, bridges, rocky ridges and olive groves for approximately 3 or 3,5 hours before arriving at your destination, where you will drop off your bikes and meet your driver again.

1:15pm: end of the cycle, bike drop-off and private transfer to the whitewashed hilltop town of Arcos de la Frontera.

1:45pm: arrival to Arcos de la Frontera and lunch in a selected local restaurant in the village.

3pm: after lunch, enjoy a private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its Hispanic – Muslim urban planning and traditional constructions, on its Christian monumental buildings, on its traditions and on its breath-taking viewpoints. Understanding of what life on the frontier between the Christian Kingdom of Castilla and the Muslim Kingdom of Granada was like in the 14th and 15th centuries.

4pm: end of your tour and private transfer to Seville.

5:20pm: arrival to your accommodation in Seville and end of services for the day.

Overnight in Seville. Deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Corral del Rey (3*)



8th of June: morning walking tour of Seville’s most impressive World Heritage Sites and evening flamenco and tapas tour through the quarter of Triana

10am: be met by your personal local guide at your accommodation in Seville to start a private walking tour that will take you to the most impressive World Heritages Sites of the city (the Alcazar and the Cathedral with its Giralda tower) and to the Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz.

You will start your discovery journey by visiting the Alcazar, which is a massive complex of palaces erected in different periods and of breath-taking gardens of different styles. The Alcazar has stunning historical constructions featuring a very particular crossover between Hispanic-Muslim and Christian architecture styles, called Mudejar. This style became very fashionable in Spain in the 14th and 15th centuries amongst the Christian nobility and it reached its maximum splendour in Seville. Another essential part of the Alcazar is the famous house of Trade, which once hosted the offices from where all the commerce with the new world was managed. After enjoying these inner areas, you will be taken to the gardens, which are an exquisite sample of European landscaping from the 16th until the 20th centuries.

Then you will be taken to visit the Cathedral, which is the largest gothic temple in the World and where Christopher Columbus is buried. The Cathedral of Seville was built on a vast extension of land where previously a Mosque had been erected. An important part of the Mosque was preserved and it is now a part of the Cathedral. This makes it a unique construction featuring styles as diverse as Hispanic-Muslim, Gothic, Renaissance, Neoclassical and Baroque. A most important part of the Cathedral is its bell tower known as la Giralda. During your tour you will be taken to the top in order to enjoy the wonderful views of Seville that one can admire from there.

To finish you will visit the quarter of Santa Cruz, with its countless quaint corners, narrow streets, cosy squares, houses of traditional Southern Spanish architecture and Moorish urban planning. It is in this quarter where an important part of the Jewish Sephardic community of Seville lived in the 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: after your tour, enjoy some free time for lunch at leisure before your evening flamenco and tapas tour of the city.

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 quarter of Triana. This introductory walk is aimed at learning how flamenco 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. 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, 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. Deluxe double room with breakfast included at hotel Corral del Rey (3*)



9th of June: day trip from Seville to Córdoba finishing in Málaga

9am: meet your personal driver at your accommodation in Seville and be transferred in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan to Córdoba.

10:45am: upon arrival to Córdoba old town, be met by 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 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 Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs as its most representative constructions.

The Great Mosque-Cathedral is probably the most thought-provoking building in Spain and your personal local host will uncover all its beauty and complexity for you. You will understand its origins, its different enlargements and the role that the building has played in the culture and social fabric of the city throughout the centuries.

The synagogue will allow you to understand the very important Jewish – Sephardic community that Córdoba once had and how much it embraced Hispanic-Muslim decorative arts in its places of devotion.

The Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs is a fortification treasuring Roman and Visigothic remains that became an important royal residence in the Hispanic-Muslim and Christian times. Your tour of this landmark will be a journey through the history of the city and also through probably the most beautiful gardens that one can find in Córdoba.

1:45pm: end of your tour and free time for lunch at leisure.

3:45pm: reconnect with your driver and be transferred to your hotel in Málaga.

5:30pm: arrival to your hotel in Málaga and end of services for the day.

Overnight in Málaga. Own arrangements.



10th of June: day trip from Málaga to the Mediterranean villages of Nerja and Frigiliana including a hike along the cliffs of Maro

9am: private transfer from your accommodation in Málaga to the village of Nerja with your own personal local host and a dedicated driver in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan.

10am: arrival to Nerja and private walking tour of the old town with a special focus on its beautiful viewpoints overlooking the Mediterranean sea, and on its traditional Mediterranean architecture. Along your tour you will learn about the evolution of Nerja from a traditional fishing village to a much-loved destination for Mediterranean lifestyle lovers.

11am: private transfer from Nerja to the car park of the unspoilt beach of El Cañuelo.

11:15am: upon arrival to the car park of the beach of El Cañuelo, you will be taken on a short introductory hike towards this unspoilt Mediterranean beach. Then, from there, you will be taken along the cliffs of Maro to the also unspoilt beach of Cantarriján. This hike will offer you beautiful views of the Mediterranean coast while you cross green areas of Mediterranean forest. Once at the beach of Cantarriján, continue on towards the tower of Cerro Gordo for spectacular final views of your hike.

1:30pm: reconnect with your driver near the tower of Cerro Gordo and be transferred to the inland hillside village of Frigiliana for lunch and for a relaxed walk of its old town.

1:45pm: arrival to Frigiliana and lunch in a selected local restaurant representative of the gastronomy of the area.

3pm: after lunch, enjoy a private walking tour of Frigiliana old town with a special focus on its countless quaint corners, whitewashed streets and unbeatable Mediterranean charm.

4:15pm: end of your tour of Frigiliana and private transfer back to Málaga.

5:15pm: arrival to your accommodation in Málaga and end of services for the day.

Overnight in Málaga. Own arrangements.



Pricing

The price of this bespoke trip for a private group of 2 people is 6275 Euros.

This price includes
– 4 nights accommodation with breakfast included as per mentioned above.
– All private transportation services mentioned above in a modern and comfortable Mercedes minivan with a personal driver.
– All private tours and experiences mentioned above with a personal local host from Genuine Andalusia (a fully licensed, knowledgeable, kind, flexible and interactive guide).
– All entrance tickets and admissions for the sites included in the tours.
– Entrances to a selected flamenco performance in Seville with 4 people onstage (2 dancers, 1 singer and 1 guitarist).
– A private visit to a selected winery in the Genal Valley with the corresponding tastings there.
– A pairing lunch in the winery in the Genal Valley with wines from the winery including a selection of starters, a main course and dessert.
– Bikes and helmets for your bike ride.
– Delivery and return logistics for the bikes.
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant in Arcos de la Frontera including a selection of starters to share, one main course per person, dessert and wine.
– Lunch in a selected local restaurant in Frigiliana including a selection of starters to share, one main course per person, dessert and wine.
– A list of recommended things to do and see and of places to eat in each of the places you will visit.
– All expenses of your drivers and of your guides.
– 24h support during your trip.
– Support to manage your covid tests to return to the US.
– All taxes.

This price excludes
– Your flights.
– Your accommodation in Málaga.
– Your private transfer from Málaga to Málaga airport on your departure day.
– Any meals not mentioned right above.
– Anything else not mentioned right above.

Confirmation and payments
In order to confirm this bespoke trip we require a 25% deposit of the grand total no later than the 28th of March via credit/debit card. The final 75% must be paid via the same method no later than 25 days prior to the start of the trip.

Grand total of this bespoke trip: 6275 Euros.

25% deposit needed to confirm the trip no later than the 28th of March 2022: 1568,75 Euros

Final 75% needed no later than 25 days prior to the start of the trip: 4706,25 Euros

Cancellation policy
– If you cancel the tour program more than 25 days prior to scheduled start, we will charge the 25% deposit only.
– If you cancel the tour program between 25 and 7 days prior to scheduled start, we will charge 40% of the grand total of the tour program.
– If you cancel the tour program between 7 and 3 days prior to scheduled start, we will charge 70% of the grand total of the tour program.
– If you cancel the tour program 2 days or less prior to scheduled start, we will charge 100% of the full cost of the program.
(*) If the travel restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic don’t allow for this tour program to happen, we’ll give you a full refund. Please note that the travel restrictions that we will take as official will be the ones imposed by the corresponding government/s on the general fully vaccinated and boostered traveler coming to Spain from your country of origin and not your specific personal circumstances.
(**) If Spain borders close due to a national or global emergency, we will give you a full refund.