ANDALUSIAN HEARTLAND - CORDOBA, SEVILLE, RONDA & GRANADA
Day 1, Cordoba
Meet your English speaking driver at the main exit of Cordoba's Central Rail Station. After a short meet and greet welcome, the driver will transfer you to your downtown first class hotel for check-in. Free time to get acquainted with your hotel and surroundings.
At mid-afternoon your local English speaking private guide will meet you in the lobby of the hotel to begin your 2 1/2 hour walking tour of this magnificent Andalusian Jewel. Your tour will include entrance to the former Great Mosque (now a Cathedral) with its labyrinth of columns, and the old Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter. Time and season permitting, we'll visit some of Cordoba's famous "Patio" gardens. After the tour, you are free to stroll around the city center on your own or return to your hotel. Overnight in Cordoba.
Day 2, Cordoba--Carmona-Seville
Breakfast at your hotel. Your English speaking driver/guide will collect you in the lobby of your hotel at 9:00am for your private transfer to Seville. On the way to Seville, we'll stop in the town of Carmona, a former military stronghold in the times of Julius Caesar with a rich Roman and Moorish past, for a short walking stroll through the historical city center. Free time for lunch, on your own, before continuing to Seville, the Pearl of Andalucia, to check-in to your first class centrally located boutique hotel. Accommodations in Seville
Day 3, Seville
Breakfast at your hotel. At 9:00am your English speaking guide will meet you in the hotel lobby for a 3-hour walking tour of Seville featuring the charming narrow streets, alleys and plazas of the "Barrio de Santa Cruz", the Jewish and Moorish quarters. You'll also visit the interior of the Gothic Cathedral and the Royal Alcazars - the oldest Royal Palace still in use in Europe and a Heritage of Mankind site. After the tour, free time to stroll through the city on your own or return to your hotel.
This evening we invite you to partake in a true Spanish tradition: an OPTIONAL private guided Tapas walking tour featuring stops at several typical taverns with sampling of local tapas and wines. (OPTIONAL PRIVATE TAPAS WALKING TOUR, AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST).
Day 4, Seville-Jerez-Arcos-Ronda
After breakfast at your hotel. Meet your driver/guide with your luggage in the hotel lobby at 9:00am for departure by private vehicle to Jerez de la Frontera. Here in Jerez we'll visit the Gonzalez Byass winery for a tour and sampling a few local sherry wines. We continue our visit of Jerez with a stop at the Royal Spanish School of Equestrian Arts for an Andalusian horse show/demonstration, subject to availability (Note: Ecuestrian Show does not take place everyday. Show ticket is not included). Free time for lunch on your own at a local restaurant. Afterwards we continue our journey to the White Villages of Andalucia and the town of Arcos de la Frontera where we'll stop for coffee, on your own, and perhaps to admire the spectacular panoramic views from the town's Parador. We continue to the beautiful white village of Ronda for overnight accommodations at your first class boutique hotel or the Parador of Ronda. Overnight in Ronda.
Day 5, Ronda-Malaga-Granada
After breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel lobby at 9:00am for a 2-hour walking tour of Ronda featuring the famous bullring, museum and to admire the spectacular views from the Roman bridge. After the tour, we check out of the hotel or Parador. Your driver will take you along the Costa del Sol to the port city of Malaga for a 2 hour guided walking tour of the old quarter including the moorish Alcazaba, the Picasso museum and birthplace of Pablo Picasso (Note: Picasso museum is closed on Mondays). After the tour of Malaga, free time for lunch, on your own, in a local restaurant (your guide will give you restaurant recommendations). Midafternoon departure to nearby Granada located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Check-in to your first class hotel. Overnight in Granada.
Day 6, Granada
Breakfast at your hotel. Meet your guide in the hotel lobby at 9:30am for your 3 hour private guided tour of the majestic Alhambra Palace Monument and its tranquil Generalife Gardens, a UNESCO Heritage of Mankind site and perhaps the most famous of Spanish Monuments. Visit includes the Nasrid Palaces and the Palace of Charles V. Afternoon is free for you to discover lovely Granada on your own.
Tonight we suggest taking an OPTIONAL guided tour of the Albaicin, the old Moorish quarter of Granada with its amazing views of the Alhambra illuminated at night. Afterwards enjoy an optional unique flamenco show and dinner in the Sacromonte Gypsy Caves - a truly unique experience. (OPTIONAL EVENING ALBAICIN TOUR AND SACROMONTE GYPSY CAVES FLAMENCO SHOW INCLUDING DINNER, AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST).
Day 7, Granada
After breakfast at your hotel, your driver will pick you up for a private transfer to Granada airport or rail station. End of tour.
Málaga
Capital of province, is a city that is placed in the coast of the Mediterranean, next to the mouth of the Guadalmedina. Its main economic activity is centered in the services sector, in tourism, that goes to this city in search of sun and beaches to rest. The old part of the city goes back to the medieval and renaissance period, the Cathedral, the Marqués de Larios street or the Customs Palace. The city has other monuments that are a testimony to the settlement of Arab culture in the area, for example the Alcazaba, which became the palace of the Nasrid kings. And in the convents of the city, the traveler can acquire exquisite sweets. Between the city and the port there is a landscaped walk that traditionally is a place of expansion of the Malaga people. Next to the promenade, in the neighborhood of El Palo, in the area of Pedregalejo and Malagueta are concentrated bars, inns and terraces where you can try the specialties of Malaga cuisine. Nowadays, Malaga has become a large metropolitan area, which develops important port and industrial activity throughout its bay.
GRANADA
An ancient Spanish poet is said to have written:_”There is nothing so sad as to be in Granada—and be blind!” How true, for this magical city provides constant treats to one’s vision. Located at the foot of the (usually snowcapped) 11 thousand foot- plus Mulhacen Peak (home of a famous ski resort), Granada shares the fame of Andalusia (southern Spain) with the her delightful cities of Seville and Granada, plus the coastal city of Malaga and the resort area of Costa Del Sol. This delightful verdant land, blessed with abundant water and a mild climate, had been populated since at least 5000 BC and became a Catholic center as early as the first century of the Christian era. Over time, a Moorish domination set in and Granada became a city of the Caliphs, and the magnificent gardens and palaces of the Alhambra were created, ushering in an era of the “Thousand and One Nights”. By early 1500, the Christian Monarchs of Ferdinand and Isabel had reestablished control of Spain. Today, Granada stands as a glorious reminder to its natural beauty and historical edifices along with traditions like local costumes, flamenco, bullfighting and delicious cuisine. Comfortable tourist accommodations range from local hotels of all categories to the magnificent Parador of Granada. Located right within the Alhambra itself!
Hotel or Similiar
HOTELS SUPERIOR
Hotel Soho Boutique Capuchinos & Spa, Cordoba
Catalonia Reina Victoria Hotel, Ronda
Petit Palace Santa Cruz, Seville
Hotel Hesperia Granada Centro, Granada
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First class boutique style hotels or Paradores accommodations in each city.
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Buffet breakfast daily
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Private arrival transfer in Cordoba and departure transfer in Granada
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Guided private sightseeing in Cordoba, Carmona, Seville, Jerez, Arcos, Ronda, Malaga and Granada
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Entrances to the following monuments:
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Cordoba: Great Mosque/Cathedral and Synagogue
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Seville: Cathedral and Royal Alcazars
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Jerez: Gonzalez Byass winery
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Ronda: Bullring and Museum
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Malaga: Picasso Museum and Birthplace of the artist
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Granada: Alhambra and Generalife Gardens
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Call 800-634-1188 for price quote
Petrabax
Petrabax is also a leader in Spanish language escorted tours of Europe, Middle East and the Orient.
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