Highlights
- 5-day tour of Seville, Cordoba, Toledo and Granada, Spain's most famous Andalusian cities
- Tour Seville's beautiful cathedral and visit the Santa Cruz quarter
- See Spain's oldest bullring in Ronda
- Admire Granada's UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens
- Visit Toledo, hometown of painter El Greco
- Enjoy locally guided tours of Seville, Granada, Toledo and Cordoba
- Includes 4 nights' accommodation and meals
Useful Information
San Telmo Palace, Seville
Please see the Itinerary below for details on each day of the tour.
Itinerary
Your tour begins with a morning departure from Madrid to Cordoba, as your luxury coach takes you through the legendary countryside depicted in Don Quixote, the Man from La Mancha. After enjoying lunch (own expense), take a guided tour of Cordoba to discover the city’s mix of Jewish and Arab culture. Admire Cordoba’s mosque and the medieval architecture of the Jewish quarter, with its whitewashed courtyards, winding alleys and leafy squares. Leaving Cordoba, continue to Seville for dinner and your accommodation.
Overnight: Catalonia Santa Justa (four stars) or Melia Lebreros (four stars) in Seville
Day 2: Seville (B, D)
After breakfast, enjoy a morning tour of the beautiful city of Seville, including the cathedral, Santa Cruz quarter and Maria Luisa Gardens. Discover the hidden secrets of this lively city built on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, with its rich Arab legacy and colorful local districts such as Triana and La Macarena.
Spend the afternoon exploring Seville at your leisure, before returning to your hotel for dinner. In the evening, stroll along the riverside promenade, visit one of the city’s legendary bars or experience the drama and passion of flamenco at a Seville flamenco show (optional extra).
Overnight: your choice of accommodation in Seville
Day 3: Seville -- Ronda -- Costa del Sol (B, D)
Following breakfast at your hotel, continue your five-day Spanish adventure with a trip to Ronda, a magical cliff-top city perching on top of Tajo Gorge. You will have time to explore Ronda at your leisure, admiring Spain’s oldest bullring and the town’s ancient bridges spanning the ravines. As you stroll around Ronda, it’s easy to see why this beautiful hill town was frequented by such famous people as Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles. Leaving Ronda, continue to your accommodation on the Costa del Sol. Laze on the beach or explore the area at your own pace before dinner at your hotel.
Overnight: Sol Principe (four star) or Melia Costa del Sol (four star) in Costa del Sol
Day 4: Granada -- Alhambra - Generalife Gardens (B, D)
Leaving your Costa del Sol hotel after breakfast, relax on the scenic coach trip to Granada, the last Moorish city to be reconquered in 1492 and retaining its distinctly Moorish influences. Your visit to the UNESCO World Heritage sites of the Alhambra and Generalife Gardens will no doubt be among the highlights of your tour. Stroll through the mosaic-tiled and landscaped gardens to discover the culture and history of Spain’s Moorish rulers and admire their exotic architectural legacy. After dinner at your hotel, spend the evening at your leisure or watch a Gypsy Zambra flamenco show in Granada’s Gypsy quarter, Sacromonte (optional extra).
Overnight: Hotel Los Angeles (four stars) or Abades Nevada Palace (four stars) in Granada
Day 5: Granada -- Toledo -- Madrid (B)
Following breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a scenic coach ride to the World Heritage imperial city of Toledo. Discover the fortified city’s multicultural layering of Christian, Moorish and Jewish culture, and well-preserved medieval architecture. After lunch (own expense), take a walk into the past along Toledo’s cobblestone alleyways and enjoy a guided tour of the city’s many monuments and landmarks. During the tour, hear about the work of the artist El Greco and see examples of Toledo’s signature Damasquinado metalwork, delicately etched with gold. In the afternoon, continue on to Madrid where your five-day tour of Spain ends.
The hotels detailed above are as a reference only and are subject to change.
Reviewed by Gerry, Canada, April 2013
Excellent tour with no worries. Enough time to see the major sites with excellent local tour guides. Carlos our bus tour guide is also excellent and funny, sometimes he laughs at his own jokes when nobody gets it . If you want to see the best of Andalusia, this is the best tour with excellent hotels and excellent sites. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by Peter C, April 2013
Excellent small group tour. The Tour Director had a very good knowledge and the pre arranged walking tours with local guides were very informative. Pace of trip was to our liking and the four star hotels and meals all very good. Recommend the five day (in lieu of the three day) tour.
