6 minute read
Seville, Granada & Classic Spain
La Alhambra , Granada
Join this exciting exploration of Andalucía, birthplace of Picasso, home to the City of Flamenco and cradle of the gypsy life.
Plaza de Toros de Ronda, Ronda Bullring Plaza de Espana, Seville
Available Mar to Nov 2022 Fly direct from these airports. Prices from
• Birmingham £855 • Bristol £835 • Gatwick £785 • Leeds/Bradford £869 • Liverpool £845 • Luton £805 • Manchester £915 • Newcastle £1,015 • Stansted £845 Personalise your holiday
• Cordoba – (full day) from £60 Room for Sole Use from £250
Please note: Since some attractions visited offer free admission to visitors at certain times of the year, we do not include entrance fees (unless stated in the itinerary). These will be payable locally where applicable. Seville
Ronda
Cordoba Spain
Antequera
Ronda
Málaga Granada
Morocco
• Stay in the heart of the ‘real’ Andalucía, in the hills behind the sun-kissed Costa • Discover Seville, the City of Flamenco and setting for Bizet’s Carmen • Journey towards the Sierra Nevada, beneath which the great Moorish city of
Granada stands • Visit Granada and enjoy a visit to the world-renowned Alhambra, its exquisite gardens and stunning palaces • Visit the Andalucían ‘white city’ of
Ronda, with its old and new towns separated by a stone bridge spanning a dramatic gorge • Explore the town’s sights, including the legendary 18th-century bullring and 13th-century Roman-style baths • Six nights’ carefully chosen bed and breakfast three-star accommodation at the Hotel Coso Viejo, Antequera (upgrade hotel available for a supplement) • Return flights to Málaga, with coach travel and transfers throughout • Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
From your base in the quintessentially Andalusian town of Antequera, enjoy full-day visits to Granada – with entrance to the stunning Alhambra gardens – to glorious, historic Seville, the city of Flamenco and setting for Bizet’s Carmen, and to the enchanting, white-washed, hill-top town of Ronda, atop its famous gorge. There’s also the chance, on a fascinating optional excursion taken in the company of our experienced tour manager, to visit the magnificent Moorish stronghold of Cordoba, with its extraordinary Mezquita.
La Alhambra, Courtyard
Your Hotel Choices
Day One – Fly to Spain Fly into Málaga, and board the coach for the approximately hourlong transfer into the sun-baked Andalusian hills and your hotel base in Antequera. Depending on the your arrival time, rest and relax in the hotel, and enjoy a first dinner in a wide choice of restaurants, traditional tapas bars and cafés. Day Two – Included Seville excursion The first of the included excursions heads to historic Seville, the great City of Flamenco, setting for Bizet’s Carmen and Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, both of which draw heavily on the city’s heady atmosphere. Seville, where every street is lined with orange trees, has a rich and colourful history, which is reflected in great buildings, beautiful parks, grand boulevards and several atmospheric Old Quarters of narrow streets, which open on to tree-lined squares. Don’t miss the magnificent Cathedral, one of the largest Gothic churches in Christendom, with its 300-fthigh Giralda Tower and much-debated ‘tomb’ of Christopher Columbus, and perhaps pay a visit to the immense Plaza de Toros, Spain’s oldest bullring, where the traditions of the corrida are revered despite the controversy they engender in many. Close by, the cool courtyards of the Moorish Alcazar lead through to the Juderia, or Jewish Quarter. Wander towards sweeping Plaza de Espana which is the city’s ornate, fountainfronted centrepiece. The River Guadalquivir, tidal some fifty miles inland, and up which Columbus once sailed in triumph following his discovery of the New World, still brings great ships to the city’s port, and divides Seville from Triana, the pleasant district on the opposite shore. Day Three – Optional Cordoba excursion Today can be spent at leisure, perhaps exploring Antequera, a settlement since prehistoric times, and with its great Moorish fortress known as the ‘heart of Andalucía’, overlooked by the limestone crag of La Peña de Los Enamorados – or ‘Lovers’ Leap’, which is shrouded in local legend. Many however will join today’s optional excursion across the plain to the great city of Cordoba. This fabled, elegant former Moorish and Roman capital of Spain is full of fascination. At its heart is the breathtaking treasure of the Mezquita, the huge Mosque into which the Christian cathedral has been incorporated, but which retains much of its austere grandeur that reflected Cordoba’s position as the greatest Moorish city in Europe. Surrounding the Mezquita, the narrow lanes and corridors of the ancient Juderia evoke a sense that nothing has changed for a thousand years. You’ll have the chance to explore the city under your own steam, following our guided tour of the Mezquita, before returning to Antequera in time for dinner later this evening. Day Four – Included Ronda excursion Today’s included excursion is a scenic wonder, as you travel across the plain, through a countryside dotted with villages of whitewashed houses, to the truly stunning town of Ronda, in the heart of the Andalusian hills. Set above the dramatic El Tajo gorge, which cuts a swathe through the sierra, this once Moorish citadel is a delight, with a maze of narrow streets, featuring some fine Renaissance houses, its legendary 18th-century bullring and – across the Puente Nuevo bridge which spans the gorge, connecting the old and new towns – the fascinating Roman-style baths, thought to date back to the 13th century. Day Five – Included Granada excursion Board the coach this morning for the day’s unforgettable excursion, journeying north through the foothills of the Alpujarras to the great city of Granada. Set majestically atop three hills, which rise steeply from the Andalusian Plain, this former Moorish capital, with its views to the snow-capped Sierra Nevada, is definitely one of Spain’s greatest treasures. Upon arrival, enjoy a sightseeing tour of the city, culminating with a visit to the awe-inspiring Alhambra, the beautiful park and walled settlement crowned by some of the world’s finest Moorish palaces. Discover the ancient Alcazaba citadel and the Generalife, royal retreat in the heart of the complex, as well as what are some of the world’s most beautiful formal gardens, reflecting the glories of a great empire. This evening you’ll return to Antequera with plenty of time for dinner after a thoroughly absorbing day. Day Six – At leisure Enjoy today, your final day in Spain, at leisure. Choose from making the most of the hotel facilities, exploring Antequera under your own steam or simply resting or relaxing. Day Seven – Fly back to the UK Say goodbye to beautiful Andalucía today, transferring back to Málaga airport for the flight home, after a memorable few days in a wonderful part of the world. Hotel Coso Viejo, Antequera HHH Bed & Breakfast from £785
This centrally located hotel is in the heart of Antequera, very close to all its amenities and attractions, which include a fine selection of bars, restaurants and shops. The hotel has its own restaurant, bar-café, and interior courtyard which some of the rooms overlook. All of the bedrooms have private facilities, Wi-Fi, air conditioning, satellite TV, a safe, minibar, hairdryer and telephone.
This elegant four-star hotel enjoys excellent facilities and high standards of accommodation. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, gym, gardens and terraces, a piano bar, cafeteria, restaurant, hair salon and souvenir shop. There is also a spa, indoor swimming pool and golf-course (treatments and green fees payable locally). Bedrooms have private facilities, air conditioning, satellite TV, a mini-bar, safety deposit box and a hairdryer. Half-Board upgrade is available for a supplement.
