Spring Tour in Southern Spain

Malaga: Meet & Greet. Concepcion Botanical Gardens

The time and meeting place (either Malaga Maria Zambrano railway station or Malaga airport) will be confirmed 30 days before the trip departure.

After meeting your tour leader and group, we will take you to La Concepcion Botanical Gardens, located just 6 km outside Malaga city centre. These gardens are a tropical paradise with over 800 species. After your 1.5h guided tour of the gardens with a botanic expert, we will drive you to the picturesque town of Ronda on a beautiful scenic road connecting the Mediterranean coast and the Serrania mountains. Check-in at your dramatically located hotel in Ronda which overlooks the Tajo gorge and cliffs.

Free evening & welcome dinner. After settled in your room, it’s time to relax and enjoy a nice welcome dinner with amazing views

Ronda & Sevilla

Morning: Ronda’s Gardens

After breakfast and check-out you will enjoy a lovely walk along the Alameda del Tajo: a public garden from the 19th century which houses a wonderful selection of full-grown trees typical to the Malageño ornamental gardening style. Your walk will end at the city's most famous viewpoint which offers impressive views of the imposing gorge below.

Finally you'll visit the Casa don Bosco, a modernist palace built at the beginning of the 20th century. It is worth highlighting its beautiful interior patio decorated with Nasrid flooring and a large collection of ceramics from the region, as well as its tapestries dating from the 19th century and its magnificent walnut furniture, the fireplace in its main living room is the clearest example of Ronda’s craftsmanship in the purest Castilian style. The gardens are very interesting, due to its placement, being a natural balcony on to the mountains. Lunch (included) will be served with stunning views over the bridge. You will have the opportunity to sample Ronda's fantastic local wines as well.

Afternoon: Transfer to Sevilla

After lunch, it's on to Sevilla (aprx. 1h 45mins) where you will be staying at a beautiful hotel located right in the city center.

Evening: Flamenco show & dinner

Flamenco venue and dinner. Your tour guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel to take you to one of the most emblematic "Tablaos" in Sevilla. With more than 40 years of experience this "Tablao" offers the purest Flamenco you can find in Andalusia. Probably the best place in Sevilla to live the excitement and duende of flamenco. Prior to the performance, à la carte dinner with dishes of high Andalusian cuisine will be served (all drinks are included). Towards the end of the dinner, the show will start and last approximately 1.30h. This show features up to 15 of the most professional flamenco artists in the whole Spain.

Excitement and enjoyment are guaranteed!

Sevilla

Morning: Sevilla guided tour

After breakfast, meet your local art historian guide in the lobby of the hotel to embark you on a 3h guided walking tour of the historical centre of Sevilla (one of the largest in Europe), including the Casa Pilatos (XV century Andalus palace and courtyards with a harmonious mixture of Mudéjar, Gothic and Renaissance styles), the Barrio de Santa Cruz (the old Jewish quarter with a labyrinth of tiny alleys and white houses with traditional Moorish courtyards), the Reales Alcazares gardens (an active Royal residence boasting impressive gardens and fountains from the XIV century) and finally the great Cathedral (the third largest Gothic cathedral in the world). The tour will finish at the Giralda tower (Cathedral's bell tower), where you can walk up to the very top (104 m high over ramps, no steps) at your own pace. Later your tour guide will meet you by the exit gate of the Cathedral for a 2h tapas tour, the Sevilla way!!

Free afternoon (suggestions)

Murillo gardens - Take a magical afternoon tea experience at one of the oldest & most beautiful hotels in (Alfonso XIII, purely mudejar style). Arabian spa. Shopping. Metropol panoramic view (the wooden mushrooms, Plaza Encarnacion)....

Optional activity for the evening*: Unique Feria experience FERIA DE ABRIL (Sevilla’s April fair)

*As this is an event that changes dates every year, this activity may not always be available. We will inform you when this tour coincides with the April fair. This is a private tour with a local flamenco & culinary guide (Length: 4h) Additional cost to the tour price: from 350 euros per person

Sevilla & Portocarrero

Morning: Maria Luisa Park & Plaza de España (Sevilla)

After breakfast, meet your local art historian guide in the lobby of the hotel for a private guided visit to Mª Luisa Park and the spectacular Plaza de España. After your tour, you’ll head to Portocarrero (aprx 1h 15mins), located in Palma del Rio, right in between the historic cities of Cordoba and Sevilla, by the riverbank of the Guadalquivir.

Afternoon: Portocarrero Palace - Visit, tasting & lunch

You will enjoy a private guided tour of the Palace, courtyards, and gardens. This lovely visit will be completed with a tasting of delicious fresh orange juice from the orchards and a light lunch in the palace. Cristina Ybarra, the current owner has her main art studio inside the Palace and she is always pleased to show and share her artwork with those discerning travellers who are interested in painting. After this magical escape to paradise, it's on to your hotel in Cordoba (aprx. 1h).

Evening Equestrian Show in Cordoba

Tonight you will enjoy a marvellous equestrian exhibition in which pure bred Spanish horses are the main protagonists. The stage, an emblematic and magical historical building, once the birthplace of the Andalusian Horse and now an unparalleled setting for this enchanting 1-hour equestrian show. The Royal Stables are located next to the Royal Alcázar and just a 5 mins walk from your hotel.

After the show, you can have dinner (cost not included) at one of the local restaurants in the nearby and authentic "San Basilio" district.

Cordoba

Cordoba highlights: Viana Palace, Jewish quarter and the Great Mosque/Cathedral

Your local guide will pick you up at your hotel and will take you for a walking tour of apr 3 hrs to explore the nicest gardens and courtyards of Córdoba. You will first visit the Palacio de Viana in the Santa Marina neighbourhood, a 17th- century manor with 13 interconnected delightful patios and gardens.

Then it’s time to explore the old town and its Jewish quarter including, of course, a guided visit to the famed Mosque/Cathedral (La Mezquita), a monumental site which encapsulates this city's identity like few other buildings can, with the layers of its beautifully complex history visibly integrated in its walls and bearing the marks of the various and diverse cultures and civilizations that helped shape this fascinating city.

Lunch will be served at a lovely patio house located in the heart of the Jewish quarter.

Evening: Exploring San Basilio, Patios & Flower tasting

This 2h experience includes a short orientation walk to explore one of the most popular areas of Cordoba, the San Basilio quarter, where you will admire the architecture and unique decoration of some of the most representative courtyards (“Patios”) declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Unesco in 2012. Have you ever wondered what a carnation, a pansy, a Snapdragon or a rose petal taste like? Well, today, you will also have the unique opportunity of attending an amazing flower tasting to find out.

This very interesting and totally different experience makes us pioneer in offering something like this in Andalucia. All the flowers you will be tasting are totally edible and will be paired with two excellent local wines, "sherry" style (Palo Cortado and sweet Pedro Ximenez). This experience is an absolute must-try for any flower lover visiting Cordoba in Springtime!

Montilla-Moriles

Smell & Taste the Andalusian countryside

Morning: After breakfast, we will make our way to our next destination, but before heading to Granada, we stop at a couple of interesting places in the heart of the Andalusian countryside surrounded by hundred year-old olive groves... First stop is a family-run olive oil mill in Montilla where you will discover the full process of olive oil making. You will enjoy a tour of the family groves and learn about the different characteristics, culinary uses and health benefits of olive oil followed by a tasting of two of their delicious varieties along with freshly baked bread made by the very same family! Then, it’s on to the lovely local family-run boutique winery located right in the heart of the Sierra de Montilla, a stunning rural landscape with endless vineyards and rolling hills. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed by a truly passionate viticulturist who will lead you through their family vineyards, private garden and wine cellar while telling you about the history of this recently restored ancestral property as well as the unique grape variety that grows exclusively in this region, the popular and worldwide known "Pedro Ximenez". You will also learn about the entire process and aging system of these singular dry and sweet wines, a process that is probably the oldest in Spain.

The visit will end with a delicious tasting of some of these varieties paired with homemade lunch (included) showcasing some of the region's best products.

Afternoon: Transfer to Granada

After lunch you will be transferred to Granada (aprx. 2h drive).

Evening: Orientation walk in Granada

After checking into your hotel in Granada's city centre, you will have some free time to freshen up and relax before meeting up with the group and your tour guide again to go on your orientation walk of Granada’s city centre (1.5hrs) so you could get the bearings and the feel of the city. A great way to complete this evening tour would be with a tasting of some of the local tapas at some of the most emblematic taverns in town. We invite you to join us for a fun evening to try the best food and wine (this is an optional meal that is not included).

Granada

The wonders of the Alhambra & the Albaycín

Free morning: You’ll have a free morning to explore Granada at your own pace and perhaps do a bit of shopping too. You might enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Darro River promenade or wander down Gran Vía de Colón. Take time to visit the impressive Cathedral and Royal Chapel, or step into La Madraza Palace, a former Moorish library and university from the 13th century. The Alcaicería, a small souk- style market, is a great spot for browsing local crafts, while nearby plazas like Bib-Rambla and Plaza del Carmen (home to the City Hall) offer lively atmospheres. For scenic views and a peaceful setting, consider visiting Carmen de los Mártires, a beautiful 19th-century house with gardens overlooking the city. If you feel like unwinding, the Hamman Al Ándalus offers authentic Arabian baths and relaxing massages. You can also explore the Realejo Jewish quarter or venture up to the Sacromonte gypsy caves for a glimpse into Granada’s flamenco heritage.

You’ll have time to enjoy a light lunch on your own before meeting the group at the hotel for the afternoon guided tour of the Alhambra.

Afternoon: Alhambra guided tour

Meet your art historian guide at the lobby of your hotel to take you to the Alhambra (transportation from hotel to Alhambra is included) You will enjoy a guided tour* of aprx 3hrs during which you will discover one of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture: the magnificent Moorish Alhambra Palace and its beautiful Generalife gardens. The Alhambra is a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari Dynasty in the 14th century. This mighty compound of buildings – including the summer palace called Generalife, with its fountains and gardens - stands at the foot of Spain's highest mountain range, the Sierra Nevada, and overlooks the city below and the fertile plain of Granada.

After the guided tour of the Alhambra, you may either walk back to your hotel (approximately 20–30 minutes downhill) or take a taxi (about a 10-minute ride). Once back at the hotel, you'll have some free time to freshen up and relax before the farewell dinner.

*All skip the line tickets will be provided by your local guide on the day of the tour. Farewell dinner in the Albaycín quarter to say good bye to Granada and Andalusia.

Transfer back to Malaga

Morning: After breakfast and check-out, you will be transferred to Malaga either the airport, the train station or the city centre, depending on the rest of your travel plans.