Tour Highlights Of Andalucia

Guide

All Intrepid group trips in Europe are accompanied by one of our local European group leaders. ’Local’ in this context means a leader who is European or lives in Europe. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader takes care of logistics, will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we also aim to support local guides in the individual cities or locations we travel to. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend an optional local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Others

Seville - Leader-led orientation walk Seville - Flamenco class (1 hour) Jerez - Sherry tasting Zahara de la Sierra - Olive Oil Mill Tour & Tasting Grazalema - Leader-led orientation walk Ronda - Leader-led orientation walk Granada - Leader-led orientation walk Granada - Local Produce Tasting Granada - Guided Visit to Alhambra Palace & Gardens

Meals

7 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle On this trip you will be travelling in comfortable private vehicles. Some of the roads, generally in good conditions in Spain, will be taking you through rural, mountainous terrain. It is worth having motion sickness tablets handy if you are likely to struggle from travelling on windy roads.

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. We pair up solo travellers with another traveller of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you’ve purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. FACILITIES: Your accommodation may not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don’t provide kettles or fridges. Hotel (7 nights)

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Day 1 Day 1: Seville
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Seville

Hola! Bienvenido a Sevilla. Welcome to Seville. There are no activities planned during the day, so you may arrive at any time before the important welcome meeting at 7 pm. If you do have time beforehand, take the opportunity to visit Barrio Santa Cruz – with its multicultural history, it is a great place to start. This neighbourhood was designed in medieval times to provide a shaded space from the Andalucian heat. After your welcome meeting, you may like to head out for a dinner with your group and sample some local tapas.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 2 Day 2: Seville
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Seville

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast before heading on an orientation walk with your leader. Explore the maze of narrow cobblestoned streets and sun-speckled squares in Barrio Santa Cruz, also known as the Jewish Quarter, and El Centro. Pass by the grand gothic-style Catedral de Sevilla, the burial site of Christopher Columbus, the Giralda, built as a minaret for the Great Mosque of Seville, and the magnificent Alcazar Palace, one of the country’s most impressive and historic monuments. The afternoon is yours to explore these sites further – the gardens of the Alcazar Palace are particularly impressive. Tonight, you can join the Sevillanos (Seville locals) and soak up the ambience of the city as it comes alive after dark. The locals usually dine late, so embrace their schedule. Perhaps round off your evening with an optional flamenco show; your leader will offer you some history of this unique dance style.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 3 Day 3: Grazalema
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Grazalema

After breakfast, say goodbye to Seville and hit the road. Your first stop is a local winery near the city of Jerez. Here you’ll have the chance to sample some locally produced sherry, accompanied by tasty Iberico tapas. After the winery, travel to Grazalema. The village sits in the foothills of the Sierra del Pinar mountain range and will be your base for two nights. Settle into your accommodation, a charming hotel located on a farm in the heart of the Grazalema Natural Park. Make the most of your stunning location this evening and enjoy dinner at your accommodation, made from produce grown on site and locally sourced meat and dairy.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 4 Day 4: Grazalema
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Grazalema

Begin your day with an orientation walk around the whitewashed buildings and winding alleys of Grazalema. Your next stop is Molino El Vinculo, a traditional, family-run ‘cold’ olive oil mill. Enjoy a tour of the factory and a tasting. Andalucia is the world’s largest producer of olive oil, and the locals enjoy it at all times of the day. It is also the basis of Andalucia’s most famous contribution to world gastronomy – gazpacho. Then it’s on to explore the splendid village of Zahara de la Sierra. The awesome mountain-top location of this whitewashed village makes it visible for many kilometres. It’s also known as the ’Moorish Eagle’s Nest’. Your leader will take you up to the 15th-century watchtower from where you can marvel at the spectacular views over the Zahara-El Gastor Reservoir and the surrounding countryside. Return to Grazalema where you’ll have time to relax by the pool or take a walk around the Natural Park before another included dinner at your accommodation
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 5 Day 5: Ronda
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Ronda

After breakfast, travel by private vehicle to Ronda. This little town, perched on a mountaintop, is one of Spain’s oldest villages, dating back to the 9th century BC, and arguably its most spectacular. Head out on an orientation walk with your leader and visit the historic Plaza de Toros de Ronda, the birthplace of modern bullfighting and one of the country’s oldest arenas. Stop off at several viewpoints along the Puerta de Almocabar, an ancient stone gate, and check out the Arab Walls while learning about the town’s Islamic heritage. In the evening, you might like to enjoy some tapas and a glass of crisp Spanish beer in one of Ronda’s lively local eateries.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 6 Day 6: Granada
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Granada

After breakfast, continue to Granada by private vehicle, taking in views of Andalucia’s rich and diverse landscapes along the way. Arrive in the city and walk through the historic Christian cathedral district to witness the Moorish influence first-hand. In the afternoon you will be taking part in an exclusive local produce tasting at a small, family run delicatessen. Try local Iberian ham, different types of cheeses, jam, olive oil and other gourmet products from around Spain, including some wine. Afterwards there is the option to visit Granada Cathedral and the Royal Chapel. Alternatively, you can wander through the Alcaiceria (old silk market area). In the evening, you may want to go out on a tapas tour of the city, or head to one of the small flamenco taverns around the city and see how the art form here differs from Seville’s version.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 7 Day 7: Granada
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Granada

Today make a visit to Granada’s impressive Alhambra Palace. An entrance ticket and a guided tour is included in the trip and grants you access to the Palace and Gardens. Discover this 11th-century marvel and its dominating red fortress towers, palace decor, architectural styles, and magnificent gardens. It’s all set against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains. With fountains, impeccably maintained hedges and pools, centuries-old defensive walls, turrets, and views overlooking Granada, this renowned palace will not disappoint. Make sure you allow enough time as the Alhambra is made up of three parts: the Alcazaba, the 11th-century Muslim wing which features spectacular views from its towers; the Palacio Nazaries, the centre of the complex; and Generalife, the summer palace of the sultans. After your visit ask your leader to take you deeper into Granada’s Moorish Albaicin quarter and to the area of traditional tea houses. The view from this area across to the Alhambra Palace is not to be missed. Tonight, perhaps meet up again with the group for dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 8 Day 8: Granada
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Granada

There are no activities planned for today, so you are free to leave your accommodation at any time. If you would like to stay on in Granada, we don’t blame you! Additional accommodation can be arranged when you book (subject to availability). Granada also has flight, rail and bus connections to major Spanish cities and other European hubs.

8 days tour

Highlights Of Andalucia

This tour includes:

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Itinerary of your trip Highlights Of Andalucia

Day 1: Seville

Day 2: Seville

Day 3: Grazalema

Day 4: Grazalema

Day 5: Ronda

Day 6: Granada

Day 7: Granada

Day 8: Granada

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