Andalucia is blessed with a wealth of culture, history, mountain scenery and sunshine. On this tour we visit the highlight cities of Granada, Seville and Cordoba along with a couple of nights off the beaten track in a typical Andalucian village. We include visits to the stunning Alhambra Palace and Cordoba Mezquita, two jewels of Moorish architecture from the golden era of Al-Andalus. You have the chance to stretch your legs on two guided walks through rolling, verdant landscape (graded easy to moderate), or just relax.
Itinerary
[+] Detailed Itinerary
1
Join tour Malaga Airport. Bus to Granada
Arriving at Malaga Airport today we travel the short distance into the city by train. From here we then board a public bus for the 128 kilometre drive to Granda. The journey should take us around two hours, getting us into the famous Andalucian city later this afternoon. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Granada is a historical gem that is blessed with a stunning fusion of Spanish and Muslim art and architecture including the Alhambra Palace, the Generalife and the city’s grand 16th century cathedral.
Overnight Simple Hotel
2
In Granada; Alhambra visit and afternoon orientation walk
One of the highlights of our journey is our visit this morning to Granada’s iconic Alhambra Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site that occupies a small plateau in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas. Built in the 13th century by Mohammed Iibn Nasr, the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, the palace is considered one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture outside the Arab world. We also include an orientation tour of the city this afternoon, taking in some of the city’s main points of interest including the Albaicin, Granada’s historic and atmospheric old Moorish quarter.
Overnight Simple Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
3
Bus to Córdoba. Afternoon visit to Mezquita
After a free morning in the city we take a taxi to the bus station to catch the midday bus on to the city of Córdoba, the once great capital of the Islamic caliphate of al-Andalus. Like Granada, Córdoba hides a wealth of treasures amongst its rambling back streets and this afternoon we have chance to visit its great mosque, the Mezquita-Catedral. Another of Spain’s World Heritage sites, this extraordinary building represents a unique blend of faiths, housing two oratories and a stunning hypostyle hall that contains 856 columns of jasper, onyx, marble and granite.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
4
Castaño del Robledo via Seville
Travelling by train and bus today we head deep into the countryside of rural Andalucia, heading for the small village of Castaño de Robledo, close to the Portuguese border. Our destination lies in the heart of the Sierra Aracena National Park, surrounded by a landscape of cork trees and forests of oak and sweet chestnut. Castaño is a captivating collection of narrow cobbled streets and whitewashed houses that exhibit the typical 'serrano' architecture of the area.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
5
In Castaño del Robledo: walk to Alajar
After breakfast this morning we walk to the picturesque ‘pueblo blanco’ (white village) of Alájar, famed for the imposing 17th century shrine of Arias Montano that occupies a rocky promontory high above the village. We return to Castano on foot (total walking distance 12 kilometres). This afternoon you may wish to take a bus on to the town of Aracena, home to the famous ‘Gruta de las Maravillas’ (Grotto of the Marvels), set amidst one of the most spectacular cave systems in the country. If time allows there may be chance to pay a visit to the caves (optional).
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
6
Walk to Galaroza; Bus to Seville
Lying to the northwest of Seville, the Sierra de Aracena is a remote western outlier of the extensive Sierra Morena and the quiet, easy paced, way of life here remains definitively Andalucian. The wooded hillsides support a smattering of tiny whitewashed villages, with rural economies still reliant on the production of quality-cured hams, chestnuts and cork. We have a chance to enjoy more of this rural idyll today, with a walk to the nearby village of Galaroza, in the beautifully scenic Valle de Murtiga (walking distance approximately 6.5 kilometres). From there later in the afternoon we catch the bus to Seville. Our bags will be transported separately to the bus stop in Galaroza..
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
7
In Seville: morning orientation walk. Afternoon free
The Andalucian capital can trace its ancestry back over two thousand years. It is now home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites and is one of the three largest Old Towns in Europe (Venice and Genoa being the other two). This morning we take a walk through the city, taking in its beautiful ‘Mudejar’ architecture (a mixture of Christian and Moorish styles). This afternoon has then been left free, offering a chance to take in the delights of the Alcázar and the city’s immense Gothic Cathedral, and perhaps even enjoy the views from the top of the Giralda Tower.
Overnight Standard Hotel
Included meals: Breakfast
8
Tour ends Seville
Tour ends after breakfast. If you are staying on you may wish to explore the city further, perhaps visit on of Seville's many museums.
Included meals: Breakfast
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