This is a five-day tour to the Southern regions of Spain, where you see the best of Andalusia in four days, but in this case it is also added half of the day and the night on Spanish most famous coastline - Costa del Sol, and instead of Cordoba you will go to Caceres - ancient town in the province of Extremadura.
Later - to Andalusia. With its curious mishmash of Moorish majesty and Roman relics, rustic charm and indelibly beautiful backcountry, where mountains tower above gushing rivers and canyons carve through the ground, it’s hardly surprising that Andalusia remains one of the most visited regions in Spain. You'll be visiting and exploring Andalusia cities of Seville, Ronda and Granada.
You will spend some time on Costa del Sol - one of the most popular tourist destinations in Spain.
And finally the tour will be rounded off by visiting the former capital of Spain - Toledo, on your way back to Madrid.
Included in tour:
- accommodation in **** hotels
- 4 breakfasts, 2
lunches, 3 dinners
- modern and air-conditioned bus
- multi-lingual
tour escort
- sightseeing tour with local guide in Sevilla, Granada
and Toledo
- tickets to Alhambra in Granada
- tickets to St. Tome
and St. Maria Blanca churches in Toledo
- travel insurance
- free
Wi- Fi on board
Price: From €600
ITINERARY
Day 1. Madrid - Caceres - Sevilla (560 km ~ 348 miles)
Departure from the bus terminal at 08.00 in the morning. We'll be heading to the region of Extremadura, where you will make a first stop in Caceres - a beautiful medieval town founded by the Romans in 25 BC. Visiting this place is like travelling back in time, to the old medieval era. The streets climb and twist among hoary palaces and mansions. As you turn your head up, you can see the skyline decorated with gargoyles, spires, and gigantic storks' nests. The fortress has been serving as defensive walls since the 16th century. You will have a good hour and a half there, so, please go ahead and check the main highlights, those are very close to each other and located in the city center:
Plaza Mayor -
town’s most-lively square. There are several must-see places located in
Plaza Mayor. Climb up the steps from the Old Town and turn left. You will
see the great Torre de Bujaco, or Bujaco Tower. At the top of the tower,
you will be treated to a storks’ eye view of the Plaza Mayor. To climb the
tower, you need to spend 2 euros.
Next to Torre de
Bujaco, at the top of the stone stairs, you will see Arco de La Estrella,
(Star Archway). This archway serves as a traditional entrance to the Old
Town. Built in the 18th century, this archway is considered to be the most
important gate in Cáceres.
The essential part of
travelling to Cáceres is what lies inside the fortress. As you enter
through Arco de la Estrella, several antique buildings greet you. If you
walk left from the archway, you will find Palacio de Toledo-Moctezuma,
built between the 14th and 15th centuries. Though you can only visit the
palace from the outside, the front-facing architecture is worth seeing.
Additionally, the
small streets in the Old Town have different small shops selling local
products, such as homemade pastries and sweets. Other local products
definitely worth trying are goat cheese (Torta de Casar) and fig cake.
Continuation to Seville, arrival, dinner and accommodation.
Day 2. Seville
Breakfast in the hotel, followed by a proper city tour throughout Seville with a local guide, to admire this beautiful and also the largest city of Southern Spain. With numerous sights and attractions, this city will never leave visitors stuck for choice. Main highlights of the tour:
Plaza de España was
built as a centerpiece for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition. Described
as one of Seville’s most impressive sights, this plaza (square) measures
at 50,000 sq. meters. Only a twenty-minute walk from Seville Cathedral,
this is one of Seville’s more popular locations and with a canal measuring
500 meters, the plaza is known as ''the Venice of Seville’’. It is a
magnificent sight and a must see, with its colored ceramics and 48 tiled
alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain. This place is
not only popular with tourists and visitors as it has been used for the
location of a number of films including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars.
Maria Luisa Park acted
as the site of the Ibero-American Exhibition in 1929. Filled with orange
trees, palm trees and flower beds, it is the perfect place to unwind. With
a number of colorfully tiled benches and fountains erected in a Moorish
style, this park brings a touch of the exotic to the city. It is
surrounded by a number of historic sites and wonderful architectural
buildings which allows visitors to indirectly appreciate the beauty of
Seville.
Seville’s Cathedral is
one of the largest in the world. It stands at an enormous 126 meters long
and 83 meters wide with a ceiling height of 37 meters. The classical
exterior draws visitors into an equally impressive interior. For example,
the main altarpiece, consists of 36 gilded panels, gently glimmering
through the space. Globe-trotters can also pay their own homage to one of
the world’s greatest travelers - this monumental building holds the
sarcophagus of Christopher Columbus. During the tour we will see the
Cathedral from outside.
Barrio Santa Cruz -
Seville’s most famous area and a former Jewish Quarter. Its unfeasibly
narrow streets, white houses, secret squares and small churches creates an
unforgettable atmosphere, just enjoy it.
After the city tour you will have the afternoon off to rest or explore more on your own.
You can check out the
inside of the Cathedral, or visit the famous Giralda Bell Tower , attached
to it. This is most iconic representation of the Islam and Christian
traditions that define Seville’s history. You can walk to the very top,
and, except for the final section, which features stairs, the route almost
all the way up (for stunning views!) is via ramps.
Go to Metropol Parasol
, also known as the ''Mushrooms of the Incarnation'', built just a few
years ago - and now is one of Seville’s newest architectural ventures. It
is the largest wooden structure in the world, and from the top of it you
can have a truly spectacular view. The structure also hosts a museum,
which houses Roman remains found during the beginning of construction.
Another suggestion for
your free time - to explore district of Triana - Seville’s former Gypsy
quarter and one of the city’s most distinctive attractions. Its colourful,
quaint streets are lined with old-style tapas bars, the walls of which are
often plastered with faded bullfighting posters, photos of flamenco
artists and weeping Virgin Marys. It is also known for its locally made
ceramics, which adorn the walls of its old, whitewashed houses, and one of
Seville’s best and most lively markets - the Mercado de Triana.
Dinner and a night in Seville.
Day 3. Seville - Ronda - Costa del Sol (190 km ~ 118 miles)
Breakfast. Transfer and a first stop to the beautiful town of Ronda. Steeped in dark myths and bullfighting folklore, whilst boasting one of the most extraordinary locations in Spain, it is no wonder that Ronda has become Andalusia’s third most visited place. With its world-famous New Bridge and bullring, as well as the hidden corners of the gorge on top of which it perches, Ronda will definitely not disappoint.
You will have free time to explore the main highlights of this beautiful town.
Puente Nuevo (the New
Bridge) - one of southern Spain’s most famous attractions, Ronda’s epic
bridge, spans the 100m-deep El Tajo gorge, connecting El Mercadillo (The
Little Market) - the newer part of town, with La Ciudad (The Town) - the
old Moorish quarter. The bridge was completed in 1793, and it took some
forty years and the lives of 50 construction workers to build.
Puente Viejo (Old
Bridge) - is the more notable of the two crossings that the gigantic
Puente Nuevo was built to improve upon. Comprising a single stone archway,
this early 17th-century structure is reached by strolling down through the
beautiful Jardines de Cuenca (Cuenca’s Gardens), and from its center,
there are some spectacular views of the countryside beyond Ronda.
Bullring – simply the
largest (by diameter!) bullfight ring in the world.
Old and New Town - El
Tajo canyon not only rendered necessary Ronda’s most iconic attraction, it
also divided the town into two separate halves, each with its own style
and atmosphere. La Ciudad (or the Town) - is the original Moorish part and
weaves around one central Street - Calle Armiñan, south of Puente Nuevo.
On the northern cliffs of El Tajo is the more commercial part of town,
known as El Mercadillo (the Little Market).
Later we'll continue to Costa del Sol.
Situated in the
province of Málaga, in the south of Spain, Costa del Sol (or Coast of the
Sun) is among the most popular tourist destinations in Spain. Having
marvelous weather (with over 300 days of sun a year) ensures that Costa
del Sol gets bombarded by tourists any time of the year. Coming to there
means finding not only beautiful landscapes and scenery, but also
outstanding beaches. Each town is rich in cultural heritage and tasty
food.
Arrival at Torremolinos - a lovely coastal town with excellent beaches, vibrant nightlife and very relaxed atmosphere. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 4. Costa del Sol - Granada (180 km ~ 112 miles)
Breakfast, then transfer to Granada.
Granada is a beautiful city right at the foot of the spectacular Sierra Nevada mountains. The popular favorite of the region of Andalusia, Granada has a rich history, fantastic range of sites to see, and a bustling nightlife. With Arab influences and Spanish charm, there is plenty of culture and history to explore here. Upon arrival you'll have a guided tour to see the famous complex of La Alhambra, its Arabian palaces Nazaries, and its green and picturesque Generalife Gardens.
Alhambra is definitely
number one on the list of unmissable things to see in Granada, and the
most visited sight in the whole Spain. The world-renowned Alhambra gets
its name from the Arabic for ''Red Castle'', and has been poetically
described as the place where the air is clear and the fresh water from the
mountains reaches. Partly a palace, partly fort - the Alhambra is now a
dedicated UNESCO World Heritage site and boasts spectacular medieval
architecture which captivates its thousands of visitors. It tends to get
quite crowded, given its magical nature, with around 6,000 visitors a day,
but its beauty can be appreciated even in the busiest of moments.
The tour to Alhambra is already quite extensive and includes a good part of walking, so it's your choice for the rest of the day - to relax in the hotel or continue to explore the city of Granada on your own. Suggested places to visit in the afternoon:
Alcaicería - best
known as ''mini Morocco'', the Alcaicería is the home of the Great Bazaar
of Granada. Consisting of a series of streets that are very much
reminiscent of a Moroccan souk, this is not only another example of the
rich Arab history of the city, but also very similar to Morocco itself.
Selling everything from spices to henna, there are many little treasures
to be found in these streets. Look out for traditional Arabic handicrafts
such as fajalauza – traditional, beautifully painted ceramics, or the
gorgeous granadino farolas - rounded lamps made from intricate stained
glass.
Albaicín - another
UNESCO World Heritage site in the heart of the city of Granada, Albaicín
is a district of the city boasting narrow winding streets that have stood
here since its medieval Moorish era. Often described as a different world
inside Granada, the strong Muslim influence makes Albaicín somewhat of an
open-air museum. After touring the narrow and characterful streets to
experience the charm of the past, you can relax in one of its many bars
and terraces and enjoy a spectacular sunset over the Alhambra.
Granada’s Cathedral,
located near the Plaza Nueva, was built on the site of a former mosque by
Queen Isabella as a symbol of the Christian victory over the Moors. With
parts of it decorated with beautiful intricate sculptures, there is much
beauty and architecture to be admired. Complete with numerous chapels,
each with their own character and artistic style, this iconic and
historical building is definitely worth a visit.
Try free tapas
''culture''. Tapas is certainly one of the first things that comes to mind
whenever Spain is mentioned, and Granada is probably the city most
renowned for its popular tradition of free tapas. With the fantastic ‘buy
a drink, get free tapas’ phenomenon, this timely Spanish tradition is even
more popular here. With countless numbers of bars and tapas restaurants,
you’ll certainly be left with plenty of choice of where to get these
tempting little snacks. Offering everything from gourmet and international
tapas like sushi and caviar, to traditional Spanish jamón, you can’t leave
Granada without experiencing this culinary delight.
Dinner and night in Granada.
Day 5. Granada - Toledo - Madrid (446 km ~ 277 miles)
Breakfast, then transfer to the former capital of Spain - Toledo. Toledo is an incredibly cultural-diversified city; it has seen numerous different cultures and dynasties pass through its walls, as well as many wars, royalty, and artists. The legacy that it guards is an essential part of Spanish culture, so visiting Toledo is bound to be an extremely unique experience. Some of the highlights you'll see during the tour:
Cathedral. Toledo’s
Cathedral is one of the most important places to visit when in this
stunning city. It is a grand monument built in Gothic style with an
obvious French influence, and there are people who say that it is the best
and most impressive building in that style in the entire country. It was
finished towards the end of the 15th century, over 200 years after
construction began.
The Juderia (''the
city of the Jews'') district is what once used to be the city’s Jewish
quarter, and nowadays it is one of the most beautiful parts of the city,
with some excellently preserved buildings. A tour through this part will
enable you to learn what life was like under Muslim and Christian
domination for Jews, as well as to explore their culture and architecture.
You will see and enter
the important buildings of synagogues of Santa María la Blanca (12th
century) and also the church of Santo Tomé. The last one has a fine tower
and a chapel containing the painting Burial of the Conde de Orgaz by El
Greco.
Lunch during the tour. Later, we'll move to discover the ancestral techniques and the phases of the true Toledano sword-making elaboration process in the craftsman's own workshop.
Towards the evening transfer and arrival to Madrid, where the tour ends.
Contact us for customize tour.