Seville & Ronda 8-15 March 2016 Cost per person 1360 - min 8 max 13 guests A week to discover this wonderful area of Spain where history has been made for centuries! Our journey is based in Seville, home of one of the largest old quarters in Europe and a World Heritage site. Here you will experience the splendour of the city by staying in one of the most iconic hotels, you will travel to the spectacular city of Ronda, experience the tapas and flamenco culture, learn to cook wonderfully delicious staple Spanish dishes, and visit one of Europe's most important wetland reserves and a major site for migrating birds. The tour will be led by Santiago Bejarano and designed by Maria Alvarez, a good friend whose family goes back centuries in the Seville area, and whose family will be working alongside Santiago in Seville to ensure everything runs smoothly. Everything has been selected to introduce us to authentic and exceptional experiences, taking us beyond the bounds of ordinary tourism to this region. Outline Itinerary: 8 Mar Arrive Seville 9 Mar Cathedral, Alcazar, Tapas and Flamenco! 10 Mar Parque de Maria Luisa El Rocio 11 Mar Coto de Doñana National Park 12 Mar Ronda 13 Mar Culinary Day! 14 Mar Encarnacion, The Metropol Parasol and Further explorations of Seville! 15 Mar Return home
8 March Arrival at Seville Arrival to Seville, you will be met at the airport and taken to our hotel, Las Casas de la Judería. This hotel is a 4 star hotel is an experience all of its own. An intricate set of wonderfully preserved houses connected by corridors and private courtyards, this is a fantastic base with very friend personal service. We will have a chance to check in and relax before we take our first trip downtown to the old quarter, with its narrow cobbled streets and beautiful plazas. Tonight we will enjoy a welcome dinner at one of the most well know restaurants within the old quarter housed within XII th century moorish baths. 9 March Cathedral, Alcazar, Tapas and Flamenco! After breakfast we will be met at the hotel by our guide, who will take us to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Cathedral and the Alcazar. Finishing before lunch, we will be treated to a crash course on the art of eating Tapas, were we visit several great local tapas bars tasting a variety of dishes. After this we return to the hotel, some to relax or explore the area around the hotel on your own before we set off for our evening diner and flamenco show. Our meal tonight will be in a local restaurant very popular amongst Sevillanos, and one of the oldest taverns in the city..
10 March Parque de Maria Luisa El Rocio We set off after breakfast to visit the Parque de Maria Luisa and have the opportunity to explore what was the centre of the Ibero-American Expo of 1929. Now that the trees and shrubs have reached maturity, the genius of the landscapers can be appreciated - this is one of the loveliest parks in Europe. A mix of Mudéjar and art deco, the park extends through half a mile of a variety of trees, palms, shrubs, tiled fountains, ponds and paths. The main hubs in the park are the Plaza de España, and Plaza de America. In the afternoon we will make our way to the hamlet of El Rocio (Huelva) where we will sleep at a small rural hotel with great views across the marshes of the Doñana Natural Park. 11 March Coto de Doñana National Park After an early breakfast we set off for our visit to Coto de Doñana National Park. This vast expanse of wilderness is one of the largest wetland reserves in Europe with over 300 migrating and resident bird species. There is also a rich variety of mammals, some in danger of extinction, such as the lynx and the Egyptian mongoose. Towards the end of February the colonies of colourful flamingos are numerous and make a wonderful spectacle. Nesting storks are common and noisy sight. Geese -that have migrated here from northern Europe commence their return journey, but also spoonbills commence to arrive from North Africa to nest in the cork oaks. The park is also home to the rare imperial eagle with 15 breeding pairs of these formidable hunters. In the marshes and amid the cork oak forests you've a good chance of seeing grey herons, lanner falcons, ring and turtle doves, partridges, cattle egret, storks, vultures and the beautiful purple gallinule among other birds, as well as plentiful red deer, fallow deer and possibly wild boar. We will finish our visit in El Rocío with a stroll through the hamlet and its sandy unpaved streets where we can visit the reason of this town, the Basilic of Nuestra Señora del Rocío and the devotion for the 13th-century statue of the Virgen Del Rocio. We will then return to Seville. Dinner and overnight in Seville.
12 March Ronda Today we head out of Sevilla towards Ronda, one of the oldest towns in Spain. As well as its prehistoric beginnings, Ronda has a rich history of different cultures the influences of which can be seen throughout the city. The city is famous worldwide for its dramatic escarpments and views, and for the deep El Tajo gorge that carries the rio Guadalevín through its centre. A highlight is the 18th century Puente Nuevo 'new' bridge, which straddles the 100m chasm below, for its unparalleled views out over the Serranía de Ronda mountains. The area has also an important wine-making history dating back to the Roman Empire, and today we get a chance to visit a traditional vineyard in this area, where we will be hosted by the owners and get a chance to sample some of the wine and soak up the beautiful views before making our way back to Seville in the late afternoon. 13 March Culinary Day! Today is our culinary day. After breakfast we will have a stroll through town before heading to our cookery course which is held at a restaurant right across the street from the hotel. We will learn from qualified chefs how to prepare paella and sangria that we will enjoy afterwards. The afternoon is free for you to enjoy Seville or have a siesta. In the evening we will be guests in the apartment of María s sister, only few 100 meters away from the hotel, the views across the city are truly beautiful and the hospitality will be second to none!
14 March Encarnacion, The Metropol Parasol and Further explorations of Seville! After a leisurely breakfast today we visit la Encarnación in the old quarter of town were we will see the Metropol Parasol - an impressive wooden structure only inaugurated in 2011 that came to life after the unexpected discovery of a series of important Roman ruins during the excavations for an underground parking. With the new found treasure, the local authorities decided to create a statement building to mark the place. Organized in four levels, the underground is a the house for the Roman ruins, the ground floor the Central Market and the top levels are series of panoramic paths/terrace. A stroll through the central market will immerse us in the day-to-day culture, where we will be able to appreciate the ingredients that make the Spanish cuisine so unique! The afternoon will be a shopping/free time. In the evening we have our farewell dinner together at yet another wonderful place. 15 March Transfer to airport for flight back to the UK Price includes: All accommodation, meals, transport as described in itinerary full escorted by Santiago Bejarano who is joined by local specialist guides at various points along the journey, all excursions, wine tasting visit, meals, glass of wine with dinner, tapas. Does not include: flights to Malaga from the UK, alcoholic drinks except glass of wine with dinner and wine tasting events, services not detailed. Single Supplement: 298