GLORIES OF MUSIC & ART IN andalucia SPECIAL OFFER PRICES FROM ONLY 1895 PER PERSON seven nights in seville staying aboard the ms belle de cadix with london festival opera 23 rd to 30 th november 2017
Join us as we discover the beauty and wonders of Andalucia, a captivating region and one of the most attractive areas within the Mediterranean due to its climate, history and culture. The region has an intriguing past and was conquered by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians and Romans and later by Vandals and Suevians, before being occupied by the Arabs for five centuries. Our base while we explore the region is the MS Belle de Cadix which will be moored in the fascinating city of Seville, the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro. The fourth largest city in Spain, Seville is joyous and colourful and its riches and attractions are infinite: the ancient minaret of Giralda, the cathedral, the Fine Arts museum and the old quarter of Santa Cruz. Further afield we will visit other Andalucian gems; the Pueblos Blancos, including the romantic town of Ronda. There will also be the opportunity to explore either Jerez or Cordoba. Using the MS Belle de Cadix as our base allows us to offer the tour at less than half the cost than if we were based in a good centrally located hotel. We have purposely planned our trip late in the year to avoid the tourist high season months when the crowds of day trippers descend in their masses, and with good fortune we will still be able to take advantage of some winter warmth. London Festival Opera will be joining us and bringing the tales of Carmen, Don Giovanni and many others to life. One of their highlight performaces will be A Spanish Soiree of celebrated opera and song in the splendid hotel Alfonso XIII which will be followed by dinner in the magnificent dining room. In addition we have arranged a number of excursions both in the city and beyond and, together with our guest speaker and local guides, we can promise you a very special time in Seville. Joining you on board To complement your tour, our good friends from London Festival Opera will accompany us and perform evocative musical repertoires to set the Moorish mood. In addition you will be joined on board by our guest speaker, Philip Blake-Jones as well as our popular Cruise Director Cesar Perez, a native of the city of Seville. opera performances by london festival opera For many years we have been closely associated with the travelling opera company, London Festival Opera. Bringing together established opera singers from major British opera companies, London Festival Opera have achieved a considerable reputation for presenting opera and music performances in a wide variety of worldwide venues. Puente Nuevo spanning the Tajo Gorge in Ronda
Interior of the Mezquita Cathedral, Cordoba Zahara de la Sierra Gardens of Reales Alcazares guest speaker philip blake-jones Philip studied singing and piano at the Royal Academy of Music. As a professional opera singer he made his solo debut with Glyndebourne Festival Opera and was a principle with the D Oyly Carte Opera Company which included national tours and singing Strephon in the most recent recording of Iolanthe. He is the Artistic Director of London Festival Opera and for over twenty-five years has produced opera performances in a wide range of venues including Buxton Opera House, Windsor Theatre Royal, St John s Smith Square, St James s Palace, Kensington Palace, 10, Downing Street, Guildhall and Mansion House. Overseas performances include the British Embassy in Paris, the President s Palace in Malta and La Fenice Opera House in Venice. Most recently he has created and presented performances for the Salisbury and Windsor Festivals and a lecture on performing opera internationally at the House of Lords. cruise director cesar perez We are delighted that our ever popular and long standing Cruise Director, Cesar Perez, will be joining us on board the Belle de Cadix. A native of the city of Seville, Cesar s localknowledge will enhance our visit tremendously. After spending the last eight years as a Cruise Director for Noble Caledonia based mainly on the Danube, Main & Rhine Rivers, it was with great joy that I began assisting our planning department in building up a brand new venture based in Seville, my home city. The aim was to bring together our strong cultural heritage with an emphasis on the art and music that was either linked to or inspired by Andalucia. As I write, the tour is now in its fourth year and each trip has been a great success. The tales of Carmen, Don Giovanni and many others were brought to life by our long standing friends from London Festival Opera while the magic and romance of Seville itself and Andalucia did the rest. It is with great excitement that I would like to invite you to join us on this new adventure for an unforgettable week in the City of Light. the itinerary Day 1 London to Seville. Fly to Seville with Easyjet from London Gatwick. On arrival transfer to the MS Belle de Cadix and embark for your seven night stay. Enjoy welcome drinks and dinner this evening. Day 2 Seville: Cathedral, The Alcazar & Old City. Today we will visit Seville s grand Cathedral, reputed to be the largest Gothic style church in the world, the Giralda Tower and the exotic Royal Alcazar, with its delightful terraced garden. The Reales Alcazares consists of a series of smaller palaces built by the kings of Seville around and on top of the ruins of King Al-Mutamid s Moorish palace. Our tour ends with a visit to the Santa Cruz Quarter with its cramped streets, flowered balconies, richly decorated facades, and hidden patios. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy an afternoon at leisure. This evening London Festival Opera will perform a programme which will include highlights from Bizet s Carmen. Day 3 Seville: Myths of Carmen. After breakfast we depart for our tour, the myths of Carmen and Don Giovanni, including the bullring and the Hospital de la Caridad with extraordinary paintings from famous Sevillian artists (Murillo, Valdes Leal, Pedro Roldan) and whose founder Miguel de Mañara has been considered the source of inspiration for the myth around Don Juan for a long period of time. Our tour ends with a stroll around the picturesque Triana Quarter before returning to the vessel for lunch and an afternoon at leisure. In the early evening enjoy a pre-dinner performance by London Festival Opera. Day 4 Ronda & Pueblos Blancos. The brilliantly whitewashed villages and towns of inland Andalucia are called Pueblos Blancos. They dot the steep slopes of the mountains and many have de la Frontera as part of their name, an ancient reference to the frontier towns that formed a boundary between Christian-held territories and Muslim towns and villages during the Middle Ages. We take a scenic drive through this region to Ronda, a picturesque town of Celtic origin. With the Cathedral (Roman, Arabic and Gothic styles), the Old Quarter, the Bull Ring (oldest one in Spain) and the magnificent Tajo Gorge, Ronda is both romantic and fascinating. We will have lunch in a local restaurant followed by some free time before departing. On our journey back to Seville we will make a photostop by Zahara de la Sierra, one of the classic white villages with its spotless white houses and crumbling castle. This evening after dinner there will be a flamenco performance on board by local artists. Day 5 Romantic Seville & Gala Night. During our morning excursion we discover Romantic Seville beginning with a visit to Casa Pilatos. The construction of this palace house, which serves as the permanent residence of the Dukes of Medinaceli, began between the end of the 15th and the beginning of the 16th century. It is considered the prototype of the Andalusian palace and after the Royal Alcazar, this is the most splendid Palace that you can visit in Seville. It is not only popular because of its combination of Spanish Mudejar, Gothic and Italian Renaissance style, but also for its Roman antiquities, its canvases and furniture of various epochs. Afterwards we will walk to the Palace of the Countess of Lebrija, also known as Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija which is considered the best paved www.noble-caledonia.co.uk
Museum of Popular Arts, Seville Reales Alcazares, Seville Roman mosaic floor from the Palace of the Countess of Lebrija house-palace in Europe owing to its collection of Roman mosaics which pave practically the whole of the ground floor. There will be a private guided tour of the upper floor which, until a few years ago, was the residence of the Countess and her descendants. Return to the vessel for lunch and an afternoon at leisure. This evening London Festival Opera will perform A Spanish Soirée of celebrated opera and song at the splendid hotel Alfonso XIII, one of the most famous luxury hotels of Seville since 1929, year of the Iberoamerican Exhibition. After a cocktail in the galleries and inner courtyard, dinner will be served in the majestic Royal Dining Room. Day 6 Seville Optional Tours. Today will be at leisure, a chance for you to shop, relax or sightsee independently. There will also be a choice of two optional excursions. Select from a full day tour to the world renowned Cordoba, considered to be the most beautiful Medieval city in Spain or take a full day tour to Jerez. Here you will visit the Royal School of Equestrian Art, enjoy a horse show, a tour of Jerez and a sherry tasting at one of the well-known local Bogedas. Both excursions include lunch. Day 7 Seville: Museo De Bellas Artes. This morning we visit the Museo de Bellas Artes, one of the most important art museums in Spain after El Prado in Madrid. The works of renowned painters such as Murillo, El Greco, and Velazquez are displayed here. Return to the ship for lunch and an afternoon at leisure. This evening there will be Farewell Drinks and Dinner followed by an Opera Gala Night performed in costume by London Festival Opera. Day 8 Seville to London. Disembark this morning and transfer to Seville airport for the Easyjet return scheduled flight to London Gatwick. Royal School of Equestrian Art, Jerez SPECIAL OFFER SAVE 200 PER PERSON FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY Prices per person Based on double occupancy BROCHURE SPECIAL CAT DECK/DESCRIPTION PRICE OFFER PRICE C Main Deck Twin 2095 1895 B Middle Deck Twin 2195 1995 A Upper Deck Twin 2295 2095 Giralda Tower Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel from London Gatwick to Seville with Easyjet, seven nights aboard the MS Belle Cadiz on full board basis, excursions, all-inclusive drinks (alcoholic*, soft drinks, tea/ coffee available all day from 10am to 11pm), excursions as described, music performances on board and ashore, all gratuities, transfers, services of Cruise Director, Tour Manager and Guest Speaker, port and airport taxes. Not Included: Travel insurance, optional full day to Cordoba or Jerez ( 110 per person). *Please note that some brands & sparkling wines are not included. +44 (0)20-7752 0000
POST TOUR EXTENSION TO GRANADA 30th November to 2nd December 2017 For those wishing to explore Granada including a full day excursion to the Alhambra and Generalife, we are offering an optional two night stay at the refined Hotel Vincci Albayzin where you can enjoy the combination of four-star comfort and an ideal, city centre location. The hotel is set around a traditional Andalucian-style courtyard and the rooms are fully en-suite with air conditioning, TV, safe deposit box and mini-bar. Other facilities include free Wi-Fi in public areas and rooms, a gym and sauna. The hotels dining options include the Gran Patio La Acequia restaurant, serving both traditional and international cuisine, and a café-bar. Packed with history, the majestic city of Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name. Granada was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492 at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon. One of the most brilliant jewels of universal architecture is the Alhambra, 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 its fertile plains. The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or medina, called the Albaicin, a fascinating labyrinth of narrow streets and whitewashed houses with secluded inner gardens. Back streets of Granada Hotel Vincci Albayzin The Itinerary Day 1 Seville to Granada. Disembark the MS Belle de Cadix after breakfast and transfer by coach to Granada. Check-in to the hotel on arrival and enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure to explore the old town and surroundings. Evening at leisure, perhaps sample some of the excellent Tapas, Raciones and Pintxos on offer in the many local bars. Granada is famous for serving everything from traditional, fusion, to exotic Moroccan specialties. Day 2 Alhambra & Generalife. After breakfast at the hotel, join the full day excursion to the Alhambra & Generalife Gardens including lunch in a local restaurant. Enjoy a relaxing evening at leisure. Day 3 Granada to London. After breakfast at your hotel, the remainder of the morning is at leisure until the afternoon transfer to Malaga airport for the return scheduled flight to London Gatwick. Prices per person Based on double occupancy Twin: 295 per person Single: 395 per person Price Includes: Transfer from the vessel to hotel and from hotel to airport, two nights accommodation at the Vincci Albayzin on breakfast only basis, full day guided tour to the Alhambra including lunch, gratuities. Not Included: Travel Insurance, meals other than those stated. The Alhambra, Granada Fountains of the Generalife Gardens
MS BELLE DE CADIX Our base for our week in Seville is the three-star MS Belle de Cadix, a spacious vessel accommodating up to 178 passengers in wellappointed cabins. All cabins measure 11.4 square metres and have en-suite facilities. There is a large window, individually controlled air conditioning, satellite TV, radio, safety deposit box and a hairdryer. Spread over three decks, the onboard facilities include a delightful restaurant which accommodates all guests in one sitting. Breakfast and lunch are buffet style and dinner is a set menu served to your table; the excellent cuisine is a selection of regional specialties and international dishes. Additionally, drinks are all-inclusive; alcoholic (with some exclusions), soft drinks and tea/coffee are available from 10am to 11pm. The lounge is a pleasant space for relaxation with large panoramic windows, a large TV and bar area. In addition there is a lift and gift shop. On the large, spacious Sun Deck you will find comfortable deck furniture. Restaurant Middle Deck Cabin Lounge SUN DECK Sun Deck UPPER DECK 389 392 387 390 385 388 383 386 381 384 379 382 377 380 375 378 373 376 371 374 369 372 367 370 365 368 363 366 361 364D 359 362D 357 360 355 358 353 356 351 354 PANORAMABAR TERRACE MIDDLE DECK 249 247 245 243 241 239 237 235 233 231 229 227 225 LOUNGE BAR Cabin 226 228 230 232 234 236D 238D 240 242 244 246 248 250 252D MAIN DECK 123 121 119 117 115 113 111 109 107 105 103 RESTAURANT 124 122 120 118 116 114 112D 108 106 104 Aft Lounge CATEGORY A CATEGORY B CATEGORY C 2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London, SW1X 7BE +44 (0)20 7752 0000 info@noble-caledonia.co.uk noble-caledonia.co.uk All special offers are subject to availability. Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations and are available on request. Cover image: Plaza de Espana, Seville. 010317_K