Paradors and Palacios of Andalucía

Introduction

Since Moorish times, the Andalucíans have been building exquisite houses and palaces to celebrate their wealth and good fortune, from the intricate architecture of The Moorish Kings to the lavish designs of the Spanish nobility after the conquest of The New World. Many of these treasures have now been carefully converted into luxurious hotels that have conserved these riches for us all to enjoy; beautiful hand-made tiles, dramatic staircases, columns, arches and cool internal patios that are the most beautiful that Andalucía has to offer. This journey through history takes you from the jewel in the crown The Parador of The Alhambra to a little know palace amongst the vineyards of Cordoba. These superb hotels also offer sublime dining experiences and are all excellently situated to capture the atmosphere of the whole province as you travel around its main highlights.

Paradors and Palacios of Andalucia - Self-drive itinerary - 9 nights

This holiday can start on any date you request.

Day One - Arrive Granada (or Malaga) airport, collect hire car and transfer to your hotel in Granada for 2 nights : Times have changed since Washington Irving whiled away his time within the walls of The Alhambra; sleeping inside the Nazrid palace and eating dinner in the Patios de los Leones. Alas this is no longer possible but staying in the Parador de la Alhambra is the next best thing. Stopping to take one last look out of your bedroom window over the floodlit gardens and fountains of the generalife, before laying your head in one of the most precious and beautiful monuments of the world is a truly amazing start to any holiday.

Day Two - Private Guided visit to The Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens : The Alhambra Palace, was short-listed to be one of the New Seven Wonders of The World. It is an absolutely stunning complex of palaces, summer gardens, fountains and courtyards which once seen is never forgotten and often revisited time and time again. Built during the reign of the pleasure loving califas, every view inside the complex is a picture of harmony and balance with natural light and the sound of running water creating the perfect environment for meditation and relaxation; which was the essence of Moorish life at this time.

This morning you will be met by your own personal expert and guide who will give you a three hour tour of the palace complex and gardens that will bring every corner to life through its history and legends.

Free afternoon in Granada City : Down below The Alhambra you find the "new" Granada created by the conquering Kings" Isabel and Fernando. The cathedral is a symbol of their final victory over Spain and next door you can also see their humble tombs in the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel).

Early evening is the best time to wander around the Albaicin, the medieval quarter of Granada which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Winding your way up you will eventually reach the Plaza de San Nicolas where local flamenco artists gather to practise their art, overlooking the famous panoramic view of The Alhambra with the snow capped sierra Nevada behind. We can also book you dinner in one of our favourite restaurants where the food is great but the highlight is this floodlit view of the Alhambra from your table!

Day Three - Transfer to Ecija (between Cordoba and Seville) for 1 night : Your palace for tonight is in the town of Ecija which lies between Cordoba and Seville in the low lying plains of the Via Verde. A Roman town in origin, it was also of major importance during the Moorish age and a centre for the Spanish nobility in the 18th century. The town is famous for its Baroque architecture and churches which were built after a devastating earthquake almost flattened the town in 1755.

Your beautiful hotel is a product of this 18th Century "Golden Age"; a Boroque palace that has been lovingly converted by its owner/architect and is a haven of good taste and tranquillity.

An afternoon in Cordoba on the way from Granada to Ecija : In medieval times Cordoba was the most advanced city in the whole of Europe, a centre of culture and learning where Christians, Muslims and Jews lived together in a thriving society. Today it is quite a sleepy Andalucían city with an unpretentious atmosphere, quite different from the passion and flamboyance of Seville. The streets surrounding the mezquita are filled with ancient bodegas and tapas bars.

The great mosque was built to rival Mecca and is a building of incredible mystic powers and the first glimpse inside is a jaw dropping experience. This jaw then drops further when you encounter a huge catholic cathedral almost hidden inside!

Surrounding the mezquita is the delightfully crumbling juderia; a fascinating place to get lost in as you wander around the narrow maze of streets, lined with geranium filled balconies and green shady patios. There are many things to discover in the juderia from original Moorish bath houses, to one of the only three synagogues that survived the expulsion of The Jews from Spain.

Your evening in Ecija : After arriving at the hotel you can relax and absorb the beauty as you take a refreshing drink and a tapa in the hotel courtyard or take a dip in the pool. Dinner is served on the Andalucian patio using fresh local ingredients and traditional regional dishes, and the town of Ecija is perfect for wandering around the tiny streets to just see what you can find.

Day Four - Transfer to Seville for 2 nights : Your palace in Seville will be the former home of the King of Baeza, a beautiful building which has been creatively restored into a luxury hotel combining all the traditional features with state of the art hotel faciltites. The city of Seville is the most vibrant in the whole of Andalucia and there are so many things to see and do: The Río Guadalquivir, from where Columbus sailed to The Americas, the Tower of Gold where all the riches were stored and the Maria Louisa Park which was created for the Fair of The Americas in the early 19th Century.

Flamenco show in Seville : For this evening a reservation will be made for you to a very special flamenco show which takes place nightly in the social centre of the Barrio Santa Cruz. It is the least commercial show in Seville and is where top National and International performers and young, talented artists from the flamenco schools of Seville perform in the very intimate setting of an 18th century patio

Day Five - Guided Tour of Seville's Royal Alcazar, Cathedral and Barrio Santa Cruz : Today can be a day to explore Seville and for three hours you will be given an exclusive private tour of the highlights of the city with a professional local guide. Starting off in the cathedral, one of the largest Gothic churches of the world where from the Arabic minaret La Giralda you get stunning panoramic views of the city. Across the square is the Alcazar; a royal palace for over 1000 years and home to some of Spain's most beautiful Mudejar architecture and gardens, and behind the palace is the romantic barrio Santa Cruz, the medieval part of the city which is a labyrinth of narrow streets and white washed houses with iron grilled windows and geranium covered balconies.

Day Six - Transfer to Arcos de la Frontera for 2 nights : Moving south, your next few nights will be spent in the stunning setting of the Parador de Arcos de la Frontera. Your "room with a view" will have a stunning vista of the river valley down below or the old town. Arcos is one of Andalucia's most dramatically positioned pueblos blancos (white villages), balanced atop a rocky limestone ridge, its whitewashed houses and stone castle walls stopping abruptly as a sheer cliff face plunges down to the fertile valley of the river Guadalete below. The town was declared a national historic-artistic monument in 1962 in recognition of its exceptional architecture and impressive location, the old town is a tangled labyrinth of cobbled streets that lead up to a sandstone castle, the Castillo de los Arcos. As you'd expect from such a spectacular vantage point, there are exhilarating views over the town and the rolling plain below.

Day Seven - Free morning with a Guided Bodega visit with tasting and tapas in Jerez : For the morning you are free to wander the old town, take a hike up to the castillo or sit in the square with a cup of coffee and watch the world go by! A short drive away is the city of Jerez de la Frontera - Sherry and Brandy is what put Jerez on the map worldwide and this afternoon you will have a guided tour of one of the most influential and historical bodegas, to see the process of how they make their fine wines. After a train tour of the vineyard you can then see them aging and storing the wines and brandies and finishing up with a tasting session and tapas and a chance to buy their wares. It may also be possible to include a visit to the Royal School of Equestrian Arts to see the amazing "horse ballet"

Day Eight - Transfer to Ronda for 2 nights : Passing through and stopping off in some of the lesser known "pueblos blancos" on the road from Arcos to Ronda will take up most of your day as you head inland and start to climb up to the stunning hill top town of Ronda. Here your beautiful accommodation will be an intimate, luxury hotel which clings to the edge of the El Tajo gorge (opposite the Parador), overlooking the "Puente Nuevo" with the most stunning mountain vistas imaginable. The hotels rooms are all individually styled with luxury fabrics and antiques and from your bedroom window you can look down into the gorge to see the Choughs (Raven-like birds) circling below you!

Day Ten - Private guided tour of Ronda : This morning you will have a private guided walking tour of the town with the very same guide company as Michelle Obama who visited Ronda in August 2011. Your walking tour will include all the major sights of the town including the bullring (the oldest in Spain) and where the modern day corrida was born, the Casa del Rey del Moro and the Palacio Mondragon - the medieval palace of the Moorish kings. Ronda is one of the oldest towns in Spain and it is filled with the mystery and intrigue of times gone by. It is positioned on an outcrop of rock in the middle of the sierra and for this reason it has been fiercely defended and fought over for thousands of years. Surrounded by the crumbling Arabic city walls, the two parts of the town are linked by the "Puente Nuevo" which spans the dramatic El Tajo river cut gorge. Ronda's romantic image was forged in the 19th century with tales of banditry and bullfighting which left strong impressions on the minds of travelling dignitaries who then told of Ronda's charm to the rest of the world.

Just a short drive from Ronda are the Caves of Pileta where you can actually see some of the worlds best examples of stone age art. Visits to the cave are on an "if there's enough people we go" basis, and you are then guided by lamplight by a member of the original family that discovered the caves into the deep caverns where the cave paintings can be seen.

Dinner in Ronda : As a special treat for your last night we can reserve you a table at one of Andalucía's best restaurants set between the Plaza de España and the bullring in the old part of Ronda. The celebrated chef/owner offers an imaginative cuisine that combines Andalucían tradition with modern skills and methods and specialities includes dishes such as grilled suckling pig, cheese tacos and monkfish in a vinaigrette sauce with octopus.

Day Ten - Transfer to Malaga airport, deposit your hire car and say hasta pronto to Andalucia!

What is included in the holiday

Accommodation
• 9 nights bed and breakfast in superior double rooms (standard in Granada) in exceptional hotels of Andalucia
• Breakfast is included in all hotels
• All rooms are en-suite and have air conditioning/heating

Activities
• Private guided visit to The Alhambra Palace and Generalife Gardens
• Private guided tour of Seville including the cathedral, Royal Alcazar and the barrio Santa Cruz
• Flamenco Show in Seville
• Guided bodega visit with tasting and tapas in Jerez
• Private guided walking tour of Ronda

Transport
• 9 days hire of a Renault Clio (5 door) type model with air conditioning and a Tom Tom GPS European Satellite Navigation System (Larger family size model included for groups of 4 people)

Plus
• A comprehensive guide pack for your trip including city maps, historical information, opening times for museums, art galleries and monuments plus recommended restaurants, pretty plazas, parks, view points and much more...
• Detailed driving directions, parking information and maps as back up to the Sattellite Navigation package
• Access to our telephone helpline if you need any assistance whilst you are in Andalucia
• All pre-holiday and arrival information will be sent to you by email and your complete holiday guide pack will be waiting for you at your first hotel

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The itinerary

What is included

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Customer testimonials

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Client's Comments

Carole Ludford Luxury Tour of Andalucía August 2011 UK

We have been fortunate to have travelled extensively throughout the world and Andalucia is 'up there with the best of the destinations'. Whether we visited cities, towns or white villages we loved them all as they had all been efficiently organized by Nicola. The scenery in the sierras was to die for and well worth driving through them. The little extras; the tours and shows were necessary and valuable to understand the destinations and culture of the area. The hotels were not only delightful but superbly located to appreciate the area; again due to Nicola's knowledge and her determination to please the discerning client. Driving in some of the villages can be described as an experience but with the detailed maps, sat nav a and information provided it was made easier. We will be returning to Spain and Lemon Valley will be our first choice to travel with.

Janet Tedesco USA September 2010

I just got back from my trip yesterday and wanted to write to you right away to tell you how much my friends and I LOVED everything about the trip! I realize I took a leap of faith with Lemonvalley Holidays because I didn't really know anything about you, but my faith was well placed. Every detail was perfect and all of the arrangements happened without a glitch. We had many good meals and wonderful experiences - the Mezquita, the Arab baths, the Seville cathedral in particular. Our first night in Granada we sat on the rooftop terrace of Las Estrellas restaurant and watch dusk fall over the Alhambra and then saw it lit up. It was a magical sight and one we will not soon forget. All in all, this was one of our favorite trips and I can't thank you enough. Thank you for putting together such a wonderful itinerary for us.

Audrey Holland Ph.D USA April 2010

As I was the ringleader of this trip, I cannot tell you how fortunate I feel to have chosen Lemon Valley, and I will certainly recommend you to ANYBODY who might ask. Please fell free to use my name or to put people in touch with me. I am totally in awe of Lemon Valley and cannot thank you enough.

Gail Barrington USA October 2009

Hi Nicola, I can't thank you enough for the arrangements you made for me.... if I was there I would hug you! Everything was completely thorough and above my expectations. The hotels were lovely, paper work organized beautifully and the guides were fun. Whenever someone asked about the type of travel I was doing I recommended your services highly.

Sandra Rey Australia March 2008

I wanted to take a moment to let you know the trip was wonderful! Everything worked! And we can't begin to thank you enough. .. And couldn't wait to tell you how very pleased we were with you and the trip you planned for us. Thank you!

Neil Holloway UK March 2007

We had a fantastic holiday! Thanks very much for your great organizing. Fabulous hotels, great places to visit, excellent – no magnificent – food. We adored the Alhambra (but doesn't everyone) and we revelled in churches, mosques, thousands of olive trees, narrow streets, bright blue skies, great vistas and trees laden with oranges. We were all very impressed with your guide pack and your advice and recommendations came in very helpful. This certainly was a trip we couldn't have undertaken without you!

Lynne Kostin UK October 2006

Just to let you know we had a great time. I must congratulate you on your choice of hotels in particular the hotels in Granada, Seville & Ronda were excellent and the staff couldn't have been more helpful. The hotel in Ronda had the most spectacular view from our bedroom. We arrived, at little travel worn at about 2pm and had a simply delicious lunch on the terrace overlooking the gorge and our spirits soared with the birds flying below us! Many thanks for arranging a magical holiday; we will certainly recommend Lemon Valley to our friends.