This holiday can start any date you request

Day One - Arrive Malaga airport, and transfer to Antequera for 1 night

Antequera is possibly one of the oldest towns of Andalucia, even The Romans named it "the ancient city" and here you can see some of the most important prehistoric burial dolmens in Spain dating from 2500 BC. Today it is a bustling Spanish market town whose old quarter is towered over by a 13th Century Islamic fortress and a 17th Century Mudejar church.

The town is surrounded by dramatic mountains including the geologically unique Natural Park "El Torcal", a massive plateau of grey limestone which dates from the Jurassic period and has a moon-like appearance. The rocks have eroded overtime into character full and eerie shapes including stacks of plates, a witches face and an eagle. There is an easy followed short walking trail that takes you through the natural park which has over 30 species of Orchid and also offers the chance of seeing the mountain Ibex amidst the rocks and Griffon Vultures which soar at eye-level.

Day Two - Transfer to Ubeda for 2 nights

Ubeda is an ancient town in the province of Jaen, prominent within Spanish history for its continuous battles and feuds within its aristocratic families that at one time drove the Catholic Kings Isabel and Fernando to take down the cities walls so the occupants could be watched over more closely. These same prominent families, who made their wealth in the 16th Century from the textile trade, employed the acclaimed architect Andres de Vandelvira who built the fantastic array of Renaissance mansions which are the best examples in Spain if not Europe.    

Day Three - Self-drive tour of the surrounding area

Just a short drive from Ubeda is the town of Baeza which is a good stop for morning coffee as you admire even more National Renaissance treasures, then on to Bailén and the Banos de Encina, which has the most impressive Moorish Castle in Andalucía. This 10th Century Alcazar, crowns a low-lying hill and was built to protect the local towns from the wilderness of the Sierra Morena to the north. After a stop in Bailén for lunch you can take a stunning drive to The Despeñaperros Pass, the only natural breach in the 500km long Sierra Morena. It was here that the Moors were famously defeated in 1212 which was a crucial battle in the re-conquest of Andalucía and another famous scene that was played out here was the time when Don Quixote became "the desperate, the raving and the furious lover" running wild in the mountains as a penance to his lady Dulcinea de Toboso.    

Day Four - Transfer to Carmona for 1 night

Carmona is an historical village set in the fertile plain between Cordoba and Seville and an overnight stay in it's beautiful Parador Hotel offers the chance of spending the night in a 14th Century Arabic fortress built by the same Mudejar craftsmen who worked on the Alcazar in Seville. The fortress is furnished with numerous antiques, rugs and Sevillan tiles and the landscaped gardens, terraces and swimming pool have panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

Carmona is a picturesque village to wander around discovering the Mudejar churches and Renaissance mansions of its old quarter; well worth a visit is the Roman necropolis which is one of the most important in Spain. When hunger sets in you can take the village tapas tour which guides you around the most authentic bars, to sample all the local specialities.

Day Five - Transfer to Sanlucar de la Barrameda for 1 night

The sleepy riverside town of Sanlucar sits on the estuary of the Río Guadalaquivir which flows through Cordoba and Seville and then enters the sea just north of Cadiz. Columbus made one of his subsequent voyages to The Americas from Sanlucar in 1498 and a few decades later the Portuguese Ferdinand Magallan set sail to circumnavigate the globe. They say that the finest fish in Andalucía is found in Sanlucar in one of the beach side bars that gaze across the colourful bobbing boats, to the shores of Doñana National Park which is on the other side of the river. Nature lovers can take a cruise up river and alight inside the Coto de Doñana, one of the most important wetland reserves in Europe whilst those who prefer keeping their feet on dry land can indulge in the speciality tipple of the village; a distinctly salty manzanilla wine which is Sanlucar's version of the more famous wines of Jerez. You can also have a guided tour and tasting in one the villages bodegas.

Day Six - Transfer to Vejer de la Frontera for 2 nights

Driving past the city of Cadiz and heading further down the Atlantic coast of Andalucía you come to hilltop white village of Vejer de la Frontera. The town sits between the sierra and the sea and is a perfectly preserved example of the labyrinth of white washed houses and cobbled streets typical of the Andalucían "pueblos blancos". The village is topped by a Moorish castle which has retained the minaret from the former mosque and within the village there are many examples of Moorish, Visigoth and Mudejar style architecture. The lively central plaza is a great place to sit and watch the world go by as you relax with a drink and a plate of delicious fresh fish.

Vejer is a short drive away from the beautiful white sand Atlantic beaches of the Costa de la Luz, where from the Riff mountains of Morocco look almost close enough to touch.

Day Seven - A day to explore Vejer and the surrounding area

After an intriguing stroll around the maze of streets in Vejer and a visit to admire the view from the castle you can take a drive to the sea and explore the natural parks and fishing villages that dot the coastline. The beach at Bolonia is the most famous of the area and here you can visit the extensive ruins of the Roman town Baelo Claudia which supplied much of Rome with its favoured garum fish paste made from the abundant mackerel and tuna. A bit further still along the coast is Tarifa, the wind and kite surfing centre of the world and on a windy day (of which there are many) the sea is packed with colourful kites and sails twirling against the back drop of Morocco just across The Strait of Gibraltar.   

Day Eight

Transfer back to Malaga Airport, deposit hire car and say farewell to Andalucía!   ¡Hasta pronto!