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 as 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 four 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.

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 in the middle!

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 plazas. 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 Carmona (Seville) for 2 nights

Carmona is an historic small town on the outskirts of Seville, again of Roman origin but with a rich Moorish and Christian past. Your Parador hotel is set within an Arabic fortress which over looks the town and stands guard over the fertile river valley of the Guadalquivir. Many of the Mudejar craftsmen who built the Royal Alcazar in Seville also worked in the town of Carmona and the 15th Century church tower is an imitation of La Giralda.

It is a great place to explore on foot through the narrow streets and cobbled plazas; gazing up at Renaissance and Mudejar mansions with flower filled balconies and wooden shutters. The town also has a celebrated tapas trail which gives you a route to stick to and a just reward of local specialities at each stop!

Day Five - Guided Tour of Seville's Royal Alcazar, Cathedral and Barrio Santa Cruz

Today can be a day to explore Seville and for four 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.

After lunch you are free to further explore the city including the Marie Louisa park and the Plaza de España or head back to the hotel for a lazy afternoon or a wander around the town of Carmona.

Day Six - Transfer to Jerez de la Frontera for 3 nights

Moving south, your next few nights will be spent in a fabulous converted palace in the vibrant city of Jerez de la Frontera in the province of Cadiz.  Home of the polo playing sherry barons, the Andalucian dancing horses and flamenco; its beautiful old town, wide palm tree lined avenues and flamboyant demonstration of everything "Andalucian" makes Jerez a very interesting place to stay.

Day Seven - Guided Bodega visit with tasting and tapas

Sherry and Brandy is what put Jerez on the map worldwide and this morning 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.

A free afternoon in Jerez

For your free afternoon in Jerez you can explore the old city, seek out a cosy restaurant or take a visit to the Royal School of Equestrian Arts where they train the stunning Andalucían dancing horses and perform the horse ballet.

Flamenco in Jerez

Jerez gives you the best chance in Andalucia for catching an impromptu performance in one of the local bars or if you prefer not leaving it to chance we will seek out the best place for the time you are there and make an advance reservation for you.

Day Eight - A visit to Sanlucar de la Barrameda and a river cruise up the Rio Guadalquivir

Jerez, Cadiz and the sleepy town of Sanlucar de la Barrameda make up the sherry triangle of Andalucía and for today we would recommend you take a morning trip to Cadiz to explore the peninsular city and finish up your day with an afternoon cruise up the Rio Guadalquivir from Sanlucar. The boat takes you across the river to the southern boundary of the National park of Doñana, Europe's 2nd most important wildlife habitat, where you can alight and visit the bird-watching hides and museum of Doñana Life.

Day Nine - Transfer to Ronda for 2 nights

Passing through and stopping off in some of the lesser known "pueblos blancos" on the road from Jerez 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 stately accommodation will be the famous Parador de Ronda which clings to the edge of the El Tajo gorge, in the centre of the town and overlooking the most stunning mountain vistas imaginable.

Day Ten A day in Ronda

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 Eleven

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