Self Drive Tour of Andalucía

This holiday can start on any date you request and we can arrange for you to collect your car from a number of different airports

Day One - Arrive Malaga airport, collect hire car and transfer to Granada for 2 nights

After you have settled into your hotel, take a short walk to the souk like streets of the Alcaiceria surrounding the cathedral. Here you can try the delicious array of tapas that Granada offers from broad beans cooked with ham; meat balls with almond and saffron, to crumbling slices of Manchego cheese and the best jamon serrano from the Alpujarran village of Trevelez.

Day Two – Pre-booked 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. Your visit will include the entire complex including the gardens and inner Royal quarters of the Nazrid palace.

Late afternoon/ 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 through the cascading streets, you will eventually reach the Plaza de San Nicolas where local flamenco artists gather to practise, overlooking the famous panoramic view of The Alhambra with the back-drop of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada.

Day Three - Transfer to Cordoba for 1 night

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 a quieter Andalucían city with an austere atmosphere, quite different from the passion and flamboyance of Seville. The streets surrounding the mezquita are filled with ancient bodegas and tapas bars and a glass of the local sherry-like Montilla is a must.

Day Four - A Morning in Cordoba

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. The jaw then drops further when you encounter a complete catholic cathedral 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 to have survived the expulsion of The Jews from Spain.

After lunch transfer to Seville for 2 nights

The flamboyant Andalucían capital city of Sevilla combines its Moorish history with the legacy of the Spanish Golden Age when Columbus brought back immeasurable wealth from The Americas. The beautiful Arabic minaret "la Giralda" towers over one of the largest gothic cathedrals in the world and the colourful Plaza de España contrasts with the Mudejar palaces of the Royal Alcazar.

Authentic Flamenco Show

For your first evening in Seville you will have a reservation at an unpretentious and authentic flamenco show set in a traditional patio Andaluz, just a short walk from your hotel on the edge of the barrio Santa Cruz.

Day Five - Guided walking tour of Seville

This morning after breakfast, a local guide will give you a 2 hour walking tour of the city showing you the most famous historical sites plus many hidden gems that only the locals know. The guide's enthusiasm for their home town really brings the city to life and gives you an insight that the guide books never can.

After lunch you are free to further explore the city including a visit to the Alcazar and cathedral, climb to the top of La Giralda, take a boat trip up the Río Guadalquivir or relax in the shade of the Marie Louisa Park.

Day Six - Transfer to Ronda for 1 night

The hilltop town of Ronda sits on a ridge of The Serrania de Ronda and has been a strategic fortified village for thousands of years. Spread either side of the El Tajo gorge, the old and new towns are joined by the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge). The views from Ronda are breath-taking and the excellent restaurants on the edge of the ridge offer lunch with sweeping views of distant mountains, deep green valleys and clusters of white villages.

Ronda is a great place to just walk out from your hotel and wander around to see what you can see. There is no major agenda to be followed; just meander through the narrow streets, stop for a drink, wander a bit more, and soak up the atmosphere of this ancient town.

Day Seven - Transfer to Malaga for 1 night

Malaga is a city often overlooked by visitors to Andalucía who never get to experience the heart of this truly Spanish city with a relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere. Tiny narrow streets lined with fresh fish restaurants and bodegas, lead off from wide palm lined avenues with their majestic buildings and designer stores. The Malageños say the best fresh fish of Andalucía is found in Malaga, the best wine of Andalucía is made in Malaga and the best fiesta of Andalucía is celebrated in Malaga; their pride for their city and priorities in life makes a stay here very pleasant.

Visit to The Picasso Museum

Picasso was born in Malaga and in the city you can visit the Picasso Museum (set in a beautiful building with stunning remains of the cities Phoenician walls on the lower floor) plus there is the house of his birth in the Plaza de la Merced which is towered over by the Moorish Alcazaba and close to the newly excavated Roman theatre. Malaga is also now home to the new Carmen Thyssen museum; a beautiful private collection set in a 16th century Baroque palace.

An evening stroll takes you along the seaside "paseo maritimo" where the air is filled with the aroma of skewered sardines "espetos" cooking on the open fires of the beach side "chiringuitos" and you can also visit the recently finished port area; an exceptional new development with dock-side restaurants, entertainment and a chance to walk alongside some of the super yachts and cruise liners that make a stop off in Malaga during their journey through The Mediterranean.

Day Eight - Transfer to Malaga airport, deposit hire car and say farewell to Andalucía!