Highlights of Andalucia

Our tour starts today at Malaga Airport (AGP), from where we'll travel as a group to our first stop, Granada. We'll gather at the meeting point at 15.45pm and take either a direct bus from the airport or a train into Malaga followed by a bus to Granada (a two-hour journey). The latest your flight can arrive is 15.15pm. If your flight choice doesn't fit with our meeting time, you might prefer to travel to Granada by yourself. There are regular buses from both Malaga Airport and Malaga bus station, please ask us for additional joining information to plan your journey. If you're planning to travel to the hotel solo, remember to inform us so we're not expecting you at the airport. Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Granada is a historical gem blessed with a fusion of Spanish and Muslim art and architecture including the Alhambra Palace, the Generalife Gardens and the city's grand 16th-century cathedral. For the next two nights, we'll be staying at Hostal La Ninfa in the quieter and historic El Realejo neighbourhood. Bedrooms are en-suite, cosy and simply decorated. They have a safe, television and hairdryer and free WiFi is available. It's perfectly located, just a 10-minute walk from the Alhambra and from the city centre and just beside the hotel is the Plaza Campo del Principe, where you can find restaurants and bars to sample tapas and wine this evening. While we've packed in as many of the highlights as possible, our itinerary allows for little free time in Granada. If you'd like to discover more on your own, you might consider extending your stay for a night or two. For the next two nights, we'll stay at Hostal La Ninfa, a simple, 2-star hotel in Granada's historic heart. Rooms are simply decorated with en-suite facilities - which include toiletries and hairdryers. There is a lift, so taking your luggage to your room is easy. The hotel also has free WiFi throughout. Breakfast is included, however, it's worth noting this is a very Spanish affair! If you'd prefer a heartier breakfast, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants within a stone's throw of the hotel.

One of the highlights of our journey is our visit to Granada's iconic Alhambra Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that overlooks the city. Built in the 13th century by Mohammed Iibn Nasr, the founder of the Nasrid dynasty, the palace is considered one of the finest examples of Moorish architecture outside of the Arab world. You might also like to visit the Alhambra's Generalife Gardens that surround the summer residence of the Caliphs. This afternoon, we'll have an orientation tour of the city, taking in some of the sites including the Albaicin, Granada's historic and atmospheric old Moorish quarter. The Alhambra is an incredibly popular site and tickets sell out quickly. Depending on availability, it might be necessary to move our visit time to later in the day. It might also not be possible for all members of the group to visit in the same time slot. Your tour leader will communicate this on the day. Audio guides are available in the Alhambra for those interested, otherwise, the visit is unguided. Please note, in order for our local agent to book the Alhambra tickets, we require full passport details for all passengers - these should be provided at the time of booking for the tickets to be confirmed. Last-minute bookings will be subject to availability.

This morning, we'll have a couple of hours free to explore more of Granada. We'll then take a taxi to the bus station to catch the midday bus to Cordoba (a journey of around two and a half hours). The once great capital of the Islamic caliphate of al-Andalus, Cordoba hides a wealth of treasures amongst its rambling back streets. This afternoon, we'll visit the city's crown jewel, the Mezquita - another of Spain's UNESCO World Heritage Sites and one of the greatest examples of Islamic architecture in the world. Besides its astounding interior, which unites a unique blend of faiths, this sprawling yet serene place of worship also boasts a peaceful courtyard filled with orange and palm trees. Tonight, we'll stay in a comfortable hotel in the centre of Cordoba. The hotel is typically Andalucian with rooms set around a garden patio. Rooms are en-suite with air-conditioning and televisions.

This morning is free for you to explore more of Cordoba at your own pace. At around 1.30pm, we'll travel by train and then bus deep into the countryside of rural Andalucia, to the small village of Castano del Robledo, close to the Portuguese border. Castano del Robledo is situated in the heart of the Sierra Aracena National Park, surrounded by the oak and sweet chestnut trees that the area is famous for. Much of this sweet little village has remained unchanged for centuries and many of its well-preserved buildings date back to the 16th century. For the next two nights, we'll stay at the Posada del Castano, a simple guesthouse owned by our tour leader and run by his family (and family pets, who will be present throughout our stay). The accommodation is simple with characterful bedrooms - most are en-suite but some have shared bathrooms. You can relax after a day walking, in its courtyard and garden, on the terrace or in the comfortable upstairs lounge filled with books.

After breakfast this morning, we'll walk to the picturesque 'pueblo blanco' (white village) of Alajar, famed for the imposing 17th-century shrine of Arias Montano that occupies a rocky promontory high above the village. We'll return to Castano on foot (a total walking distance of 12 kilometres/7.5 miles). This afternoon, if time allows, you might like to visit the town of Aracena, home to the famous 'Gruta de las Maravillas' (Cave of Wonders), set amidst one of the most spectacular cave systems in the country.

Lying to the northwest of Seville, the Sierra de Aracena is a remote western outlier of the extensive Sierra Morena and the quiet, easy-paced, way of life here remains definitively Andalucian. The wooded hillsides support a smattering of tiny, whitewashed villages, with rural economies still reliant on the production of quality cured hams, chestnuts, and cork. We'll have a chance to enjoy more of this rural idyll today, with a walk to the nearby village of Galaroza, in the beautifully scenic Valley of the Ribera de Jabugo (walking distance is approximately 6.5 kilometres/4 miles). Our bags will be transported to join us in Galaroza and after lunch, we'll take taxis to Seville. It's worth noting that, while not particularly challenging, the walk does have some sharp inclines. It's mostly along even, wooded pathways with some areas of loose cobble. On arrival in Seville, our tour leader will take us on an orientation walk, taking in the Jewish Quarter, Plaza Santa Cruz, Park of the Discoveries and much more. For the next two nights, we'll stay at Hostal Sierpes, a simple hotel situated in a converted 17th-century mansion in the Santa Cruz district. It's perfectly located, around 150 meters/492 feet from the cathedral and the Real Alcazar. In typical Andalucian style, bedrooms are set around a courtyard, which is filled with wood carvings and traditional ceramics. Rooms and amenities are simple - each room has an en-suite bathroom and air-conditioning.

The Andalucian capital can trace its ancestry back over 2,000 years. It's now home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is one of the three largest Old Towns in Europe (Venice and Genoa being the other two). Today is free for you to perhaps choose to visit the Real Alcazar and the city's immense Gothic Cathedral. These attractions are popular, and tickets sell out very quickly, so we recommend booking online well before you travel. Please see the optional excursion information for further information. Alternatively, you might like to walk through the city, taking in its beautiful Mudejar architecture, a mixture of Christian and Moorish styles. You'll find flamenco and ceramics workshops in the bohemian Triana neighbourhood, while in Encarnacion & Regina, you can see a much more modern side to the city with a visit to the Setas de Seville - an avant-garde parasol-like structure shaped like mushrooms.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Seville. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Seville at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Seville Airport (SVQ), which is a 30-minute drive from the hotel. While we've packed in as many of Seville's highlights as possible, our itinerary only allows for one free day in Seville and the city has many museums, galleries and sites to see. If you'd like to discover more on your own, we recommend extending your stay by a night or two.