The Heart of Spain: Andalucía

Fly into the Seville airport or take the fast train (AVE) to Seville from Madrid. 

We’ll meet at 3:45 at Santa Justa train station in Seville. We'll be transferred to Hotel Kivir in the old town around 5 p.m. on arrival day. 

After the check-in, we’ll enjoy a welcome drink and orientation at Kivir's rooftop bar before we embark on a guided tour of the city with our local expert. 

Later, we will enjoy dinner together, and you’ll have the opportunity to get to know your GG2W co-travelers a bit better.

After breakfast, we’ll head to the 14th-century palace across the street from the hotel. The Alcazar was built for Christian King Peter of Castile. It's built on top of a former Moorish palace. The palace boasts a mosaic of architectural styles from Gothic to Renaissance, Romanesque to Mudéjar, all elegantly balanced. The palace gardens are an absolute delight. They represent a mingling of the Spanish infused with Muslim artistry in a style known as Mudejar.

You can trace the history of the Moors and Christians through the changes in the garden. Take a close look at the pavilion of Charles V in the Alcoba vegetable garden and the Grutesco Gallery with its many gardens. Water features and gorgeous Spanish tiles reign supreme. Our expert local guide will lead the way. 

You'll be hungry after all the walking, so we'll stop at Castizo for lunch.

In the afternoon, we'll visit Seville’s famous 15th-century Catedral de Santa María de la Sede, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the Catholic kings and their voyages to the Americas, Seville was all-important. Here, you’ll find Christopher Columbus’ tomb, along with great riches. Santa María de la Sede is the third largest church in the world, after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.

After such a busy day, we'll stroll back to our hotel for a siesta and time to chill. If you'd prefer, you can go out and explore the city or do some shopping.

Enjoy dinner with the group tonight at El Disparate.

Grab your day pack because today, we're headed east!

Our private driver will take us to Cordoba to visit a famous mosque called the Mezquita, used by Muslims and Christians over the centuries. This is one of the world's most beautiful and unusual buildings, revered by designers and architects dating to 1236.

Our local guide will also show us around one of the few synagogues left in Spain. It dates back to 1315. Today, you’ll understand the many layers of history in this part of the world.

Afterward, we’ll stroll around the Jewish quarter and then sit down to a relaxing lunch at La Casa de Manolete Bistró.

You’ll have some free time, too, to shop and explore a bit on your own. We head back to Seville in the evening. Snooze on the bus or take in the views as we cruise.

Dinner is on your own tonight. Grab a GG2TW buddy and head out for tapas and wine. What better way to end the day?

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Sleep in. Luxuriate in a slow start to the morning.

You have tasted some wonderful Andalusian specialties in the last few days. Now, learn how to recreate this culinary magic in your kitchen.

Today, you will work with a local chef and learn how to make tapas like a Spaniard. From 11:00 am - 2:00 pm, dig into traditional recipes and come away with skills to make croquetas, tortilla de patata, and much more.

After cooking, we’ll sit down and enjoy our creations with some regional wines.

The afternoon is yours to explore the city on your own, nap, or chill at the pool.

In the evening, let’s gather to learn more about the Santa Cruz neighborhood and then head to a flamenco show. After the performance, we'll enjoy a light dinner together at the Perro Viejo.

Make sure to bring a day pack with you. Today, we’ll drive to Zahara de la Sierra to visit an olive oil farm. 

After, we'll stop in one of the most beautiful villages in Spain. Situated on a gorge, Ronda was settled in the Neolithic age, but what we’ll see dates back to Roman times.

Enjoy a tour of Ronda with our guide. Learn about the city’s historic bullring and museum dating back to 1785. Spain’s most famous bullring only opens for bullfights once a year and hosts only the best fighters in the country. Don’t worry. We won’t see a bullfight.

Lunch today is at Panorámico Ronda by eboca a tapas restaurant created by Chef Benito Gomez. Get ready to tuck into his unique rendition of regional favs.

You'll have time to stroll around and shop on your own today.

As the sun starts to sink, we’ll head back to Sevilla for one more night.

Dinner is on your own this evening. Make time to pack. Tomorrow, we'll check out and leave for our new home in Granada.

Grab your bags and wave “adios” to Seville. We're off to Granada in a private minibus. 

The next two days are about Granada and its crown jewel, the Alhambra. We'll stay at the Hotel Palacio de los Patos

The drive to Granada takes about 2.5 hours. We will break up this journey with stops in little villages along the way, including lunch at Parador de Antequera.

Once in Granada, check into the hotel and get settled. This afternoon will be a relaxing one after all the traveling.

Grab your swimsuit because we are off to a hammam or a Moorish-style spa. Enjoy the hot and cold pools and relax among flickering candles. Sip hot tea and unwind. Your visit to the hammam includes a massage. 

Enjoy dinner at Alameda Restaurante tonight with the group. 

Today, we'll walk over to one of the most impressive architectural sites in the world, the Alhambra and the Generalife. We’ll discover the palace and its incredible gardens with a knowledgeable guide. 

Our tour ends with lunch at Restaurante El Parador de Granada. 

After lunch, we'll stroll into the town center to explore the area around Plaza de San Nicolas. This afternoon is devoted to shopping. Hunt for gorgeous Fajalauza ceramics and scour the old Arab neighborhood, the Albaycin, with its lovely, whitewashed houses and narrow streets. You are sure to find a few gems to take home with you. 

It is our last night together as a group. We'll gather in the evening for a unique culinary experience as we embark on a guided tapas dinner. We’ll stop at several restaurants to devour bite-sized treats like locals and raise our glasses to toast all the fun we’ve had. Snack your way across town before returning to the hotel to rest for the night.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. 

We will help to arrange a taxi from the hotel to the airport in Granada. Maybe you plan to stay a few more days in Andalucia? Great idea. If not, say farewell to your GG2TW travel buddies today and head home. 

If your flight out of Granada departs later in the afternoon, you can leave your luggage at the hotel until you’re ready. 

From Granada, you can catch a flight or train back to Barcelona or Madrid where you will take your international flight home. 

Some guests may stay in Granada for one or two more nights to see more of this historic city. If you’d like this, GG2W can help arrange your hotel rooms.