Unexpected Andalucia An interesting addition to the
usual Cordoba-Seville-Granada route, this itinerary takes in the Cortes
de la Frontera, a base for you to explore the Andalucian 'white
villages', ancient cave paintings and a world famous bullring. With
scenic drives connecting the cities, this itinerary is ideal for both
the first timer looking to get beyond the typical tourist itinerary or
for those looking to experience Andalucia differently.
Madrid Day 1-3 : Arrival in Madrid. You will go on a
private tour of Madrid, visiting its museums accompanied by a
professor, with an optional tapas tour on the second evening of
your stay. Based at the Hotel Silken Puerta America, a design
hotel
conceived as an
architectural showcase, with individual floors fitted-out by
different world-renowned architects, including Foster and
Partners, Zaha Hadid, John
Pawson, and Ushida Findlay.
Cordoba
Day 3-5:
Transfer today to Cordoba, a city with fascinating history and charming
whitewashed streets. Built in the 10th century by an Umayyad Caliph,
Cordoba is the largest city built from scratch in Western Europe,
housing a series of palaces, which were described by travelers of the
time to have contained an assortment of treasures never seen before.
Setting a precedence and defining a new identity in Andalusian
Islamic architecture, the architectural features of the Madinat Al Zahra
(which facilitates basilical as opposed to domed reception halls, for
example) set the tone for subsequent Andalusian architectural
expressions, the Alhambra included. What we see of the city today is a
mere 10% of the original.
Seville
Day 5-6: The Moorish influence is apparent in Seville- from the
spectacular Moorish palace to the architecture of the Reales Alcazares.
Cortes
de la Frontera Day 6-9: Experience picturesque Andalucian
'white villages', with possible day trips to Ronda, one of
the oldest towns in Spain, where you can find, en route, ancient caves
with paintings and stalactites and stalagmite formations or natural
pools with icy cold water flowing from a nearby mountain.
Granada
Day 9-11: Probably the town most associated with an Andalucian
experience, the Andalucian town of Granada, with the iconic Alhambra
deserves at least two nights. Private tours of the Alhambra and the
Albaicin.
Barcelona
Day 11-14: In the design capital of Barcelona,
you'll find plenty of design hotels, hip F&B joints and shopping
opportunities. We can customize a walking tour of Barcelona, a personal
shopper or various active pursuits.
This itinerary can be combined with a trip to Morocco, where the theme
of Moorish influence continues in lavish, palatial recreations of a
Moorish water palace in Marrakech or staying on the Atlas Mountains- the
same ones you'd first cast your sights on from the pretty 'white
village' in Andalucia.
Unexpected Andalucia An interesting addition to the
usual Cordoba-Seville-Granada route, this itinerary takes in the Cortes
de la Frontera, a base for you to explore the Andalucian 'white
villages', ancient cave paintings and a world famous bullring. With
scenic drives connecting the cities, this itinerary is ideal for both
the first timer looking to get beyond the typical tourist itinerary or
for those looking to experience Andalucia differently.
Madrid Day 1-3 : Arrival in
Madrid. You will go on a private tour of Madrid, visiting its museums
accompanied by a professor, with an optional tapas tour on the second
evening of your stay. Based at the Hotel Silken Puerta America, a design
hotel conceived as an architectural showcase, with individual floors
fitted-out by different world-renowned architects, including Foster and
Partners, Zaha Hadid, John Pawson, and Ushida Findlay.
Cordoba
Day 3-5:
Transfer today to Cordoba, a city with fascinating history and charming
whitewashed streets. Built in the 10th century by an Umayyad Caliph,
Cordoba is the largest city built from scratch in Western Europe,
housing a series of palaces, which were described by travelers of the
time to have contained an assortment of treasures never seen before.
Setting a precedence and defining a new identity in Andalusian
Islamic architecture, the architectural features of the Madinat Al Zahra
(which facilitates basilical as opposed to domed reception halls, for
example) set the tone for subsequent Andalusian architectural
expressions, the
Alhambra included.
What we see of the city today is a
mere 10% of the original.
Seville
Day 5-6: The Moorish influence is apparent in Seville- from the
spectacular Moorish palace to the architecture of the Reales Alcazares.
Cortes
de la Frontera Day 6-9: Experience picturesque Andalucian
'white villages', with possible day trips to Ronda, one of
the oldest towns in Spain, where you can find, en route, ancient caves
with paintings and stalactites and stalagmite formations or natural
pools with icy cold water flowing from a nearby mountain.
Granada
Day 9-11: Probably the town most associated with an Andalucian
experience, the Andalucian town of Granada, with the iconic Alhambra
deserves at least two nights. Private tours of the Alhambra and the
Albaicin.
Barcelona
Day 11-14: In the design capital of Barcelona,
you'll find plenty of design hotels, hip F&B joints and shopping
opportunities. We can customize a walking tour of Barcelona, a personal
shopper or various active pursuits.
This itinerary can be combined with a trip to Morocco, where the theme
of Moorish influence continues in lavish, palatial recreations of a
Moorish water palace in Marrakech or staying on the Atlas Mountains- the
same ones you'd first cast your sights on from the pretty 'white
village' in Andalucia. Prices are approximate only.