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A Trail of Three CitiesThe essence of Spain
This beguiling tour takes you by train to three of Spain’s most enigmatic and beautiful cities: Seville, Córdoba and Granada. This is iconic Spain…a land of vibrant cities and exuberant people, home to flamenco, tapas and bullfighting. These three cities preserve the most important legacies of that great flowering of Islamic culture which took place between the 9th and 15th centuries. It is expressed in great monumental architecture and also in quieter courtyards and scented gardens. Experience the wonderful Mudéjar architecture of the Alcázar fortress in Seville, the Great Mosque in Córdoba, and the stunning palace of the Alhambra overlooking Granada. Our detailed notes guide you through the historic streets on a walking tour that includes all the famous heritage sites, as well as many overlooked corners and delightful lunch stops. You stay in hand-picked, stylish hotels, each one a beautifully restored mansion representing the essence of the city, and all within walking distance of the major sights. Nights: 6 Starting point: Casas del Rey de Baeza (4*), Seville. Located on a square lined with monasteries and churches, this beautifully converted 18th-century mansion makes a pleasant retreat just outside the main tourist area, yet is still within easy walking distance of the cathedral. Inside, there is a feeling of quiet intimacy, with lots of small courtyards and open galleries off which are the 41 bedrooms, decorated in a modern, minimalist style.
Day 1: home of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro, romantic Seville is a place you will never forget. The city is set amid the red-chalk plains of western Andalucia and bisected by the great Guadalquivir River, along which the conquistadors sent their plundered American gold. The soaring spire of the Giralda dominates the central skyline, and stands as a monument to Seville’s great Moorish past. Other amazing sights include the Moorish fortress of the Alcázar, the striking cathedral, the ornate Plaza de España and the atmospheric Santa Cruz district. In winter, the streets are lined with oranges, while in spring the scent of citrus blossom perfumes the air. You will find a traditional tapas bar seemingly on every street where the local fare is washed down with ice cold fino sherry. Accommodation: Casas del Rey de Baeza, as above. Day 2: travelling east by train, you arrive in charming Córdoba. The city formed the heart of the western Islamic empire for three centuries, and is home to the most splendid mosque ever built by the Moors in Spain - the great colonnaded Mezquita. Surrounding this celebrated mosque is an extensive medieval Jewish quarter - a warren of delightful whitewashed streets, hiding unexpected flower-filled patios, ornate wells and one of only three synagogues to survive the Jewish expulsion of 1492. Take time to explore and you will be rewarded by a wealth of monumental architecture, Gothic churches and Renaissance palaces set among the quiet streets of the city’s working quarters.
Accommodation: Hospedería del Churrasco (3*), Córdoba. You stay at the in the heart of the fascinating Jewish quarter and only a few minutes’ walk from the Mezquita. The hotel is a beautiful conversion of two town houses that has resulted in a stylish, elegant hotel, with (reputedly) one of best restaurants in Córdoba. Day 3: enjoy another day exploring Córdoba further. Accommodation: Hospedería del Churrasco, as above. Day 4: today you take the train to Granada, nestling in the foothills of the great, often snow-capped Sierra Nevada, where almond orchards coat the lower slopes. Set against this backdrop is the glorious Alhambra, a Unesco World Heritage Site and the epitome of Moorish architecture and design with its crumbling fortress (Alcazaba), the astonishingly intricate tilework and stucco decoration of the royal palace, and the ornamental gardens of the Generalife, complete with tinkling fountains. Across the river, the Albaicín, Spain’s most characteristic surviving Moorish quarter, is wonderfully intriguing, steep, cobbled streets leading past whitewashed houses and hidden courtyards planted with orange and lemon trees to the Plaza San Nicolás, which offers the city’s best views of the Alhambra.
Accommodation: Casa Morisca (3*), Granada. Located on the edge of the atmospheric Albaicín, this romantic 15th-century mansion is close to the Alhambra, and enjoys views to the palace from its terrace. Inside, it is exquisitely appointed and full of character, the furniture, fine tilework and original features recalling years gone by. The 14 stylish bedrooms are set around the central, arcaded courtyard, which has a fountain at its centre. Tickets for the Alhambra Day 5: enjoy one last day in this alluring city. Other information: if you would like to see the brochure page, you can download this (and the pages for any other holidays you are interested in) by using our brochure creation system. Similar holidays: Verona, Bologna & Venice Prices & travel
#Add £51pp/n if staying in Seville on any date between 21 & 26 Apr Recommended destination airport: Seville
Extra night prices 2008/2009 (extra nights can be booked at any hotel):
> Notes on prices > Any queries? Let us call you back  |
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The intricately decorated courtyard of Seville's Alcázar fortress 
