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Slow Lane Magazine, May 2019
Insights and stories from across Europe and beyond
  • favourite (but oft-forgotten) festivals
  • Nepal's secret valley
  • boutique beauty in Drôme Provençale
  • carving out a future in southern Italy
  • Inntravellers' Tales – our new writing competition
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Seville & the Aracena Sierra

A taste of southern Spain
 
Explore vibrant Seville – one of Spain’s most beautiful cities – on this leisurely, self-guided break, which also features two nights in the picturesque Aracena Sierra. As well as panoramic walks, you can look forward to delicious meals of regional fare, and stays in welcoming, hand-picked hotels.
Seville & the Aracena Sierra . 4 nights
Seville & the Aracena Sierra . 4 nights
 

Holiday information

 

A city & walking break in Andalucia

Set amid the red-chalk plains of western Andalucia and bisected by the mighty Guadalquivir River, Seville is a city which encapsulates the essence of southern Spain. Not only do its many impressive buildings – the soaring minaret of the Giralda, the intricate Alcázar and the ‘Tower of Gold’ – bear witness to the region’s great Moorish past, but this beautiful city is also where you’ll find many of Spain’s great cultural traditions, from fiery flamenco to colourful ferias, and tasty tapas to masterful toreros.
After two nights in Seville, you head north into the lush green pastures and glorious woodlands of the Aracena Sierra, where crystal-clear streams cut through soft, rounded hills and sleek black pigs feast freely on grass and forage for acorns. The Sierra is well known for its Jamón Ibérico – the highly prized air-cured ham that these free-range pigs produce – but the timeless landscapes also conceal some fascinating architectural gems, from the peculiar ‘stone doormats’ of Linares de la Sierra to atmospheric ruined castles and Knights Templar churches, not forgetting, of course, your welcoming hotel, a restored 19th-century village house in sleepy Alájar.
 
Gallery
 

Itinerary

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights.
  • Arrival in Seville
    Night 1: at Las Casas del Rey de Baeza (the first of two nights here).
    As your first night’s accommodation is on the day of travel, Day 1 is your first day of exploration.
  • Explore Seville
    With our detailed route notes in hand, discover both Seville’s famous heritage sites and the many overlooked corners of the city. One of our favourite places to visit is the Moorish fortress of the Alcázar, with its impressive ceilings, courtyards and beautiful gardens (online booking essential to avoid long queues). This is closely followed by the striking Gothic cathedral – the world’s largest – known for its soaring bell tower and astonishing gold altarpiece, and by the ornate Plaza de España, whose lovely fountains and waterways are a joy to stroll around. Seville is a great city to wander through, so make sure to set aside some time simply to explore its winding, whitewashed streets and orange-tree-filled plazas, to test out the many traditional tapas bars, and perhaps even to call into an authentic tablao to catch a stirring flamenco performance.

    This is a city that likes to celebrate, and there is a good chance your stay may coincide with one of the major festivals. The most impressive parades come at Easter during Semana Santa (Holy Week), followed by the Feria de Sevilla (Seville Fair) two weeks later, when the city is alive with processions of horses and carriages, live music events, flamenco and tapas. Other festivals include Corpus Christi and the Día de San Juan, both celebrated in June and both of which draw large exuberant crowds.
    The gardens of Seville's lovely Alcázar
  • Seville to Alájar
    Today you have more time to explore Seville before catching the daily bus north to Aracena, where you are collected by taxi and transferred the short distance to the tranquil village of Alájar and La Posada de San Marcos, your base for the final two nights.
    Enjoy a further exploration of Seville before departing for Aracena
  • Choice of walks in the Aracena Sierra: 7.5km to 12km
    The gently rolling hills of the Aracena Sierra are a paradise for walkers, with no shortage of easy paths through cork-oak woodland and along inviting riverside trails, connecting some of the prettiest villages in the area. We provide route notes for three circular walks from the door, as well as a linear walk to nearby Aracena from where you take the bus back (pay locally).

    Los Madroñeros circuit: 7.5km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 260m
    A perfect introductory route for the afternoon of your arrival, this pretty walk explores the cultivated area to the south of Alájar, the banks of the River Antezuela and the previously abandoned hamlet of Los Madroñeros.

    La Peña de Arias Montano: 10km, 4hrs; longer option: 11.5km, 5hrs; ascent/descent 410m
    This second scenic walk from the Posada ascends to the cliff-top shrine of Peña de Arias Montano, which commands a grand bird’s-eye view of Alájar and the sierra beyond. There is an optional extension along an ancient muleteers' path to another higher viewpoint, offering further wonderful views.

    Linares de la Sierra circuit: 10km, 4hrs; ascent/descent 425m
    This is an easy, gentle route, passing through the almost lost hamlet of Madroñeros to reach Linares de la Sierra, the streets of which have the peculiar ‘stone doormats’ – decorative panels laid into the street at every doorway and composed of black and white pebbles. The square here, which doubles as a bull-ring, boasts a couple of original wash-troughs, plus an excellent restaurant where you can enjoy lunch before returning to your hotel via a different path.

    Alájar to Aracena: 12km, 5hrs; ascent 450m/descent 350m
    You follow the same pretty route as above to Linares de la Sierra, from where winding paths lined with drystone walls lead you on to Aracena, the area’s main town, crowned by a crumbling castle. Aracena’s key attraction, however, is the Gruta de las Maravillas – the ‘Cave of Wonders’ – named for its twelve caverns, subterranean lakes and extraordinary stalactites and stalagmites. Return to Alájar by bus or taxi (pay locally – no bus on Sundays or bank holidays).
    La Peña de Arias Montano
    Enjoy a circular walk via Linares de la Sierra
 

Accommodation

The two very different hotels at which you stay ensure a very varied and enjoyable break.

Occasionally, due to availability, we may offer an alternative hotel, as shown below. You will be informed of any change to the usual hotel (along with any price implication) prior to us confirming your holiday to you. Whichever hotel you stay in, we recommend an additional night in Seville for more time to discover this intriguing city.
 

Extend your stay

 
Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter.
Currency converter

We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.

Please enter an amount Please enter a valid amount British Pound Sterling (GBP)
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NB: this should be used as a guide only. Fluctuations in exchange rates could result in significant variation by the time you come to pay.

  • 4 nights: 01 June - 15 June 2019, 07 September - 30 November 2019 & 02 January - 30 June 2020

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price Single room
    1 - 11 June £430 £245
    7 September - 30 October £470 £298
    31 October - 2 November not available not available
    3 - 26 November £398 £215
    2 January - 25 February £380 £198
    26 February - 5 March £398 £230
    6 - 26 March £420 £235
    27 March - 3 April £465 £280
    4 - 12 April £645 £475
    13 - 23 April £465 £280
    24 April - 2 May £645 £475
    3 May - 13 June £465 £280
    14 - 26 June £420 £235
    3rd & 4th person discount -£10 to -£25
    Single traveller supplement £10 to £25

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Included travel:  return taxi between Aracena bus station & Alájar hotel
    Pay locally for the return bus or taxi between Seville airport & centre  and return bus between Seville & Aracena

    Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.

  • Room upgrades (£ per person per night)

    Casas del Rey de Baeza
    Deluxe: 02 Jun - 29 Jun 2019 £30
    Deluxe: 30 Jun - 30 Jun 2019 £26
    Deluxe: 01 Jul - 05 Sep 2019 £30
    Deluxe: 06 Sep - 31 Oct 2019 £35
    Deluxe: 01 Nov - 03 Nov 2019 not available
    Deluxe: 04 Nov - 30 Nov 2019 £30
    Deluxe: 02 Jan - 04 Apr 2020 £30
    Deluxe: 05 Apr - 12 Apr 2020 £60
    Deluxe: 13 Apr - 24 Apr 2020 £30
    Deluxe: 25 Apr - 02 May 2020 £60
    Deluxe: 03 May - 30 Jun 2020 £30
    Junior suite: 02 Jun - 30 Jun 2019 £45
    Junior suite: 01 Jul - 05 Sep 2019 £48
    Junior suite: 06 Sep - 31 Oct 2019 £56
    Junior suite: 01 Nov - 03 Nov 2019 not available
    Junior suite: 04 Nov - 30 Nov 2019 £48
    Junior suite: 02 Jan - 04 Apr 2020 £48
    Junior suite: 05 Apr - 12 Apr 2020 £75
    Junior suite: 13 Apr - 24 Apr 2020 £48
    Junior suite: 25 Apr - 02 May 2020 £75
    Junior suite: 03 May - 30 Jun 2020 £48

    Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room

    Casas del Rey de Baeza (B&B) Double room Single room
    01 Jun - 01 Jun 2019 £105 £190
    02 Jun - 15 Jun 2019 £90 £160
    01 Sep - 04 Sep 2019 £80 £138
    05 Sep - 31 Oct 2019 £105 £190
    01 Nov - 03 Nov 2019 not available not available
    04 Nov - 30 Nov 2019 £90 £160
    02 Jan - 25 Feb 2020 £78 £136
    26 Feb - 27 Mar 2020 £90 £160
    28 Mar - 03 Apr 2020 £108 £196
    04 Apr - 12 Apr 2020 £190 £360
    13 Apr - 23 Apr 2020 £108 £196
    24 Apr - 02 May 2020 £190 £360
    03 May - 13 Jun 2020 £108 £196
    14 Jun - 30 Jun 2020 £90 £160
    Posada de San Marcos (B&B) Double room Single room
    07 Sep - 30 Nov 2019 £54 £80
    02 Jan - 30 Jun 2020 £54 £80
  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Seville

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  you may need to fly to an airport not listed. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Seville easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Seville easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Inverness - Seville (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Seville (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Seville British Airways,  easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Seville (via Madrid) Iberia 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Seville easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Seville Ryanair 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  you may need to fly to an airport not listed. To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you. We charge £30 per person for our flight booking service (£50 for India and Nepal). Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

  • Prices below are based on 2 people travelling together. If you are travelling solo or as a party of 3 or more and our arrangements include a taxi, please contact us for prices; additional passengers often pay less.

    Connecting travel options - flying via Seville

    Outward route Price per person Latest flight
    arrival time
    own travel arrangements from the airport pay locally flexible
    Homeward route Price per person Earliest flight
    departure time
    bus Aracena bus station to Seville (Plaza de Armas) bus station (1h20 pay locally) included 1200(1500 Sun)
What is included
  • 4 nights
  • 1 dinner
    4 breakfasts
  • route notes and maps
  • return taxi between Aracena bus station & Posada San Marcos
  • notes for city walking tours
 
Reviews

If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?

We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >

 

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • We’ll send you route notes and maps 2-3 weeks before your holiday. The route notes not only contain directions to get from hotel to hotel, but also include practical information about places of interest and eateries along each route, plus cultural information about the area. If/when you are moving between hotels, you leave your luggage in reception as you leave, and it will be transferred ahead to your next accommodation, meaning that all you need to take with you are a camera, sun cream, drinks, food and waterproofs.

    For more detailed information, see our walking holidays in Europe page.
  • We can book a wide range of airlines and routes from the UK. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. For Europe and Morocco, there’s a £30 booking fee per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). For India and Nepal, the booking fee is £50 per person. More information on flights >
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can cost tens of thousands of pounds.

    You don’t have to buy our policy (if you live outside Europe you’ll definitely need to make your own arrangements, as the policy is only for UK and EU residents), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Spain, but not a visa (if you are travelling after 31 October 2019, see the Brexit question below for more information). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found through the following NHS link: www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/advice/ You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). UK citizens should also obtain a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) by applying at a Post Office or at www.ehic.org.uk. The EHIC allows reciprocal health care but should not be seen as a substitute for travel insurance. EHICs may cease to be valid in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
  • (Castilian) Spanish is one of several official languages; in Catalonia, for example, Catalan has equal status. The currency is the Euro. Spanish time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • Even in the event of a no-deal Brexit, it’s been confirmed that flights will continue as normal and that you won’t need a visa to go on holiday (the limit on stays is 90 days). What you will need if there’s no deal is a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the date of your arrival (extra months added because you renewed your passport early do not count) and adequate travel insurance to cover you for accidents and illness in case reciprocal health deals are suspended. If you are driving while on holiday, you will probably need an International Driving Permit (plus a Green Card if you are taking your own car to Europe). More information >
  • The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.
    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
Last fetch time is : 7/24/2019 7:28:36 AM