Day 1 :
We begin our tour with Sevilla, the city of unlimited spirit and passion, a place where echoes of the colorful past flow seamlessly into the vibrant present. We will explore the hidden corners of this endlessly romantic city, bringing back to life the fascinating people, both fictional and real, who left behind their indelible mark: Hercules, Fernando the Saint, and the racy Don Juan Tenorio, among others, all called Sevilla their home. The influence of the powerful Moorish Almohad dynasty during the 12th and 13th century can still be felt and seen throughout Sevilla, from the soaring height and grace of the Giralda tower to the expansive gardens and pools of the Alcázar Palace. The exquisite food, the breathtaking beauty, and the relentless charm of both Sevilla and her people will provide the perfect welcome to Andalusian Spain.
We meet in the morning and begin our adventure along the cooling banks of the Guadalquivir river. Here we will learn about the key figures and events that make up Sevilla’s illustrious history. Once properly oriented, we will begin in earnest with a relaxed walk through the heart of old Sevilla.
Our path will cross many important monuments including la Torre de Oro (the gold tower), once the guardian of all gold and jewels from the newly discovered Americas, la Puerta de Jerez (the Gate of Jerez), with its famous inscription linking Sevilla to her legendary founder Hercules, and la Catedral de Sevilla, the fourth largest cathedral in the world and the final resting place for Fernando the Saint and Christopher Columbus. According to legend, when the officials met to plan the cathedral’s construction one of them exclaimed, “Let us build a cathedral of such immense proportions that the rest of the world will think us mad!” Connected to the cathedral is the majestic Giralda tower, said to have been designed by the man who invented algebra. We will climb the dizzying heights of this sole surviving great minaret and take in a fantastic panoramic view of Sevilla in all her glory!
After savoring a wide variety of the local cuisine in our favorite local tapas restaurant (including garlic shrimp, roasted rosemary chicken, hardy seafood stew and, of course, gazpacho) we will continue into the Santa Cruz neighborhood. Once the center of the Jewish community, the barrio Santa Cruz is a maze of shady narrow streets filled with legends and lore, workshops, tiny stores, patios, wrought iron grilles, orange trees, palms and flowers. During the later afternoon, you might opt for a well-deserved Spanish siesta, or perhaps you will join us for an excursion to the Calle Sierpes, where quaint shops and charming cafes await!
Day 2 :
We start today with a walk through the Alcázar palace, where to this day the king and queen of Spain stay when they come to Sevilla. The palace dates back to the Almohad rulers, but was vastly expanded and modified by Peter the Cruel during the 14th Century. Here we can see a pure example of the Mudéjar style so typical of southern Spain – the stunning mixture of both the Moorish and Christian artistic and architectural aesthetic. After wandering through the palace gardens, we will continue on to the western part of the city. Passing the world-renown university, and contemplating what it must have looked like in its previous incarnation as a tobacco factory, we come at last to the María Luisa Park. Site of the 1929 Ibero-American Expo, this breathtaking oasis of shady trees, hidden paths and gurgling pools was landscaped in the French, Anglo-Saxon and Arabic style. Here we will wander peacefully to our heart’s content, exploring the restored pavilions that now serve as art and archeology museums, and then we will join up for a paella lunch. You may choose to participate on one of our optional late afternoon excursions, or perhaps you will seek some rest anticipating an exciting evening of passionate flamenco music and dance at a local tablao!
Day 3 :
Upon entering Granada we’ll check into our hotel, eat lunch and dedicate ourselves almost entirely to the exploration of Granada’s, and arguably Spain’s, most revered monument: the Alhambra. The Alhambra is the largest, best preserved, and most beautiful medieval fortress on the European continent: an artistic and architectural wonder which stemmed directly from the greatest Moorish sultans, architects, artists and visionaries. The first wave of Moors who swept into Spain in 711 AD. had been nomadic tribes of the desert, and they looked upon Granada as their oasis. As the Alhambra was being built, water became the dominant theme, and everywhere you look there are still fountains, pools, and man-made water channels that follow you wherever you go. Our local expert will tell the stories behind the many towers and rooms, and discuss the significance of illustrious historical characters. Later in the day, you might visit the sweet smelling tea shops behind the Plaza Nueva to try some Moorish pastry and an herbal tea infusion.
Day 4 :
Today we focus on the city of Granada. Among our morning’s highlights are stops in the Cathedral and Royal Chapel (where the Catholic Kings Ferdinand and Isabel are buried), the Alcaicería (the old market place), and the Plaza Bib-rambla. We shall leave no stone unturned as we bring you through the labyrinthine streets of the old Arab quarter known as the Albaicín, and duck into private courtyards, hidden lookouts, immaculate gardens and tapas bars well off the beaten path. Before stopping for lunch in an open-air gypsy restaurant, we’ll savor the magnificent view of the Alhambra from the Plaza de San Nicolas. As we recount to you colorful historical anecdotes and legendary tales concerning Christians and Moors, magicians, princesses, soldiers and saints, you may get the sense that a part of you too will be left behind after you leave Granada, joining the millions of souls who came before and looked longingly over such a beautiful city!
Day 5 :
In the distance, looking beyond the red towers of the Alhambra, one can see a majestic range of mountains called the Sierra Nevada. Nestled between these snow-capped peaks lies a mysterious region of ancient villages and blossoming valleys, called the Alpujarras. Once inaccessible and remote, this high-pastured region set the stage for many Moorish-Christian battles and conflicts throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, and has also been the centerpiece for many literary escapades, such as those by Gerald Brenan and Pedro Antonio de Alarcón. This sun-drenched region of mountainous waterfalls, olive-covered hills, gushing rivers, and star-filled nights will provide the perfect backdrop for our two day stay. Our destination is Capileira, a whitewashed, cobblestoned village, which from afar looks like a glistening cascade of houses spilling over the valley’s edge into the lush green ravine below.
Today we’ll begin our ascent into the Sierra Nevada mountains, winding our way through several towns of the Alpujarras including Lanjarón, the source of Spain’s richest and most abundant spring for bottled water. Upon arriving in Capileira, we’ll begin our first day’s walk: climbing east out of Capileira into the Barranco de Cerezo (the ravine of the cherry trees), we’ll marvel at breathtaking vistas of five other Alpujarreña towns in the valley below. We’ll pass through the winding streets of Capilería and Pitres, two ancient mountain villages. Then we’ll continue downward into the valley, stopping to take photos or to taste the spring water flowing from roadside fountains, and descending into the town of Mecina. Our bus will pick us up just in time to drive us to Capileira for another hearty lunch on a rooftop patio. The day wouldn’t be complete without a private visit to a local ham drying tavern, where Carlos will show us how Spanish serrano is cured, and then allow us to sample some of his finest hand-crafted jamón.
Day 6 :
Our second day in the Alpujarras promises to be an exhilarating one. You may choose to participate on an all-day 22 kilometer hike that starts in the highest village in Spain, Trevélez, and finishes back at our hotel. Along the way we’ll picnic beside a gentle mountain stream and take in endless views high above the rolling green valleys. We’ll also keep our eyes out for many varieties of wild flowers and herds of mountain goats. For those looking for a more relaxed pace, we offer two shorter walks to nearby villages where local artisans sell their wares. The afternoon will be free to swim in the pool or to take a siesta. That evening we’ll have drinks under a canopy of elms and enjoy a traditional dinner of patatas a la pobre (potatoes, onions, and green peppers slowly sautéed in a locally pressed olive oil), green salads, chorizo (sausage), homemade gazpacho, and glasses of vinillo (local mountain wine).
Day 7 :
From the Alpujarras, we are transported by our private bus towards Córdoba. After lunch we set out through the narrow streets of the Judería, the Jewish Quarter. The district, alive with shops and souvenirs, buzzes with activity, yet a solemn reign of history pervades in the long, lazy shadows of the afternoon sun. We will visit one of the three remaining synagogues in all of Spain and pay homage to great humanists and scholars as we pass their statues. We will also take you to the modern Córdoba which celebrates each year its enchanted patios and decorated balconies! Our last evening together will be one to remember: live Spanish guitar, exquisite seafood, succulent eggplant in honey and carnes a la brasa served on the rooftop terrace of our favorite Cordoban restaurant overlooking the mosque. Our tour nearly finished, we’ll toast to wonderful shared experiences and brand-new friendships.
Day 8 :
Our last day in Córdoba will focus on the Mezquita, or the great Mosque. This awe-inspiring architectural wonder, with its rows and rows of graceful candy-striped arches, holds a surprise at its center: a soaring a controversial cathedral! We’ll wander through the forest of onyx, jasper, and porphyry columns savoring the sumptuous elegance and beauty of Moorish art. No other site in Spain so overtly exhibits the fantastic clash and mixture of culture which continues to define Andalucía to this day! Our journey now complete, we’ll bid each other fond farewell and “Adiós.”
Price: From $3700 per person
Duration: 8 Days
If you are not able to make up your mind from any of the tour itinerary or hotels listed above in The Golden Age of Spain Honeymoon Package, then we can also make changes and provide a customized, tailor-made romantic honeymoon vacations, especially for you. We can modify this package as per your budget, duration as well as the tourist places you’d like to visit or whether airfare should be included or not. This customization helps you make the best out of your honeymoon package with your loved one and keep the candle of romance burning.
Contact us for personalized romantic getaways packages and honeymoon tours.
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