ANDALUSIA - THE HEART OF ART – MAY 2025

Arrival late in the evening, transfer and check-in at the hotel. Overnight stay.

After breakfast we will take a walk in the historic center of the city, in the famous Larios shopping street, the Plaza de la Constitución, its narrow streets, the Cathedral "La Manquita", and the Roman theater. In free time you have the opportunity to visit the Picasso museum, the Centre Pompidou in the amazing Muelle 1 Port or the Malagueta beach. Afternoon free.

After breakfast we will depart for the famous White Villages (Pueblos Blancos), stopping first at the unique rock-cut village of Setenil de las Bodegas. Then we will go to Ronda, a small town in the province of Malaga, with its great fortified position on a steep hill in the mountain range that separates Upper and Lower Andalusia. The unique paths that crossed it and allowed communication by road, combined with its rugged surroundings, contributed to its importance in the Roman, Visigothic, and Arab periods. Tour and free time to admire monuments, such as the New Bridge (Puente Nuevo) of the 100m gorge. depth of the Guadalupe River that runs through the historic center, as well as the oldest Bullring (Plaza de Toros) in Spain. Departure for Granada. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.

After breakfast departure for the hill of Alhambra, the "red castle" as it is called in Arabic. Built on a stone hill, protected by mountains and surrounded by forest, Alhambra was originally designed as a military area, but from the mid-13th century it became the residence of kings-Sultans. A masterpiece of Islamic architecture of the 14th century with unimaginable detail in the decoration, which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the adjacent hill are the magnificent Generalife gardens where the summer palace of the kings-Sultans dominates. Afterwards we will have free time in the historic center of the city after walking through it, passing, among other things, the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel, the small "Souk", the New Square (Plaza Nueva), and the small river Darro (Darro). For those who wish (OPTIONAL), after dinner at the hotel, there will be an evening walk on the hill of Albaicín, the old Moorish Granada, where we will have a panoramic view of the illuminated Alhambra as well as the entire city. Then we will meet on the other hill of the city, Sacromonte, the gypsy quarter, to watch gypsy flamenco in the cave houses, with a drink. Buffet dinner, overnight stay

After breakfast departure for Cordoba, the distant and lonely Lorca, the once capital of the important caliphate of the West. Upon arrival we will visit the Mosque-Cathedral (Mezquita-Catedral) an architectural monument of unparalleled beauty, a mixture of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and the second most important mosque in its time after that of Mecca. Then we will wander through the picturesque alleys of the old Jewish (Judería) and Muslim quarter, with the wonderful patios (patios), and you will have free time before departure for Seville. Arrival and check-in at the hotel. Buffet dinner, overnight stay

Our morning tour will begin with a panoramic bus ride, and we will disembark at the beautiful Plaza de las Americas, with the trilogy of the most important architectural styles found in Seville. Through the Maria Luisa Park, we will end up at the most beautiful square in Spain, the “Plaza de España”. Then we will walk through the alleys of Santa Cruz (old Jewish quarter) and see the Royal Palace (Real Alcázar) - which we will visit - the (Archive of the Indies) (Archive of the Indies) and the Cathedral (Catedral de Sevilla). Completion of the tour on the riverbank to admire the view of the famous Guadalquivir River. Your afternoon will be free and you can take advantage of it for a riverboat ride on the river, or to try some of the delicacies of Andalusian cuisine in the form of tapas. For the evening and after dinner at the hotel, we recommend watching a Seville flamenco show in its birthplace, and indulge in its intense and passionately varied rhythms with the most skilled artists. Dinner buffet, overnight stay.

After breakfast departure for Cadiz, one of the sunniest cities in Spain. There we will face the Atlantic Ocean, tour the historic center with the white Cathedral, and arrive at the Central Market (Mercado Central) with the historic fish market and many snapshots of Andalusian everyday life. Departure in the afternoon for Jerez where we will take a short walk in the historic center with the wineries of the famous "sherry" wines, the Arenal and "Asunción" (Old Town Hall) squares and the emblematic "Gallo Azul" cafe in the most historic building of the city. Transfer to our hotel in Jerez. Buffet dinner, overnight stay

After breakfast departure for Gibraltar. Arriving outside the border control and after leaving our bus and passing the control (Passport or ID required) we will approach the English-style city center preferably by the bus that connects it to the border, and in your free time you will be able to do your shopping or optionally 50€ for those who wish to climb the Rock. With licensed taxis we climb to the point where according to mythology one of the two Hercules Pillars was, also the tour includes the entrance to the Cave of St. Michael with the amazing stalactites which we visit later, and then we climb to the highest point with the stunning view of the Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Africa where the famous Gibraltar monkeys are found who live in semi-freedom. Departure for Malaga and free time in its historic center, late in the evening we will depart for Malaga airport and flight to Athens.