Touring from Vera Playa – Andalucia
• Half board in 3-star hotels throughout • 5 days touring and 9 days at Vera Playa • See Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Gibraltar and more • An opportunity to see many places of interest on a circular tour • Entrance fees/guides included. Time for independent sightseeing • Flamenco evening in Seville •
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Andalucia is still very much influenced by the Moors, who first settled here whilst Europe was in the Dark Ages. The decorative (azulejo) ceramic tiles, which are still used extensively, and the traditional tranquil courtyards were all introduced by them. (They also introduced rice and almonds to Europe.) Everywhere the sense of history is strong. You walk down medieval cobbled alleyways, passing tiny patios filled with citrus trees and flowers, glimpsing a world that’s barely changed for 1,000 years.
Above all, this is a holiday of contrasts. The splendid craftsmanship of the palaces and cathedrals you visit is balanced by the natural beauty of the very varied landscapes. You travel past plantations of olive and orange trees, rocky mountains and forests, breathtaking cliffs and sandy beaches with the sea sparkling in the dist-ance. Other highlights are visits to the old quarters of Cordoba and Seville, an Andalucian flamenco show, and a wine-tasting in the Anglo-Andalucian Sherry capital, Jerez.
THE TOUR
Thursday - arrival: Arrive at Almeria Airport where you will be met for the short transfer to Roquetas de Mar or Aguadulce for the first night, in a hotel of the Hoteles Playa Group.
Friday - Roquetas de Mar to Granada: Cross the Desert of Tabernas, the only desert in Europe and continue via Purullena (where over 2,000 people live in cave houses) and Guadix to Granada. Visit the 14C Alhambra, the citadel of the Caliphs of Granada, perched on a hill overlooking the city. They engaged the finest craftsmen of the day to build a palace of great beauty (using only modest materials) and surrounded it with tranquil gardens and shaded courtyards. The nearby Generalife was the caliph’s country estate.
Then on to the cathedral where in the Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella of Castille, are buried. They reunited Spain through their marriage (1469) and the reconquest of the Moorish regions (in 1492).
Saturday - Granada via Cordoba to Seville: First stop at Cordoba for sightseeing. The heart of this ancient city, once one of the greatest in the Western world, is the Judariá (the Jewish quarter). It remains much as it was 1,000 years ago, a labyrinth of narrow cobbled alleys with tiny workshops occupied by master silversmiths. Watch out for the little tucked away courtyards, filled with flowers, for which Cordoba is famous. The Mezquita (the Grand Mosque) is one of Islam’s greatest legacies and the medieval synagogue, whose walls are engraved with Hebrew script, is the only one left in Andalucia. Then on to Seville, the regional capital, for two nights
Sunday - in Seville: Morning free. Many of Seville’s sights are close together in the former Jewish ghetto, Santa Cruz, just east of the cathedral. It is picturesque and compact, with hidden flower-decked patios, medieval alleyways, restaurants, tapas bars and smart boutiques.
Afternoon sightseeing tour of Seville. The cathedral, the largest in Spain, occupies the site of a mosque. It incorporates the 12C minaret, La Giralda, as its belfry and the Moorish Courtyard of the Oranges as its cloister. Columbus is buried nearby. The Reales Alcazares (Royal Palace) is a richly decorated maze of sumptuous apartments and magnificent courtyards. The Spanish Royal Family still use the upper floor. After dinner, a visit to a typical Andalucian flamenco show.
Monday - Seville via Jerez and Gibraltar to Marbella/Estepona: First stop Jerez – the home of Sherry and still a major wine-producing centre – dominated by the Anglo-Andalucian dynasties of Sandeman and Harvey. Subject to confirmation, you visit one of the famous bodegas (wine cellars) and sample the local produce. Next, we pay a brief visit to Gibraltar (passport required). Famous as a garrison town, it has Main Street, complete with British Bobbies, pubs with British beer, and a Woolworths. We visit the Rock and the Caves of St Michael. The celebrated Barbary Apes were probably originally brought onto the Rock as pets by soldiers. Then on to the Marbella/Estepona area for overnight.
Tuesday - Marbella/Estepona to Roquetas de Mar and Vera Playa: Follow the Costa del Sol coastal road via Fuengirola and Torremolinos to Malaga for a quick city tour; on to Torre del Mar and Nerja, with a visit to the caves. Continue via Almuñecar and Motril to Roquetas de Mar and on to Vera Playa for nine nights. (See Vera Playa for full details).
WHAT OUR ANDALUCIA HOLIDAY PRICES INCLUDE
- Flights between Gatwick* and Almeria.
- Transfers Almeria to Roquetas de Mar (45 mins) and Vera Playa to Almeria (75 mins).
- Airport taxes and security charges.
- 14 nights stay in 3-star hotels, sharing twin-bedded room with bath/shower & toilet.
- Half board throughout.
- Five day tour as detailed above by air-conditioned touring coach.
- Entrance fees and multi-lingual local guides at the major sites.
- Flamenco show in Seville.
- Local taxes.
- Complimentary personal holiday insurance.
DEPARTURES Departure dates (2006): April 13, 20; May 4, 11, 18, 25; June 1, 8, 15, 22; August 31; September 7, 14, 21, 28; October 5.
PRICES Price per person from Gatwick* (Code VP3T) £799. Single room supplement £139.