DAY 1 I MALAGA I TORREMOLINOS
Arrival to Malaga Airport. Meet &
greet with our English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel in
Torremolinos. This evening, gather at the hotel lobby with your guide for
a short walk to the nearby quarter of 'La Carihuela', a fisherman village
in Torremolinos for a Welcome Seafood Dinner. After dinner, transfer by
bus to your hotel. Overnight at the hotel. (D)
DAY 2 I TORREMOLINOS I MALAGA I TORREMOLINOS
After
breakfast, depart by bus to Malaga, the capital of the Costa del Sol. Upon
arrival we will enjoy a typical breakfast in 'Casa Aranda' with coffee or
hot chocolate and churros. Then, proceed to the Central Market 'Atarazanas' for a walk. Tour will end at the tapas bar/bodega 'El Pimpi' for a delicious tapas lunch. After lunch, we will pay a visit to the Picasso
Museum, one of the 3 official Picasso Museums in Europe. After the visit,
board the bus for a transfer back to your hotel in Torremolinos. En-route
we will stop at 'Bodegas Quitapenas' the most famous Malaga Winery
and enjoy a wine tasting of the different types of Malaga Wines (Red,
White, Sweet, Dry-Sweet...). After the wine tasting, continue to your hotel.
Dinner on own. Overnight at your hotel. (B,L)
DAY 3 I TORREMOLINOS I RONDA I TORREMOLINOS
After breakfast,
depart by bus towards Ronda, a monumental town located 100 km from
Malaga over a plain on top of the mountains. Drive by the coast line until
Marbella/San Pedro de Alcantara and then take the mountain road up
to Ronda, through the 'Serrania de Ronda'. Upon arrival into the city, visit
the old quarter by crossing the Puerto de Almocavar. Walking thru the
old city, you will find many 15th & 16th Century Palaces, such as Palacio
de Mondragon - an old Arab Palace formerly used by the Catholic Kings,
La Casa del Rey Moro, Arco del Principe Felipe II, the ruins of the Roman
baths and the Old Bridge, which makes a large arc with horseshoe
shape. We will visit the Cathedral, a beautiful building in Renacentist and
Mudejar style with Arab remaining in the tower. Then proceed up to the
New Bridge from the 17th Century and cross the sheer cliff called 'Tajo',
carved in the rock by the river Guadalevin which split the town in two
parts, the Old and New. In the new part, visit the Bullring, a Barrocan
style building and considered as the oldest bullring in Spain. After
finishing the tour, we will board the bus for a short transfer to a Winery
in the outskirts of Ronda. Upon arrival we will enjoy a Wine Tasting of
different local Organic wines. Guests will be provided with cooking
costumes (apron & hat) and the proper recipes & tools for a Countryside
Cooking workshop: 'Spanish Tortilla & Migas'. During the preparation,
tapas will be served along with drinks. The chef will taste all meals and
will announce the winning team. After cooking, you will get to eat the
dishes you have prepared. After the meal, board the bus to return to your
hotel. Dinner on own and overnight. (B,L)
DAY 4 I TORREMOLINOS I ALFARNATEJO I TORREMOLINOS
After
breakfast, board the bus. Our first stop is a traditional Andalusian
roadside inn for a glimpse into the history of the area before continuing
to the Sierra village of Alfarnate to see the main square and the beautiful
sixteenth century church of Saint Ann. Following the olive oil route, with
a brief stop to see the large olive groves, the oldest in the Region, we will
pay a visit to the "Almazara" which is the rural factory producing the oil,
where we will taste a selection of different olive oils with typical farm
bread. After the tasting, we will then proceed to our final destination,
Alfarnatejo (population 400). After a warm welcome by the villagers and
a glass of local sweet wine, our 'host families' will invite us into their
homes for a traditional midday meal. This authentic Andalusian day in a
rural mountainside village is a life-enriching experience and one that you
will probably cherish and remember for years to come. After lunch, board
the buses for a return trip by bus to your hotel. Dinner on own. Overnight
at your hotel. (B,L)
DAY 5 I TORREMOLINOS I MIJAS I TORREMOLINOS
After breakfast,
depart by bus from the hotel for a 30 minute drive to Mijas. In this village,
admire a beautiful panorama of the Costa del Sol from any of its many
terraces. The most interesting sites here are the Chappel of the 'Virgen
de la Roca', the miniatures museum of 'Carromato de Max', and the
unique Bullring with a square shape. We will pay a visit to the Wine
Museum in Mijas to enjoy a wine tasting of several samples of local
wines, together with assorted Iberian Sausages & Cheese. After lunch,
board the bus and drive to the nearby village of Pizarra, where we will
pay a visit to the Fruit yards and you'll be able to collect some fruits
straight from the trees. After this visit, proceed to the Municipal Museum
of Pizarra where we will be supplied with an apron and a chef's hat. The
Chef makes a sort of introduction and explains the composition of 'Paella' and how to prepare the ingredients. During the introduction,
there will be some drinks & 'tapas'. After cooking, we will be seated to
enjoy the paella that we have prepared. After the cooking workshop,
board the bus for a transfer back to your hotel. Dinner on own and
overnight at the hotel. (B,L)
DAY 6 I TORREMOLINOS I GRANADA I TORREMOLINOS
After
breakfast, depart from the hotel and drive inland to Granada, the ancient
capital of the Arab-Nazari Kingdom. After a short walk, we will commence
a visit to the main monument of Granada, the Alhambra. Afterwards, we
will have a buffet lunch at a local restaurant in the city center. Then, we
will proceed for a walk into the historical center, starting with a visit to
the magnificent Cathedral. Then, walk through the Alcaiceria Quarter,
formerly the Moorish market, Plaza Birrambla and shopping area. After
the walking tour, board the bus to return to Torremolinos. Dinner on own.
Overnight at your hotel. (B,L)
DAY 7 I TORREMOLINOS
Day at leisure to relax or enjoy some last
minute shopping. This evening, we will depart from your hotel by bus to
enjoy a Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant in Torremolinos. After dinner,
we will attend a fantastic Pure Flamenco Show with live Guitar Player,
Singer & fabulous Flamenco/Zambra dancers. After the show, board the
bus for a transfer back to your hotel for overnight. (B,D)
DAY 8 I TORREMOLINOS I MALAGA TO USA
After breakfast, check-out
and transfer to Malaga Airport for your flight back home. (B)