13 Days Southern Spain for Gourmets With Optional Portugal Extension Tour Package
Duration: 13 Days / 12 Nights
Priced From: $10,985 pp dbl. occ.
Dates: Apr
 Sample the gastronomy and wines of southern Spain, particularly in the regions of Extremadura and Andalusia, where there is a great deal of pride in the local specialties. Game, olive oil, Iberian ham, paprika, fish and wine are all part of the essence of life, affording fascinating opportunities for tastes and experiences of the local scene.
With Tour Director Simon Butler-Madden
A diplomat specializing in East-West relations before joining in 1989, Simon Butler-Madden has accompanied groups throughout Europe and Russia. His involvement in the arts, politics and culture of Europe gives him a unique insight that he shares with his travellers. He is a connoisseur of European wines and cuisine, even producing his own olive oil on a small farm in Spain. When not escorting guests, Simon works as a business and travel consultant in Madrid.
Tour Itinerary
Days 1-2
USA or Canada/Madrid, Spain
Board an overnight flight to Madrid. Later, gather for a private tasting of Spanish wines and a sampling of tapas. Hotel Ritz Madrid D
Day 3
Madrid/Toledo/Madrid
Head to La Mancha and stop at farms that produce manchego cheese and saffron. In Toledo, sample the delicious marzipan, made from fresh almonds and honey in a recipe that dates to Moorish (Islamic) times. Hotel Ritz Madrid B L
Day 4
Madrid/Cáceres
Carlos Falcó Marques de Griñón's winery produces one of the most prestigious varietals of Spanish wine, Malpica del Tajo. Visit his vineyard, and after lunch in a local inn, continue to Trujillo, a little hill town that specializes in a liqueur made from acorns. Nearby is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cáceres, home to the renowned Atrio restaurant, where you dine tonight. NH Palacio de Oquendo B L D
Day 5
Cácares/Trasierra
Drive past evergreen oaks that produce acorns, the secret flavoring of the pata negra hams. Stop in the hilltop village of Montanchez to visit a prestigious establishment that prepares these unique hams. Continue to Mérida to see the superb Roman theater. Trasierra B L D
Day 6
Andalusia
Walk in the woods or stroll to the village of Cazalla de la Sierra in the heart of Andalusia for a glass of wine or some tapas. Return to Trasierra for a cooking class hosted by television chef Gioconda Scott, the daughter of Charlotte Scott. You stay in her beautiful Andalusian farmhouse that is often featured in the world's top design magazines. Trasierra B L D
Days 7-8
Trasierra/Seville/Sanlucar la Mayor
Drive to Cortijo El Esparragal, a beautiful country house and stud farm, en route to your manor house hotel, run under the auspices of Spain's most renowned gastronomic guru, Ferrán Adriá. Dine tonight at La Alquería, its renowned Michelin-starred restaurant. The next day, drive to Seville, where you can sample an amazing variety of tapas. Later, take a carriage ride through María Luisa Park to privately visit one of the city's grandest palaces. (Day 8: B D) Hacienda Benazuza el Bulli B L D
Day 9
Sanlucar la Mayor/Cordoba/ Lucena
In Córdoba, stop at the Mezquita, a cathedral that was once a Roman temple and then the largest mosque in the world. Córdoba's Moorish cuisine lives on, and lunch today features specialties that have their origin in dishes that go back before the Christian Reconquest of 1285. Afterward, continue to your hotel in Lucena. MS Convento Santo Domingo B L D
Day 10
Lucena
Learn about the "liquid gold" that Spain exports to every corner of the globe when you attend a lecture on the secrets of producing extra virgin olive oil. Continue with a visit to an ancient olive press and marvel at the olive trees that appear to stretch to the horizon. MS Convento Santo Domingo B L
Day 11
Lucena/Osuna/Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Whitewashed villages, seemingly unchanged since the time of the Moors, dot the hills and border the rivers of Andalusia's heartland. Stop in the town of Osuna for a tapas lunch before continuing to the province of Cadiz and your country hotel, where the chef prepares an exceptional farewell dinner. Later, attend a pulsating flamenco dance and song performance by local villagers. Hacienda de San Rafael B L D
Day 12
Sanlúcar de Barrameda/Jerez de la Frontera/Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Drive to Jerez de la Frontera. After wandering through the market bustling with fishmongers, privately visit the prize-winning Lustau bodega. Learn the secrets of producing this famous Spanish wine and sample some of the bone-dry finos as well as the luscious Pedro Ximenez varietals. Continue to Sanlúcar de Barrameda, home of manzanilla sherry, where you enjoy a lunch of local shrimp, another specialty of the region. Later, return to your hacienda for farewell drinks.
Hacienda de San Rafael B L D
Day 13
Sanlúcar de Barrameda/USA or Canada
Board your homebound flight or continue to Portugal. B
OPTIONAL EXTENSION TO PORTUGAL
Your journey takes you to Evora, the wine country of the Alentejo and to the heart of central Portugal, home of some of the country's finest regional cuisine. Dine in monasteries, as well as Michelin-starred restaurants. Along the way, sample specialty wines, cheeses and suckling pig. Fly home via Lisbon.
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Contact: Travelwizard.com
Phone: 1-800-330-8820 or 1-415-446-5252
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