ITINERARY ANDALUCIA GARDEN TOUR

ITINERARY
ANDALUCIA GARDEN TOUR
Day 1 Arrival to Malaga Airport (suggested early afternoon, if possible)
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You will be met and taken to La Concepción Botanical Garden just between Malaga city and the
airport and the airport. These gardens are a tropical paradise with over 800 species.
Transfer to Ronda, on a beautiful scenic road connecting the Mediterranean coast and the
Serrania mountains
Check-in at your hotel in Ronda, dramatically located on the Tajo gorge.
Welcome dinner.
Day 2 RONDA
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OVN SEVILLA
Visit to the gardens of Casa del Rey Moro: XVIII century mansion built on Morish foundations.
The gardens were constructed in 1912 by Forestier and offer excellent views of the Tajo gorge
and the surrounding mountains
Visit to the Palacio de Mondragón: XIV century palace which was the residence to the Moorish
kings. Three Mudejar courtyards preserving original stuccowork and mosaics
Walk along the Alameda del Tajo: public garden from the XIX century representing a selection
of mature trees typical in ornamental gardening in the Málaga province to end up at the most
famous viewpoint to stare down into the gorge.
Lunch
Transfer to Sevilla
Check-in at a charming hotel in the Jewish quarter. The building is the compilation of 27 jewish
houses and 30 courtyards, an experience itself...
Evening at your leisure
Day 3 SEVILLA
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OVN RONDA
OVN SEVILLA
In the morning: private guided visit to the Royal Alcazar Palace and gardens, the Cathedral and
fnally the Casa Pilatos (XV century Andalus palace and courtyards with a harmonious mixture
of Mudéjar, Gothic and Renaissance styles)
Tapas lunch
Free afternoon and evening with optional activities: Murillo gardens, tea experience at the
oldest hotel in Sevilla (Alfonso XIII, purely mudejar style), arabian spa, shopping, horse
carriage, river cruise, famenco show, Metropol panoramic view (Plaza Encarnacion)....
Day 4 SEVILLA AND CORDOBA
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In the morning: private guided visit to Mª Luisa Parc and the spectacular Plaza de España
Transfer to Córdoba
Lunch in a gourmet marketplace
Private guided visit to the Alcazar gardens
Walking tour within one of the most popular areas from Córdoba, San Basilio quarter, to admire
the “Patios” recently named Unesco intangible cultural heritage
Visit to the Palacio de Viana: XVII century house with 13 interconnected delightful patios and
gardens.
Check-in at a charming hotel in the heart of the Jewish quarter.
Night visit of the impressive Mosque
Day 5 HORNACHUELOS NATURAL PARK (OUT OF CORDOBA)
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OVN CORDOBA
Transfer to the natural park of Hornachuelos, 30 km north Cordoba to visit two unspoiled
treasures of architecture and gardening:
* Moratalla Palace: it is considered the Versailles of Cordoba. It was designed by
Forestier and nowadays it's a private palace declared artistic garden since 1983.
* Palacio de Portocarrero: Medieval fortress and castle with beautiful Moorish and
Mudejar gardens inside. This architectural gem has been recently restored by its current
owner and brights of magnifcience. The owner will escort you through the enchanting
gardens and will welcome you with a courtesy light lunch and drink
Transfer back to Cordoba for a free afternoon to relax or explore more of Cordoba before
enjoying an unique Spanish Horse show at the Royal Stables.
Day 6 SUBBETICA NATURAL PARK (between Cordoba and Granada)
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OVN CORDOBA
OVN GRANADA
Before heading to Granada, we will be stopping at two interesting places surrounded by olive
groves in the heart of the natural park of the Subbetica mountains:
* Priego de Córdoba: considered the most baroque of the Andalusia white towns. Its
beautiful houses, palaces and gardens bring to this picturesque little town a delicate
beauty that can't be missed.
* Finca Olivar la Hoyabuela: this private cortijo (Andalusian country house) has become
a very exclusive rural hotel and its owner will open its doors to welcome on its beautiful
gardens where you will enjoy a very local gastronomy experience based on an olive oil
taste from the area (the most awarded from Spain) and a hand made lunch.
Transfer to Granada
Check-in at your hotel in the city centre
Evening at your leisure to explore some of the most charming evening walkings in Granada:
Plaza Nueva, Plaza Bib Rambla, Carrera del Darro, Albaycin and Mirador de San Nicolas.
Day 7 GRANADA
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OVN GRANADA
In the morning: private guided tour of the incomparable Alhambra and Generalife gardens to
admire the greatest treasure of Moorish Spain. The Generalife is the image of how the paradise
is described in the Koran (“shaded, leafy garden refreshed by running water where the fortunate
ones may take their rest under tall canopies”)
Lunch in a “Carmen” garden located in the Albaycin quarter overlooking the Alhambra. The
Andalusian patios are called “Carmens” in Granada and they are little paradises hidden from
the outside streets inside the Arabian style houses
Free afternoon with optional activities:
moorish tea experience, Arabian hamman/spa,
shopping, visit to the Cathedral and Royal Chapel ...l
Evening at your leisure: a famenco show and dinner in a gipsy cave on the Sacromonte hill can
be arranged with previous booking.
Day 8 GRANADA AND DEPARTURE
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In the morning visit to the Carmen de los Mártires: delightfully tranquil garden flled with palms,
cypresses and tinkling fountains. A wonderful oasis that will keep your breathe away.
Tapas lunch in town
Transfer to Malaga airport (for a departure fight in the evening, if possible)
Please note: the above itinerary may change at any time due to circumstances beyond our control
WHAT WE DO AND WHAT'S INCLUDED
Accommodation (7 nights)
At JUST EXPLORE we only use pre-selected
and pre-viewed 3/4 star boutique hotels.
Each has its own individual charm and all are
ideally located close to the city centre.
Bedrooms are normally for 2 people sharing
(double/twin).
Supplement for single use is applicable
(one of our hotels in Granada)
(one of our hotels in Sevilla)
Guides (Knowledge is everything)
Our team of offcial local guides, expert profesors and
historians, speaking fuent English, will help you to
explore the culture, the history and the secret tales of
magic Al Andalus.
All tickets and passes are included.
A tour guide will be escorting you for the whole
scheduled program and will be reachable 24h if any
help is required.
(one of our hotels in Córdoba)
WHAT WE DO AND WHAT'S INCLUDED
Transport:
Luxury bus with private chauffeur
speaking English
Meals and drinks
All breakfasts included.
All meals and drinks mentioned in the itinerary are also
included (7 lunches + 1 diner)
A half board option (dinner) is available in all hotels
upon request.
Our guides are always on hand to suggest local tapas
bars and restaurants so you to experience the true
taste of Andalucía.
Activities / Shows
Spanish Horse show at the Royal
Stables in Córdoba
Olive oil taste
Flamenco shows can also be arranged
with previous booking at an extra cost
DAY 1 JARDIN DE LA CONCEPCION, MALAGA
Remarkable Botanical Garden in Malaga. Among the fnest in Spain, the gardens were originally
designed in the 1850s by Amalia Loring, granddaughter of the British consul and only purchased in
1990 by Málaga city council, since when they have been converted into the present tropical gardens.
Beneath the thirty species of soaring palms, waving pines and lofty eucalyptus, you'll fnd yellowfowering acacia, violet-blooming jacaranda and all kinds of exotic shrubs and grasses.
There are trees of all shapes and continents, such as the Australian banyan, giant sequoias and a
variety of bamboos, all to be seen on any one of the fve guided itineraries.
DAY 2 CASA DEL REY MORO and PALACIO
DE MONDRAGON, RONDA
La Casa del Rey Moro is a mansion dated from
th e 18 th ce n tu ry a nd bu il t on Mo orish
foundations. Local legend says that this was the
palace of the Moorish emir Badis, an Arabian
Bluebeard, who was reputed to drink his wine
from the skulls of the victims he had beheaded.
From the house a remarkable underground
stairway (The Mina) descends to the river at the
foot of the Tajo. The gardens were designed in
1912 by Forestier and offer excellent views of the
Tajo gorge and the surrounding mountains.
El Palacio de Mondragon is one of the most
important palace of Ronda, dated from the 14 th
century. Probably the royal palace of the Morish
kings, following the Reconquista it was much
altered in order to accommodate FErnando and
Isabel. Inside, three of the patios preserve
original stuccowork and mosaics and there is a
magnifcent carved wood ceiling.
DAY 3 THE ROYAL ALCAZAR GARDENS, THE CATHEDRAL AND CASA PILATOS, SEVILLA
The fortifed palace is a mix of Christian and Moorish styles and was the favoured residence of the
Spanish kings for about four centuries after the Reconquista. The gardens are a spacious and tranquil
haven flled with birdsong and the cries of resident peacocks. You will fnd one garden after another,
including: Jardin de la Danza, Jardin de Troya, Jardin de la Galera and Jardin de las fores. They
contain fountains, eucalyptus, palm lemon and orange trees and another incredible area contains the
19th century English style and a 500 year old magnolia tree brought by Columbus from the New World.
After the reconquest of Seville by Fernando III in 1248, the Almohad mosque was almost entirely
demolished and the largest Gothic church in the world, Sevilla's cathedral, was extraordinarily
completed in just over a century (1402-1506). Inside the enormous 19 th century mausoleum of
Christopher Columbus with some of the navigator's remains.
La Casa Pilatos is the fnest Sevilla's mansion. It was built by the Marqués de Tarifa on his return from a
pilgrimage to Jerusalem in 1519 as an imitation of the house of Pontius Pilate, supposedly seen by the
duke on this travels. In fact, it's a harmonious mixture of Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance styles,
featuring brilliant azulejos (tiles) and the best domestic patios in the city. After the Civil war the dukes of
Medinaceli returned to live here and inaugurated a programme of restoration that has gradually brought
the house back to its original splendour.
DAY 4 PLAZA DE ESPAÑA AND MARIA LUISA PARK, SEVILLA
Designed by Anibal Gonzalez with theatrical towers, sprinkling fountains, majestic stairways and
masses of brick and tile work, its famboyance would seem strange in most Spanish cities but here it
looks entirely natural. The vast semicircular complex was designed as the centerpiece of the Ibero
American exhibition in 1929 and was used for the Spanish exhibit of industry and crafts and around the
crescent are azulejo scenes and maps of each of the provinces.
Most of the grounds of the Maria Luisa Park were donated to the city in 1893 by the princess Luisa
Fernanda, duchess of Montpensier, for use as a public park. Starting in 1911, Forestier rearranged the
gardens into their present shapes. In 1914 Anibal Gonzalez began construction for the Ibero American
exhibition of 1929, which was held partly within the park which adjoins the Plaza de España. The park
is a mix of 1920's Art Deco and mock Mudejar. It serves as a botanical garden where many plant
species, native or exotic, are represented. Many birds make their home in the park, which is know for tis
large population of doves. There are also many green parrots living in the center and ducks and swans
in the fountains and lakes.
DAY 4 ALCAZAR GARDENS, PALACIO DE VIANA and MOSQUE, CORDOBA
The Moorish style gardens in the Alcazar fortress are one of the fories of Córdboa today with lots of
arbours and shady corners, the gardens are dotted with helfy chunks of Roman columns and the
masonry testifying to the city's importance in the Roman era. From the tower's belvedere there are
great views over the town and river while the interior of the Alcazar features 15 th century royal baths and
some fen Roman mosaics discovered in the city.
The Palacio de Viana is a 17th century house built on the site of two Roman houses and was seat of the
marquises of Viana. The palace boasts truly delightful gardens and thirteen interconnected patios. The
Renaissance gateway welcomes you to a reception patio with a central fountain and cobbled paving.
Jasmines and Bougainvillea are rampant here and are an appetizer for what is on offer further inside
the maze o patios. At the centre is a green area of 1.200 m2 containing roses, arums and gorgeous
lilies where you will be overwhelmed by the grandeur of this beautiful place. The Mosque and the Patio
de los Naranjos: as in Moorish times, the Mosque is approached through this classic Islamic ablutions
court with fountains for ritual purifcation before prayer, which still preserves its orange trees. Originally,
all nineteen naves of the mosque were open to this court, allowing the rows of interior columns to
appear as an extension of the trees. The mood of the building has been distorted a little, from the open
and vigorous simplicity of the mosque, to the mysterious half light of a cathedral.
DAY 5 MORATALLA AND PORTOCARRERO, CORDOBA
The Moratalla gardens were created in around 1910-1915 on an Andalusian estate belonging to the
Marquis of Viana to turn it into a recreational residence and a base for big game hunting. The gardens
were designed by J. C. N. Forestier and integrate the French style with the Neo-Sevillian style he
created. A great avenue between the façade of the Palace and the ornamental iron gate at the entrance
develops into seven terraces of slightly sunken lawn. On the terraces there are various whimsical motifs
like fountains, benches and tables, serpentines etc, made of brick and tile. The rest of the garden area
is in a more intimate, slightly romantic style, shady and wooded
The Portocarrero Palace is the perfect combination between a medieval Moorish fortress and a
Renaissance palace with beautiful Arabian and Mudejar gardens inside. This architectural gem has
been recently restored by its current owner and brights of magnifcence in the heart of Andalusia,
between the province of Cordoba and Sevilla.
DAY 6 PRIEGO DE CORDOBA
It is considered the most baroque of the
Andalucia white towns. It's beautiful
houses, palaces and gardens bring to this
picturesque little town a delicate beauty
that can't be missed. Here you will visit
three public gardens of special interest:
Paseo de Colombia, Recreo de Castilla,
and la Fuente del Rey, all of them Baroque
style and considered historic monuments.
This tranquil town is located in the heart of
the Subbetica mountains and its
surrounded by olive groves. This area is a
major olive oil zone which produces some
of the Spain's fnest oils.
DAY 7 THE ALHAMBRA AND THE GENERALIFE GARDENS, GRANADA
The Alhambra is one of the most sensual architectural creations in the world and the greatest treasure
of Moorish Spain.
The Generalife is the image of how the paradise is described in the Koran (“shaded, leafy garden
refreshed by running water where the fortunate ones may take their rest under tall canopies”). The
grounds are beautifully designed with waterfalls, courtyards and smaller secret gardns, which remain
deeply evocative: the Patio de la Sultana, a dark and secretive walled garden of scupted junipers where
the Sultana Zoraya was suspected of meeting her lover Hamet, chief of the unfortunate Abencerrajes.
The trunk of the 700 year old cypress tree is where legend says their trysts took place and where the
girly fate of the Abencerraje clan was sealed. Nearby is the inspired fight of fantasy of the Escalera del
agua, a staircase with water fowing down its stone balustrades.
DAY 8 CARMEN DE LOS
MARTIRES, GRANADA
The enchanting Carmen de los
Mártires is a turn of 20th century
house set in
a delightfully
tranquil garden flled with palms,
cypresses and tinkling
fo un t ai n s. T h ro ug h ou t the
garden you'll come across
grottoes, statues and follies as
well as peacocks and black
swans paddling around an
artifcial lake. A wonderful oasis
that will keep your breathe
away.