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Granada is our favorite place to savor the intense light and lush courtyards of Southern Spain. The perfect stay in this dreamy city includes a visit to the Alhambra palace, of course. But there’s a lot to be learned in Granada’s teahouses, tapas bars, and kitchens, too, where varied influences of Andalusia’s ancient Roman, Sephardic, and Moorish past shine through.
The trip includes:
- 3 nights in a boutique hotel in the historic center of town (double occupancy);
- Advance tickets to the Alhambra palaces, fortress, and gardens;
- Thoughtfully guided half-day walk through the Albaycín, Granada’s ancient Moorish quarter, including a bite at one of the city’s top Moroccan tea houses, and other stops according to your interests – the city market, an amazing herbalist, ceramics shops;
- A tasting of fine olive oils, local artisanal cheeses, jamón ibérico and prized cured meats from the Sierra Nevada with the proprietor of Granada’s top gourmet shop;
- A not-for-tourists tapeo featuring stops at local neighborhood favorites;
- A wine stroll for more refined tastes and tapas with a local sommelier;
- Excursion into the countryside for a hands-on cooking class in a private home amidst kitchen gardens, olive and fruit trees, and wild-gathered herbs;
- Three breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners.
- Personalized insider history, culture, and restaurant tips, so you can make the most of your free time;
- Private ground transportation for your countryside cooking class excursion;
- Gratuities at included restaurant meals.
Tour dates:
Available year-round upon request, except during Easter week, for parties of two or more.
Price:
$1995 per person, double occupancy.
Granada is the quintessential Andalusian city of bright sunshine and cool patios and squares dotted with orange trees. Of all Spain’s southern cities, its setting and place in history are most dramatic: the walls and gardens of the Alhambra, the lavish 13th century palace of Nasrid sultans, stand above the old town and Spain’s tallest peaks on the snowy Sierra Nevada make a stunning backdrop.
The city is charmingly low-key – people have to save their strength for their evening rounds of drinks and small plates: the tapas tradition is serious here, the best in Spain. We’ll take you on two real tapeos (rustic and refined) and introduce you to an inspiring culinary scene beyond tapas that is still relatively undiscovered.
Olive groves stretch for miles around Granada, and we’ve arranged a tasting of the region’s best. Meats cured in the Sierra are especially prized, and you’ll get to know why. Along the coast to the south avocados, chirimoyas, and other tropical fruits grow. Arab and Sephardic influences abound, so almonds, figs, and honey make their way into savory dishes as well as desserts. You’ll learn about this local abundance in a rustic regional cooking class in a private country home, at an artisan foods tasting at the city’s top gourmet shop, and on a wine stroll with a sommelier.
In all, a luxurious three night, four day plan for drinking in the very best of Granada, including lodging in a romantic 4-star villa hotel, tickets to the Alhambra, expert guiding through the Albaycín (the historic Moorish quarter) and into tapas territory and Andalusian cuisine. Plus a bit of free time armed with insider tips for more good eating, enjoying flower-filled patios, shopping for ceramics, checking out the local art scene, taking a photo safari in the Sacromonte, or hot-tubbing at a hammam.
The trip price covers double occupancy accommodations, all the meals, touring, and transport as outlined.
(You will not need or want car in Granada, so if this program is part of a larger driving trip, we’ll recommend garages to park in for the duration.)
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