Treasures of Andalucia

This morning you meet the Tour Manager and your group at Gatwick or depart independently from your regional airport, for a morning flight to Malaga. On arrival we are transferred by coach to our hotel in Antequera, in the heart of Andalucía, and a great location to explore the cities of Granada, Córdoba, Seville and Málaga. Antequera is a typical Andalucian medieval town with an impressive Moorish fortress, dozens of churches, and a relaxed atmosphere. The town also has many Spanish Baroque buildings, carefully restored to retain their traditional façades. There's time to look around and get your bearings before our first dinner together at our hotel.

Tonight and each night of our holiday we enjoy a 3-course buffet dinner at our hotel, with wine included.

• Dinner

Today you are free to begin exploring Antequera at your own pace. You could start with a walk around the town, about ten minutes' walk from the hotel, passing ornate churches and leafy squares. To find out more about local sights and events, the tourist office is located in the centre of the city near the Plaza de San Sebastián.

There are plenty of cafés and restaurants to choose from if you'd like to indulge in a traditional Spanish lunch. A local speciality is 'Porra Antequerana', a gazpacho-style soup traditionally served cold and made with tomatoes and bread.

If you enjoy nature, there are two interesting places to discover nearby. The Dolmen Tombs are some of the largest prehistoric burial chambers in Europe. Equally interesting is El Torcal de Antequera, 5 miles outside of the city, a national park with unique rock formations which can be reached by local bus or taxi.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning we're taken by coach to the station to catch the high speed train to beautiful Seville, for a guided tour. Exploring by coach and on foot, our first stop is the Plaza de España, a colourful area with fountains, and tiled alcoves, created for the 1929 'Fair of the Americas'. Your tour finishes in front of the amazing cathedral, the largest Gothic building in Europe and where the bones of Christopher Columbus were interred. The cathedral's bell tower, La Giralda is the minaret of the original mosque and has panoramic views over the city.

The afternoon is yours to explore. The Santa Cruz district, where our tour ends, is teeming with tapas bars and restaurants. After some lunch you could walk along the river to the Torre del Oro, once a military watchtower and medieval prison. From here, you're close to the Alcazar Palace, which - with its stunning gardens with seating and cooling water features - is a lovely retreat from the city streets.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today we take another high-speed rail journey, this time to Córdoba, an ancient city that was once the largest metropolis in Western Europe and is now a fascinating UNESCO World Heritage site. On arrival, we're taken on a guided tour of the city's main attractions, seeing the exterior of the famous Mezquita, or mosque of Córdoba - one of the world's greatest examples of Islamic architecture. Your tour also takes you through Córdoba's historic Jewish Quarter, which has an ancient synagogue, hidden stone patios and characterful streets.

You're free over lunch and into the afternoon to look around at leisure. We return to our hotel by rail and there's some free time to relax and recharge before our buffet dinner with wine.

• Breakfast, Dinner

With a free day, you could choose to make the most of the local rail network to explore other cities. Malaga, around an hour away, is recommended. This coastal city combines history and culture with a laid-back atmosphere. Known as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, you could spend some time at Museo Picasso in the Old Town. Close to the museum is the impressive Roman amphitheatre and the Moorish Alcazaba. Above here is Gibralfaro Castle which takes around half an hour to reach on the wide pathway, but is well worth it for the views over the city. The city centre has some excellent restaurants, cafés and bars. You might like to wander through the tree-lined avenue of the park, which runs parallel to the coastline, then join the promenade of the modern port area, where you can find shops, market stalls, restaurants and Malaga's own 'Centre Pompidou' gallery of contemporary art. This open walkway leads to the lighthouse, from where you could continue to walk along the beach.

Or you might be interested in seeing the Roman Villa of the Station, a site which was only discovered in 1998 and is now open to the public. Your visit might also coincide with Antequera's cultural event called 'Moonlight', from mid-June to mid-September, when various monument are lit up and can be viewed at twilight or after dark. Of course, you may prefer a relaxing day, maybe enjoying the hotel swimming pool. Alternatively, in Antequera, there's a municipal museum which describes the town's archaeological history, art and architecture.

However you choose to spend your day, this evening you can re-join your group at a buffet dinner with wine at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today is yet another highlight of our tour, as we are taken by coach to the city of Granada, where we visit one of the world's most important and well-preserved examples of Moorish architecture, the Alhambra with its stunning backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Your walking tour includes entrance to the Alhambra palaces and gardens.

The palace interiors have intricate carved wooden ceilings, colourful mosaics and astonishing plasterwork. You also enter the beautiful 14th-century Generalife, once a summer palace and country estate of the sultans. The garden here features peaceful paths through pergolas dripping with jasmine and other trailing scented flowers, pebble mosaics, cool patios, pools and pretty water features, framed by flowerbeds and pavilions.

After our Alhambra tour you have free time, and could visit the Albaicín neighbourhood - the Moorish quarters of the city with narrow winding streets, with Moroccan-style tea gardens, bohemian bars and colourful craft shops. Nearby is a must-see location, the Mirador de San Nicolas - which has fantastic views up to the Alhambra and is a popular spot for local flamenco players, artists and craftspeople. Here you'll find several restaurants and cafés to enjoy a tapas, possibly with a glass of vino tinto.

We return to our hotel by coach at the end of the afternoon and enjoy our final dinner with wine.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today you bid adiós to Spain, as a coach transfers you and your group to Malaga Airport for your flight back to London or to your regional airport. There will be plenty of special moments to reflect on during your journey home, after your adventure in Andalucía.

• Breakfast