Fiestas & Siestas: Southern Spain By Design

Welcome to Madrid! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

MADRID: An orientation tour of the city includes views of some of its major landmarks.

YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:

• DELVE: The Reign in Spain Follow your Local Guide on a walk to discover the essence of Madrid's old city and the Habsburg Quarter. See the Royal Palace, Royal Theater, Cathedral, and the Main Square. Stop at Puerta del Sol to see Spain's point of "Kilometre 0." Enjoy a Spanish specialty of chocolate with churros in a renowned Madrid establishment.
  
  
• GAZE: Holy Toledo! Steal a Peek at Swords & Steel Join a Local Guide to discover hilltop Toledo, the former capital of Spain known as the "City of the Three Cultures." Stroll along the cobbled streets of one of Europe's best-preserved medieval towns and experience the cultural melting pot of Jewish, Islamic, and Christian influence. Visit the Cathedral and the Synagogue and see the El Greco masterpiece in the Church of Santo Tomé. Learn about the Moorish art of Damascus steelmaking and swordsmithing in a local Damascene workshop where the ancient craft of inlaying gold or silver into black steel continues today. (B)

CORDOBA: Free time to browse the charming streets with their mix of Roman, Moorish, and Spanish culture before continuing south to Seville. (B)

SEVILLE: An orientation tour of the city includes views of some of its major landmarks.

YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:

• GAZE: A Shining Star "As the morning star shines at dawn, so shines Carmona in Andalusia." Drive into the Andalusian countryside to discover Carmona-perched upon a ridge overlooking the central plain of Andalusia, affording sweeping views. Once a stronghold of the Roman Empire, the city now embodies one of Spain's iconic "white villages." Join a Local Guide and stroll through its white-washed-lined streets and Moorish-style squares. Visit the Necropolis and the Alcazar of the Seville Gate and enjoy free time to browse the shops and taste some local specialties.
  
  
• CREATE: Fancy Footwork Back in 14th century, espadrilles were originally worn by peasants. Things have changed a lot since then, and this signature Spanish shoe style is now considered a fashion symbol in Spain and around the world. Take a short ride to Seville's artisan quarter where you will be welcomed into an authentic espadrilles workshop. There, skilled artisans will share the secrets of their trade and help you create your own pair of espadrilles to take home. Your hard work will earn you some local wine and tapas to keep your creative juices flowing!
  
  
• SIP: Wine Not? Seville and its surrounding areas produce an abundance of specialties that are definitely worth tasting. One of the oldest and proudest traditions is winemaking in the vineyards that have been cultivated in the area for centuries. In a local winery, enjoy a guided wine-tasting experience, perfectly accompanied by local cheeses and ham. (B)

JEREZ: Orientation tour. Later this evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant with a traditional Flamenco show. (B/D)

YourChoice Excursions include one of the following activities of your choice:

• DELVE: Horsing Around Enjoy a two-hour visit to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. Observe training sessions in the indoor arena and visit the Royal School facilities, Saddlery, Palace State Rooms, Gardens, Museum of Equestrian Art, and Carriage Museum. Take a guided tour of the Stables and Tack Room for insight into this historic facility preserving the world's ancient Spanish lineage of the magnificent Andalusian Cartujano horse.
  
  
• STROLL: Seas the Day Take a panoramic drive from Jerez to Cadiz, the oldest city in Western Europe. Walk from Caleta Beach to the Old Quarter en route to the Gardens of the Genoves. Witness the elegant, pastel-coloured homes with Mirador windows, plazas decorated with palm trees, promenades, and a cathedral by the sea. See hundreds of city towers protruding from the cobblestone streets, which have been flooded by the tower's sparkling light for centuries. Here, the sea is rarely out of view.
  
  
• TASTE: Pair & Pour A walking tour of the streets of Jerez features a stop at a famous local winery. Take in the city monuments, plazas, and architecture, including St. Miguel Quarter and St. Miguel Church with sights of the Alcazar and the Cathedral. Then learn how wine and sherry are produced here, and enjoy a tasting paired with traditional tapas. (B)

MARBELLA: Free time to browse before driving to Malaga. (B)

MALAGA: Follow your Local Guide on a sightseeing tour of the city's main landmarks. This evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D)

Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. (B)