PRIVATE MULTI-DAY TOUR: ANDALUSIA (Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Granada, Seville)

Soaring bell towers, intricate mosaics, vivid fields of saffron, fragrant groves of almonds and oranges – the Spanish landscape still bears gorgeous traces of Al-Andalus, the Islamic dominion that once covered most of the Iberian peninsula. The southern cities of Granada, Córdoba, and Seville were all mighty seats of power that today stand as portals to a bygone world, which you will enter on this immersive tour of the region now known as Andalusia.

Our historians will walk and talk you through the dreamlike palaces and gardens of Granada’s Alhambra citadel, the ancient passageways of Córdoba, the geometries of the Giralda minaret that looms above Seville. You’ll also learn how the shared heritage of three distinct civilizations – Christian, Moorish, Jewish – made this fertile ground for a hybrid creative culture that still flourishes today by way of art, music, and food. 

Eat tapas dishes based on medieval recipes. Watch flamenco shows rooted in age-old gypsy traditions. Meet merchants and artisans whose skills and trades date back to the days when Al-Andalus was the academic, economic centre of the globe. Each experience is made personal by our guides and contacts, all local experts with a deep knowledge and abiding love of the South. You’ll see the center too: exploring the cities of Madrid and Toledo. These former outposts of the Arabian caliphate became the capitals of Catholic Spain and now serve as neighboring hubs of rich history, world-class gastronomy, and thrilling nightlife.