The Soul of Spain: Madrid to Andalucía Small Group Tour - 12 Days/11 Nights

Meet outside the Palacio de Tepa hotel in Madrid’s Barrio de Las Letras, a historic district long associated with writers of Spain’s Golden Age, including Cervantes and Lope de Vega. Visit Plaza Mayor and Plaza de la Villa, once the city’s medieval marketplace and center of civic life. A stop at Mercado de San Miguel offers a taste of Madrid’s street food inside one of the city’s oldest covered markets. Afterward, travel to Toledo, where you will settle into a centrally located boutique hotel for a two-night stay. In the evening, meet your guide for a welcome drink and dinner at a local tavern.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch on your own, dinner included

Accommodation: Overnight in Toledo

A guided visit explores Toledo, set on a hill above the River Tagus and enclosed by historic walls, where layers of history remain visible from Roman foundations beneath the present-day Alcázar to the city’s role in the Middle Ages as a center of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish culture, the period during which Toledo’s cathedral was constructed. In the 16th century, El Greco settled in Toledo, and the city remains home to several of his most important works. Visits include Toledo’s cathedral and its sacristy collection, the Church of Santo Tomé, which houses El Greco’s The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, painted specifically for this chapel, and the Synagogue of Santa María la Blanca, one of the few surviving historic synagogues in Spain and a lasting mark of Sephardic Jewish presence. A street food stop includes Toledo marzipan from a local bakery. The remainder of the day is free to explore on your own.

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Toledo

Travel through the broad landscapes of Castilla La Mancha, a region defined by open plains, olive groves, vineyards, and distant horizons that have long shaped Spain’s rural identity. This is the setting that inspired Don Quixote, with windmills, fortified towns, and agricultural traditions that remain central to the region. En route to Córdoba, stop in Consuegra to visit its iconic windmills, which stand above the plains and have been used for centuries to grind grain. The day continues in Valdepeñas, the heart of La Mancha’s wine country, with a visit to a local winery and a lunch stop highlighting regional flavors. Arrive in Córdoba later in the day and settle into a centrally located historic hotel for the next two nights. Dinner is on your own this evening

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included, dinner on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Cordoba

Córdoba reveals a layered history shaped by both Roman and Islamic rule, having served as the capital of the Roman province of Baetica and later as a leading city of the Umayyad Caliphate. The morning includes a walk through the Jewish Quarter, with a visit to the small Synagogue, the oldest surviving synagogue in Spain, along with time among workshops where silversmiths continue long-standing craft traditions. The visit continues at the Great Mosque of Córdoba, one of the most significant monuments of Islamic architecture in Europe, later transformed when a cathedral was constructed within its walls during the 16th century. The afternoon is free to explore the city at your own pace. Dinner is included this evening at a local tavern.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included, lunch on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Cordoba

Travel into the heart of Andalucía’s olive-growing region with a visit to a local hacienda to learn about olive oil production. Continue to the hill town of Zuheros, set within the Sierras Subbéticas and framed by limestone cliffs and the Bailón Gorge. The village is crowned by a Moorish castle and known for its whitewashed architecture and sweeping views across the surrounding countryside. Lunch is included at a family-run Andalusian home, featuring local goat cheese and regional appetizers. Later, travel to Granada and settle into a centrally located boutique hotel for a two-night stay. In the evening, join your local tour director for a brief orientation walk, followed by dinner on your own.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included, dinner on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Granada

A short drive leads to the Alhambra, Granada’s most celebrated landmark, set on a hill above the city and renowned for its intricate use of space, light, water, and ornamentation. The palace complex reflects centuries of Islamic art and architecture, with courtyards, fountains, and decorative details that remain remarkably intact. After time for lunch on your own, continue into Granada’s historic neighbourhoods of the Albaicín and Sacromonte, where hillside streets and viewpoints overlook the city and the distant peaks of the Sierra Nevada. The remainder of the afternoon is free to spend in Granada, with options to visit the Generalife, the former summer palace and gardens of the Nasrid rulers or experience a traditional Arabic bath. Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant with views across the city.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included, lunch on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Granada

Depart Granada and travel south toward Ronda, stopping along the way to visit the prehistoric caves of Nerja, discovered in 1959 and known for their vast chambers and ancient wall paintings believed to be approximately 20,000 years old. Only a portion of the cave complex is open to visitors, including a cathedral-sized chamber that has been adapted into an auditorium. Continue to the coastal town of Nerja, set above sandy coves at the foot of the Sierra de Almijara, where whitewashed buildings overlook the Mediterranean. Lunch is on your own in the town center before continuing to Ronda, where you will settle into a centrally located hotel for a two-night stay.

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Ronda

Set atop a rocky outcrop divided by a deep limestone gorge, Ronda was one of the last Moorish strongholds before its capture in 1485. The town’s dramatic setting is defined by the Puente Nuevo, the tallest of Ronda’s three bridges, spanning the gorge some 120 meters above the canyon floor. Visits include Spain’s oldest bullring, along with areas where traces of much earlier settlement remain visible, with archaeological evidence dating back to the Neolithic period. The remainder of the day is free to spend in Ronda, with time to explore sites such as the archaeological museum or the Arab baths. Tapas dinner is included this evening in the town center.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included, lunch on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Ronda

Travel through the inland countryside of Andalucía to visit several of the region’s pueblos blancos, whitewashed hill towns traditionally built in elevated, defensible positions. Stops include Setenil de las Bodegas, where homes are built directly into the rock walls of a river gorge, and Zahara de la Sierra, a village arranged below the remains of a hilltop castle designated as a national monument. Lunch is included at a locally run tavern on the village square, featuring regional dishes. Later in Sevilla, you will settle into a centrally located boutique hotel for the final three nights of the journey. This evening includes a flamenco performance, with dinner on your own afterward.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch included, dinner on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Sevilla

Sevilla, the capital of Andalucía, reflects more than two thousand years of history shaped by Roman, Islamic, and Christian rule. A guided visit includes Sevilla’s principal sights, including the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the former Jewish Quarter, known for its compact streets, small plazas, and orange trees, along with Plaza de España in María Luisa Park. Visit the Guadalquivir River, which has long linked the city with the neighborhood of Triana. The visit continues at Sevilla’s Gothic Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the largest cathedrals in Europe. Later, enjoy time to visit the Real Alcázar, the historic palace complex that remains an official residence of the Spanish royal family. Dinner is on your own this evening

Meals: Breakfast included, lunch and dinner on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Sevilla

Your final day in Andalucía begins at an unhurried pace. After days filled with Moorish palaces, whitewashed villages, flamenco rhythms, and sweeping countryside, this morning is yours to savor as you wish. Linger over a café con leche in a sunlit plaza, take one last stroll through the winding lanes of Santa Cruz, browse local boutiques for a final keepsake, or simply relax and let the atmosphere of Seville settle in. It’s a morning for absorbing the spirit of the region at your own rhythm. As evening approaches, the group gathers once more for a memorable send-off along the banks of the Guadalquivir. Boarding a river cruise at golden hour, you’ll drift gently past some of Seville’s most iconic sights, their silhouettes glowing in the soft Andalusian light. The calm waters offer a quiet moment to reflect on shared discoveries — from the grandeur of the Alhambra to the charm of Córdoba’s patios and the passion of flamenco performances. With glasses raised for a final toast, stories and laughter flow as easily as the river itself. It’s a time to celebrate new friendships and unforgettable experiences.

The evening continues with a special farewell dinner, where local flavors and regional wines provide the perfect closing notes to your journey. Around the table, memories are relived, highlights are debated, and promises to travel together again are warmly made.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included, lunch on your own

Accommodation: Overnight in Sevilla

After breakfast, the journey comes to a close. Following days spent across Spain’s cities, countryside, and historic regions, we hope this experience has offered lasting memories and a deeper appreciation for Southern Spain. Morning transfers are provided to the Sevilla airport or train station. If you wish to extent your trip to Portugal, please view the following link Our Portugal Small Group Tour