Hidden Corners of Andalusia
An irresistible cocktail of glorious scenery, incomparable wild-life
and Ibérico Ham (among other things) makes this new
tour of southern Spain one not to be missed. We are in the little-known
Province of Huelva for the week and our centres are the villages of
El Rocio (four nights) and Aracena.
Rocio is, of course, associated with the most spectacular of all Spanish
religious festivals when over a million people gather at Pentecost to
venerate the Virgin of El Rocio. In February it is a little less crowded!
We shall spend a day in the National Park of Doñana in the company
of local experts and shall visit the atmospheric monastery of La Rábida
as well as the sites associated with Christopher Columbus.
The second half of the tour takes us up to the Sierra of Aracena, a
region of outstanding natural beauty. This is the home of the best Jamón
Ibérico and we shall visit Jabugo where it is produced. We also
visit the lovely villages of the mountains and the world-famous caves
of Aracena.
DAY 1: We fly into Seville and make the short journey west to our home
for the first 4 nights: the Hotel Toruño in Rocío.
DAYS 2, 3 & 4: Once a year mayhem reigns at El Rocío when
over a million people descend to celebrate the miraculous
apparition of the Virgin. For the rest of the year, it is almost a ghost
town, though the none the less attractive for that. We shall spend some
time in the quietly picturesque town of Almonte and a day in the National
Park of Doñana.
On Day 4 we travel to Palos del Condado to visit the Franciscan Monastery
of La Rábida where Columbus spent many
months before embarking on his world-shattering voyages. We also go
to the waterside and the excellent Columbus
Museum including full size replicas of the legendary Three Caravelles.
Slightly off the beaten track, there will also be time to visit the
birthplace of Juan Ramón Jiménez, the wonderful Nobel-Prize
winning poet.
DAYS 5, 6 & 7: Leaving the coast, our route takes us up into the
Natural Park of Aracena. This is wild Spain at its best,
sparsely populated (at least by humans), scenically diverse and the
home of Spain’s finest gift to world gastronomy: the Ibérico
Pig. We spend much of Day 6 in Jabugo where we focus on the production
and consumption of the unique ham and cured sausages. Our visits also
include the spectacular caves at Aracena and the villages of the Sierra.
DAY 8: We drive back to Seville for our return flight.
THIS TOURS DEPARTS: 4th March 2010
OUR HOTELS: the family-run Toruño
in Rocío, next to the wetlands; the spectacularly sited and very
comfortable
Aracena Park Hotel.
NUMBER IN PARTY: 12-16
THE PRICE OF THIS TOUR: £1460
(single supplement £130)