Tour Andalucia, the birthplace of flamenco, Picasso and Spain's Islamic Golden Age

Train Tour of Moorish Andalucía 26th September - 3rd October 2013 
Thursday 26th September 
We will be arriving in Granada and staying at the hotel Casa del Capitel Nazari. The small, and charming hotel with original beams, tiled floors and internal Andalucian courtyards is a converted Renaissance palace in the medieval Albaicin district of Granada (a UNESCO World Heritage site), just below The Alhambra Palace. 

Friday 27th September 
Visit the Alhambra Palace 

The Alhambra Palace was short-listed as one of the new 7 wonders of the World. It is a stunning complex of Moorish palaces, internal courtyards, gardens, pools and fountains, and is the finest example of Moorish architecture in Spain. The early evening in Granada is the best time to explore deeper into the Albaicin and visit the Mirador de San Nicolas and see the famous panoramic view of The Alhambra Palace with the snow capped Sierra Nevada behind and venture further on foot to the barrio of Sacromonte with its cave houses and museum of gypsy life in Granada though the ages.

Saturday 28th September 
We will celebrate Grand Final day (go Swans) and Joanne’s birthday in Granada. I doubt we will find a sports bar playing the game, so we will have to compensate with a typical Spanish evening of tapas and tempranillo.

Sunday 29th September 
Transfer by train to Cordoba 
Cordoba was the head of the Roman Empire in Spain and it was also the most important city of the Spanish Islamic kingdom for 300 years. It was also a place where Muslims, Christians and Jews lived altogether in harmony. The great Mezquita is not to be missed. It was the largest mosque ever built in Moorish Spain and even has a complete catholic cathedral built inside! Outside the Mezquita is a medieval maze of narrow, cobbled streets to wander and gaze into private patios filled with potted plants and fountains. 

Tuesday 1st October
Transfer by train to Seville
The city of Seville is the most vibrant in the whole of Andalucía and there are so many things to see and do: The Río Guadalquivir, from where Columbus sailed to The Americas, the Tower of Gold and the Maria Louisa Park which was created for the Fair of The Americas in the early 19th Century.

It is in Seville that we will experience a very special flamenco show which we are assured is the least commercial show in Seville! Well, we will never know for sure because I do not intend to visit all the flamenco shows in a quest to determine the least commercial. 

Thursday 3rd October 
We transfer to Seville airport, and say farewell to Andalucia! Then onto Marrakesh – look out for the next blog instalment.