Andalucia: a luxury road trip

After relaxing with your complimentary UK airport lounge access, you’ll fly out to Málaga, perhaps pausing to take in its Picasso museum, Roman amphitheatre and 11th-century palace-fortress. Picking up your hire car, you’ll then drive through the Spanish countryside via Ronda – a plateau-top town where centuries-old bridges leap over mighty gorges.

Then, in Seville, to your luxurious accommodation – an 18th-century townhouse host to a superb spa, tapas bar and a rooftop pool that comes complete with old-town views. 

After an indulgent breakfast, we’ve included a private walking tour of Seville. Your expert guide will see you through the city’s rabbit warren of medieval laneways, perhaps pausing for hidden tapas bars, lesser-known basilicas and plazas shaded by orange trees. Of course, you’ll pay particular attention to the city’s world-famous cathedral – a Gothic wonder joined by a royal palace that’s built on an Islamic fortress.

Then, you’ll also be treated to a visit to a family boutique olive oil mill situated a short drive from Seville including a tasting workshop of extra virgin olive oil in the family Hacienda.

You’ll continue your scenic drive today, winding through the famed Spanish plains to arrive at Córdoba. And, you’ll be welcomed at your 16th-century manor accommodation with drinks, a tree-shaded pool and a gorgeous spa built among a millennia-old Roman bathhouse. You’ll then enjoy an included walking tour, your private guide bringing you first among the history-steeped alleyways of the Jewish quarter, taking in 700-year-old houses and a spectacular synagogue.

It’s then on to the UNESCO-listed Mezquita, a great mosque-cathedral that ranks as one of the finest examples of Islamic architecture. You’ll then end the evening with the gentle strains and dances of a flamenco performance and dinner.

Driving out through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, you might want to stop at Jaen’s commanding castle before you arrive at Granada. The customary welcome drinks await at your accommodation – a 19th-century palace complete with mosaic floors, pillow menus and an excellent spa.

In the evening you’ll be treated to a guided Tapas tour, with a degustation spread of typical regional dishes. Expect everything from cod with oyster sauce to lamb tagine with Corinthian raisins.

As with each stop, you’ll get your bearings with a private walking tour of Alhambra Palace. As the last outpost of the invading Moorish civilisation, you’ll discover exotic manor gardens, fragrant teahouses and the great Alhambra. Dating to the 9th century, it began life as a fortress built atop Roman ruins, before successive sultans and Renaissance kings converted it into impossibly grand palaces.

It’s truly unique, with medieval fortifications fronting ornately royal interiors. There’s also plenty of time to explore at your own leisure.

You’ll enjoy a final scenic drive today, heading back to Málaga where you’ll drop your car off at the airport and catch your flight back to the UK.