EL ANDALUS - 6 DAY GREAT TRAIN JOURNEY
2012 itinerary and dates to be advised shortly
THE TRAIN
Built in Great Britain in 1929 to transport the British Royal Family from the north of France to the Cote D'Azur, the Al Andalus is one of the finest examples of luxury trains from its time. Recently reburbished, the train boasts several original lounge carriages and sleeper suites dating back to the 1920's and 1930's.
The 12 Standard suites have two low beds, a safe, a closet and a large independent bathroom. The 20 superior suites have a 150x200cm double bed, a minibar, safe, closet and excellent full bathroom. All suites are air-conditioned.
Dining carriages, a bar carriage and a tearoom carriage are all provided, where one can dine, socialise, enjoy a drink, listen to musical performances or simply relax and watch the world go by.
THE JOURNEY
Offering all the glamour of the 'Belle Epoque', this stunning journey departs from Sevilla and takes the traveller on a journey through historic Andalucia. Some of the highlights include Cordoba, Moorish Granada, the whitewashed town of Ronda, the ancient port of Cadiz and Jerez de la Frontera. 06 days aboard 'a palace on wheels'.
Day 1, Sunday: Sevilla - Cordoba
Meet at 12.00 h. at the train, at the Santa Justa Railway Station, in Sevilla. As we make our way to Cordoba, we will enjoy a typical meal. On arrival in Cordoba, we will travel to the old quarter, a World Heritage site since 1994. Visit the Reales Alcázares (Royal Palaces), the magnificent Mosque/Cathedral and the Judería (old Jewish quarter). After the visit, enjoy free time to explore. Dinner at a local restaurant and night on the train in Córdoba.
Day 2, Monday: Cordoba-Baeza-Ubeda-Granada
Enjoy a delicious breakfast on-board as we will arrive in Linares-Baeza. We will visit the Olive Oil Museum and the historic part of Baeza, a World Heritage site and home to the International University of Andalucía. After the visit there will be free time to relax and explore before lunch in Úbeda. After lunch, we will visit the Renaissance city of Ubeda, another World Heritage site. Following the visit, enjoy free time before returning to the train. Dinner on board the train, through olive country and on to Granada, where we will spend the night.
Day 3, Tuesday: Granada
After breakfast we will visit La Alhambra Palace and the adjoining Jardines del Generalife, true marvels and World Heritage sites since 1984. After the visit, enjoy free time at the Alhambra, followed by lunch. In the afternoon we will visit the quarters of Albaicín, Sacromonte and its Cathedral, the first Spanish Renaissance church. Free time before dining at a local restaurant, enjoying a flamenco performance. Night on board the train in Granada.
Day 4, Wednesday: Granada-Ronda-Cadiz
Enjoy breakfast on the train, as we journey to Ronda, the Queen of the White Towns. Its main feature is the immense Tajo or Chasm - a geological cleft in the rock that plunges about 100m deep. Visit this great city dating back to Roman times and explore its many tiny and winding streets. After the visit enjoy free time before lunch. After lunch, return to the train and journey on to Cádiz, a city on the side of the sea, next to the Bay of Cadiz. Cadiz is one of the oldest city in Europe and according to legend was founded by Hercules. Visit the city and dine at a local restaurant. Night in Cadiz.
Day 5, Thursday: Cadiz-Jerez-Sanlucar- Jerez
As we have breakfast, we will arrive in Jerez, the birthplace of Sherry. Here we will visit one of the most important wineries to learn about the production process, the varieties, and enjoy some wine-tasting. The, on to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art to watch the remarkable Andalucian "dancing" horses.
After the show we will travel to the neighbouring town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda, in the estuary of the Guadalquivir River, facing the Doñana Natural Park, the largest eco-reserve in Europe, a protected space and a World Heritage Site. After lunch, enjoy a scenic boat trip down the Guadalquivir. In the afternoon, return to the train in Jerez and enjoy free time before dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner, celebrate with a special end-of-journey party. Night on board the train.
Day 6, Friday: Jerez-Sevilla
Enjoy our last breakfast as the "Al Andalus" train reaches its final destination, Seville, whose historic and cultural heritage have turned it into a huge tourism attraction. We will explore the city and it's Cathedral, Giralda (Minaret), Alcázar (Royal Palace), the Archive of the Indies and the Torre del Oro (Gold Tower), all of which are World Heritage Sites. After the visit, just before midday, we will return to the Estacion de Santa Justa, where the train crew will await so that we can collect our baggage. End of Itinerary.
ROUTE MAP
- Spain
- Tours
- Great Train Journeys
- Paradores
- Rustic and Rural
- Hotels
- Apartments
Land of Contrasts
Appropriately called the 'Bull's Hide' by Roman geographer Strabo in 29-27BC, the landmass of Spain with its 505,000 sq. km, provides the traveller with an opportunity to experience the great diversity within its borders, bounded by sea, except for Portugal to the west and France to the north-east.
Iberia has charmed travellers for centuries, but it was not until the early19th century that the first romantics brought Spain into world recognition. Richard Ford along with many others of his time, describing the country as a 'land of miracles, anomalies and contradictions'.
Spain today embodies all of the contrasts of yesteryear. With its rich and varied culture and language, Spain's 17 autonomous regions offer many unexpected architectural, geographical, cultural, gastronomic and climatic differences; all contributing to the many delights and pleasures of the visitor.
Once Spain was one of the most powerful nations on earth with far flung dominions wielding great influence on world political and commercial affairs. The Spain of today is an energetic member of the European Community with a population of 45 million and a universally appreciated culture, individuality and language.
Download our 2012 brochure!
Tours
Ranging from short Fully Escorted coach tours to Private itineraries with your own driver, we have a tour to suit your time frame and budget. Here are a few examples of some of our most popular touring options...
| Self Drive Tours: | A GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE IN NORTHERN SPAIN -- ROMANTIC ANDALUCIA -- WORLD HERITAGE ENCOUNTER |
| Fully Escorted Tours: | ANDALUCIA AND MEDITERRANEAN COAST -- ANDALUCIA AND MOROCCO -- ANDALUCIA AND TOLEDO -- CASTILLA, PORTUGAL AND ANDALUCIA -- GREEN SPAIN -- NORTH OF SPAIN -- SALAMANCA AND PORTUGAL |
| Small Group Tours: | GOURMET SPAIN |
| Tours with Private driver: | SEVILLA AND THE WHITE VILLAGES OF ANDALUCIA -- SEVILLA, CORDOBA AND GRANADA |
| Walking Tours: | EL CAMINO DEL NORTE -- EL CAMINO PRIMITIVO -- SHORT BREAK PICOS DE EUROPA -- THE ALPUJARRAS - MOORISH SPLENDOUR -- WALKING THE PICOS DE EUROPA |
| Unique Spain: | BARCELONA AND ORGANIC WINE IN THE PENEDÈS -- BARCELONA AND THE MEDIEVAL VILLAGES OF CATALONIA -- A GOURMET'S GRANADA -- BARCELONA AND THE GENIUS OF DALI -- GRANADA -ORIGINS OF FLAMENCO -- SEVILLA AND THE PUEBLOS BLANCOS - A CULINARY ENCOUNTER -- THE MOORISH LEGACY IN GRANADA |
The Great Train Journeys of Spain
IBERTOURS is the sole GSA in Australia and New Zealand for the Great Train Journeys of Spain. These marvellous journeys attend to the needs of the traveller who is keen to savour the travel delights of yesteryear and who is enticed by the notion of a special journey by rail.
"El Transcantabrico" explores the rugged mountains and seascape of the northern coast in an 08 day gastronomic adventure. There are 2 very special and itineraries to select.
The "Espreso de la Robla" takes one on an enjoyable 4 day regional rail experience between Bilbao and Leon, as well as Gijon and Santiago de Compostela.
The legendary "Al Andalus" returns in 2012 in a luxurious 6 day adventure through historical Andalucia, from Sevilla to Sevilla, visiting Cordoba, Granada and Jerez along the way.
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EL EXPRESO DE LA ROBLA | EL TRANSCANTABRICO - 8 DAY JOURNEY AL ANDALUS
Unique Historic Accommodation
IBERTOURS TRAVEL is the Official Representative of Paradores in Australia and New Zealand.
The concept of utilising these unique establishments as selected accommodation for tourism goes back to 1926, when the royal tourist commissioner, the Marques of Vega-Inclan, sought Royal Approval for the extraordinarily far sighted idea of setting up State run Paradores as lodgings for nature lovers and hunters around the country.
Rustic and Rural Spain with Rusticae
Rusticae is a network of boutique properties and guesthouses that are often old farms, mills and homes, transformed into small hotels. Rusticae has currently has over 160 hotels spread across Spain, Portugal, France and Argentina divided into two main types of accommodation, Metropoli and Tradition.
The Metropoli range incorporates a selection of small, boutique hotels inside major cities including Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, Palma de Mallorca and Bilbao.
The Tradition range is the most extensive and has a wide selection of hotels and manor houses located in small villages in the countryside.
There are around 140 of these properties in Spain alone and each possesses its own individual charm and style, reflecting the history and traditions of the region and its people.
Spanish Hotels
Stopovers can include 2 and 3 night packages in all major cities including Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and San Sebastian, plus many other smaller regional cities such as Granada, Toledo, Segovia, Salamanca, Santiago de Compostela and so on... In fact, with our extensive experience and contacts we can develop stopover packages for almost any city or town in the Iberian Triangle, for any length of time, to suit your requirements. Here are some examples...
View a selection of hotels by region:
Northern Spain and the Pyrenees / Madrid and Surrounds / Extremadura and Castilla La Mancha / Valencia / Andalucia / Balearic Islands /Canary Islands
Apartments
If you are planning a stay of 3 nights or more, why not consider an apartment? Live like the locals do in the centre of one of Spain's vibrant and emblematic cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, and others. Ideal for an extended stay, an apartment gives you the freedom and choice to shop with the locals at the market and cook up your own Spanish fusion! All we need to know is how many people, what city and when and we can find one perfect for you! Just ask us to add an apartment to your creative itinerary.