Costa del Sol Extended Vacations - Sightseeing Program

DESCRIPTION OF THE 3 TOURS INCLUDED WITH ALL PACKAGES:

The region where you'll stay: ANDALUCIA
The jewel of historic Spain, Andalucia is the country’s largest and most quintessential region. It offers genuine folklore, boundless sightseeing, rich history and culture, and scenic beauty.  The region occupies the entire southern Iberian Peninsula, including the provinces of Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga, and Seville. Andalucia has become a vacation Mecca for its charming villages, seaside resorts, excellent shopping, local seafood restaurants, olive and citrus groves, and year-round temperate climate. The exclusive “DISCOVER ANDALUCIA” tour series described below has been carefully designed to provide our customers with a unique perspective and deep appreciation of the land they are visiting. The selected itineraries, run and operated exclusively by Sun Holidays staff overseas, combine unique cultural, historical, and educational insights that will enliven your vacation experience.

INCLUDED TOURS:

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A VILLAGE (Home-Hosted Lunch, Full Day)
This unique tour takes us through the Spanish countryside to feel the spirit and tradition of the ancient peoples of the Andalusian countryside and offers us the opportunity to learn about their lifestyle, customs, and heritage. Passing by centuries-old routes traveled by Spain’s legendary kings and their entourage, bandits, and villagers. We will experience the changing terrain and breathtaking landscapes of “La Ruta del Aceite y Los Tajos” (route of the olive oil and the gorges) through the mountains of Malaga. Our first en-route stop is a traditional Andalusian roadside inn for a first glimpse into the history of the area before continuing to the Sierra village of Alfarnate (population 3.500)  where we stop to visit an Olive Oil Mill (producers of the best quality oil in the region) then go on to visit the beautiful sixteenth-century Church of Saint Ann.  After Alfarnate, we proceed to our final destination, the tiny village of Alfarnatejo (population 400).  After a warm welcome by the villagers and a glass of local sweet wine, our “host families” will invite us into their homes for a traditional midday meal (included). This authentic Andalucian day in a rural mountainside village is a life-enriching experience and one that you will probably cherish and remember for years to come.

RONDA (Full Day)
Spanning more than four centuries of Spanish architecture, this quaint town is sure to transport you back in time. One look at the famous “El Tajo” and the impressive sheer drop of the mountain cliffs illustrates its origins as a military stronghold. While in Ronda, marvel at its architectural variety, including the walled Old Town, a residential palace of nobility, the Cathedral, the bullring - the oldest existing in Spain - and the “Bullfight Museum.”  Free time for lunch on your own and shopping prior to returning to your hotel.



COUNTRYSIDE: MARBELLA AND MIJAS (Full Day)
This tour heads from the coast and covers a number of charming towns in the rich Guadalhorce Valley including Alhaurin de la Torre and Alhaurin el Grande. A stop is included at Alhaurin el Grande’s Wholesale Farmers Market before continuing through the valley and the Sierra Blanca Mountains. This picturesque route leads past the white town of Monda, and then towards the Sierra Alpujata Mountains to the town of Ojen. After a brief stop in Ojen, head toward the coast to Marbella, where sightseeing of the old section of this enchanting town is included.  Marbella has long been a favorite destination of the rich and famous, and its beautiful scenery and coastline provide the perfect backdrop to this city. Departing Marbella, the coastal road leads to Fuengirola en route to Mijas, located about 1300 ft. above sea level and surrounded by the dramatic Sierra de Mijas Mountains. A sightseeing tour of the town is included as well as free time for shopping and lunch (lunch not included).

Optional Tours in Costa del Sol:

These are some OPTIONAL TOURS that may be purchased locally from your hostess after arriving in Spain (approximate rates in US $) 

• Full Day Tour to Granada: approx $89
• Full Day Tour to Seville: $84
• Full Day Tour to Tangier (Morocco) with lunch: $99
• Full Day Tour to Cordoba: $79
• Full Day Tour to Ronda: $51
• Full Day Tour to Gibraltar visiting The Rock: $55

Tour prices are subject to change. These tours can only be
 purchased locally from your hostess while in Costa del Sol.


Granada & The Alhambra Palace. (Full Day Tour)
Early drive along the Costa del Sol through the mountains of Malaga towards Granada. Half way we will stop briefly in Loja and then continue to Granada. As we enter the city you’ll be able to see the peaks of the white-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains. A sightseeing city-tour will lead us to the Alhambra Palace. ”Alhambra” is an Arabic word that means red, the color of its fortified walls. Built during the 13th and 14th century, it took nearly 100 years to be completed. Visit includes the Court of the Myrtles, the Court of the Lions, the Hall of Secrets, the Hall of the Ambassadors, and the Alcazaba, the castle that guarded the Palace.  We will also visit the beautiful gardens of the Generalife with its green water gardens and the fountains that inspired several famous Spanish composers. Over the centuries the Alhambra gradually fell into ruins but, curiously, it was the American Author Washington Irving who helped prod the city into having the monument restored. Irving lived in the palace early in the 19th century, where he wrote his book "Tales of the Alhambra". Now the Alhambra is completely restored and rebuilt.

Seville: Capital of Andalucia (Full Day Tour)
The beautiful Andalusian countryside will be the setting for a great view of typical towns such as Antequera, Estepa, Osuna and, finally, Seville.  The fourth largest in Spain, this is a city humming with life and prosperity, holding magnificent buildings and monuments, and considered the most popular and attractive in the whole country. Our visit will start with the Alcazar, which served both as Palace and Fort, and will continue in the Cathedral, a unique beauty all its own combining old Arabic and Christian architecture. The cathedral was built on top of a former mosque and is now the third largest in the world. Adjoining it, the Giralda tower stands 322 feet high.  We continue our visit to the Barrio de Santa Cruz, the old Jewish quarter where we will ramble along the narrows streets with it small bars and restaurants. Not to be missed is the beautiful Maria Luisa Park with its sunken gardens, the decorative fountains, and the lovely "azulejos"(tiles) in the Plaza de España, a semi-circular square with a great building around it.  We finish our trip to Seville with a drive over the Isla de la Cartuja area, where the Universal Exposition took place in 1992.

Tangier: The African experience (Full Day Tour)
An early start this morning with a drive along the coast to Algeciras of Tarifa, closest point in Spain to Africa, where all participants will board the ferry to sail across the strait of Gibraltar to Tangier, formerly the most important free port of Africa. Tangier was in Spanish hands till 1956, when it was handed over to the kingdom of Morocco after Moroccan Independence. Back in the 1940´s and1960´s Tangier was an International zone. Once in Tangier the motor coaches will take us on a panoramic drive through the countryside with a stop at the Cape to have a spectacular view of the Atlantic Ocean. Then we drive through the different areas of Tangier: the Italian, French, Spanish, and American area. After this tour and lunch in a typical restaurant, we will walk into the past and visit the Zocco and the market area, a bustling mixture of sights, sounds and smells, the mysterious Medina, the old town and the Kasbah, and the citadel where snake charmers show their skills. The Moroccan merchants in the bazaars are used to price bargaining so we recommend you use caution and offer a quarter off what they ask for before attempting to buy anything at all. After this interesting experience we return to the port and embark to the ferry to the Spanish mainland, where the motor coaches will take us back to our hotel.

Cordoba: The Moorish City (Full day)
A wonderful tour starts with long and scenic drive through the real Andalusian countryside. We pass the city of Malaga, travel through the mountains of Malaga, cross the plains of La Vega de Antequera and arrive at the Moorish city of Cordoba. Cordoba is one of the few cities in the world still characterized by a tremendous feeling of spirit. Founded by the Carthaginians, Cordoba was conquered by the Romans, invaded by the Goths and rebuilt by the Moors in 711, when Cordoba became the capital of the vast Emirate. In the middle of the 8th century a new emir, Abderraman I came to power and gave Cordoba a glorious period of prosperity, reaching its peak with Abderraman II. In the 10th century Cordoba became the most densely populated and civilized city in the West. Its mosque became the richest and most splendid Islamic monument. We will visit the Mosque/Cathedral, one of the most impressive buildings in the world, pass through the Jewish quarter strongly influenced by Islamic and Mudejar art, see the Roman Bridge, the Synagogue, the only one preserved in Andalucia and dating back to the XIV century and a pleasant walk through the Jewish quarter. There will be free time for lunch (not included) before returning to your hotel.

Gibraltar: The Rock (Full Day Tour)
A drive along the southern Costa del Sol will take us to La Linea de la Concepción, the border town with Gibraltar. We will cross the border and enter Gibraltar crossing the runway of the airport where people transfer to small vans for a tour around the Rock. This tour takes us to the highest point with fantastic panoramic views of the Bay of Algeciras, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the African coastline. We also visit the Saint Michael’s caves with spectacular stalactites and stalagmites. Once taking the road down again, we will see the Barbarian apes that still live in Gibraltar. Free time for tax-free shopping or for a snack at the various English or Spanish-type pubs and restaurants.