Christmas Markets Tour of Andalusia

1. Day 1

   Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen – Albacete – (Córdoba Tour) – Seville

   We’ll meet at 3:25 a.m. in front of the AJet counter at the International Terminal of Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport. After checking in our luggage and going through passport control, we’ll depart for Albacete at 6:55 a.m. on flight VF5459; arrival at 9:00 a.m. local time.
   
   We’re setting off from Albacete toward Seville. Along the way, guests who wish to do so can join the optional Córdoba Tour (35 €); for those who do not, we’ll drop them off at a location deemed appropriate by our guide and pick them up from the same spot at the end of the tour. After a roughly 1.5-hour drive, we arrive in Córdoba—the capital of the region during the Andalusian and Roman periods—where we walk across the historic Roman Bridge and enter the city through the Roman Gate. Accompanied by our guide, we’ll tour the interior of the Great Mosque of Córdoba—the most magnificent structure in this 2,000-year-old city, rising on 850 columns. Afterward, we’ll take a stroll through the flower-lined streets, past old caravanserais, and among the courtyard-style houses of Córdoba, followed by a short period of free time.
   
   Upon arrival in Seville, we’ll take a panoramic city tour: Plaza de España, María Luisa Park, the Torre del Oro, the Guadalquivir River, and the Expo ’92 area.
   
   Guests who wish to do so can join the optional Seville Masterpieces Tour (30 €): the Seville Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city’s iconic Giralda Bell Tower (exterior view), a walk through the flower-adorned historic Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz, the exterior of the Alcázar Royal Palace, Plaza del Triunfo, and the General Archive of the Indies (Archivo General de Indias). Our guide will provide information about Seville’s history, Andalusian culture, and Ottoman-Spanish relations; followed by free time for shopping and sampling local delicacies. Overnight stay in Seville.

2. Day 2

   Seville – (Ronda & Setenil de las Bodegas) – Málaga

   After breakfast and checking out of our rooms, we’ll set off for Málaga. Along the way, guests who wish to do so can join the optional Ronda & Setenil de las Bodegas Tour (75 €). Perched on either side of a deep canyon, Ronda is one of Andalusia’s most photographed cities: the city’s iconic Puente Nuevo (New Bridge), the El Tajo Canyon—approximately 100 meters deep—the Plaza de Toros (from the outside), one of Spain’s oldest bullfighting arenas, the historic center, and scenic viewpoints; free time for photos and local products. Next, a walk through the unique town of Setenil de las Bodegas, with its homes, shops, and cafes built beneath and inside massive rock formations; free time to sample the region’s famous tapas.
   
   Upon arrival in Málaga, we’ll take a panoramic city tour. Málaga, the second-most populous city in Andalusia and the sixth-largest in Spain, is one of the Mediterranean’s major vacation destinations along the Costa del Sol and is home to the Picasso Museum. Highlights include the Málaga Cathedral—built as a symbol of the end of Muslim rule and still partially unfinished—Plaza de la Merced, and the city’s iconic Torre de la Vela. Transfer to the hotel; overnight stay in Málaga.

3. Day 3

   Malaga – Granada – (Albaicín & Sacromonte)

   After breakfast and checking out of our rooms, we’ll head to Granada. A panoramic city tour of Granada—one of the most important cities of Andalusian civilization, nestled at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains—including: Granada Cathedral, the Royal Chapel (Capilla Real), Gran Vía de Colón, Bib-Rambla Square, Puerta de Elvira, the Darro River, viewpoints of the Alhambra Palace, and the historic center.
   
   Guests who wish to do so can join the optional Sacromonte Gypsy Quarter & Albaicín Tour (75 €): a walk through the historic, protected Muslim neighborhood of Albaicín, followed by an introduction to Romani culture and lifestyle over drinks at a traditional venue in Sacromonte, famous for its cave houses. Overnight stay in Granada.

4. Day 4

   Granada – (Alhambra Palace & Generalife) – Albacete

   After breakfast and checking out of our rooms, we’ll meet in the lobby at the time specified by our guide. Guests who wish to do so may join the optional Alhambra Palace & Generalife Gardens Tour (90 €). At the Alhambra—a subject of legends and poetry and one of the most magnificent examples of Islamic architecture in Europe—we will visit the Nasrid Palaces, the Court of the Lions, the Generalife Gardens, and vantage points offering a bird’s-eye view of Granada.
   
   Next, travel to Albacete and take a panoramic city tour: Albacete Cathedral, Plaza del Altozano, Pasaje de Lodares, the El Sembrador Statue, and the historic city center. Free time, overnight stay in Albacete and the surrounding area.

5. Day 5

   Albacete – Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen

   After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, transfer to Albacete Airport at the time specified by our guide. After baggage and passport procedures, departure for Istanbul at 12:35 on flight VF5460; arrival at Sabiha Gökçen at 18:40 local time, marking the end of our tour.

Flight times and hotels are subject to change depending on the date; specific details will be provided in the written quote.