Granada Tours in Fall

We had a great time in Andalucía! The area had been on my list for ages so I was thrilled to finally go and visit the Alhambra and the royal palaces. The Mezquita in Cordoba was wonderful. Another night there would have been great. We enjoyed the 2 nights spent in our Craig's property: it was very comfortable and the walking excellent. The breakfast was the best we had all week. The group gelled well; everyone was like-minded and friendly. Craig, our guide, was very knowledgeable and helpful. We were less keen on the Seville hotel, though it was well located. The breakfast was poor. Attractions in Seville were busy but we read the information provided in the trip notes, and booked the Alcazar and cathedral in advance. Travelling by public transport seemed efficient, though more time consuming than a private bus.

Everything about this trip was excellent - all 3 of the cities were really impressive, it was nice breaking up touring the cities with a visit to the countryside and our fellow travellers were all great. Perhaps the best aspect was the tour leader Craig who was brilliant at bringing the history to life and would always have suggestions for extra things that we could do.

My first cycling trip ever and being only a recreational cyclist i was a bit worried if i'd keep up, but i worried needlessly! Anyone with a good level of fitness and the right mindset will be fine. It was humid, wet, hilly and challenging on times, but we all kept up and altogether it was a great adventure and the downhills, wildlife and scenery more than made up for it.

Great trip--highly recommend! It was a quick trip, covering a lot of ground and history in a short time but it didn't feel rushed or as if we'd had to skip anything. The group was a good mix of nationalities and small enough to not feel like a herd (11). Unusually for group tours, Explore gives whole or half days to explore on your own--after introducing the group to the city/site and giving suggestions. This is great as some people like to stay longer at certain sites or prefer to check out something the other group members might not. My only concern with this strategy is that, on free days, you have to book your own tickets--no problem and may not even have to pre-book during non-busy times but during busy times it may be necessary to book several days in advance. Several people in our group hadn't pre-booked and missed out on some places--and I only pre-booked because I overheard others in the group doing so. Our guide, Craig, was absolute magic--full of great stories, so knowledgeable, very efficient yet quite easy going, full of recommendations for what to see and where to eat. And the best part of the trip for me was spending 2 days at his B&B in a small village--seeing first hand what rural Spain is like, plus 2 lovely hikes in the beautiful hills of Andalucia!

We had a lovely week in Spain on the Andalucia package. The itinerary was well put-together and our Explore leader, Craig, was terrific in every respect. The Alhambra Palace is stunning, likewise the great Mosque at Cordoba. Craig is so knowledgeable on the history and architecture of the area, which he was able to convey in a lively and entertaining way. The walks in the countryside around Craig's charming guest house provided the perfect balance to the city sightseeing. We learnt about pigs, cork trees, village festivals, geology and much more! Calm and unflappable, he lead us through the tour with the perfect balance of group talks/tours and free time to explore on our own. The whole trip was very well organised. Thank you Craig for a memorable week. Great fun.

Great trip that we thoroughly enjoyed. The programme leaves little free time, so to maximise sight-seeing it is full-on. Trip to natural park is a nice break at the right time. We visited end Aug / early Sept, where the heat builds up (to 36 C) in the afternoon, but less crowded. Food was outstanding (try tapas), but hostels basic. Buses are good and did the job, but make sure to pre-book some optional trips, such as cathedral rooftop in Seville. Alcazar in Corboda as good. Worth booking extra night in Seville, but you might to go for a bit of luxury in choice of the hotel.