Seville Tours in Fall

Highlights were Opera night with singing waiters, Flamingo and Fado plus Toledo and the Black Madonna at Montserrat. Our tour guide was excellent- very knowledgeable, articulate and caring. Our group was incredible compatible and we had great fun together.

What a great trip! Full on. Some long days. But what a way to tick off things on your bucket list. The accommodation was as expected, mixed: querky, comfortable and, at worst, indifferent. Eating out was excellent and not too expensive. We chose the trip because of the itinerary, which was brought to life at every stage by our guide who was one of the best we have had on any trip. I would recommend it to anyone interested in Spain and its fascinating history.

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.

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!

Interesting 10day break visiting the principal cities of Islamic Spain. Of particular note was the nearly 800 year duration that the Moorish civilisation flourished during which there were significant scientific and cultural advances which are evidenced by the buildings that were left behind.