Tiny pockets of pure luxury can easily be found in southern Spain, where ancient history, traditional cuisine, and sunny climes draw a crowd year-round.
The birthplace of bullfighting and Flamenco dancing is alive and well! Visitors to cities in southern Spain find historic landmarks, sleepy villages, white-sand beaches, and delectable food around the clock. A self-driven or privately driven road trip connects you with the heritage, the land, the sea, and the spirit of this ancient part of Europe.
First, make time for Madrid.
Your flights will very likely land you in Madrid – don’t be lured away too quickly from its many passions. The city has a lot to offer, over and above the Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and Royal Palace of Madrid, that is. The Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia is an incredible gallery for Spanish 20th-century artworks. For luxury hotels, the Tully Luxury Travel Designers have their eye on Palacio de Los Duques Gran Meliá, a Leading Hotel of the World, with an incredibly beautiful courtyard, which is also home to the Michelin-starred Dos Cielos restaurant.
Unwind in Córdoba.
Córdoba is like one big UNESCO World Heritage Site, complete with ancient ruins, hundreds of years old stone landmarks, cobblestone laneways, and hidden courtyards. The main attraction is the jewel in the city’s crown: the beautiful Mezquita – at first a mosque during the times of the Moors, then converted to a Christian cathedral, and now a museum, welcoming everyone who wants to hear the fascinating tales that go with such a long stretch of history. Take time after a busy day of sightseeing for a taste of the traditional food of the region at Restaurante Puerta Sevilla.
Sightsee in Sevilla.
Narrow alleys, boisterous tapas bars, Flamenco dancing clubs, and precious architecture as far as the eye can see. Sevilla is a feast for the senses. Make stops at the world’s largest Gothic cathedral Sevilla Cathedral, which lays claim to the body of Christopher Columbus. Hit the Real Alcázar as well, which also exhibits a mix of incredible Christian and Islamic architecture – making it the perfect backdrop for Game of Thrones.
Catch a wave in Cádiz.
A trading center for 3,000 years, Cádiz is one of Europe’s oldest cities. This town is all about the beaches. Head first to Playa de la Caleta in the Old Town, dropping into the nearby Baroque-Neoclassical Catedral de Cádiz at some point for a half-hour or so. The “newer” beach strip is anchored to Playa de la Victoria. Later on, Restaurant El Faro is the best in town, an iconic eating experience headlined by traditional seafood dishes.
Roam around Ronda.
This mountaintop city sits high above the El Tajo Gorge, the old and newer parts of town linked by Puente Nuevo Ronda. Just walking around is a lesson in history and architecture, the buildings doing all the talking. Terraces at all the cliffside restaurants and hotels deliver the best scenery and you can’t throw a stone here and not hit a fabulous tapas bar. Magnificent vistas await your arrival at Hotel Catalonia Reina Victoria, particularly at the pool.
Sink into Costa del Sol.
Málaga and Marbella have been welcoming a steady stream of luxury travelers to their breathtaking stretch of Mediterranean beach for decades. It’s time you were part of this jet-set adventure, which adroitly mixes beach life with urban culture. Dine in ocean-view restaurants, stroll the romantic promenades, and admire some very incredible art. Our Private Travel Designers can find you the perfect luxury villa to rent, whether you’re staying for a few days or a whole month.
Take it up north.
If you have time on your schedule, the north of Spain is teeming with treasures, new and old, offering so many different things to see and do. Romanesque buildings spring out of every street corner in Santiago de Compostela, an important pilgrimage in Christian history. Bilbao, of course, has the Guggenheim Museum, with the resort town of San Sebastian on standby nearby. And in the northeast, Barcelona is one of the most unique urban centers in the world, with its 14 Gaudí buildings, including the unfinished Sagrada Familia church.
Now is definitely the time
Get in touch with the Tully Luxury Travel Designers to book a passage on one of these extremely well-reviewed river cruises, and get set to open your mind to a new world of travel delights.