Group+D

Kate Briscoe, Lauren Spangler, Alex

Granada, Jaen, Almeria

Our travel itinerary will include 3 days in Granada, 1 day in Jaen, and 2 days in Almeria.

Day 1: Granada - Orientation, City Walking Tour, Tapas

The first day in Granada includes a walking tour of the city. Local guides will show the tour group the Albaicin neighborhood which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the beautiful Granada Cathedral almost 500 years old, a and the Mirador Look-Out Point in the Albaicin neighborhood. Lunch will be a picnic lunch at the Mirador and the tour group will enjoy free tapas at night with their beverages. Granada is the last city in Spain to offer free tapas with every drink. For our tapas we will enjoy buying beverages at local favorites Poe, LAX, and Minotauro.

Day 2: Granada - The Alhambra

The second day in Granada includes a full-day tour of the Alhambra with a guide. The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex constructed during the mid 14th century by the Moorish rulers of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus, occupying the top of the hill of the Assabica on the southeastern border of the city of Granada. The tour will include the Nasrid Palaces, Generalife Gardens, and Alcazar fortress. After the tour, the group will go back to the Mirador to watch the sunset and eat dinner at the famous San Nicholas Mirador restaurant.

Day 3: Granada Day Trip to Monachil

The third day in Granada is actually going to be spent hiking in a local community of Monachil, a 20 minute bus ride away from the city. The hiking is beautiful there and will provide plenty of space for the tour group to stretch their legs and enjoy. Monachil is situated in the Sierra Nevada mountains and not a hike for the out of shape.

Day 4: Jaen Olive Trees and Ubeda Sightsee

For the fourth day, the group will travel one hour away to the Jaen province. Jaen is the world´s leading producer of olive oil and produces about 60% of the Spanish oil production. Jaen also has four national parks but we will visit Cazorla National Park in the morning for the spectacular views of the olive trees. For the afternoon we will go to the city of Ubeda and see the most outstanding feature of the city, the Vazquez de Molina Square, which is surrounded by Renessaince buildings.

Day 5: Almeria Beach Day

Almeria has a hot climate, is located near the beach, and like many cities in Andalucia has a lot of Arab influences. The first day will be spent relaxing on the beach after a long few days of traveling followed by a seafood dinner, which Almeria is known for with its location on the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 6: Sightseeing in Almeria

For the final day we will have a sightseeing tour of the main sites in Almeria. First we will go to the Alcazaba, the second-largest Moorish fortress in Andalucia. Then we will move onto the Cathedral, which has a fortress-like appearance due to its towers, merlons and protected paths, and was created to defend it from Mediterranean pirates. Next we will see the Renaissance church of Santiago, built in 1533, with tower and portal decorated with reliefs. To end the day we will stroll down the Paseo de Coches, a modern seaside promenade with gardens and palms.