Andalucia

Historic locations within walking distance of so many interesting places was great.
Nacho Campos was a very special tour manager. We all felt a close connection to him as he worked so hard to accommodate our needs and personalities. He made dinner reservations in advance to busy venues for us and that was so nice to have that option rather than searching for our dinners on our own. He always checked with each of us to insure we were comfortable and happy, and helped tour participants attend a bull fight, additional Flamenco performances and museums. His local knowledge was extensive and so helpful. Thank you sincerely for this amazing experience!

He accompanied us to all of the local tour sites, working with the local guides. The local guides were absolutely first rate, moving us through the architecture and history with insight. The complex history of Iberians, Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs, and Christian Europeans was largely unknown to us, despite some previous reading. Melding these changes into a comprehensive overview was a difficult undertaking our guides had clearly mastered. Throughout, meals, transportation, and hotels were great. Another Amber Road strength is the carefully vetted hotels. Always close to the local sites of interest, the hotels allowed all of us to freely walk and explore, no taxi or Uber required. Not joking, most of our tour group could have just stayed in Ronda, a small jewel of a town with a wonderful hotel, unbelievable vistas and restaurants. The major sites were all included with enough time on our own to revisit and explore after our local guide’s orientation.
Our profound thanks to Amber Road Tours …

In addition to our guide, Nacho, the city guides we had were exceptional. The “off the beaten path” stops as we travelled were especially enjoyable. Each hotel we stayed at was memorable and we would definitely recommend this trip for the history, architecture, unique experiences, people and food. Great trip!

The hotels chosen were always well-located; some better appointed than others (the hotel in Granada was very, very good). The visit to the olive orchard and tour of the pressing plant was really instructive; the visit to the bull farm completely changed my point of view on bull fighting to one less judgmental. Am considering the Central Spain tour for 2023-24!

The hotels used by Amber Roads were comfortable and well located….and very unique….especially the one in Sevilla.
Prior to the trip we read a series of historical novels by David Penny that took place in the late 1400’s and were located in several of the towns we visited. It was exciting to visit those towns and feel the history come to life.
We can’t say enough about Nacho, our guide. He was extremely professional and caring and always seemed to thinking of the needs and interests of the group. He went out of his way to insure that John’s dietary needs were met often accompanying us to meals that were on our own to make sure that the restaurant could prepare food that was suitable. We were so appreciative as John cannot eat many of the common foods served in Spain.
There were just ten participants on this tour….a perfect number. On our first Amber Road tour in Tuscany we met the Schuchmans and have stayed friends over the years. We were able to travel with them again on this trip….so much fun. We also made new friends and would love to travel with them as well. We are looking forward to our next adventure with Amber Road.

Every town visit included a guided tour, and all of the local tour guides were engaged and knowledgeable and also humorous about their respective regions. All of the towns and cities were very interesting to visit. The tour began in Granada where the Alhambra is the main attraction, and we enjoyed a wonderful tour. The tour ended in Seville after traveling through other smaller and very interesting places. We are looking forward to future Amber Road tours!

The first evening was generally free allowing time for us to unpack and explore on our own. Each morning in a new city began with a tour by a well-informed local guide. There was always free time in each city for personal exploration or shopping. I was amazed how seamlessly everything was handled. I needed a trip to the doctor and Sean, our guide went with me to translate the doctor’s evaluation and to make sure that every restaurant prepared the foods that I was suppose to have. Could not have been better. I very much appreciate his attention to detail and my good care. Speaking of Sean, he is a font of knowledge. Any question we had about the history or culture of Spain provided him with an opportunity to impart his vast knowledge. If anything, he killed us with knowledge. As we look at photos and think about all the special things we did–the bull farm, the horse show, the olive making farm, paella cooking lesson, etc., etc., it is a wonder that we did so much. We will have oh so many memories for years to come. If we ever travel to places that we have not seen, there is no question that we would travel with Amber Road again.

The flamenco show, olive oil producer and bull farm provided a perspective of Spanish culture and were also quite interesting. The last section of the ride to the bull farm was a bit bumpy though! Hotels were all good quality and located in central locations for venturing on your own; of which there was a nice balance of free time and included activities. The local guides were all well versed and offered suggestions to enjoy their areas. Included meals were on balance good. Sean also added informal stops that gave us an opportunity of understand the long history of Spain as well as sample the local cuisine. Our fellow travelers were all a pleasure to travel with. We would take this tour again.

The local guides ranged from good to fabulous – most were very, very good.
Sean’s guidance of our group was excellent. His range of knowledge of Spanish history, culture, social mores is extensive and his passion for it all gave such energy to every experience. He clearly loves what he does. Not least, his care and concern for everyone in our group was most admirable. Of note, consistently when there was free time he would offer to lead an informal adventure which always led to an opportunity for a glass of wine or beer and more sharing among the group. He set a very high bar for any future tour we may take and we miss his humor and warmth!

A few things really set this tour apart. Everyday there was one or more jaw-dropping sites/venues that literally took your breath away. The sensory overload at times simply left me saying “Wow, unbelievable” or “This is crazy”. In addition, we had the pleasure of Sean’s graciousness, taking us to sites and places beyond the scheduled tours. Sometimes we would just pull off the road to visit a small church or monastery or view some amazing scenery. Of course, he always included food in our adventures whether it was coffee with churros or other regional specialties and always tapas along with a beverage or two. He even seemed to time our arrival in Cordoba so we would be among the hundreds of locals witnessing a beautiful procession with life size images. Talk about full immersion into the culture! Everyone in our wonderful group got caught up in Sean’s contagious enthusiasm, love, and passion for his country and Andalucia. There were so many memorable moments on this tour – from the first night’s dinner overlooking the Alhambra to the last night in Seville listening to a charming trio in a square. Our time together just flew by. This was my second tour with Amber Road but certainly not my last, whether it’s back to Spain or another country. Thanks for a fabulous tour, start to finish.

For the next 12 days, we were spoilt with our centrally located, premier and charming hotel accommodation, yummy traditional Spanish food and wines as well as a wide range of sightseeing and activities. If variety is the spice of life we had a very spicy time as we visited and learnt about historic buildings with layers of history (especially churches, mosques–the Mezquite or Great Mosque was the most memorable-and palaces); admired the Andalucia landscape with its abundance of olive and cork trees; assisted with cooking a Paella dish; admired the energetic Flamenco performances; tasted a range of Sherries; learnt about how olives are processed; enjoyed the “dancing stallions” and visited the oldest bull ring in Spain and a bull farm.
A thank you to Sean, our very competent, organised and personable Tour Manager. His passion for his country was very evident through the range of information he conveyed to us throughout the trip. He looked after us extremely well. We appreciated how he selected interesting coffee stops during our travels, ensure that we sampled authentic tapas at several lunch breaks as well as arranging visits to a range of produce markets. Also a big ‘tick’ to the local guides. They were very knowledgeable, entertaining and easy to listen to.

Sean’s enthusiasm and knowledge often surpasses the local guides in each city, adding interesting bits of information about the intersecting cultures sprinkled with humor and a bit of chauvinism. Beyond the multiple jaw-dropping monuments of past civilizations, and gorges carved by nature, highlights included the communal preparation of the paella meal, which encouraged the group to interact with each other, a first-rate flamenco performance, a visit to a olive mill press in a picturesque landscape where a memorable lunch was served, a visit to the Picasso Museum in Malaga, a visit to a horse breeding farm, and much more. Sean is exceptionally generous with his time, beyond the scheduled activities, ensuring that everyone in the group was engaged. This was especially welcome for a woman traveling alone.

Our guide Sean was just the best! What doesn’t he know about Spanish history and culture? His indepth knowledge, enriched our experience. Of course the Andalucia area is spectacular as well. We saw so many historical highlights both natural and man-made, which combined with Sean’s narratives, put the cultural aspects into context. The special lunches and dinners that were arranged, were well thought out and showcased the local cusine, the locations were spectacular and the food was sumptuous. The daily itinerary was busy, yet well balanced with free time. The local guides were excellent especially our guide in Ronda named Jesus who was funny but so professional. He gave us so many suggestions as to what to do in our free time, that our time wasn’t wasted. We had a great time and not only will we be returning to Spain, we will be returning to Amber Roads.

A lot of our time was spent eating and drinking which I think is the best part but certainly not to be outdone by the outstanding attractions and cultural icons of Spain. Amber Road has a winning formula for mixing tourist attractions/food/hotels/free time so that there is something for everyone. Sean goes out of his way to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy. Can’t think of anything negative about this or any AR tour that we have experienced. They just get it perfect!

Not only does he have the most extensive knowledge of his country, but he also adds a special spice by sharing his opinions which sometimes may be controversial but has the effect of always engaging the group. Often his knowledge surpasses the local guides in each city and would later add more interesting information, especially over a glass of beer and tapas, which was the case everywhere we went. The things we learnt while having a beer was fun, interesting and was instrumental in getting to know more about Spain and the people in our group. For us planning a paella meal for the group on the second day that we were together was pure genius because it was a fantastic way to break the ice (so to speak) and really start to get to interact with each other, including Sean who was the master of this ceremony and right in his element. Another great highlight was the visit to the farm raising bulls for the bullring and learning about this fascinating way of life for many Spaniards. The host made sure that we saw a demonstration up close, and we even were shown a few basic movements by the matador. Leaving for home was an emotional experience, as saying goodbye to our group seems so final. Part of us wants to stay with each other and yet we know it’s time to go back home.

The hotels were well centered and quite interesting…the included restaurants offered plentiful, good food. The sightseeing was interesting and gave a wonderful background to all we saw. Sean was remarkable. His knowledge and pride in his country created an exciting background to all we saw and experienced.

The hotels were charming and in excellent locations. The tour provided a perfect balance of planned events and time on your own. The awe-inspiring visits to the Alhambra Palace in Alhambra and the Mezquita in Cordoba were spectacular, but so were the stunning Tajo Gorge in Ronda, the white town of Setenil de las Bodegas, beautiful seacoast city of Cadiz, and the Alcazar and Plaza de Espana in lovely Seville. We packed so much on our trip – flamenco, sherry tasting, bull farm, paella class, olive oil mill, an equestrian school, and delicious meals and wine with a great group of travelers. Thank you for creating such an inspired itinerary, which most people don’t get to experience. Hemingway was enchanted with this region and you too will fall under its spell.

He managed to watch over all of us and added special and unique experiences. The hotels were unique and very special. The setting of the dinner our first night overlooking the Alhambra at night was spectacular, as was the view of the gorge from the terrace at Ronda. The itinerary was very thoughtful and the planning wonderful as always. Thank you for a wonderful experience.

The area is a wealth of layering of history. The guide, Sean is excellent about specifics of the region and his animation and love of Andalusia is apparent. I appreciate Sean’s pointing out urban planning and garden design for me. The group meals were wonderful, a treat of Iberian food, wine, tapas, and more. Also, the staff person, Lisa, is terrific. The trip was a good time!

– the Alhambra in Granada was everything we had heard that it was, the Mezquita in Cordoba was incredible, the gorge in Ronda was breathtaking and then when you thought you had seen it all we arrived in Sevilla. It was a wonderful trip with so many beautiful things to see and a variety of interesting experiences like the Bravo Bull farm. Sean, again was a wonderful guide and worked very hard to ensure that everyone had a great experience. Bravo AR. Sicily is looking good….

Our experience was especially enriched by Sean’s passion for Spain, his sense of humor, and his enjoyment in sharing his deep knowledge of Spain’s history, architecture, culture, customs, and cuisine with us. Among the many things that stand out in our memory are the welcome dinner overlooking the moonlit Alhambra, the paella cooking class, the gardens and parks everywhere, the Mezquita in Córdoba, the view of the gorge from the hotel in Ronda, the fish markets in Málaga and Cádiz, and the bull farm which felt like a movie set. Group meals were carefully planned to introduce us to delicious local wines and typical dishes. All in all a perfect trip!

The balance between time on guided tours and free time was good as it did not leave us feeling exhausted at being talked at as well as leaving time to explore on our own. In summary, a most enjoyable 12 days which left us with the intention to travel with Amber Road again.

We didn’t feel overwhelmed by all the knowledge we were soaking up but had the opportunity to explore on our own if we wished. Our guide Sean, made the tour exceptionally comfortable, meaningful, and enjoyable. He was not only a font of valuable historical and cultural information, but went the extra kilometer to make certain we were taken care of, if we wanted, during our “free” time.

The quality of the local tour guides was excellent. Our Tour Director, Sean, was exceptional, brilliant and so knowledgeable, which added considerably to the overall experience of Southern Spain. Sean took care of everyone’s needs and made sure each of us could maximize all that the Tour had to offer. Accommodations met or exceeded expectations, and were perfectly located to take advantage of exploring the towns’ old quarters. Granada, Cordoba, Cadiz and Sevilla were amazing — the Cathedrals, churches, Royal Palaces, plazas and gardens. But Ronda had a certain unexplainable appeal for me. Bravo to Sean and Amber Road Tours! I never thought any tour would match the Sicily tour; Andalucia ranks right up there with the best.

The paella cooking class was loads of fun; Caleta Beach in Cadiz offered an opportunity to spend some relaxing beach time; climbing down to the bottom of the Tajo Gorge in Ronda was rather challenging; and mile after mile of some of the 70 million olive trees in Andalucia really helped explain the economy of the region. I so appreciate that we spent so little time on the bus during this trip. Fellow travelers and a knowledgeable, gentle and fun guide, Sean, who loves his country and delights in sharing it with others, made this trip stand as one of the best of the many tours we have taken. Sean was very giving of his time, often accompanying some of us for non-included meals and tapas. Included meals were varied, tasty and expansive. Try the tinto de verano — much better than sangria!

What an interesting bunch of people in our group too. I felt very comfortable as a single person on this tour.
Sean is so proud of his heritage and knowledgeable about Spanish history and culture. He went out of his way to resolve any glitches that came along. Value for money it was a winner.

Their itineraries seem to be the right mix of everything. They attract people on their tours who contribute to making it such a pleasant experience. Of course, Sean is the one who made the magic happen. I am grateful for his ability to make all we learned and saw real and come alive, adding depth by being the person he is.

We could not have had a better guide than Sean – a very knowledgeable and passionate individual with a great sense of humour. Enjoyed the unplanned tapas session outside the Cadiz market! All in all definitely going to look at some other Amber Road tours!

One needs to visit the magical village of Ronda to appreciate its unique setting, and one finds another kind of enchantment in dining on a hillside in Granada with a view of the exquisite Alhambra shimmering in the moonlight. No point in going on and on about it; it would be a shame for anyone interested in Spain’s rich cultural heritage to pass on the chance to take this fine Amber Road tour.

Perhaps even more fun were impromptu meals of tapas and beer/wine where the food just kept coming. I particularly like that Amber Road caters to English speaking non-Americans. The Aussies on our trip were fun and brought a different perspective on the world. I had worried that traveling alone might be a little depressing. I need not have worried. Sean made sure everyone felt included and had a great time.

I learned a great deal from Sean and also the excellent local guides where I gained new perspectives on Spain’s role in history as well as in the present. Thank you, Amber Road, for finding comfortable, beautiful and unique accommodations for us; for scheduling interesting events such as the olive oil factory visit, the sherry Bodega, the horse dressage and the bull farm. All of these connect contemporary Andalucia with its rich and diverse history. All meals provided were delicious. All meals on our own were a delectable adventure. I look forward to my next Amber Road Tour.

We were of course enthralled with the beauty and architecture of the region but will never forget our group’s trip to the bull farm – a once in a lifetime experience. As always, the trip was enhanced by getting to know our tour mates from around the world and the special bond that occurs when strangers come together through a shared interest in travel.

My favourite is Cádiz…or maybe Seville. The hotels were well located, and in particular our group enjoyed the atmosphere of the first hotel in Granada. The courtyard was a welcoming place to gather or relax. The usual mix of organised and free time worked well, as did the local tours at very popular sites. As a guide Sean is informative, entertaining, passionate, and quick to anticipate and resolve. And he knows when to interrupt the local guide with a tray of the local pastries! Once again, another fantastic trip.

Whether in tiny mountainous Ronda, Moorish Cordoba, Mediterranean Cadiz or on a bull farm, olive plantation or sherry bodega, we learned, laughed, tasted and were encouraged on by Sean: “Come on I know you’re tired but…” As for food and drink, we feasted, sometimes separately, often together, on the best that the region has to offer. If we overindulged occasionally, whose fault was that? Would we do it all again? You bet!

Cordoba > the awesome Meszquita Mosque/Cathedral > the open air rooftop dinner outside the city walls. Ronda > a pretty little town on the rock with panoramic vistas to the Sierras > the famous bull ring,the spiritual home of the art of bullfighting., and our meeting with Jesus, the most well turned out local guide we have ever seen, with his polished winklepicker shoes, a man proud of his town! The bull fighters – two intrepid members of our group who had a go at twirling the cape in a local bull farmer’s ring -sorry Bob & Harvey- the ‘bull’ was a 3 month old feisty heifer! Cadiz – the sunset into the Mediterranean from our hotel, but a city most underrated. And Seville > so much to see,do,sample!
Of course,there were the set dinners/lunches,tapas,beers & great red wine,the endless sampling of local pastries – all contrived by our passionate guide Sean Retana,who cajoled, assisted & challenged us to sample as much of Spain as possible > we will remember the 10.30am sherry tasting in Jerez! We’ll end with Sean’s favourite quip: ‘ If you don’t like we can go someplace else!’ Hopefully he will, next time we come to Spain!

Cocktails on the terrace in Ronda while watching the sunset was one of the high points of the trip. The local tour guides spoke good English and they were informative and amusing. However, the tour would not have been so enjoyable without our wonderful tour leader, Sean Rentana. He gave us lots of interesting bits of information about the history of towns and the derivations of Spanish words. Even when we had free time, he was always available with restaurant suggestions or to provide company if you wanted it. He is really special.

Then we journeyed to elevations that gave us an amazing view for miles in every direction. As always Amber Roads planning and our delightful guide, Sean provided fun and educational events like olive groves, sherry tasting, dancing, interacting with locals,……………I could go on and on! I must mention that Sean as a guide was outstanding, enthusiastic, patient and a veritable history book of his country. AMBER ROAD TOURS NEVER DISAPPOINTS!

Each of the planned excursions was different and designed to provide an appreciation of the unique history, architecture, and culture of the cities that we were visiting. At the same time, there was sufficient free time to relax and absorb the ambience of this beautiful region of Spain without the rush one often experiences with other tours. But, what made this tour so memorable and extraordinary was our tour guide, Sean Retana de Vallely. Articulate, passionate, knowledgeable and friendly, Sean made each city come alive with a recounting of its unique role in the history of Spain. His narrating of historical events was vivid and was coupled with an insight into the architecture and culture that distinguished that city from others. A true Renaissance man, Sean’s enthusiasm never lagged and his last discourse was as fresh and interesting as his first. In every aspect, the Andalucia tour was memorable and exceeded my high expectations. I highly recommend it!

As expected, hotels and meals were excellent. Our tour director, Sean, seemed to know everything about the history and art of Andalucía and was attentive to our every need (including extras such as bringing sweets for us during guided tours.) He also asked our fine bus driver, Eduardo, to make several fascinating unscheduled stops, such as those at a Roman excavation outside Ronda and a Carthusian monastery on the way to Jérez and Sevilla. Sean worked so hard that he should have been exhausted but instead was always cheerful and energetic. I highly recommend this tour!

The surprise treats of food that he brought to us during the tours when we were in the different places made the tour special and personal. Sean and our driver, Eduardo, were very patient and kind to all of us in our group of different personalities, taking us on surprise side trips so that we would not miss out on an experience. Thank you for your hard work in making our trip to Andalucia such a memorable and special one.

Sean would add nice touches, such as buying cookies, sherry at the equestrian show etc. He has a vast knowledge of Spanish history and a gift for explaining things. He was very responsive to questions and had a remarkable enthusiasm and sense of humor. Sean was always positive and never displayed any impatience.

Andalucia was no exception. The region is like nowhere else in Europe with a great mixture of history, cultures, religions, food and architecture all presented to the traveller with excellent tour & local guides with knowledge and passion. Our tour manager, Sean, was exceptional and always available to help when required. The group was the usual mix of nationalities all with a like mind to immerse themselves in the local life, cuisine & wines. Thoroughly enjoyable as usual.

Our tour manager was enthusiastic and very passionate about his country. The itinerary, the programme was varied and enjoyable and we felt that we had a great sense of the province and that we had ample time to explore. The guides, they were fantastic, informative, humourous, engaging (favourites Jesus -Ronda, Luis- Cordoba, Angeles-Sevilla, Daniel-Granada). Accommodations, the venues were varied, they were well-situated and provided easy access to restaurants and other sites. The tour manager, Sean was fun, very honest about the Spanish way of life. His knowledge of Spanish history was amazing. He also showed great initiative, as an example, we were all thunderstruck by the millions of olive groves that we passed and on our way through the \”White Villages\”, he arranged for a delightful tour of an Aciete de Oliva, run by the same family for many generations. Besides the jaw-dropping beauty of the Al Hambra and the Mezquita, we also enjoyed stumbling upon a religious procession in Malaga; the bull breeding farm near Sevilla; sharing tapas with the group.

Sean would add nice touches, such as buying cookies, sherry at the equestrian show etc. He has a vast knowledge of Spanish history and a gift for explaining things. He was very responsive to questions and had a remarkable enthusiasm and sense of humor. Sean was always positive and never displayed any impatience.

Congratulations to Lisa for booking us into well positioned, good quality hotels which reflected their location. We felt that the itinerary was a perfect balance for us – some culture/sight seeing, some fun (eg flamenco), some free time each day and of course plenty of eating and drinking. The Paella making was an early activity that contributed very positively to our group “ice breaking” and subsequent good time with a delightful friendly group of people. The spontaneous visits to patisseries and tapas bars were very enjoyable – expertly organised by our Tour Manager Sean. In fact Sean’s contribution to the success of our trip cannot be underestimated in any way. Always ready to help, inform, innovate and entertain and highly valued by all of us. Thank you once again to Sean and Lisa and we hope to meet some of our Andalucia group on future Amber Road tours.