LUXURY TRAIN HOLIDAY
AL ANDALUS SOUTHERN IBERIAN ROUTE HOLIDAY
8 nights / 9 days From £ 7,150 per person
Al Andalus
SEVILLE • CORDOBA • CADIZ • JEREZ • ZAFRA
• CÁCERES • MÉRIDA • ALCÁZAR DE SAN JUAN
• TOLEDO • MADRID
Six nights are spent on board the luxurious Al Andalus train where accommodation is in lavish suites, a night before in Seville and a night after in Madrid and with a programme of excursions included as you progress from Seville through Córdoba, Cadiz, Jerez, Zafra, Cáceres, Mérida, Alcázar de San Juan, and Toledo.
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
DAY ONE London to Seville Begin your holiday by flying from London Gatwick to Seville. A private car transfer to your hotel is included. Settle into your hotel and spend the night here, ready to start your rail adventure the following day
DAY TWO Seville to Córdoba on the train Check out of the hotel and take a taxi to the meeting point for the train. Reception of passengers at 10:00 a. m. at a location to be determined in Sevilla and tour of the City. Afterward, we’ ll visit the capital of Andalusia, which boasts the largest historic centre in Spain. After lunch, we’ ll enjoy a panoramic view of the city before boarding the Al Andalus Train. We’ ll receive a welcome toast on the train, introduce the crew, and settle in. Dinner will be served on board as the train heads to Córdoba. Overnight stay in Córdoba.
DAY THREE Córdoba – Cádiz – Jerez After breakfast on board, we’ ll visit the Mosque- Cathedral and continue touring what was once the capital of the medieval Emirate and Caliphate of Al-Andalus, when it was the largest, most cultured, and most opulent city in Western Europe. Lunch will be served on board on route to Jerez. From Jerez, in the afternoon, we’ ll visit Cádiz, popularly known as the“ Silver Cup” and considered the oldest city in the Western World. Dinner in Cádiz and overnight stay in Jerez.
DAY FOUR Jerez to Zafra After breakfast, we’ ll enjoy the city of Jerez and the show“ How the Andalusian Horses Dance” a famous equestrian ballet with Spanish music. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before visiting a winery in the afternoon. Dinner will be served on board while the train heads to Zafra. Overnight stay in Zafra.
DAY FIVE Zafra – Cáceres- Mérida While we have breakfast, the train will arrive in Cáceres, a World Heritage Site, where the streets, squares, and palaces are magnificently preserved, thanks to its cultural mix that makes Cáceres a unique cultural experience. Lunch will be served on board as we arrive in Mérida, where we will relive the ancient Roman Empire. Also a World Heritage Site, founded in 25 BC, we will visit its remains and history. Dinner and overnight stay in Mérida.
DAY SIX Mérida – Alcázar de San Juan While we have breakfast, the train will arrive in Alcázar de San Juan, located in the region of Castilla-La Mancha, internationally known for its cheeses and wines. We will visit an artisanal cheese factory and a winery. Lunch will be served in the area. In the afternoon, we will visit Campo de Criptana, with its characteristic landscape of windmills, a source of inspiration for Cervantes in his novel Don Quixote. We will return to Alcázar de San Juan, have dinner on board, and spend the night in this town.
DAY SEVEN Alcázar de San Juan – Toledo- Aranjuez While we have breakfast, the train will arrive in Aranjuez. From here, we will visit Toledo, another World Heritage city, which we will consider the most monumental Imperial city in Europe. The blend of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish architecture— the Gothic cathedral, the 10th-century mosque, and two synagogues— has given Toledo its universal character. Lunch in Toledo. In the afternoon, we will visit the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and its gardens. Also a World Heritage Site, where history and beauty fill every corner of this royal site. Dinner on board and overnight stay in Aranjuez
DAY EIGHT Aranjuez- Madrid After enjoying our last breakfast on board, we’ ll bid farewell to the train and its crew and end the journey in Madrid around 1:30 p. m. Take a taxi to your hotel for one night.
DAY NINE Madrid to London Spend today in Madrid, depending on your flight time,
8 To speak to our specialist rail holidays team telephone 01392 441250 or see www. expressionsholidays. co. uk