Day One

Arrival in Sevilla.
Welcome tour of the finest tapas bars with our guide.

Choose two of the following excursions, which start at 9:30 am, returning 5-6pm. Or, one day cooking course.

Day Tour: Sierra of Aracena

On this trip we take you to the Sierra of Aracena in the province of Huelva, a mountainous area near the Portuguese border. It is here that the finest hams in the world are made from the Iberian pig. These hams are cured in the mountain air for up to 3 years and are considered by many people to be the jewel in the crown of Spanish gastronomy. An expert will explain the processes involved in the production of ham.At the end of the visit you will be able to taste the wonderful ham along with a glass of the best fino.
Afterwards in Aracena, we will have a gourmet lunch at the finest restaurant in the area. We will sample the finest local produce including fresh cheese, ham, mushrooms, pork from the Iberian pig, wild asparagus, artichokes etc. The meal will be accompanied by fine Spanish red wine and end with typical desserts.


Day Tour: Jerez

Jerez is a beautiful town steeped in history. We will visit a vineyard and one of the bodegas (wineries) for sherry tastings. These spectacular buildings are often compared to cathedrals as they give the impression of being sanctified places. After a detailed tour including a complete explanation of the sherry-making process, there will be a tutored tasting of the different styles of wine, including rare wines. You will find out how sherry vinegar and Jerez brandy are made and will also get the chance to sample some top brandies.
After this visit we will proceed to a smaller family-run bodega where as well as being shown around we will get the chance to taste some exceptional fine wines unknown to all except a select few connoisseurs.
We will then be going to one of the best restaurants in Jerez to enjoy a meal consisting of excellent local dishes accompanied by fine sherry wines.

After this tour, we will visit Sanlúcar de Barrameda, the second most important sherry town, unknown to the majority of foreign visitors. It looks across to the Doñana National Park and out on to the Atlantic Ocean Among the many styles of sherry wine produced here. Manzanilla stands out as a style of sherry made in a similar way to fino but lighter with a salty hint to it. The town is also known for very fine seafood; it is one of the best places for this in Spain. We hope that you will agree with most of the world's top wine critics who believe that sherry is the most underrated fine wine in the world.

Day Tour: Sierra of Ronda

Ronda is one of Andalucia's most beautiful towns, famous for the gaping river gorge with a sheer drop of 120m which divides the medieval from the 18th century parts of the town. A spectacular bridge spans the gorge and the view looking down from it is not for the faint-hearted! The area around Ronda is becoming well-known among enthusiasts as a producer of very good red wines and some whites. Grape varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. The vineyards are at around 750 metres above sea level, a necessary requisite for making high quality tables wines so far south in Spain.
We will visit two wineries where the winemakers will sharing their incredible enthusiasm with us. When you taste their wines you'll realize why they are so upbeat and why they think that Ronda is going to become a hallmark for fine wines.

Lunch will be at a fine restaurant sampling local dishes and some great local wine.

You will then have time to explore the wonderful town of Ronda town with its Moorish and Christian legacy as well as taking in some superb views of the surrounding mountain ranges and the plunging gorge.

We will then head back to Seville after a very full day.

Day Four

Breakfast & departure