We present a more relaxed type of week based in a single hotel, at Berlanga (Soria, Castilla-León), Almagro (La Mancha), Candás & the Costa Verde (Asturias), and at Zafra (Extremadura).

Relaxing Zafra
Easy-paced week exploring southern Extremadura from one of our favourite hotels — small international guided group

A lively small town in the province of Badajoz, Zafra is the ideal place from which to explore this little-known region with its forest-clad hills, fertile plains and dehesas (particularly beautiful in the early spring, with carpets of meadow flowers) with Iberian black pigs, goats and sheep.

7 DAYS (6 NIGHTS) Activities: a variety of visits and 5 short walks (1-3 hours) based in Zafra, in one of our favourite hotels. Group 10 maximum.

FULL BOARD in twin rooms (private bathrooms).

DATES (Sunday-Saturday)
2012 18-24 March.

PRICE 675 euros per person; single room supplement 100 euros.

Combine 'Relaxing Zafra' and 'Mar y Sierra': the most varied highlights of southwest Spain and the best regional cuisine!
Two weeks, Sunday 18 March-Sunday 1 April 2012, at the special price of 1525¤, single supplement 285¤.

RENDEZVOUS & DISPERSAL Seville airport is well served by international flights, or fly to Madrid and take the AVE high-speed train to Santa Justa station. Book a plane arriving at Seville by 14.00; for the return, one departing after 14.00. If you wish to arrive one or more days beforehand to visit Seville, we recommend an hotel in the Barrio de Santa Cruz, close to the Cathedral, Giralda and Alcázares (double room about 95 / single about 60 euros a night; we can make the booking for you and will pick you up at the hotel).

Location of this programme:

DAY-TO-DAY
SUNDAY: Early afternoon departure across the Sierra Morena, natural frontier of Andalusia and Extremadura (visits en route including the Tentudia Monastery — superb viewpoint — the castle of Montemolín, and Fuente de Cantos, birthplace of the painter Zurbarán), to Zafra, whose whitewashed houses suggest an Andalusian town, but with some very extremeño features like a castle and two plazas porticadas. Our hotel for six nights is in a historic building on the Plaza Grande, and has excellent Extremaduran cuisine.

MONDAY: Introductory exploration of the alleys and squares of Zafra. The unique Iberian site of Cancho Roano and the early Roman fort of Hijovejo; a walk in the spectacular quartzite landscapes of the Sierra de Hornachos.

TUESDAY: We explore the incredibly rich Roman remains and fantastic museums of Mérida, capital of Roman Hispania Lusitanica and now of the autonomous region of Extremadura, as well as the Cornalvo Roman dam and Natural Park (picnic and short walk).

WEDNESDAY: A ramble around Feria and its ducal castle. Badajoz, Extremadura's biggest city.

THURSDAY: Morning walk of the Albuera; Burguillos and Jerez de los Caballeros with their Templar past and ornate baroque towers; and Olivenza — this town was the last to be ceded by Portugal to Spain, and conserves a marked Portuguese atmosphere.

FRIDAY: The Llerena area including an unusual visit to an old iron mine, and the Regina Roman site. The spa village of Alange whose Roman baths are still in use (bathing possible: entry included in the holiday price). Visit to a bodega.

SATURDAY: Transfer to Seville.

Sierras of Extremadura/Guadalupe (walking) / Vía de la Plata+Aragón-Ebro (historical journeys)
Relaxing Almagro / Relaxing Berlanga / Candás and the Costa Verde / Discover Northern Spain
Old Castile (walking) / Picos de Europa / Cuenca & Teruel (walking) / walking: Andalusia
nature rambles / Festivals–Andalusia / Festival–Almagro / for groups, families or friends
Spanish courses / Holiday index+calendar / Introduction in English / How to book / e-mail us