Andalucia
Andalucia. The sunlight in this part of Spain is special. The way it plays off the old stone, the olive trees, and the sea makes the present seem like the past. The food here serves as a marker for the overlapping historical traditions. We have been planning for years to offer a tour of this part of Spain and share it with you. We will start and end in Seville but spend our time in Cadiz weaving around the countryside.
Tuna has been sustainably harvested from these coastal waters for 3000 years. Iberian pigs, Retinto cattle, sherry, vermouth, and herbs and spices all have long traditions tied to this place.
We will stroll the old city of Seville, taste in the market at Jerez, and drink sherry and listen to flamenco at a friend’s winery.
Come join us in the warm sun in the south of Spain for a week of leisurely exploration of the wines and foods that make this place special.
AndaluCia
DATES - September 30 to October 8, 2023
TRAVELERS - 15 people
2 seats REMAINING
PRICE - $9500 Per Person
Who?
The trip is designed for experienced travelers with a passion for great food made the traditional way – food that is deeply connected to the people and culture of the place. We encourage open minds, adventurous spirits, and a deep passion for traditional foods. Our guests are adults of all ages, who enjoy walking and exploring places on their own, as well as with the group. We keep the group small: no more than 15 guests will travel with our experienced hosts from Zingerman’s, plus our longtime Spanish friends John and Ana.
ACTIVITY LEVEL & ACCOMMODATIONS
The activity level is medium, with lots of walking in both city and country. You should be able to stand for long periods for some aspects of the tour. We are visiting ancient towns so expect some uneven ground, cobblestones, picturesque steps of different sizes, and some hills.
You will be staying in clean, comfortable, conveniently located, unique accommodations with private baths.
We will arrive and depart in Seville and while there stay at the incredibly unique Hotel Las Casas de la Judería. The remainder of our time will be centered in the town of Jerez de la Frontera in the area of Cadiz so that we can minimize bus time to our destinations. We will stay in the five-star+ Casa Palacio Maria Luisa.
What’s Included?
Behind the scenes visits to artisanal producers, local wine makers, hands-on tapas experiences, ancient cities, and visiting the beautiful terrain of Andalucia.
Amazing food – all breakfasts, all lunches, and most dinners. Lunch will be the large meal, as per the culture. We will enjoy traditional regional specialties made from local, fresh ingredients. There will be plenty of meat, fish, and, to be clear, a healthy dose of pork in the local cuisine. This tour not recommended for vegetarians.
This tour will be very wine-centric - the Sherries of Jerez are fascinating and this will be a master class in the subject. Many of the sit down meals will have specific wine pairings.
A Zingerman’s tour host and our guides will be at your disposal at all times.
Transportation by air-conditioned private bus during the tour.
What’s Not Included?
Airfare
Alcoholic beverages (other than beverages with dinner or when they are specifically included in the itinerary)
Personal spending money
Additional Tips
Itinerary*
Day 1
Seville
We will meet up on the first day in the evening at our unique hotel in Seville’s historic Jewish quarter for introductions. We will start with a tasting of local cheeses, and some interesting wine, in the little town of Gines, just outside of Seville, to get our bearings and some historical context. An easy start to get to know each other and prepare for the adventure ahead.
After a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, we will board our bus and head to the coast, towards the lovely little town of Barbate. There we will learn about the intricacies of tuna and its importance to this region and the world. We will start with a chat and the “ronqueo” with Chef Álvaro Rivera, then a lunch featuring tuna, of course. We will return to Jerez for a tapas style dinner at a more typical Spanish hour. It will become clear that meal times start late in Spain and meals are usually relaxed affairs that can last hours.
Day 2
SEVILLe, BARBATE & JEREZ
Day 3
Jerez
Today we will start with a late morning visit the Sherry producer Fernando de Castilla that produces an excellent vermouth and brandy. Lunch will be modern Jerez style at La Carbona that is going to be paired with Sherries. Perhaps some free time in the afternoon, or a side trip to a convent for some sweets! Then early evening we visit our friend Jaime González García-Mier’s winery Cruz Vieja where we will get some brief but important lessons in Sherry and some relaxing time with tapas and some Flamenco music. It may be late by the time we return to our hotel!
Day 4 FACINAs, Bolonia
We will visit Bolonia, site of the Roman town Baelo Claudia. In Roman times the fish and sauces that were made there were sent to all corners of the Roman Empire. We will also learn about, and taste, the gastronomic delight that is Retinto beef. The special breed of cattle called Retinto are indigenous to this area and highly valued, though generally unknown outside of Spain. For dinner we will have some light tapas near our hotel.
We go outside Jerez to visit the Luis Pérez winery, one of the few wineries that does not make fortified Sherry in the region, for an olive oil and wine tasting. After that, we have lunch at the winery for an afternoon of food, wine, and music. After some free time, we end the day with tapas, a walk through the town or just a drink at one of the many outdoor cafés that grace the warm evenings of Jerez.
Day 5
Jerez
In the morning we visit one of the city’s markets in the historic center of Jerez to see the incredible selection of seafood, meats, fruit and vegetables that the purveyors have to offer. The market is compact and lively and offers an overview of the foods available in this part of Spain.
In the afternoon, we will visit a unique, salt-water vegetable garden, a “Navazo,” before visiting a centuries-old winery in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, home of Manzanilla wine, which, because of its special climatic conditions, can only be made in this locality. We can see this incredible town, the port and, in the evening, enjoy a private dinner in “Rama” at La Gitana winery with some focused tastings, before returning to our hotel in Jerez.
Day 6
JEREZ, SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA & JEREZ
Today we are going to review what we have learned about the wines from Jerez with a professional tasting at “La Casa del Jerez” with Borja González García-Mier, followed by lunch at Albalá, the casual restaurant of the Michelin star chef, Israel Ramos.
After lunch, bus to Seville and some free time to visit the city.
Exploring the local tapas in our neighborhood for dinner.
Day 7
JEREZ& SEVILLE
After breakfast our bus takes us from Seville to Jabugo to visit an Iberian pork farm and factory, where you can become an expert in the intricacies of this famous Denomination of Origin product. While there we will enjoy a guided tasting of these fantastic products for lunch.
At the end of our visit to Jabugo, we take the bus to our hotel in Seville to enjoy a fantastic final dinner together at a friend’s restaurant, the Corral del Agua, in the heart of historic Seville. John will be sharing Clos de l’Obac wines paired with the menu.
Tomorrow morning you will depart on to your next adventure.
Day 8
JABUGO & SEVILLe
*One thing to note: this itinerary is the current plan, and, things may change. We will make every effort to provide the tours and experiences that are described above. However, the nature of the places we’ll be visiting — not typical tourist destinations — means that plans may change at the last minute. Also, you always have the option of skipping a particular excursion, but please note that we will be unable to make refunds for any missed meals or other events.
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