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Self-Guided Walking : Europe

Spain: Andalusia & Seville

Easy to Moderate Terrain: 6-9 Miles Daily

Spain: Andalusia & Seville

Discover the hidden gems of southern Spain on a journey that takes you through Andalusia’s mountains, forests, and iconic whitewashed villages and combines independent exploration with interpreted experiences. Your tour begins in Seville, a spectacular city of colorful mosaics and hidden tropical gardens. Then, travel on to the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park. From Alájar’s quaint maze of cobblestone streets and Baroque churches, you’ll walk through cork oak forests, along fertile river valleys, and past ancient olive groves. Enjoy a guided tour of Aracena, including a tasting of the local goat cheese at the maker’s own shop. Meet a producer of Ibérico ham and sample his world-class jamón, before visiting with your local hosts and trying their homemade olive oil. End each day in exquisite family-owned accommodations where your innkeepers share their stories. You’ll know the authentic Andalusia—away from the crowds and deep in the fabric of rural life.


Tour Highlights:
  • Stroll through the cork-oak forests of Aracena and Cortelazor, in rural regions completely overlooked by the tourist crowds of Andalusia’s major cities.
  • Visit a local pig farm, where Spain’s renowned jamón ibérico is made and chat with the owner as he shows you his spread.
  • Make time for flamenco and tapas in the one-of-a-kind city of Seville, whose Moorish influences and cobblestone streets delight.
  • Stay in a hotel occupying a large traditional finca (farmhouse), whose owner makes guests feel at home by serving large meals family style in the kitchen.
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Tour Only

8 days, 7 nights

FROM $2,698 USD

per person, double occupancy



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Why Walk With Us

  • Choose from 19 handcrafted Self-Guided Walking itineraries for 2017
  • Trust our expertise with 38+ years in active travel.
  • 24/7 support from a local representative.
  • Generous inclusions: luggage transfers, all breakfasts, some lunches and dinners.
  • Your departure is always guaranteed.
  • Detailed maps and easy-to-follow route notes ensure that you’ll easily find your way.
  • Past guests and referrals always save.

Itinerary & Accommodations

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Day 1

Arrival in Seville

After checking into your boutique hotel, explore the magnificent Alcázar palace and the inviting tapas bars of Seville’s historic center.

Accommodation: Hotel Amadeus, Seville

In the historic heart of Seville, with panoramic views of the Giralda bell tower and the city’s cathedral, this classical music-themed boutique hotel occupies a beautifully restored 18th-century mansion. Spacious individually decorated guestrooms—each named for a different composer—feature family antiques, complementary Wi-Fi and laptops, flat-screen TVs, and libraries of classical music. A rooftop terrace offers breakfast daily and cocktails in the evening with arguably one of the city’s most romantic views.

Day 2

Aracena exploration and cheese tasting

Transfer north into the Sierra de Aracena, home to bucolic oak and cork forests, ancient villages, and Moorish forts and castles. Enjoy a guided exploration of the regional capital, Aracena, followed by an artisanal cheese tasting.

Accommodation: Hotel Convento, Aracena

A four-star hotel, located just below the Aracena castle, occupies a carefully restored 17th-century convent, retaining historic elements combined with modern amenities. Guest rooms are contemporary with exposed wood and stone, crisp fabrics, and neutral tones. An on-site spa offers whirlpool and swimming pools and a selection of treatments, while an outdoor saltwater pool is surrounded by terraced grounds and chaise lounges. The on-site restaurant features traditional and updated versions of the region’s distinct cuisine and fresh products.

Day 3

Corteconcepción loop & Ibérico ham tasting

Walking to the pretty village of Corteconcepción, pass hillside farms, gurgling streams, and olive groves. Visit a family-run farm that specializes in rearing black Ibérico pigs and enjoy a tasting of the world’s most exclusive ham before returning to Aracena.

Accommodation: Hotel Convento, Aracena

A four-star hotel, located just below the Aracena castle, occupies a carefully restored 17th-century convent, retaining historic elements combined with modern amenities. Guest rooms are contemporary with exposed wood and stone, crisp fabrics, and neutral tones. An on-site spa offers whirlpool and swimming pools and a selection of treatments, while an outdoor saltwater pool is surrounded by terraced grounds and chaise lounges. The on-site restaurant features traditional and updated versions of the region’s distinct cuisine and fresh products.

Day 4

Aracena to Cortelazor

Follow ancient cobbled pathways through cork and chestnut forests to Cortelazor, a charming 300-person village dating back to Roman times. Upon arrival, enjoy drinks, tapas, and local life at the bars in the village square.

Accommodation: La Flamenca Inn, Cortelazor

Occupying a large traditional home in the small village of Cortelazor, this charming guesthouse has been beautifully renovated with late 19th-century reclaimed and restored furnishings and décor, much from England, from late-Victorian stained glass to ceramic stoves. Spacious guest rooms have been individually decorated, each in a unique style accommodating the building’s original architecture, featuring late-Victorian, William Morris, or Art Deco pieces, natural wood and colorful tile, and comfortable and eclectic furniture. Your host, Lola, makes this private residence feel like a home away from home as soon as you arrive—with her warm welcome and the authentic family-style meals served in the large kitchen. An honesty bar is available in one of the two cozy common areas, or you may choose to relax at one of the local bars on the village square, just a few steps away.

Day 5

Cortelazor loop

The beautiful, remote scenery on today’s walking loop includes forests, fertile river valleys, and cultivated woodlands. Watch for abundant birdlife, including vultures, eagles, herons, egrets, and endangered black storks—almost every village church is crowned with a stork’s nest!

Accommodation: La Flamenca Inn, Cortelazor

Occupying a large traditional home in the small village of Cortelazor, this charming guesthouse has been beautifully renovated with late 19th-century reclaimed and restored furnishings and décor, much from England, from late-Victorian stained glass to ceramic stoves. Spacious guest rooms have been individually decorated, each in a unique style accommodating the building’s original architecture, featuring late-Victorian, William Morris, or Art Deco pieces, natural wood and colorful tile, and comfortable and eclectic furniture. Your host, Lola, makes this private residence feel like a home away from home as soon as you arrive—with her warm welcome and the authentic family-style meals served in the large kitchen. An honesty bar is available in one of the two cozy common areas, or you may choose to relax at one of the local bars on the village square, just a few steps away.

Day 6

Cortelazor to Alájar

On this morning’s walk to the picturesque village of Fuenteheridos, you may see farmers producing honey, picking mushrooms, gathering chestnuts, harvesting cork, or bringing their animals to graze on acorns. This afternoon, climb towards the Sierra’s summit for spectacular views before settling in by the pool at your Alájar hotel.

Accommodation: Finca La Fronda, Alájar

In the heart of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park, this luxury rural hotel—environmentally constructed within the existing landscape with aged tiles and brick—has just seven guestrooms surrounding a typical Andalusian patio with orange trees and a goldfish pool. In addition to private terraces, spacious guestrooms have king beds, terracotta tile floors, classic furnishings with muted pastel colors, seating area, and desk. The posada, the traditional farm building, also includes two fireside sitting rooms, two covered terraces, and an outdoor swimming pool. In keeping with the rural character of the inn, guestrooms are not equipped with televisions or telephones. Please note that this family-owned hotel has a friendly dog on the property.

Day 7

Olive oil tasting & Alájar loop

After a morning visit to our friend Ángel’s home for an extensive tasting of local olive oils, continue through beautiful forested countryside to Linares de la Sierra, where locals still gather to wash clothes at the communal lavanderia. Stop for lunch at one of the region’s best modern restaurants before returning to your hotel.

Accommodation: Finca La Fronda, Alájar

In the heart of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche Natural Park, this luxury rural hotel—environmentally constructed within the existing landscape with aged tiles and brick—has just seven guestrooms surrounding a typical Andalusian patio with orange trees and a goldfish pool. In addition to private terraces, spacious guestrooms have king beds, terracotta tile floors, classic furnishings with muted pastel colors, seating area, and desk. The posada, the traditional farm building, also includes two fireside sitting rooms, two covered terraces, and an outdoor swimming pool. In keeping with the rural character of the inn, guestrooms are not equipped with televisions or telephones. Please note that this family-owned hotel has a friendly dog on the property.

Day 8

Departure from Seville

After breakfast, transfer to Seville.

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Dates & Prices

Seasonal Tour Pricing

2017 Dates Number of Travelers
2 3 4 5 6 Single Supplement
Solo Surcharge
Mar 20 - Jun 30 $2,698 $2,498 $2,498 $2,498 $2,298 $720 $610
Sep 1 - Oct 31 $2,698 $2,498 $2,498 $2,498 $2,298 $720 $610
This tour is available starting Saturday through Thursday, on request, from March 20 through June 30 and September 1 through October 31, 2017. Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday start dates work best for availability. Please note that the tiered tour price is based on a guarantee of a specified number of guests—should your group decrease in size, we reserve the right to alter the per person price if necessary as reflected in the Tour Price table. Please also note that the tour price includes one departure transfer from Alájar to Seville on Day 8 of the tour. If traveling in a group of two or more with separate departure times, additional charges will apply for multiple transfers. All prices are per person, based on double occupancy.

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