Andalusia, Spain

March 18 – 25  2024

– Sold Out!

Food / Wine & Cultural Adventure
Lead by ~ Scott Williams & Niki Gulley ~

It’s time once again to explore another country and give you an opportunity to see new sights, experience a different culture, taste some unique foods and savor some great wines, Spain! You also have the option of combining this with a Portugal Trek the previous week for an amazing 2 week adventure!

During this excursion we are going to introduce you to the culture and history of the area, along with some of the best food and wine that Spain has to offer.

We are going to explore all of the riches that our home base of Seville has to offer, starting with a welcome rooftop Sangria tasting of 4 different variations of this iconic drink, while overlooking the river at sunset.

One of the best ways to experience a region is through its unique nieghborhoods and their distinctive food. Which we will do during 2 different guided tapas walking tours of some of the best and oldest bars in the city. Where we will try an assortment of tapas and drinks, while also learning about the history of the area. One of these will also include a full gourmet dinner with wine pairings and the other one will be over dinner including drinks and dessert, thereby taking its place. So those 2 meals are included.

There will also be 2 hands on cooking classes where you will learn how to prepare traditional Spanish cuisine from local chefs. These will also come with wine and dessert, taking the place of one lunch and dinner. But wait, there’s more!

One of our must see stops while here is the Palace and gardens of the Real Alcazar. This 11th century wonder will take your breath away with its beauty and grandeur! Next, no trip to Seville would be complete without visiting the largest Gothic cathedral in the world with its mix of styles. Of course we will hit the Plaza de Espana, check out the architectural wonder of the Metropol Parasol, visit a local food market and stroll the city like a local. Have I peaked your interest yet?

If not, to further educate our palate, we will also have 2 wine tastings where we will explore various Spanish wines and ports, paired with multiple cheeses and meats from the region taught by people passionate about their wines and culture.

Part of our extended travels will also take us to the picturesque city of Ronda, situated on the edge of a cliff along a canyon – where its dramatic views make it a scenic wonder.

Lastly, there is no way that we could venture to Seville, home of Flamenco without taking in a show. Take everything that you think that you know about Flamenco and toss it away. This is an experience like no other and it will leave you spellbound.

So come join us as we take you on an gastronomical exploration of Spain. Admission is limited to 12 participants, so we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible.

Workshop includes:

•  Hotel for 7 nights in Seville (Double occupancy)    (Accommodations are in shared rooms, although a few single rooms may be available at an extra fee)
• Breakfast on the rooftop throughout the trip and all transportation within Spain
• Welcome Sangria tasting at sunset
•  Day trip to Ronda
•  Admission the Real Alcazar, the Cathedral of Seville and a Flamenco show
• 2 Tapas & wine tasting tours – one with a gourmet dinner
•  2 Wine & port tastings, including local meats and cheeses
•  2 Cooking classes – one lunch, one dinner, both including meals afterwards
•  Emergency Medical Insurance.
•  Instruction, guidance, experience and fun.

Your cost for all of this is $4,595 and to reserve a spot, simply send a completed application form (the forms will be provided by email upon request) along with your deposit of $1,500 per person. 

A second payment of one half of the remainder after deposit is due by 7/1/23, with a final payment due by 8/12/23. For those wanting a single occupancy room, there will be an additional cost of $850. We can take credit card payments, however it will incur a 3.6% fee.  

There has to be a minimum of 6 people for the workshop to make. If the 6 person minimum is not met by the 9/16 deadline, all payments will be refunded.

Airfare to the workshop is not included, you are responsible for your own travel arrangements. We will provide transportation from the Seville (SVQ) airport on March 18 at one appointed time, as well as the return to the airport on March 25 and all transportation throughout the workshop. If your arrival or departure dates or times are different than scheduled transportation times, you are responsible for your own airport transportation.

We also suggest that you arrive a day or two early on the front end to get over jet lag in order to make the most of your Spain experience. We started doing that years ago and it has made a huge difference.

You also have the option to combine this trip with the Portugal Trek the previous week for a fabulous 2 week adventure! This will also include an extra night in a hotel for a down day in between destinations, as well as airfare from Lisbon to Seville. Follow this link to find out more: https://www.arttreks.org/portugal-2024

Our trips, while not overly strenuous do require a reasonable amount of physical fitness. In order to derive the greatest experience from our destinations, we spend a fair amount of time walking within each location. Our goal being that each person should see and experience as much of the scenery and culture as possible during our excursions.

Once deposits are received, there will be no refunds for cancellations as trip arrangements will have been made. We suggest trip insurance for travel difficulties or unforeseen illness.

Please let us know if you have any questions or if we can help you in any way and we hope that you will be able to join us!  

Scott Williams      214-289-8512         /         Niki Gulley     214-803-5812

                                                                  

Email Scott at,  photoguy@blind-squirrel.org  if you are interested in joining us.