Explore Moorish cities and rich culture on this Andalucía tour, from Seville’s Gothic cathedral and Córdoba’s Mezquita to Granada’s magnificent Alhambra palaces and gardens

Your holiday begins this morning when you meet the Tour Manager and group at London Gatwick, or depart independently from your regional airport, for a morning flight to Malaga.

On arrival, we're transferred by coach to our hotel in Antequera, a traditional Spanish town in the heart of Andalucía, ideally situated to explore the cities of Granada, Córdoba, Seville and Málaga.

Antequera is a typical Andalucian medieval town with an impressive Moorish fortress, several churches, and a relaxed atmosphere. The town also has many examples of Spanish Baroque buildings, carefully restored to retain their façades. After a welcome drink at the hotel, there's time to look around and get your bearings before dining independently this evening.

After breakfast this morning, you are free to get to know Antequera at your own pace. To find out more about local sights and seasonal or special events, the tourist office is located in the centre near the Plaza de San Sebastián.

There are plenty of cafés and restaurants to choose from if you'd like to indulge in a traditional Spanish lunch. A local speciality is 'Porra Antequerana', a gazpacho-style soup, served cold and made with tomatoes and bread.

Nature lovers have two interesting nearby places to discover. El Torcal de Antequera, five miles outside of the city, is a national park with unique rock formations which can be reached by local bus or taxi. Equally interesting are the Dolmen Tombs, some of the largest prehistoric burial chambers in Europe. Antequera's cuisine is well regarded throughout Andalucía and, dining independently, you can uncover why.

This morning we catch the high-speed train to beautiful Seville for a guided tour. Exploring by coach and on foot, our first stop is the Plaza de España, a colourful landmark with fountains, and tiled alcoves, created for the 1929 'Fair of the Americas' - a mix of Andalucía's different architectural styles.

Our tour ends at the amazing cathedral, the largest Gothic building in Europe, where the bones of Christopher Columbus were interred. The cathedral's bell tower, La Giralda is the minaret of the original mosque and has panoramic views over the city.

The afternoon is yours to explore. The nearby Santa Cruz district is teeming with tapas bars and restaurants. You could visit the Alcázar Palace, which - with its stunning gardens, shady seating areas and cooling water features - is a lovely retreat from the city streets. You may like to walk along the river to the Torre del Oro, once a watchtower and medieval prison, which glows gold as the sun sets. We return to our hotel by rail at the end of the afternoon.

Today we take another high-speed rail journey, this time to Córdoba. This ancient city was once the largest metropolis in western Europe and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

On arrival, we're taken on a guided tour of the city's main attractions, seeing the exterior of the famous Mezquita of Córdoba - one of the world's greatest examples of Islamic architecture. While we do not enter the Mezquita during the tour, you could return during free time later to explore its remarkable interior where several Roman Catholic chapels have been introduced over the centuries, and the building is now regarded as a mosque-cathedral. Our tour also takes us through Córdoba's historic Jewish Quarter, which has a tiny ancient synagogue, hidden stone patios and characterful streets.

You're free over lunch and into the afternoon to look around at leisure and may like to visit the Alcázar palace and gardens here, smaller than Seville's historic palace but still beautiful. We return to our hotel by rail where there is time to relax and dine independently.

On this free day, you could visit Malaga, about an hour away by rail. This attractive city combines history, cuisine and culture. Known as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, the Museo Picasso in the Old Town is one of the city's most popular sites (booking ahead advised). The city has a cathedral, a Roman amphitheatre and one of the best-preserved Moorish fortresses in Spain, the Alcazaba, which overlooks the city from a hilltop. Above is a second fortress, the Castillo de Gibralfaro. Malaga has many restaurants, cafés and bars, as well as the 'Centre Pompidou' gallery of contemporary art.

In Antequera, the Roman Villa of the Station was discovered in 1998 and is now open to the public. From mid-June to mid-September the town has a cultural event called 'Moonlight', when monuments are lit up after dark.

Of course, you may prefer a relaxing day. You could unwind at the hotel swimming pool before dining independently. Local cuisine ranges from refreshing soups to hearty stews and sweets treats such as Bienmesabe.

Travelling by coach to Granada, we visit one of the world's most well-preserved examples of Moorish architecture. The Alhambra palaces and fortress complex has a stunning backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains. On a guided tour, we discover the wonderful Alhambra palaces, whose interiors have intricately carved wooden ceilings, colourful mosaics and beautiful plasterwork.

After our tour, you are free to walk among the beautiful 14th-century Generalife gardens, once a summer palace and country estate of the sultans. Peaceful paths are laid out beneath pergolas dripping with jasmine, pebble mosaics, pools and cooling water features, framed by flowerbeds and pavilions.

With the rest of the day at leisure, you could look around the Albaicín - the Moorish quarters of the city with its steep, narrow streets, Moroccan-style tea shops, and craft shops. The Mirador de San Nicolas has fantastic views up to the Alhambra and is a popular spot for flamenco players, artists and craftspeople. Restaurants and cafés nearby serve tapas, drinks and meals.

This morning, we bid adiós to Spain, as a coach transfers us from Antequera to Malaga Airport for our flight back to London Gatwick, or your regional airport.

Our adventure in Andalucía has taken in the region's three main cities, and on this tour, we have explored its deep history, from Moorish times to the modern day, with plenty of free time to discover the region for ourselves.

Our Discoveries range offers everything you need at a great price so you can travel with confidence. It provides comfortable, locally run accommodation*, standard rail or economy flights and expert-led group tours. You'll be in groups with an average of 30-35 travellers and a maximum of 40. *where available

Situated in the Andalucían town of Antequera, this modern 4-Star hotel is a short distance from the historical and cultural centre. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, while the restaurant serves pizza and pasta dishes with a buffet of high-quality cuisine and local dishes. Air-conditioned guest rooms are equipped with free Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV, safety deposit box, minibar, complimentary toiletries and hairdryer.

Flight upgrades are available. For information regarding the types of upgrades offered by the various airlines we use, call our expert team for details.

Spending a night in London before your tour can make such a difference to the first day of your holiday - you can arrive in the capital in good time, relaxed and ready to join your Tour Manager the next morning. You may even want to take in a show on the West End or dine in one of London's famous restaurants. Perhaps on your return to London, you would like to break your journey with an overnight stay before continuing home.

We can book a wide range of hotels in central London or, for our holidays beginning with a flight, at Heathrow, Gatwick, or Manchester Airport for the night before or after your holiday. If you require a quote for single occupancy at any of the hotels, please contact us on 01904 734 805.

Buying tickets for UK train services can be a tricky business - there are so many fares to choose from, each with different rules and restrictions. As you are connecting with an international departure, we strongly recommend that you book a fully flexible ticket to ensure that should the departure times for your holiday change, your rail ticket can allow for these changes.

We can book fully-flexible UK rail tickets from your local station to join your holiday whether this be a European holiday from St Pancras or a UK holiday. The prices are competitive and tickets are not restricted to a particular train or time of day, and in most cases offer you a free choice of routes.

For an up to date quote from your local station, please ask one of our Tour Advisors.