Al Andalus Express – Madrid to Seville

Your adventure begins today as you land in Madrid. On arrival in the Spanish capital, you'll be transferred to your hotel to relax or begin your explorations independently. Choose from our selection of 4-Star and 5-Star hotels on a B&B basis.

This morning, you'll be transferred to meet your fellow Al Andalus passengers. Afterward, a panoramic tour of Madrid unveils the main sights of the capital, before enjoying lunch. In the afternoon, a transfer takes you to nearby Aranjuez, where the train awaits. A visit to the Royal Palace of Aranjuez and its gardens reveals the beauty of this UNESCO World Heritage site dating from the 16th century. Returning to Al Andalus, savor your first dinner aboard before spending the night on the train in Aranjuez.

After breakfast, your first off-train excursion takes you to Toledo, a city that was once the capital of Spain during the reign of Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. The blend of Christian, Muslim and Jewish architecture can be seen in its Gothic cathedral, 10th-century mosque and synagogues like Santa María la Blanca and El Tránsito. Today, this cultural impact has seen Toledo awarded UNESCO World Heritage status. Lunch is served in the city, before there's free time to explore at leisure. Returning to the train, enjoy dinner while Al Andalus rolls across the plain of La Mancha to Alcázar de San Juan, where it stops overnight.

Enjoy breakfast on the train before learning how La Mancha's most famous products are produced. One of the largest vine-growing regions in the world, La Mancha is renowned for its wines, as well as cheeses including Manchego. Visits to an artisanal cheese factory and a wine cellar help uncover the soul of the region through its food and drink. Lunch is enjoyed before a trip to Campo de Criptana. This evocative area dotted with its iconic windmills inspired Cervantes' most-famous work, Don Quixote. At sunset, return to the train in Alcázar de San Juan and savor dinner as Al Andalus continues through Spain to Cáceres.

Waking in the Extremadura city of Cáceres, enjoy breakfast before a tour of this UNESCO World Heritage site brimming with well-preserved medieval streets, timeless squares and grand palaces. Later, Al Andalus rolls south to the nearby city of Mérida. Sightseeing here reveals the remains of Emerita Augusta, the capital of the former Roman province of Lusitania, as you view breathtaking theatres, temples and aqueducts stretching back to the city's founding in 25 BC. Dining back on the train this evening, Al Andalus heads further south to Jerez de la Frontera.

Reaching Andalucía, you enjoy a flavor of this celebrated region in Jerez today, beginning after breakfast with a famous equestrian ballet. Set to Spanish music, an elegant equine performance of How the Andalucían Horses Dance introduces the region's charming traditions. After lunch in a local restaurant, you head to one of Jerez's most prestigious wineries to discover how its celebrated fortified wine is produced. Known by its anglicized name of sherry, you will also be treated to a tasting before returning to the train for dinner.

Known as the 'Silver Cup', Cádiz is considered to be the oldest city in the western world. After breakfast on Al Andalus, a guided tour uncovers its history which stretches back to the time of the Phoenicians in 1100 BC. Exploring this ancient city reveals a labyrinth of narrow streets opening up onto quaint squares brimming with life, while the yellow dome of the cathedral dominates the city skyline. Back on board, savor lunch before your arrival in Córdoba. One of Andalucía's most revered sites is here, and you'll tour the remarkable Mezquita, or mosque-cathedral, as you explore a city that once flourished as the capital of the Al Andalus caliphate. Dinner is served on the train this evening.

During breakfast, you arrive in Seville and disembark the luxurious Al Andalus train. On a tour of the historic capital of Andalucía, discover the cathedral crowned by the Giralda, a famous symbol of Seville, and walk through the narrow streets of the Barrio de Santa Cruz, where the Jewish community once settled. After lunch at a local restaurant, you can take private transfer to your choice of hotel for the evening.

From Madrid to Seville, this luxurious journey aboard the magnificent Al Andalus train has taken you through some of Spain's most renowned locations. The evocative scenery that inspired Cervantes - and delectable cheese and wine - were experienced in La Mancha, while palaces and timeless history were uncovered in Toledo, Cáceres and Mérida. Visits to Córdoba, Jerez and Cádiz have revealed the charm of Andalucía, while tastings of tapas and sherry have offered an enchanting glimpse into its culture.

Awaking in your hotel this morning, your once-in-a-lifetime adventure comes to an end as you are transferred from your hotel to Seville airport ready for your flight home.