Itinerary Notes

Sometimes changes to the itinerary are necessary due to the weather or special situations This can happen with little notice. If you’re flexible and have a sense of humour, you’re bound to have a fun and relaxing trip across this beautiful part of the world.

DAY 1:

The tour picks up at 9:00 am from the Hotel Rey Alfonso X, our recommended hotel in Seville. We have a 90-minute shuttle out of the city to get to Arcos de la Frontera, where your scooters will be waiting. The ride takes you to the beautiful “pueblo blanco” (white village) of Zahara where we stop for lunch. Continue from there to the El Tajo gorge and the historic hilltop village of Ronda, which has been inhabited since Neolithic times. Celts, Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths, Moors, and ultimately the Spanish have inhabited this strategic site. Our accommodation, the Hotel San Gabriel, was built in 1736 as the dwelling of a noble family, the Pizarros, heirs of the famous explorer and conqueror of Peru, who kept it for many generations. Overnight Ronda.  Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.

DAY 2:

Today we ride along the “Ruta de Pueblos Blancos,” a beautiful route that links the “white villages” together. We stop in the pretty mountain village of Grazalema, whose steep, cobbled streets are lined by whitewashed houses with wrought-iron balconies spilling forth a cheerful explosion of colourful blooms. A short walk takes you to a local farm where we have a tasting of their delicious homemade cheeses made from sheep and goat’s milk. Our afternoon ride stays within the Sierra de Grazalema, a protected area featuring an impressively sculpted landscape of high limestone peaks, sheer cliff faces, lush valleys, and deep green forests. Stop for lunch in the picturesque town of Setenil de las Bodegas, renowned for its dwellings built into rock overhangs above the Rio Trejo. Return to Ronda for Tapas dinner. Overnight Ronda. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

DAY 3:

We head east today and ride through the “Puerta del Viento” pass to El Burgo for a coffee break before carrying on to El Chorro, a small town located at the mouth of the Gaitanes gorge and one of the most popular rock-climbing sites in Spain. Enjoy lunch at the Restaurant La Garganta which has an awesome view over the lake and steep limestone peaks beyond. After lunch you can choose to walk the “Caminito del Rey” [the King’s path], one of the most impressive mountainside trails in the world. The route has been rebuilt to make it safe and it is now open after 15 years of closure, but it’s not for the faint of heart! In the afternoon we glide on our scooters through bucolic farmland and past tiny hamlets, to the outskirts of the city of Antequera, where we find our next accommodation, Hotel La Magdalena, a 16th century convent transformed into a 5-star hotel. Head into town tonight to experience this lively baroque city before enjoying dinner at a local restaurant in the town centre. Overnight Antequera  Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

DAY 4:

Give your scooter a rest day today and transfer by van to Cordoba (about 1.5 hrs) for a guided visit of the “mesquita” (mosque), a UNESCO World Heritage site. Originally built as a mosque by the ruling Islamic caliphate that ruled all of Spain, it was eventually taken over by Christians who decided not to demolish the massive mosque (it could hold 30,000 people!), but to simply build a towering cathedral inside of it! There’s no other building like it in the world. Afterwards, you have time to wander the city’s colorful streets and see some of their famous “patios” (courtyards often decorated lavishly with plants and decorated floors). Some private houses open their patios only in May, so we may be lucky enough to see some of these usually hidden gems. Return to your hotel in the afternoon and relax at the hotel’s spa before dinner in the hotel restaurant. Overnight Antequera. Hotel, breakfast and dinner included.

DAY 5:

Our morning starts with a breathtaking ride to “El Torcal,” a surreal  landscape of rounded limestone discs and towers formed by Nature’s own hand. We then ride to Alhama de Granada, whose name derives from ancient thermal baths, “al-hammah” in Arabic. After lunch, enjoy a final ride to the outskirts of Granada, where we say goodbye to our scooters and take a private transfer to avoid the traffic to our last destination, the marvelous city of Granada. We stay either the Hotel Palacio Santa Inés or the Hotel Casa del Capitel Nazarì, both in renovated noble houses from the 16th century, located in the heart of the old town. Tonight we go to Sacromonte, the most picturesque neighborhood of the city for its landscapes and cave houses, where people have always gone to play guitar, sing, and dance. Tonight we join in the fun and attend a Flamenco show. Olé! Overnight Granada. Hotel, breakfast, and dinner included.

DAY 6:

In the morning we have a guided visit of the Alhambra, former residence of the Arab Caliphs who ruled over Spain for seven centuries. It’s another UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most amazing palaces in the world. Our adventure ends with a farewell lunch together.
Departure from Granada: we have not included the final transfer because the departure options are too numerous. Some may wish to linger and spend an extra day in Granada, to explore the Albayzìn, a picturesque district that retains the narrow winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past, or even relax in the magical atmosphere of a traditional Arab hamman. Breakfast included.

END OF TRIP

TRANSPORT

125 cc scooter rental; initial transfer and luggage transfers throughout the trip.

The Scooters – Traveling by scooter is fun and easy. We have a local scooter provider who supplies us with modern 125cc scooters. They are not Vespa (if you really really want a vespa, we could negociate that, Im sure) but are very similar, with an electric start and automatic transmission. The brakes are on the handlebars, like a bicycle. We provide you with helmets. Travelling by scooter is the best way to get off the beaten track without working up a sweat! Of course, couples can ride together on one scooter (and save €100 for one person).

Important | Qualifications

You must be over 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license. Of course anyone can be a passenger. Previous experience on a scooter or motorbike is advantageous and highly advised. If you have not ridden one before then you should do so before you do this trip.  Rent a scooter locally, and learn how to ride it before coming on the trip.

WE ARE NOT HERE TO TEACH YOU HOW TO DRIVE A SCOOTER. YOU MUST ARRIVE AT THE START OF THE TRIP ALREADY A COMPETENT RIDER. In the past we have been amazed by people who arrive to drive a scooter on public roads who have never ridden a scooter before and who are uncoordinated, nonathletic, and who will clearly never be able to drive a scooter safely. Please do not be one of these people. Our scooters are easy to ride, but a good sense of balance and coordination is required. The scooters have a 125cc engine and an all-steel frame. They are lighter and easier to drive than a larger motorbike but they are also heavier than a moped and other smaller 50cc scooters (they weigh about 110 kg, or about 235 lbs).

You will be driving a motor vehicle on public roads. You are responsible for your safety but also for the safety of other motorists, bikers and pedestrians. You must be able to control the scooter and drive it competently. If we feel your driving skills put you and others at risk we reserve the right to take the scooter away from you. In the event that you cannot ride as a passenger on the back of someone else, then we will help to arrange an alternative mode of transport, either taxi, or rental car, but at your expense.

The bottom line is that we just want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday!

We look forward to having you join us for the trip of a lifetime!

What’s Included

• Accommodations for 7 days and 6 nights at our favorite beautiful hotels
• Full time experienced guide(s) who are with you throughout the trip, handle behind-the-scenes logistics and are there to help with anything from haggling for a rug to buying a tube of toothpaste
• Support vehicle(s)
• Admissions to tastings, historic sites and other scheduled events as noted in the detailed daily itinerary.
• Gratuities for hotels, meals and baggage
• Trip literature
• All transportation during the trip
• All breakfasts , lunch and dinners