Ultimate Indulgence: Food and Wellness Tour in Spain

Day One

• Transfer from Malaga to your beautiful accommodation in Vejer de la Frontera. You will stay in a small luxury boutique hotel in a traditional whitewashed building, surrounded by a breath-taking natural setting. The hotel combines modern facilities, such as a large outdoor swimming pool, with the charm and traditions of rural life.
• Your food and wellness tour starts with time to relax, perhaps enjoying a dip in the pool or some time in the two Andalusian-style patios.
• This evening, head out to a local restaurant to enjoy a delicious Mediterranean welcome dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Two

• Breakfast at your hotel, then it is off to learn about the culture of Andalusia in the best way possible: through it’s gastronomy! You will head to the local market to select seasonal ingredients for this first culinary indulgence. Then, help prepare a delicious Spanish lunch, which might include such items as gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp), gazpacho, octopus, tuna and red pepper salad, boquerones (anchovies), Spanish tortilla (omelette), albondigas (meatballs), and more. Since you are in the province of Cadiz, this culinary experience would not be complete without sampling the region’s specialties, which is why you will enjoy a preserved tuna and sherry tasting!
• Rest of day on your own to explore the town. Light dinner tonight at the hotel included.
• Overnight.

Day Three

• Start the day off right with breakfast at the hotel, then a rejuvenating yoga class led by the hotel’s professional instructor, who has more than 10 years of training in different forms of yoga.
• Next, head to La Breña Natural Park, about 15 minutes away, for time in the countryside.
• Enjoy a 3-hour guided hike that features views of Vejer de la Frontera, the salmarshes of Barbate, and Cape Trafalgar. The park’s pine forest grows right up to the sea’s edge, forming spectacular cliffs. It is a landscape of singular beauty, home to interesting flora and fauna, including the cattle egret, egret, Caspian gull, and other migratory birds. 
• Visit one of the largest dovecotes in Europe.  Learn also about the many traditional culinary and medicinal uses of the Mediterranean plants found within the province.
• After your hike, you will enjoy an outdoor picnic lunch in the middle of the pine forest; a truly beautiful natural setting.
• After lunch, transfer back to your hotel where you will have the rest of the afternoon free to rest.
• This evening, meet up with your guide again for a 90-minute orientation walk of Vejer de la Frontera, a serene town with a white labyrinth of buildings, a ruined castle, and a tangible trace of former Moorish influence.
• End the walk with a delicious tapas dinner, during which you’ll be treated to a fantastic selection of Andalusian wines and breath-taking views.
• Overnight.

Day Four

• After breakfast, check out and head to the countryside.
• Grazalema, about 2 hours away. You will explore La Dehesa Biodinámica, which is an “agro-ecological” project that focuses on educating its visitors about biodynamic agriculture and permaculture. What will you see?
  • You can visit the animals, including Lusitano horses, cows, sheep, and goats in the wild, as well as collect eggs from the free-range chickens.
  • You can explore all areas of the farm in eco-friendly 4x4s.
  • You can visit the traditional vegetable garden and learn about their process of composting and biodynamic preparations.
  • You can admire the Lusitano horses’ strength during a rejoneo, or dressage, in the farm’s arena.
  • And of course, you will enjoy a true farm-to-table experience tasting the farm’s olive oil, wine, homemade bread, and a lunch of their seasonal, organic products.
• After lunch, transfer to your hotel in La Viñuela. The town lies near the man-made Lake Viñuela, a popular holiday spot for Andalusians.
• Upon arrival, enjoy a bit of pampering at the hotel’s spa and reclaim your inner peace! Start with aromatherapy and contrast showers, then plunge into the Hammam to release any residual tension from your morning hike. Then, enjoy the sauna overlooking the beautiful surroundings. Finally, savor a 45-minute massage and a calming tea in the relax area.
• Dinner this evening at the hotel’s restaurant.
• Overnight.

Day Five

• This morning, discover the region’s sub-tropical products at a villa and farm nestled between Almuñécar and La Herradura Bay. Meet the owners and enjoy a tour of the farm, during which you can taste fruit right off the trees!
• Once you arrive at the villa, enjoy the sea views from the terrace while you taste the unique regional fruits. The area is known as the “Costa Tropical” due to its mild climate. 
  .
• Next head to Frigiliana for a guided walk of this town, which was named one of the most beautiful villages in Andalusia. Your walk will show you the village’s maze of cobbled streets, whitewashed houses, and red slate roofs, which are dramatically offset by the intense blue skies and the colorful pots of flowers. Enjoy a lunch in Frigiliana.
• You will have plenty of opportunity to take pictures of both the mountains and the sea, as well as time to shop for local wine, ceramics, or leather.
• Finish the afternoon with yoga session on the beach, then head back to the hotel for dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Six

• After breakfast your deriver will pick you up and transport you to Caleta de Velez, a busy fishing port on the Mediterranean coast.
• Your food and wellness tour continues with a bit of sailing and an on-board cooking demonstration! Head out on a Catamaran to see the coast of La Axarquía. You can enjoy drinks on board, as well as swimming and snorkeling (if you are lucky, in the company of dolphins!).
• For lunch enjoy a paella making demonstration, then lunch on board.
• Return to the hotel and time to relax before your farewell dinner.
• Overnight.

Day Seven

• Breakfast, and then a fond farewell before your transfer to the Malaga airport. We hope your food and wellness tour has left you rejuvenated and perfectly satisfied!