Train Travel

Tour Andalucia in style.

If you enjoy luxury then why not travel for six days on the Al Andalus Express. Take this fantastic stylish journey as the train meanders through the towns of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

This train will be your transport, hotel, bar, lounge, cafe, restaurant and dance floor for your stay on board. The journey includes visits to the historic towns of Andalucia such as Seville, Cordoba, Granada and Jerez. You will witness a wide variety of scenery as the train winds through the orange/lemon/olive hills and the stonier landscape at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

Board this reconstructed 1930's style train, in Seville, and you will feel you have travelled back in time. The polished wood carriage interiors and sparkling etched-glass windows along with the courtesy shown by the staff all adds to this wonderful experience.

It has twelve brown and cream pullman style carriages all which have been reconstructed and refitted. Several of the cars have historical stories and one of the sleeping cars is supposed to heve been used by a King of England as he travelled between Calais and the Cote d'Azur. The train also has two shower carriages, five sleeping carriages, a staff carriage, two restaurants, a lounge, a games room, a bar and a dance floor. It can comfortably accomodate 80 passengers

Be prepared that if you book a standard class cabins, they are small. By comparison they are as small as a second-class overnight sleeper accommodation between Glasgow and London. There is limited storage space and bunk beds which may prove difficult for some travellers. but remain horizontal - sitting, reading and even talking was difficult. However if you only use it for sleeping you will be fine, make the decision initially to use the loung car as your sitting-room.

For more space you can chose to book, from the more expensive, Superior class (two compartments joined together), or Club class which is more spacious(two single beds convert by day to a sofa, chair and table) with panoramic window, good storage and en suite shower and toilet. No matter what class you choose all compartments come with large white robes and slippers.

This journey is an experience but it should be pointed out that a lot of the travel to view the sites is carried out by coach journey. You disembark from the train, pick up a coach and then return to the train further on up the track. This can be disappointing if you thought the whole trip was undertaken by train.

The Al Andulas Express leaves Seville for Cordoba on a Sunday. As the train begins its journey, passengers are served their first onboard meal. The portions are large and an example meal is:an aubergine starter, followed by duck and local chocolate cake, all served with local wines. As you enjoy this taste sensation your eyes are continually drawn to the beautiful scenery you are passing through.

The first stop at Cordoba gives an in sight to the quality of service you receive for the whole holiday. This is the first of several guided tours you have to learn about the local Andalcian history. You are led by tour guides who are experts in their field. The tour of Cordoba links the variety of cultures (Christian, Islamic and Jewish) that have added to the local history.The tour begins in the old Jewish quarter of the town and then you progress to the mosque of Abd al Rahman. This building was started in the eighth century and took many centuries to complete, however it was partially destroyed in the sixteenth century by the Christians. During 1532,in the middle of the Islamic towers and arches the Christians built a cathedral. This unusual site shows how the cultures live side by side.

After the fascinating tour you will be served dinner in the Jewish quarter. You are given the opportunity to sample dish after dish of Andalucian specialities such as:fish, calamari, chorizo, lamb, and, to quench your thirst you will taste Cava and local vino tinto. After the meal you return to the train and undertake the only night journey.

Breakfast is served on the first morning as the train approaches Granada. The choices for breakfast are amazing, fruit, yoghurt and juices to the full English fry-up. This every morning of your trip ensures you have a good start to your day.

After breakfast you board the coach to visit the Alhambra complex of gardens and royal palaces. There is so much to see it is difficult to do it justice in one day. The staff move you a round at a fast pace to ensure that you see as much as possible. Once again, though, the guides are superb and enlighten you to all types of facts. Things like Pythagoras's theorem inspired the design of the elaborately vaulted ceiling of the Sala de los Abencerrajes.It was here that Boabdil's father murdered 16 princes of the Abencerraj family to protect his daughter, but his rule was almost over and in 1492, the year Columbus first sailed, Boabdi was forced to flee Granada when the city fell to the Catholic monarchs.

Seventy kilometre outside Granada there is a hotel called' La Bobadilla' and this is a version of the famous Boabdil's name. It is here you will stay for two days to recharge your batteries after all that sight seeing.

After resting, the tour picks up with visits to the foothill towns of Antequera and Ronda. Whilst there you will dine in more handpicked paradors and visit the sherry cellars of Jerez.

The final celebratorygala meal is served as the train comes to rest in Seville station. It is followed by singing and dancing which lasts until the early hours of the following morning.

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