From Albania to Andalucia

I have just returned home after a week’s break from writing and marketing my two books, God’s Secret Listener about Albania and Four Centuries at The Lion Hotel, Shrewsbury.

My favourite European country is Italy, but this time my wife, Jan, and I decided to go on a tour of Andalucia.

I must admit I have never been a great fan of Spain, its food and coach tours believing they were for older people than me.

However, I knew the Alhambra in Granada (pictured below), which was on my must see before I die list, was difficult to do on your own, hence the coach.

But I must say the tour with Riviera Travel of Burton-on-Trent was well arranged while our first class guide, Cilla Cameron, provided the right balance between organised trips and free time. With superb tapas bars and temperatures in the late 30s all week, what more could we want?

After leaving the cold of  Manchester Airport where we had to queue outside for passport control we soon arrived at Malaga and the warmth of the four-star Puerta del Sol in Mijas, which certainly lived up to its rating.

Next morning it was off to Ronda, a spectacular city built on a ridge, split by a deep gorge and joined by a massive stone bridge. Because of its impregnable position Ronda was one of the last Moorish bastions of power, only falling to the Christians in 1485.

That evening we arrived in Seville, one of the most beautiful cities in the world and in the 15^th and 16^th centuries the wealthiest thanks to the discovery of America.

With its imposing cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried; the amazing fortified palace of the Moors, the Alcazar; plus the majestic 1929 World Exhibition buildings we certainly needed three nights to explore this city, the home of flamenco dancing and the setting for the opera Carmen.

Next on the tour was Cordoba, its immense Roman bridge and The Mezquita, surely the most beautiful Moorish mosque, before arriving in Granada for two nights.

There is a daily limit on the number of visitors to the extraordinary Alhambra so we were fortunate to get 8.30am tickets which meant we could see this Moorish palace, fortress and gardens before it was too crowded and too hot.

The early start also gave us a free time that afternoon and the following morning before flying home.

It was a great holiday and I must admit I am now a convert to southern Spain – and even coach tours.