Tuesday 10th – Friday 13th September 2024
Following a last minute cancellation, a twin/double room is now available. Please contact the group leader, Angela Chantry, ASAP if you are interested:
spanish.culture.cuisine@u3ajavea.com
ITINERARY: JAVEA / BUNOL (138 km) / TARANCON (241 km)
Tuesday 10th September
08.45 hrs: Departure from Golden Star Apartments, Calle Bruselas, Arenal.
09.00 hrs: Departure from Interiors, Avenida Ausius March, Jávea port.
09.20 hrs: Pick up at Mas y Mas on the N332 if required.
11.00 hrs: Arrival in Buñol and free time for refreshments and sightseeing.
Built between the 11th and 12th centuries, Buñol Castle is one of the best preserved in the Valencian Community and one of the few in Spain with houses inside, still inhabited today. Accessing from the upper part, through the central tower, you will find the Plaza de Armas, where most of the houses are located, nestled between two lateral towers that border the square. A bridge, with panoramic views of the town, leads to the lower enclosure, where you will find the Torre Mayor, the Archaeological Museum, the Ethnographic Museum, the old Church of El Salvador and the Gothic Palace. In the lower part, the South Tower gives access to the Castillo neighbourhood, which leads into a network of narrow streets of Muslim origin with small squares with whitewashed walls. This neighbourhood has served as an inspiration for well-known artists such as Sorolla, who painted some of its streets. Can be visited any day of the year at any time and is free.
14.00 hrs: Reboard our coach and travel to Tarancón; comfort stop enroute.
17.00 hrs: Check in to the 4* Hotel Ansares; 3 nights’ bed & breakfast accommodation.
20.30 hrs: Dinner included for the group on the evening of arrival.
Wednesday 11th September
Breakfast.
A day to enjoy the heritage of Tarancón, Uclés and Huete
9.30 Departure from Tarancón.
10:00 Guided tour of the Monumental City of Huete.
Huete is one of the most monumental cities in Cuenca, since its churches, its monasteries, its palace-houses and its wall make this town one of the most attractive in the region. In Huete there remains one of the few Cuenca examples of a full Gothic apse (13th century), a convent built by Andrés de Valdelvira and the Monastery of La Merced.
12:15 Guided visit to Uclés Monastery.
The Monastery of Uclés , known as the Escorial de la Mancha, the main headquarters of the Military Order of Santiago, began its construction during the time of Charles I. Its cloister is accessed through a beautiful doorway.
Inside you will find the refectory with its wooden coffered ceiling, and above all stands the church, in Herrerian style, a form of architecture which was developed in Spain during the last 3rd of the 16th century under the reign of Philip.
13:30 Tasting of wines and typical products at the Uclés Monastery.
14:00 Lunch at a restaurant in Uclés included.
16:30 Guided tour of Tarancón.
Tarancón is a city full of history. It has such emblematic places as the Casa Parada, a perfect example of a manor house, the old Palace of the Duke of Riansares , the Plaza de la Constitución or the Arco de la Malena, an authentic icon and image of the city of Tarancón. One of the most monumental buildings is the Church of the Assumption, built between the late Gothic and Renaissance periods, where its impressive altarpiece stands out.
Return to our hotel and a free evening.
Thursday 12th September
Breakfast.
A day excursion to the Lapis Specularis Mines, the Mosaics of Noheda and the Segóbriga Archaeological Park. A unique experience through a trip to the Roman Empire to discover the secrets of a civilisation, with the help of specialised guides.
9.00 Departure from Tarancón.
10:00 Visit Roman Mines of Lapis Specularis of Saceda del Rio.
The Roman Villa of Noheda: this luxurious Roman Villa from the 4th century AD, known as the Spanish Pompeii, is home to the largest mosaic in the world. Without a doubt, one of the great wonders of the Roman world. Katherine Dunbabin, professor emerita at the University of Oxford and one of the great experts in mosaic art, declared that it was “the most impressive mosaic she had seen in the entire Roman Empire”.
14:00 Lunch at a restaurant in Saelices included.
16:00 Guided tour of the Segobriga Archaeological Park.
Segóbriga Archaeological Park. One of the most important vestiges of the Roman world. The city was the centre of economic control and marketing of the Lapis Specularis mines, known as the Crystal of Hispania, which allowed its economic boom and monumentalisation from the time of Augustus. It is also one of the best examples of a Roman city in the interior of the peninsula. There are only 7 Roman cities in Spain that have a theatre, an amphitheatre and a circus, and one of them is Segóbriga. Asset of Cultural Interest, declared a National Monument in 1931.
18:00 End of the excursion and return to our hotel.
Free evening.
Friday 13th September: TARANCON / CASAS DE CUADRA (204 km) / JAVEA (178 km)
Breakfast
09.45 hrs: Check out and load luggage onto the coach.
10.00 hrs: Travel to Casas de Cuadra.
12.30 hrs: Arrival and guided visit to “Caserío de Sisternas” (Museum of Wine and Rural Life).
Surrounded by vineyards, the Caserío de Sisternas was founded by the Lobbyists family at the end of the 19th century. The great-grandfather Cándido , the first Lobbyist, transformed an entire 200-hectare farm of saffron into wine grapes. His young sons, Miguel and Silverio, expanded it in the 1930s, achieving a capacity of 600,000 kg of grapes. Miguel García, Lobbyist of the III generation, helped by his family, is now in charge of turning the Caserío de Sisternas into one of the best and most complete ethnographic museums in the Valencian Community. It was recognized as an Ethnological Museum in 1996 by the Ministry of Culture, Education and Sports.
In it there is a re-creation, through more than 5000 objects, of what life, work, customs and festivals of the ancestors of the area were like. Visitors have the opportunity to see different exhibitions: the main house decorated with old family memorabilia, the collection of motorcycles, tractors and bicycles, and the old cellar where the utensils for the production and conservation of wines are kept.
The guided visit will take approximately 2 hrs and will include a tasting of 3 wines:
Parreño blanco 2023
Parreño Rosado 2023
Aula Bobal tempranillo 2021
a cava: Vega Medien Brut nature
and a cold platter:
Cheese, sausages, tomato and typical bread with jam.
Cream and truffle ensaimada (a traditional sweet pastry from Mallorca)
and coffee.
15.00 hrs: Reboard our coach for the return journey to Jávea; comfort stop enroute.
18.00 hrs: Approximate time of arrival in Jávea.
INCLUDED
Coach transport.
3 nights’ accommodation in the 4* Hotel Ansares, Tarancón, breakfast included.
Dinner in the hotel on the first evening (as above; vegetarian option available if required).
Guided tours on Day 2 and Day 3 as described in the itinerary, with entry fees and lunch included.
Guided visit to the Caserío de Sisternas (Museum of Wine and Rural Life), with tastings and cold plate as described.
Gratuities.
COST
Sharing a twin/double room: €425 per person
Please note that there are several walking tours involved and therefore this trip is not suitable for anyone with a walking disability.
For further information, please contact the group leader, Angela Chantry:
spanish.culture.cuisine@u3ajavea.com
