Treasures of cuenca: uclés, huete & tarancón + a roman villa with the largest mosaic in the world

A 4-day Spanish Culture & Cuisine trip from Tuesday 10th to Friday 13th September 2024

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En route to Tarancón we will make a stop at Buñol, where there will be time for refreshments and a wander through its network of narrow streets of Muslim origin, with small squares and whitewashed walls, which served as an inspiration for well-known artists such as Sorolla.

Our hotel for the 3 nights in Tarancón will be the 4* Hotel Ansares, with bed & breakfast included and dinner for the group on the evening of arrival. The hotel is defined as a gastronomic hotel, since Essentia Restaurante is known nationally for several awards, recently receiving a Sol from the Repsol Guide

After breakfast the next morning we will have:

A day to enjoy the heritage of Tarancón, Uclés and Huete

Guided walking tour of the historic centre of Tarancón

Guided visit to the Monastery of Uclés, known as the Escorial de la Mancha, the main headquarters of the Military Order of Santiago, which began its construction during the time of Charles I. Its cloister is accessed through a beautiful doorway and inside you will find the refectory with its wooden coffered ceiling.

Tasting of Manchego products and DO Uclés wines

Lunch

Guided tour of Huete, one of the most monumental cities in Cuenca, its churches, monasteries, its palace-houses and its wall make this town one of the most attractive in the region. 

After returning to the hotel, the evening will be free.

Following breakfast the next morning there will be a day excursion to Segóbriga, the Lapis Specularis Mines and the Mosaics of Noheda. A unique experience through a trip to the Roman Empire to discover the secrets of a civilisation, with the help of specialised guides.

  • Guided tour of the Segobriga 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. 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.
  • Visit to the Roman Mines of Lapis Specularis of Saceda del Rio
  • Lunch
  • Guided tour of 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”.

After returning to the hotel, the evening will be free.

On our journey back to Javea we will have a guided visit to “Caserío de Sisternas” (Museum of Wine and Rural Life) with a tasting of 3 wines: Parreño blanco 2023, Parreño Rosado 2023 and Aula Bobal tempranillo 2021 and a cava: Vega Medien Brut nature. A cold platter is included with Cheese, sausages, tomato and typical bread with jam, cream and truffle ensaimada (a traditional sweet pastry from Mallorca) and coffee.

COST: Sharing a twin/double room: €425 per person; Room for sole occupancy: €555 per person

If you would like to receive a copy of the detailed itinerary, please send an email to the group leader, Angela Chantry.

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