Spain

Independent Seville: A Mosaic of Ancient Cultures

Program No. 23911RJ
Discover the rich cultural legacy of Seville as you explore the city alongside local experts, visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites and learn about Moorish architecture and Flamenco dance.

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At a Glance

Welcome to Seville, where history flourishes around every corner and vestiges of ancient cultures are abundant in the Moorish architecture, Gothic cathedrals and centuries-old neighborhoods you’ll learn about on this educational adventure. In the south of Spain, join local experts on a journey through this bustling city’s cultural legacy, from its Ancient Roman origins to its role as the capital of Andalusia today. With plenty of time to explore on your own, gain insider’s knowledge of Seville’s rich past, visit breathtaking UNESCO World Heritage Sites and learn about the Old and New World traditions of its lively people.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Extensive walking: up to 4 miles with some uneven ground, cobblestone streets and stairs.
Independent City Discoveries
Independent City Discoveries
Learn with a Group Leader and enjoy educational programming while also getting substantial independent time to explore on your own. Most Independent City Discoveries include lectures, self-guided excursions and passes for public transit and museums.

What You'll Learn

  • Explore the Alcázar Royal Palace with a local historian and attend a traditional Flamenco dance performance.
  • Discover Córdoba, an important Islamic center from the Middle Ages, and study the Islamic and Jewish landmarks that still stand tall today.
  • Learn how to make traditional Spanish paella during a hands-on cooking class with a professional chef.

General Notes

Program includes independent time to explore the city and most meals will be on your own to enjoy what you like. Group Leaders will provide directions for self-directed excursions. Suggestions for free-time activities are provided in preparatory materials.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Sara Rumbso
Sara Rumbao holds two degrees: one in travel management and another one in English language and literature. She worked in the United States as a Spanish teacher for four years. She has been working at The Center for Crosscultural Studies since she returned to Spain eighteen years ago. After returning, she got a master’s in education and in history. She currently teaches classes on language, literature and history. In her free time, she enjoys reading and studying about religious history, art history and visiting museums.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

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Sara Rumbso View biography
Sara Rumbao holds two degrees: one in travel management and another one in English language and literature. She worked in the United States as a Spanish teacher for four years. She has been working at The Center for Crosscultural Studies since she returned to Spain eighteen years ago. After returning, she got a master’s in education and in history. She currently teaches classes on language, literature and history. In her free time, she enjoys reading and studying about religious history, art history and visiting museums.
Profile Image of Covadonga Hortal
Covadonga Hortal View biography
Covadonga Hortal is passionate about education travel and has always wanted to specialize in the field. Covadonga graduated from university with a degree in tourism and moved to the UK after graduation in order to improve her language skills. Back in Spain, Ms. Hortal led her first travel program in 1999 and continues to enjoy leading groups. She is a certified English teacher, speaks fluent Spanish and some French, and is currently learning Chinese. In Covadonga's free time, she enjoys learning about other cultures.
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While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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9 days
8 nights
10 meals
7 B 1 L 2 D
DAY
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
DAY
2
Arrive Seville, Check-in, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Seville
D
NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas

Activity note: Hotel check-in available by 12:00 Noon. Walking approx. 1 mile; about 1/2 hour; cobblestones and narrow streets

Morning: Upon arrival, leisurely check into your room before orientation.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar Independent program. It is designed for participants who want high-level Road Scholar instruction, a few group activities, and who are capable and comfortable setting out on their own for a significant part of the day/night. There will be several hours of educational content most days. Most meals will be on your own (excluded from the program cost) to enjoy what you like. Dinner in Spain generally takes place later than in North America and meal opportunities on your own will provide ample free time for personal independent exploration. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to make suggestions. During many of our visits we will encounter winding, narrow and cobblestone streets and some uneven ground, stairs and steps. Comfortable and sturdy footwear is highly recommended. There will be extensive daily walking, often up to 4 miles, approx. 1-4 hours, at a steady pace. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. After orientation we’ll set out with our Group Leader for a walking exploration of the area around the hotel, as we get our first taste of the city of Seville.

Dinner: At a local restaurant in Seville we´ll enjoy a welcome dinner with a delicious set menu with a choice of one beverage included; other beverages are available for purchase

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

DAY
3
Contemporary Spain Lecture, Cathedral, Free Time
Seville
B
NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas

Activity note: Walking up to 3-4 miles; periods of standing, cobblestone streets and some uneven ground, stairs and steps. Steady pace; Sturdy comfortable footwear is highly recommended. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: At the Center for Cross-Cultural Study headquarters in Seville, housed in an 18th Century mansion, we will enjoy a cultural class on contemporary Spain, learning about the changes to Spanish society since the death of Franco and the advent of democracy in 1975. We’ll discuss family structure, schooling, social care, the current economic and political situation, and what lies in store for the future. Then, we will meet with a local historian who will walk us into the Cathedral, one of the world´s largest and packed with historic treasures and art. The 343-ft bell tower, the Giralda, the symbol of Seville, is in fact all that remains of the mosque built before the Christians conquered the city in 1248. It was used as a cathedral until earthquake damage caused the Christians to start building a Gothic cathedral on the site in 1401. Construction lasted more than 100 years, paid for partly by gold and silver from the New World. One altar is made entirely of Mexican silver.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions for tapas bars in Seville where you can eat like a local.

Afternoon: Free time for personal independent exploration. You can take this opportunity to join our visit to the Divine Saviour (El Divino Salvador) Church with our Group Leader: This is the largest church in the city after the Cathedral. On its site there was a Roman temple, a Paleo Christian, Visigoth and Moorish basilica and, in the 11th century, the Great Mosque of Seville. Its construction as we see it today began in 1674, and work ended in 1712. It was restored in early 2008, returning the Baroque temple to all its splendor. The dome, the main altarpiece and the sacramental chapel are outstanding. It is also home to two of the most famous – and beautiful – Christs of the city.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like. On-site staff will be happy to make suggestions.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
4
Triana Quarter, Meeting locals
Seville
B
NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas

Activity note: Walking up to 3-4 miles; cobblestone streets and some uneven ground, stairs and steps. Steady pace; Sturdy comfortable footwear is highly recommended. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Free time for personal independent exploration. You can take this opportunity to join a visit to the Triana Quarter with our Group Leader: Old and modern shops, traditional bars and trendsetting places harmoniously mingle in the streets of Triana, thus creating a lively microcosm inside Seville. This historic neighborhood is located on the banks of the River Guadalquivir, and since Roman times it has been the cradle of artists, sailors, bullfighters and potters. A Gothic-Mudejar church (the oldest Christian temple in town), colorful waterfront buildings on calle Betis, a ceramics museum, or the old headquarters of the Spanish Inquisition underneath a renowned fresh-produce market, are some of the sights of the most photographed district of the city. The area is also home to some of the city’s last remaining authentic ceramics manufacturers.

Lunch: On your own to explore the local fare

Afternoon: Meet with local families, learn all about the realities of family life in Spain, as you enjoy lunch an afternoon at their homes.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like. On-site staff will be happy to make suggestions

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Moors & Andalusia Lecture, Alcázar, Jewish Quarter
Seville
B
NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas

Activity note: Walking up to 3-4 miles; periods of standing, cobblestone streets and some uneven ground, stairs and steps. Steady pace; Sturdy comfortable footwear is highly recommended. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: At the Center for Cross-Cultural Study headquarters enjoy a cultural class on the importance of the Moors’ presence in the region. The Moors ruled parts of Andalusia from the early 8th until the late 15th centuries – 800 years of history. Their legacy, especially in terms of what we can see today, was considerable, with two of the region’s most important monuments – the Alcázar of Seville and Granada's Alhambra - dating from Moorish times. Both are UNESCO World Heritage sites. These tribes from North Africa left an outstanding cultural legacy behind them in Al-Andalus, or Andalucía as it is today. Then we will depart for walk with our Group Leader to the extraordinary Alcázar Royal Palace and gardens and meet a local expert who will guide our explorations. This UNESCO Royal residence incorporates architectural and artistic influences from its beginnings as a Moorish fort into the Middle Ages and on through the Renaissance and Baroque eras to the 19th century. Still used by the royal family, it is the oldest royal palace in Europe and one of the most beautiful with its striking Mudéjar (Moorish influenced) design and ornamentation.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like. On-site staff will be happy to make suggestions

Afternoon: Free time for personal independent exploration. You can take this opportunity to join a visit to Barrio de Santa Cruz, Seville’s oldest neighborhood: During medieval times, this neighborhood was the Jewish quarter of the city and it is home to many of Seville’s oldest churches including the Cathedral. This fascinating place is a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleys overflowing with history and legends. In the 18th century it was rebuilt as a well-to-do area with many middle class families choosing to build their homes here. This is the Santa Cruz we find today, a wash of tight streets and picturesque squares perfect for escaping the summer sun and no less attractive on a winter day. It has become one of the main touristic areas of the city, an attraction in its own right. Leave your maps at home, and get lost in this maze of tapas, flamenco and cafés.

Dinner: On your own to sample the local cuisine

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
6
Córdoba Great Mosque, Synagogue, Jewish Quarter
Seville
B,L
NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas

Activity note: Driving approx. 175 miles total throughout the day. Walking up to 4 miles; periods of standing, cobblestone streets and some uneven ground, stairs and steps. Steady pace; Sturdy comfortable footwear is highly recommended. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Departing from the hotel by private bus for a full-day field trip to explore some of the most important sites in Córdoba, the crossroads of civilizations and mainstay of Islamic and Jewish heritage in Spain. While here, we’ll enjoy expert-led explorations of the Great Mosque and Cathedral, and one of the last-standing ancient synagogues in Spain. We’ll stroll through the geranium-filled Judería, once Córdoba's Jewish Quarter, and site of a monument to the famous philosopher Maimónides.

Lunch: At a typical restaurant in Córdoba, we’ll have a set menu with one beverage selection included; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: A short free time in Córdoba to explore on your own after lunch. We will return to Seville late afternoon.

Dinner: On your own to sample the local cuisine.

Evening: At leisure

DAY
7
Itálica, Flamenco show
Seville
B
NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas

Activity note: Driving approx. 15 miles total throughout the day. Walking up to 3 miles; periods of standing, cobblestone streets and some uneven ground, stairs and steps. Steady pace; Sturdy comfortable footwear is highly recommended. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel Buffet

Morning: We will depart via private bus for a field trip to the Roman ruins of Itálica, just outside Seville, for an expert-led exploration with a local historian of this birthplace of two Roman emperors. This Roman city 10 minutes from Seville was founded in 206 BC and shows today a 25,000-seater amphitheater which has partially survived, as well as some remarkable mosaics. Afterwards, we will return to Seville to have some free time and enjoy the city.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like. On-site staff will be happy to make suggestions

Afternoon: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Afterwards we will depart from the hotel for a walk to a local “tablao” and see flamenco come alive at an intimate show.

Dinner: On your own to taste the local cuisine

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
8
Free time, Plaza de España, Paella Cooking Class
Seville
B,D
NH Sevilla Plaza de Armas

Activity note: Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day; cobblestone streets and some uneven ground, stairs and steps. Steady pace; Sturdy comfortable footwear is highly recommended. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration or join to a visit to Plaza de España & María Luisa Park with our Group Leader: María Luisa Park is the most famous park in Seville. Formerly the private gardens of a palace, the land was donated to the Seville citizens after the death of the princess, and reformed with a romantic touch inspired by the gardens in Granada and Seville. In 1910 the park was chosen as the main location for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929, and many pavilions were designed and built in this area of the city. Framed in the park, Plaza de España was the centerpiece of the exhibition and consists of a magnificent structure in a large semi-circle, built in the style of Moorish Revival architecture. Surrounding the building there are 48 sets of tiled benches, each dedicated to a province of Spain. This plaza-palace is unique in the world and it is, without a doubt, one of the most imposing squares in Spain.

Lunch: On your own to sample the local fare.

Afternoon: We will depart by walk to have a hands-on cooking class led by a local chef. We will learn about and cook the most popular traditional Spanish dish: Paella

Dinner: Share your favorite experiences with your new Road Scholar friends over a tasty Paella for your Farewell dinner with sangria and water included

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

DAY
9
Program Concludes
Departure
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers.

Breakfast: Hotel Buffet

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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