Thursday, May 10, 2012

Day 8 - Onto the Sherry and one last night in Andalusia - The Bishop/Kalinowski/Olsen Tour

On our last day in Andalusia, the group crossed through the beautiful Sierra de Grazalema National Park on our way from Seville to Malaga. But first we stopped for a drink. To be more precise, having decided the previous week that a stop in sherry country would be a good idea, we had updated our scheduled route to include a visit to Jerez de la Frontera, home to the world's best sherry producers. Upon successfully navigating the tiny streets and parking the van, we stepped into the Bodegas Tradicion for a cultural-gastronomic experience. The tour guide explained the sherry process, the various types of sherry and the difference between  a VOS (very old sherry) and a VORS (very old and rare sherry). The winery has an added bonus, it´s impressive art collection, including the masters of Spanish art, which gave us a chance to appreciate the culture and heritage of the country, which is linked so closely with this style of wine. The tasting itself allowed them to sample the full range, from dry fino to the rich 40 year old brandy.

From there we headed down the coast to spend our last evening in Malaga. As the drive took us through a lovely natural park, we took the chance and stopped at a local restaurant in the mountains of the Sierra Grazalema for a great locally produced pork loin sandwich before continuing to our final destination in the south. The beautiful sunshine allowed for a perfect afternoon to enjoy the port city. In the evening we went to one of the classic restaurants of the city, El Tintero. Rather than ordering, we simply asked the waiter to bring what was fresh off the grill, and enjoyed a lovely evening of fish, seafood (the favorites being the Rosado and calamari. Then it was off to the hotel and getting ready for our return to Barcelona.

For more information on your private guided tour in Spain, contact The Spanish Touch at 888-480-0013.

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