Culinary Soul of Andalucia

October 25, 2026
As we land at Sevilla Airport, the rhythm of Andalucía begins to reveal itself in glimpses: whitewashed villages on distant hillsides, fields of sunflowers and wheat, and the silvery shimmer of olive groves stretching toward the horizon. A Palatum driver will be waiting to welcome you, and as we leave the city behind, the road unfurls through open countryside toward our rural hacienda retreat.

Once a working olive estate, the hacienda has been lovingly restored into an intimate country home. After check in, the afternoon is yours to exhale from the journey and slip into the slower cadence of Andalusian life. Drift between shaded courtyards and the pool, wander through gardens perfumed with jasmine and bougainvillea, or simply rest in your room as the warm light softens over the plains.

As evening approaches, the hacienda comes alive with the pulse of a private Flamenco performance. Dancers, guitar and voice weave together centuries of tradition, inviting us into the emotional heart of Andalucía. An aperitivo of chilled Manzanilla sherry, briny olives and silky jamón de bellota sets the tone for our first gathering, a bold introduction to the flavors and stories that will shape the days ahead.

Tonight we gather for our first shared table beneath a wide, starlit sky. The kitchen sends out a progression of dishes that follow the season: fragrant olive oils from nearby groves, vegetables pulled from the earth at their peak, slow cooked stews and roasts that feel both rustic and refined. As plates are passed and glasses are refilled, conversation loosens, stories start to surface and the spirit of this Soirée begins to come into focus around the table.

Meals: D
Overnight: Hacienda de San Rafael

October 26, 2026
Morning arrives quietly in the countryside, and we begin with an unhurried breakfast at the hacienda, where warm bread, local cheeses, seasonal fruit and good coffee ease us into the day. Afterward, we gather in the kitchen for our first full cooking session. Our chef host lays out the essential ingredients and cooking terms of Andalucía, using each olive oil, sherry vinegar, tomato, almond and clove of garlic as a way to introduce the region’s authentic flavors and the history behind them.

With this foundation in place, we turn to some of the most cherished recipes of the Andalusian kitchen and the age old methods that keep them alive. We learn how silken salmorejo and ajo blanco are built by hand, then move into a series of homestyle dishes that feel as if they have passed from one family table to the next. The workshop culminates in a generous lunch, where we sit down to enjoy the dishes we have prepared alongside a few specialties from the chef, tasting the results of the morning’s shared work.

The afternoon is free to unwind at the hacienda, whether that means a siesta, a swim or simply time in the garden. As the light softens, we meet in the courtyard for a relaxed wine and cheese reception, pairing regional bottles with local cheeses and small bites. Dinner is a casual affair, a table scattered with tapas that invite everyone to share, taste and linger while conversation hums late into the evening.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hacienda de San Rafael

October 27, 2026
After a leisurely countryside breakfast, we drive toward the Atlantic until the light shifts and Cádiz comes into view, a whitewashed city surrounded by sea. Our morning begins in the 19th century market hall, where a local food expert leads us past stalls piled high with just-caught fish, glistening shellfish, sun ripened produce, olives and spices. It is a vivid introduction to the daily life of a port that has been trading with the wider world for centuries.

From there, we step into the streets of the historic center for a lively tapeo, a tapas walk that threads through some of Cádiz’s most beloved bars. Plate by plate, we taste singular local specialties, including the prized wild tuna of almadraba, paired with wines that echo the brightness of the nearby sea. A guided visit to the cathedral offers a quieter pause, with sweeping views and stonework that tell their own story of faith and maritime power.

In the afternoon, we leave the coast behind and travel into the rolling vineyards of Andalucía’s famed Sherry Triangle. Our first stop is a traditional vinegar cellar, where rows of barrels rest in the cool dim light. Here we explore the craft of solera aged vinegar and taste a flight of four distinct styles, including fragrant Muscatel and densely sweet Pedro Ximénez.

We then continue to Bodegas Hidalgo La Gitana, where we learn how soil, climate and time come together in the creation of manzanilla and other regional sherries. A guided tasting, paired with jamón and local cheeses, reveals the range from bone dry to lusciously sweet. As evening falls, we sit down for an intimate dinner hosted among the bodega’s prized barrels, a slow, memorable meal that seems to hold the day’s journey from sea to cellar in each glass. Afterward, we return to our countryside hacienda for the night.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hacienda de San Rafael

October 28, 2026
Morning unfolds quietly over the fields before we set out for Jerez, where a different kind of ritual awaits. At an atmospheric Arab bath, tiled rooms, low light and the sound of water create a hushed world apart from the city outside. Warm and cool pools, steam and stone offer a slow reset, followed by individual massages that coax the last traces of travel from tired muscles.

Midday, we share a vegetable forward spa lunch that showcases the lighter side of Andalusian cooking. Seasonal produce, grains, legumes and herbs come together in dishes that feel clean, flavorful and restorative, a gentle counterpart to the indulgence of previous days.

In the afternoon, we return to the hacienda with time to rest, write, nap or simply wander through the gardens. As evening settles in, we gather again in the kitchen for a cooking class devoted to the ancestral culinary traditions that give Andalucía its layered identity. Guided by our chef, we explore recipes shaped over time by Phoenician and Roman trade, Arabic techniques and spices, and Jewish and Castilian influences, seeing how they still live in the region’s everyday dishes.

Our creations come to the table in a candlelit dinner served outdoors beneath the moonlit sky. It is a quiet, grounding evening that links the deep roots of Andalusian cuisine with the shared, present moment around the table.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hacienda de San Rafael

October 29, 2026
After breakfast, we travel into Sevilla, where orange trees line the streets and history seems to linger in every courtyard. Our morning begins with a guided visit to the Alcázar, a palace complex of intricate tile work, carved wood, fountains and gardens that reflects the city’s blend of Islamic, Mudéjar and Christian artistry. From there, we continue on foot through the Casco Antiguo, following narrow lanes and shaded plazas that reveal the rhythm of daily life in the historic core.

Later, we step into some of Sevilla’s most storied shopping streets, from Calle Sierpes and Tetúan to Calle Cuna. Here we visit small ateliers where artisans have long crafted objects that define the city’s style: hand painted fans, flamenco dresses, bespoke perfumes and ceramics fired in traditional kilns. Our walk leads us into the Barrio de Santa Cruz, where workshops and galleries show how heritage crafts continue to evolve in contemporary hands.

At midday, we pause for a classic Sevillano tapas experience at a neighborhood bar, tasting a spread that might include marinated anchovies, tortilla, slow cooked meats and seasonal vegetables, all paired with local wines or a crisp caña. A visit to a historic pastry shop follows, where we try traditional Andalusian alfajores, honeyed and spiced cookies that once traveled with migrants and became beloved across the Atlantic.

There is time in the afternoon to explore and shop independently before we meet again for dinner. In the evening, we gather at La Tizna, a restaurant devoted to organic, local and seasonal ingredients, where Chef Angeles Muñoz Hornillo presents a set menu that reimagines the Andalusian pantry through a modern, sustainable lens. Natural wines and thoughtfully composed plates bring the day’s themes of tradition and reinvention into sharp, delicious focus. After dinner, we return to our countryside hacienda for the night.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hacienda de San Rafael

October 30, 2026
Our final full day begins with breakfast at the hacienda, the countryside now feeling familiar in the best way. Coffee, fresh bread and ripe fruit set an easy tone before we turn from the kitchen to a different expression of Andalusian craft.

In the morning, a talented local artisan steeped in the tradition of Andalusian abanicos welcomes us for a hands on workshop. At a long table scattered with wood, paper and pigment, we learn how folding fans are built step by careful step and how color, pattern and small gestures once formed a quiet social language. By the end, each guest has created a personal fan to take home, a light, elegant keepsake that still seems to hold a trace of the Andalusian breeze. Lunch follows, centered on the seafood bounty of the region, with bright, unfussy preparations that let the freshness of the day’s catch speak for itself.

The afternoon is free to relax and soak up the autumn sun. You might swim, nap or simply sit in the garden and let the week settle. As evening arrives, our closing reception begins with a private Andalusian horse show on the grounds, horses and riders moving in practiced harmony against the fading light. We finish the week around the table with a final dinner of contemporary Andalusian cuisine paired with regional wines, a last, lingering chance to raise a glass to new friends and the flavors that have defined our time together.

Meals: B, L, D
Overnight: Hacienda de San Rafael

October 31, 2026
Our final morning unfolds with breakfast at the hacienda, a last chance to enjoy the quiet of the countryside and one more cup of coffee in the garden. Depending on flight times, there may be a few moments for a final walk among the olive trees or a relaxed conversation in the courtyard.

Chauffeured transfers will be arranged to Sevilla Airport, where we say our goodbyes. As you depart, the week lingers as a handful of small, vivid moments: the scent of tomatoes and garlic in the kitchen, the sound of Flamenco echoing across the courtyard, the cool stillness of the baths, the salt air in Cádiz and the shared tables that revealed the true culinary soul of Andalucía.

Meals: B
Overnight: N/A