01 / Mountain
Ronda & The White Villages
An hour inland to Ronda, perched on a 100-metre gorge above the Tajo. The Puente Nuevo, the old bullring, lunch at a cliff-edge table, a slow drive home through the pueblos blancos.
Seven February nights at Villa El Rincon, a 2.9 acre beachfront estate between Marbella old town and Puerto Banús, with fifteen bedrooms across four detached villas and direct access onto the sand.
Built in Andalusian Moorish style by Robert Mosher, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Walled gardens, a heated infinity pool, a guest pool, gym, sauna, cinema, dual massage room, a pizza oven in the chef's kitchen. Fully staffed: villa manager, daily housekeeping, gardener.
Whitewashed lanes and orange trees in the plazas. Bougainvillea on every wall. Superyachts five minutes up the coast at Puerto Banús. The Sierra Blanca rising behind. Morocco visible across the strait some mornings. Three hundred days of sun a year. Dinner doesn't start until ten.
A February in Andalusia. Mild sun, empty pueblos, sherry country, late dinners. Built around the villa, the coast, and the mountains behind it.
An hour inland to Ronda, perched on a 100-metre gorge above the Tajo. The Puente Nuevo, the old bullring, lunch at a cliff-edge table, a slow drive home through the pueblos blancos.
Two hours north. The Alcázar, the cathedral, oranges on every street. Tapas at El Rinconcillo, a flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria, late dinner on the river.
The 12th-century Moorish bathhouse in Málaga. Hot pool, cold pool, steam, kessa scrub, full-body massage. An hour and a half of nothing but heat and water.
Five minutes up the coast. Lunch on the marina, a walk past the superyachts, drinks at La Sala, a long boozy dinner at Cipriani. Cars back to the villa whenever.
Fifteen bedrooms across four detached villas, set in 2.9 acres of walled gardens with direct beach access. Heated infinity pool, guest pool, gym, sauna, dual massage room, private cinema, full staff.
Down to Jerez de la Frontera for a bodega tour, fino and oloroso straight from the barrel, lunch at Albalá. Afterwards, the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art for the dancing horses.
A walk through Casco Antiguo, the orange trees and whitewashed lanes around Plaza de los Naranjos. Tapas at El Estrecho, drinks on a roof terrace, dinner at Skina.
One long table on the terrace. The chef working the pizza oven, jamón ibérico, gambas al ajillo, paella to share, Rioja and Ribera del Duero by the bottle. Late nights every night.
Arrivals into Málaga (AGP), private transfers down the coast to the villa. Settle in, walk the gardens, swim in the heated pool. Welcome dinner on the terrace, jamón and Manchego, paella, Rioja, a fire pit lit late.
Late breakfast at the villa. Cars into Marbella old town for the orange trees and Plaza de los Naranjos. Tapas crawl through the lanes, drinks at a rooftop bar. Drive five minutes up the coast to Puerto Banús for dinner at Cipriani.
An hour up into the mountains. The Puente Nuevo at first light, the old bullring, lunch at a cliff-edge table looking down the Tajo gorge. Home through the pueblos blancos with a stop in Setenil de las Bodegas.
A morning at Hammam Al Andalus in Málaga, hot and cold pools, kessa scrub, massage. Back to the villa by mid-afternoon. Sauna at sunset, dual massage room booked through the evening. Quiet dinner indoors.
Two hours north to Seville. The Alcázar, the cathedral, the orange trees of Santa Cruz. Tapas at El Rinconcillo. Flamenco at Casa de la Memoria. Late dinner on the river. Back to the villa close to midnight, or stay overnight at Hotel Alfonso XIII if the group wants.
South to Jerez de la Frontera. A bodega tour at González Byass or Tío Pepe, sherry straight from the barrel, long lunch at Albalá. Afternoon at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art for the dancing horses. Back to the villa for a quiet night.
Slow morning. Coffee on the terrace, a walk down the beach to old town and back. Hammam and a long massage booked for the afternoon. Farewell feast in the courtyard, chef on the pizza oven, paella, flamenco guitarist in by 9, dancing well past midnight.
Breakfast at the villa, group transfers back to Málaga. Onward flights from there.