Occidental Isla Cristina QQQQ

Tavira

Tavira is one of the oldest and prettiest towns on the east coast of the Algarve. Set on the banks of the River Gilhão, its narrow streets offer an intriguing mix of Roman, medieval and Renaissance buildings – including 37 churches – to discover. Enjoy a two-hour guided walking tour around this traditional town to see the castle, the many bell towers and distinctive tesouro-style rooftops.

Half day

Punta Umbria

Enjoy a visit to the fishing town of Punta Umbria, which sits on the bank of the Odiel river, surrounded by salt marshes – UNESCO-listed biosphere reserves. In high season this village is a favourite holiday venue for the Spanish themselves.

Half day

British history of Huelva and the Rio Tinto mines

Housed in the former British hospital, the museum at Rio Tinto displays documents, rock samples, artefacts and machinery tracing the long history of the open-cast mines. Various scale models show the development of both the mines and the town between 1892 and 1992, illustrating how they expanded to meet demand and accommodate the English workforce.

One of the highlights is the reconstruction of a Roman mine: as you walk into the mine you'll hear dripping water and clanking metal picks as models of the poor shackled slaves work by the light of tiny oil lamps. The other not-to-be-missed attraction is the Maharajah's carriage. This luxurious wood and leather coach was built in Birmingham in 1892 for a visit to India by Queen Victoria, but her trip was cancelled so it was sold to the mines and used for a visit by King Alfonso XIII. There is a shop selling samples of many types of rock quartz and coffee will be available (extra charge).

You'll then enjoy a great view of the local landscape from Cerro Colorado, before heading back to Huelva. There, you'll visit the grave of Glyndwr Michael, whose corpse doubled as the fictitious Major William Martin – 'The Man Who Never Was' – in Operation Mincemeat, a brilliant ruse which the Nazis swallowed whole during World War II. Your representative will play a DVD documentary of this incredible true story.

Half day

Footsteps of Columbus

Tour some of the places associated with Christopher Columbus, who recruited local sailors for his voyages in the 15th century. On his departure and return, he prayed to the patron saint of Huelva at the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cinta. The abbot of the tranquil 14th-century Franciscan monastery at La Rábida played a big part in securing funds for the voyages to the New World from the monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella, while the Harbour of the Caravels has full-size replicas of the three caravels that made the epic voyage to the New World. The caravels are closed during January.

Half day

Birdwatching

Birdwatching enthusiasts will know the significance of this region – it’s an important refuge point for migratory birds flying between Europe and Africa. An excursion to the wetlands of south-west Spain will enable you to spot various species of migratory birds.

Half day

El Rocío and Doñana National Park

El Rocío, a tiny village of white cottages, is renowned for its pilgrimage fair (the Romería del Rocío) which takes place at Whitsun. This extraordinary spectacle commemorates the miracle of Nuestra Señora del Rocío (Our Lady of the Dew) – a statue found on this spot which has resisted all attempts to be moved elsewhere! The heart of the village is the Ermita del Rocío, a church that houses the miraculous statue itself, a tiny wooden image dressed in long, bejewelled robes. You'll continue to Doñana, the greatest of the surviving European wetlands, where herons, egrets and spoonbills share the marshy spaces with flamingos, ducks and avocets. Almost 130 species breed in Doñana and many more pass through during migration. In order to protect the delicate environment, tours are conducted in special vehicles.

Full day

Seville

Seville is the largest city in Andalusia and traces its history back to the Carthaginians and the Romans. After capturing it from the Moors in 1248, the Castilian monarchs made it their southern capital. During the 16th century, the city grew rich with the rapid growth of trade with the Americas. Famous buildings in the city include the vast gothic cathedral, the largest in Spain, which incorporates the Orange Tree Court and Giralda minaret from the mosque originally on the site. Another is the Alcazar, the former palace of the Moorish emirs that was rebuilt in its present form by Pedro the Cruel in the 14th century. Entrance fees are not included.

Full day