Tour Details/Dates/Prices A Taste of Seville – The Tapas Capital of the World. Prices $2,995 CAD*

Optional:Extended Stay in Seville
A day in beautiful historic Seville – the city itself gives unparalleled opportunities for amazing first-hand gastronomic experiences.

Custom Designed Gourmet Safari
If you’d like to spend more time in the kitchen we can easily arrange it for you. There is also a plethora of other activities in the area if you’d like to spend less time in the kitchen or if your partner doesn’t like to cook: from canoeing, to kayaking, to rowing, horseback riding, flamenco dance lessons, architectural tours of Seville and surrounding areas.

Day Trips.
If a week is just too long, there are also exclusive personalized excursions available for groups of up to eight people to a minimum of two. On the excursions you will really get to know about authentic sherry wines and brandies, olive oil, fine red wine and great ham, and talk to the people who are directly involved and who take pride in their work.

Little Extras
• Recipe book full of the week’s delicious recipes

Tour Length: 7 days/6 nights

Tour Begins: Seville, Spain    Tour Concludes: Seville, Spain

Tour Dates:
Culinary vacations are available from January to March and November, December. Other tour dates can be arranged throughout the year, the great news about Seville is that the weather is beautiful all year-round!

Tour Price for 2010:

Please contact us for 2010 prices, thank you.

Tour Price for 2009:
3-Star Hotel
$2,995*

4-Star Hotel
$3,145*
*Double Occupancy per Person. Prices in Canadian Dollars

Please note:
Or if you prefer, a 5* hotel can easily be arranged for you anytime.
Solo traveller prices and great daytrip excursions are also available.
If you would like to purchase airfare please let us know and we’ll arrange it for you right away.
All dates and prices are subject to availability.
Prices may be affected by international exchange rate fluctuations.
Interested, or questions just contact us.

Payment:
Form of Payment.
We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Diners, cheque or money orders in CAD $.
Place a Deposit on Your Dream.
A deposit of $700 CAD per person is required at time of booking to secure your culinary vacation dates.
Please note: Your deposit is non-refundable due to the fact that our travel partners will be in receipt of monies, however in most instances the deposit can be applied to future travel.

Balance due.
Balance is due no later than 60 days before departure.

Number of Participants:
Minimum: 2 (join in with an existing group)
Maximum: 8

Travel Accessories:
Local Weather
Currency Conversion
Local time

Questions? Just email or call
E-mail: jackie@gourmetsafari.com
Phone: 416.238.9987 (local Toronto) or 1.800.839.5795 (toll free in North America)


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My Safari Notes.
We arrived in Seville late at night and had a quick taxi ride to our hotel (when I say quick I mean quick – this driver was so fast that we were actually airborne at one point). We checked in and we were immediately struck by the charm and character of the hotel. We felt like we were immersed right into the heart of Seville. Surrounded by narrow cobblestone streets, historic architecture & artifacts were everywhere in the hotel. It’s actually 7 separate houses or ‘casas’ that are inter-connected by narrow streets and beautiful patios. Our room was quite opulent by European standards, with unique touches throughout – each room has its own style. The room was very comfortable with 2 cozy single beds pushed together, along with a small sitting area for reading or entertaining.

We awoke to the sound of birds singing and as we opened the shutters we discovered the historic world of Sevilla. The view of the white casas and the terra cotta roof tiles combined with a church tower was stunning. One of the first things that we noticed was the orange tree-lined streets of Sevilla – they are beautiful and really decorate the city. You just want to pick one and savour it, although we were told that they’re quite sour and are sent to the UK to be made into the famous marmalade from Sevilla. After admiring the orange trees, we went to a nearby café and had a typical Andalucian breakfast of coffee & toast.

We met up with Roger, the owner of the culinary tour company and we were off to Jerez de la Frontera – a town know for its sherry. The countryside is picturesque with fields of olive trees, farmhouses and what was cotton, passing us by. Jerez is a beautiful town full of history, amazing architecture influenced by the Moors centuries ago – and of course sherry.

We visited 2 bogedas (cellars or storage) that produced amazing sherry. We enjoyed sampling the fruits of the labour at the Lustau Bogeda and Bogedas Tradiciones. I had no idea that there were so many varieties and that sherry was not just for cooking (that’s how I usually use it at home). It’s a really nice wine to savour I discovered as we took in the ambiance of the traditional method of production at the bogedas. We had a typical tapas lunch (small plates) that we shared, ranging from marinated artichoke hearts, to potato salad to fried sardines – it was all very good.

We drove back to Sevilla to meet Ruth, the cooking instructor. Ruth graciously opens the doors of her open-concept and spacious apartment to culinary enthusiasts. She is very welcoming and very knowledgeable; she has been cooking for many, many years and has held some notable positions in the culinary field. We sat out on the balcony and admired the beautiful skyline view of the terra cotta rooftops, as well as the stunning cathedral that rises out of the skyline. Ruth was welcoming and made us feel right at home. She explained the ‘class’ visit to the market, as well as the delicious recipes that she demonstrated and teaches; now we were hungry!

Tonight we went on a tapas tour – you would never know that Roger isn’t from Sevilla, he speaks the language as a local and he really knows Sevilla like the back of his hand (I guess you would too if you lived in Spain for 17 years). Roger is an incredible guide and is so friendly that you feel the warmth instantly. I feel that he really enjoys what he does and genuinely likes people which is perfect for his business. The tapas tour was great and I can see why Sevilla is called the tapas capital of the world – after all the south of Spain is where it all started. The bars that we savoured were hidden gems that only a local could know! We toured several bars, that’s the concept behind tapas bars, you move from bar to bar and stand up to eat because you won’t stay for long. The highlight of the night was our stay at El Rinconcillo – the oldest bar in Sevilla founded in 1670. The architecture was amazing – the influence from the period of the Moors was everywhere from the brightly coloured tiled walls to the intricate woodwork, you felt as though time had stood still.

The experience was unforgettable and a must for someone interested in great food, wines, architecture, the arts and a city like Sevilla – it has it all and is a good balance between city life and the countryside.

Jackie DeKnock, Gourmet Safari Founder
PS. By the way, A Taste of Seville was highlighted in a newly-released culinary book featuring the top 25 places in the world to do a cooking class! It was also recently recommended as one of the top 10 foodie holidays by a British newspaper, The Independent.

Safari Notes – Lasting Impressions.

Dan Duran, Toronto, Ontario, January 2005

I’d be surprised to discover something about Seville that Roger doesn’t already know.  If it’s a question of gastronomic pursuit, he’ll bring you to the authority on the subject.  He can truly focus on your interests…and mine seemed to be the drinking and making and drinking of Sherry.