Roman Andalucía

Roman Andalucía

Home of the Emperors

Classical History and Archaeological Tours

14th - 21st April 2025
(8 Days)

Expert Historian : Dr Andy Fear

Tour price: £3,595

click here to book

Roman Andalucía

Home of the Emperors

Classical History and Archaeological Tours

Your Holiday Essentials

14th - 21st April 2025
(8 Days)

Return flights from London (optional), 4 star hotels, meals as detailed in the itinerary, all entrance fees and expert historian throughout.

Activity Level: 2

Expert Historian: Dr Andy Fear

Prices:

Standard price: £3,345

Incl. travel from UK: £3,595
Room sole occupancy supplement: £525
Non-refundable deposit: £700

Booking open

click here to book

Interested in this tour but not ready to book? Register your interest using the link below and we will keep you updated on the progress of the tour

click here to register your interest

Tour Introduction

Set amidst the backdrop of Holy Week during which we will enjoy a rich heritage of sumptuous, dramatic religious street possessions, this tour travels to cities, towns and villas that were once the driving force behind Roman Hispania Ulterior. We discover magnificent buildings, mosaics and other works of art in Seville, Ecija and the provincial capital of Cordoba; we examine the new finds emerging at Torrparedones, the ancient colonia of Ituci, and see how the Romans adapted the settlement and its fortifications; visit a complete suburb built by the Emperor Hadrian for his hometown of Italica, featuring one of the largest amphitheatres in the Roman world; see the garum works which generated such fabulous wealth; and at towns like Carmona and Cadiz see how locals held on to their Carthaginian heritage despite the passing of the centuries.

Background

Modern Andalucía was the second oldest province of the Roman Empire. It was captured from Hannibal’s Carthaginians in the Punic Wars after the battle of Ilipa, outside of Seville, in 206 BC and then remained a Roman possession for some six hundred years. First known as “Further Spain”, Hispania Ulterior, and then as Baetica after the river Guadalquivir which runs through its heart, it became one of the wealthiest provinces of the empire, famous for its exports of Olive Oil and Garum or fish sauce. It was also the birthplace of some of Rome’s most famous sons, such as the emperors Trajan and Hadrian, the epic poet Lucan, and the philosopher Seneca. The region’s prosperity continued in the post-Roman period. The Visigothic bishop of Seville, Isidore, wrote an encyclopaedia, the Etymologies, which was to be the standard work of reference across Western Europe for the best part of a millennium and he has recently been made patron saint of the internet.

Highlights

  • Cordoba’s wonderous Holy Week processions
  • Antequera’s UNESCO Menga dolmens
  • Romano-Punic Carteia
  • The stunningly sited Baelo Claudia
  • Italica’s iconic amphitheatre
  • The working archaeological site of Torreparedones
  • The Roman quarry of El Coto las Canteras

What's Included

  • Return flights from London (optional)
  • 4 Star Hotels
  • Expert historian throughout providing a daily variety of talks, presentations and Q&A
  • Dedicated Tour Manager
  • Dinner parties hosted by your expert historian and tour manager
  • The company of like-minded travelers
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
  • Two drinks i,e wine or beer at each dinner and a welcome drink on first evening
  • Entrance fees for sites included in itinerary
  • Tour information booklet
  • Modern, comfortable, air-conditioned coach
  • All taxes and gratuities

Itinerary

Day 1: Singilia Barba
Fly London – Malaga. Drive to the abandoned excavations of Roman Singilia Barba where we find the remains of an overgrown theatre, forum. temples and villas. Continue to Antequera and check-in to our hotel for one night. Evening lecture before dinner. (D)

Day 2: Antequera and Malaga
We explore Antequera’s fabulous UNESCO world heritage site with its megalithic dolmens of Menga, Viera and El Romeral, the largest such structures in Europe. We take a stroll around the centre of this fascinating town which boasts Roman baths and a villa currently under excavation. This afternoon we visit Malaga’s fabulous Roman theatre and archaeological museum. Continue to Estepona for the night. (B,D)

Day 3: Carteia, Baelo Claudia and Gadir
The archaeological site of Romano-Punic Carteia in the bay of Algeciras reveals a fine collection of excavated buildings whilst at Baelo Claudia we find the excavated remains of an almost complete Roman town and wander around it streets, houses, basilica, theatre, forum and temples. Our day ends at the Phoenician site of Gadir where we walk above and look down on 5000 year-old streets and houses and follow evolution of Cadiz from its foundation to Roman times. Check-in to our Cadiz hotel for one night.(B,D)

Day 4: Cadiz and Italica
Further exploration of Roman Cadiz reveals an impressive 1st Century BC Roman Theatre, a columbarium, garum factory and a museum housing Phoenician and Roman artefacts. Thence to the archaeological site of Roman Italica, birthplace to Hadrian and Trajan, where we explore its theatre, massive amphitheatre, large houses with preserved exquisite mosaics, temples, baths and sophisticated sewer system. Continue to our hotel on the outskirts of Seville for one-night.(B,D)

Day 5: Carmona and Cordoba
At Carmona we discover the Romano-Punic necropolis, the recently accessible amphitheatre, the Gate of Seville with its origins in the Punic period, and the excellent town museum with its remarkable collection of Tartessian artefacts. Continue to Cordoba with its Roman bridge, temple and a fine display of Roman mosaics, ceramics and glassware found in its archaeology museum. Check in to our hotel for the last three nights. Cordoba is renowned for its celebration of Holy Week and as our stay coincides with the Easter weekend, we are bound to witness numerous religious processions over the next three evenings.(B,D)

Day 6: Fuente Alamo, Osuna and Ecija
We drive out to the Roman villa of Fuente Alamo with its superb collection of figurative and geometric mosaics and thermal baths, and the archaeology museum at Puente Genil. We stop at Osuna to explore the ancient quarry of El Coto las Canteras and small museum. This afternoon we head for Ecija, known in Roman times as Astigi, where we find the Archaeological Museum which holds fascinating finds including many mosaics recovered from sites still under excavation. We will also see a monumental Roman pool and the church of Santa Cruz where the altar is a reused Byzantine sarcophagus. Dinner is at your own expense this evening (B)

Day 7: Torreparedones, El Ruedo, Jaen
At the impressive Torreparedones Archaeological Park, where digs continue, we find amongst other things, the forum with its monumental inscription carved into the pavement, the Ibero-Roman Sanctuary, fortified eastern gate and important necropolis. We drive to the Roman villa ‘El Ruedo’, one of the largest such sites in Iberia, with its mosaics, paintings and paving. We visit Jaen’s wonderful provincial museum with its fine collection of 5th Century BC sculptures and Spain’s largest surviving Moorish baths, the Baños Arabes.(B,L,D)

Day 8: Home
Depart Cordoba for Malaga and our flights home. (B)

Recommended Reading List

Dr Andy Fear, DPhil, MA (Oxon)

Dr Andy Fear, DPhil, MA (Oxon)

Dr Andy Fear was born in Morecambe and educated at Lancaster RGS and New College Oxford where he obtained his BA and DPhil (on Roman Spain). After a brief spell at Jesus, Oxford he went on to teach Classics at the Universities of Keele and Manchester.

Read more

Your Holiday Essentials

14th - 21st April 2025
(8 Days)

Return flights from London (optional), 4 star hotels, meals as detailed in the itinerary, all entrance fees and expert historian throughout.

Activity Level: 2

Expert Historian: Dr Andy Fear

Prices:

Standard price: £3,345

Incl. travel from UK: £3,595
Room sole occupancy supplement: £525
Non-refundable deposit: £700

Booking open

click here to book

Interested in this tour but not ready to book? Register your interest using the link below and we will keep you updated on the progress of the tour

click here to register your interest

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