Day 2: A day to relax in Guadamar – take a walk along the beautiful beach, enjoy an al fresco lunch and soak up the Spanish sunshine. Evening at leisure.

Day 3:  No visit to the Costa Blanca is complete without a trip to its jewel in the crown, Guadalest. This fortified village perched precariously on a mountain top, is surrounded by some of the highest points in the province of Alicante. The village of Guadalest dates back over a 1000 years and is steeped in history, from the prison and dungeon built in the 12th century to the old washing house used by the local women and has just over 200 inhabitants. After free time here, we shall make our way to the beautiful old Spanish town of Altea, with its pretty, narrow cobbled streets with white houses leading up to a beautiful central square. The whitewashed houses attracts artists and photographers who are drawn in by the town’s charm, fantastic light and natural beauty.  Afterwards we shall head back to Guadamar where you can choose where to eat from the vast array of restaurants.

Day 4 After breakfast, we shall make our way by coach to Caravaca for an amazing fiesta.  Caballos del Vino or the Running of the Wine Horses is held on the 2nd May every year in Caravaca de la Cruz in the Murcia region. In this historic inland town you will see the impressive Sanctuary de la Cruz where the race takes place, traditional dress worn by the locals and participants, and of course the beautiful horses dressed in their traditional cloaks. The main parade introduces all the runners with their horses proudly accompanied by their loyal, passionate supporters all singing and dancing along to the beat of their own bands! The Moors and Christians follow before the race begins. The locals of Caravaca are very proud of their fiesta and really welcome you to share this, their special day with them.  This year we shall make our way to a restaurant in Caravaca to enjoy a three course lunch and watch the exciting races on a large TV screen from the safety and comfort of the restaurant.

History of the Fiesta
The history of this unique fiesta is fascinating and is all about the extraordinary story of the True Cross, in Spanish the ‘Verz Cruz’. This fragment of wood is said to have been part of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified and it has protected the city since the 13th century. The presence of the True Cross in Caravaca is the reason for its status as a Holy City, one of only 5 in the world, on par with Rome and Jerusalem. The legend dates back to the days of the Knights Templar, who came to the aid of the townspeople. The invading Moorish army had cunningly poisoned the water supply, which flowed into the besieged town, and many people were dying of thirst, as they couldn’t drink the poisoned water. The only liquid that could be found to drink was wine. So the brave Templer Knights tied flagons of wine to their horses and ran with them up the hill before the Moorish armies realised what was happening, bringing the precious liquid to the townspeople. The Vera Cruz was bathed in the wine and miraculously the sick and wounded were healed. Today, to commemorate this event, 60 horses are dressed in spectacular embroidered cloaks and run up the hill to the sanctuary one by one, in a race against the clock. It can be extremely exciting, as the streets are packed with onlookers who part to allow the horses to rush past just centimetres away! Prizes are awarded for both the fastest horses and those with the most exceptional embroidery.

Day 5: A day at leisure for you to enjoy the spectactular beach, relax by the hotel pool or take a lovely walk through the nearby pine forest.  We shall depart Guadamar early evening for our return flight back to the UK.

• Return flights to Alicante from London Stansted
• One small carry on bag per person (40x20x25 cm)
• Allocated seats on the plane
• Coach transfers between the airport & the hotel in Guadamar del Segura
• Four nights accommodation at the luxurious 4*  Meridional Hotel in Guadamar del Segura
• Generous buffet breakfast each morning
• A trip to the Running of the Horses Fiesta in Caravaca
• A three course lunch in Caravaca whilst watching the exciting races taking part on screens from the comfort of the restaurant
• A day trip to Guadalest and Altea
• Airport & City taxes
• ATOL Protection
• Scheduled Airline Failure Insurance
• A Tour Manager throughout your stay