Genuine Andalusia

17/07/2024

We need to talk about Cream Sherry indeed!

17/07/2024

Handcrafts from Mallorca: Siurells!.

Siurells are handmade clay figures, that after firing are painted in white and finished with scattered red and green brush strokes. They are native and unique to Mallorca and they represent characters, myths and legends from the island.

The word Siurell means whistle and this is because every Siurell features a small whistle used traditionally by shepherds to call their animals and by children to play. It is also believed that the whistle was used as a form of protection from the strong Mediterranean winds.

Their origin is unknown but similar handcrafts have been found in other parts of the Mediterranean such as Crete and Cyprus.

We have been including Mallorca in our private and fully personalized trips to Spain for a few years now and amongst other immersive and creative experiences in the island, we organize Siurell-making and painting workshops with local artisans so our guests make and take their own souvenir from Mallorca, enjoying interaction with the local community and contributing to preserve their traditions, arts and crafts alive.

If you are planning to visit Mallorca and Spain and would like to have an experienced, creative, respectful and well-connected travel planner to design your trip following your preferences and expectations, get in touch with us!

https://genuineandalusia.com/

15/07/2024

Excellent news! We have been awarded our 8th consecutive certificate of excellence by Tripadvisor!

This goes with special THANKS to all those guests who took their time to time to review their experiences with us!.

Genuine Andalusia turned 10 this year and we can't be grateful enough for all the wonderful people we've hosted and shared the wonders of our homeland with, throughout these 10 years.

If you would like to take a trip to Spain with an 8 times awarded, caring, creative, professional and knowledgeable Spain travel planner, we are here to help!

https://genuineandalusia.com/

01/02/2024

WOW news!
Iván Ricoy, our founder and manager has been included in WOW list as a Trusted Travel Expert for Andalusia and Southern Spain in 2024!.
The WOW list is a prestigious collection of exceptionally knowledgeable and well-connected trip planners around the world and Ivan is now in it!.
We are very happy and very proud to announce this and also that Genuine Andalusia will be 10 years old this year!.

01/02/2024

WOW news! We are very happy and very proud to announce that Ivan Ricoy, our founder and manager, has been included in Wendy Perrin's WOW list as a Trusted Travel Expert for Andalusia and Southern Spain in 2024!

The WOW list is a prestigious collection of exceptionally knowledgeable and well-connected trip planners around the world and Ivan is now in it!

https://www.wendyperrin.com/reviews/ivan-ricoy/

23/01/2024

One more year... We will be attending Fitur in Madrid!.
On Wednesday the 24th, Thursday the 25th and Friday the 26th of January we will be at the travel show during the day and in our favorite Madrid hotels, bars and restaurants in the evening meeting suppliers and clients!.
If you would like to meet and don't have an appointment wuth us yet, DM and let's schedule one!.

13/01/2024

Spinning records in (Sherry) style with the decks sitting on Sherry casks!
What a pleasure to contribute to the local culture scene of Jerez this time through music selection!.
Big thanks to .degloria for the invitation, to for treating us so well and to everybody who came along! Bravo!
If your Spain vacation is bringing you to Jerez and you feel like exploring the city by night, there's a bunch of great places where to go for one more Sherry after dinner and where you may find your guides having a wee dance!.

17/12/2023

Once more, our friend has curated a simply exquisite nativity scene in Seville. His nativity scenes are always of Neapolitan style and are filled with fascinating and intricate details.
The Neapolitan presepe (nativity scene) is a sophisticated and ephemeral "installation" that breaks down artistic hierarchies and defies categorization within the genres of art history. It shows, in the form of miniaturized theater, the sacred scene of the Nativity immersed in a realistic, 18th century Neapolitan scenography.
The technical peculiarity of the Neapolitan nativity scene is the figures, which are dressed in fine, embroidered clothes, have a height of 20 - 30cm and are made of iron wire and fibrous mannequins, to which are attached sculpted wooden hands and feet and an oil-painted terracota head with glass eyes.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the royal family, the aristocracy and the bourgeoisie commissioned these figures from such renown artists as Giuseppe Sanmartino (1720 - 1793), Francesco Celebrano (1729 - 1814) and Angelo Viva (1748 - 1837). This period, commonly known as the golden age of the Neapoitan Presepe is closely linked to the birth of the Kingdom of Naples, whose independence began in 1734 with the reign of Charles of Bourbon (1734 - 1759) and continued with that of his son Ferdinand IV (1759 - 1825).
Aimed at an audience of scholars and peasants alike, the presepe constantly plays on the multiple and complex interpretations that its scenes and characters create: its richness lies in the constant ambiguity between high and popular culture, which is a recurring phenomenon in the Neapolitan imagination during the Age of Enlightenment.
Source: label from an exhibition at
In the nativity scene, the fabulous East is represented by he arrival of the Magi followed by a magnificent entourage. Besides the knowledge drawn from the circulation of the engravings depicting this reality, Neapolitan artists got to know this world during the period of Charles of Bourbon who was fostering an opening up policy with the East.
Continues in comments

09/12/2023

No other place in Spain celebrates the arrival of Christmas like... Jerez! Learn why in this blog post!

Jerez Zambombas are the unique, traditional and festive celebrations that precede Christmas in the city. Learn all about them in this article!

11/09/2023

We have been combining Spain and Portugal in the bespoke travel itineraries that we curate for our guests since 2016.
It was then when we were first asked by clients to include a few days in Portugal after the trip to Southern and central Spain that we had put up for them.
Ever since, Portugal has been more and more present in the private and fully customized trips to Southern Spain and beyond that we design and conduct.
However, our very best client (3 hyper personalised trips for him so far) asked us a few months ago to plan a Portugal-only trip for him and his travel party.
This Portugal-only trip has just come to an end and after asking our client for feedback, he said to us that he will get in touch soon for his fourth trip with us in Spring 2024!.
This Portugal-only trip is not only an important milestone for us but a most rewarding indicator of having repeat guests year after year!.
Genuine Andalusia will be 10 years old very soon and we can't think of a better way to get ready for this forthcoming new milestone!.
If you are willing to plan a private, memorable and hyper personalised trip to Spain and / or Portugal with a trusted, awarded, caring and passionate travel advisor, we are here to help!.

20/08/2023

This must be the coolest tourist information centre we have ever come across!.
It is in Braga, Portugal and it was inaugurated on the 22nd of June 1937. The architect who designed the building (Moura Coutinho) was from Braga and he designed many other buildings in the city.
In 2000, it became necessary to rethink the building as well as its function, reorganizing and renovating at the same time the part of the town where the it is located.
In 2003 Braga opened its new tourist and culture information centre under a new and innovative concept: to serve not only tourists but also locals, thus strengthtening the local identity and enhancing the tourist appeal of the city.
The new tourist and culture information centre provides tourist information in 12 languages, organizes tourism-related events, supports charity institutions and offers a free municipal service to defend cosumer rights.
Bravo Braga!
We are very happy to announce that as well as Spain we are now including Portugal in our bespoke trips, so if you are looking for a trusted, awarded, reliable and original travel advisor for a trip to this part of the world, we are here to help!

20/07/2023

Woohoo! A fabulous review from an amazing US couple for whom we designed a fully personalized 2-week trip to Spain.

They wanted to be immersed in the culture, food, wine, history, architecture, music, nature, traditions and art of Spain and we crafted a 14-day trip that they loved as much as we loved putting it together for them.

Thank you so very much indeed Marilyn and Tom for your beautiful words!

If you are willing to have a memorable and fully personalized trip to Spain, we are here to help! We are Genuine Andalusia and this is what we do!

Genuine Andalusia: Ivan listens, delivers and will impress even the most discriminating traveler! - See 184 traveler reviews, 161 candid photos, and great deals for Jerez De La Frontera, Spain, at Tripadvisor.

24/05/2023

Let us take you on a private wine tour of our homeland.
Allow yourself to be surprised by wines that are made and aged like no other.
Let us pour you a glass of Sherry before taking you on an immersive journey through the history, customs, landscapes, culture, gastronomy and romance of Southernmost continental Spain.
Contact us now and we will plan a memorable trip to Southern Spain just for you and your travel party.
Photo by .chat

30/04/2023

When cows accompany you on your hike and at the end they decide to take a rest on the beach before returning to their farm.
Let yourself use us as your Spain travel planner and get to experience our homeland with the best local hosts and through the most unique experiences.

30/04/2023

28/02/2023

Flamenco Show and Sherry Cocktails!.
contacted us with this message and we obviously said instantly "Yes please!".
Located in the vibrant and cosmopolitan Encarnación - Regina district, this new Seville flamenco venue has 8 carefully selected artists onstage every night, a fabulous mixologist specialised in cocktails and a professional sound system, which significatly enhances the enjoyment of the flamenco show!
A fabulous choice if you are staying in or willing to discover this cool area of Seville old town.
Have a few Sherry cocktails here before being mesmerized with the power and magic of flamenco music and dance!. South West Spain in all its splendour!

28/02/2023

We will be attending FINE in Valladolid this week!.
On Wednesday the 1st and Thursday the 2nd of March we will be at the event presenting our to travel agents.
We will also be meeting suppliers for the other and experiences that are part of the private and fully customized trips to Spain that we curate for our clients.
If you would like to meet, please PM so we can set an appointment! See you at

28/02/2023

We will be attending FINE in Valladolid this week!
On Wednesday the 1st and Thursday the 2nd of March we will be at the event presenting our to travel agents.

We will also be meeting suppliers for the other and experiences that are part of the private and fully customized trips to Spain that we curate for our clients.

If you would like to meet, please PM so we can set an appointment! See you at https://genuineandalusia.com/

11/02/2023

These flamenca dolls (known in Spain as Marín Dolls) were a creation of painter José Marín (born in Chiclana de la Frontera, province of Cadiz, Spain in 1903) when he was in his early twenties and decided to move to Madrid to make a living as an artist.
To pay for his expenses, he came up with the idea of handcrafting dolls to sell in Madrid's Plaza Mayor as gifts or decorative items to people from the capital, realizing that the dolls sold out instantly.
Shortly afterwards, shop owners from Madrid old town suggested to buy the dolls from him to later re-sell them in their shops. José Marín accepted and started to receive orders from the shops realizing that he couldn't cope with the demand on his own.
So he came back to his hometown of Chiclana de la Frontera and he started to have friends and relatives working for him, handcrafting dolls under his supervision. The orders kept coming not only from Madrid but from other parts of Spain too. With the passing of time, he opened a small factory.
With the Spanish tourism boom in the 1960s (when souvenir shops had just a few rather dull items such as castanets, fans and porrones (traditional Spanish wine pitchers), the Marin dolls came to cheer up the souvenir shop shelves with their joyous expressions, vivid colors and extraordinary dynamism, becoming the favorite souvenir of national and international tourists.
The sales of Marin dolls skyrocketed and Marin dolls started to be present in countless Spanish and international homes. Different collections were released year after year, adapting to the flamenco fashion trends. The number of employees at the factory multiplied and Marin dolls became an icon.
Unfortunately the factory closed in 2014 so Marin dolls are now collectors' items. Today we found four beautiful models at in Jerez (not on sale) and we thought we would share this story and these pictures to pay homage to Jose Marin and his dolls.
We are big supporters of local arts and crafts and we are always happy to introduce our guests to local artists and artisans as a part of the private and fully customised trips to Spain we design and conduct for them.

22/01/2023

January hikes in the province of Cadiz (Southern Spain). These are our vivid winter colours and gentle country textures.
Today we were inspecting some great hikes in the Sierra de Líjar, a beautiful mountain range in between the whitewashed villages of Olvera and Algodonales.
This area makes a great day trip from fabulous nearby hotels such as and and even from Ronda or Seville.
If hiking and exploring cute little towns to take in their beauty and to enjoy their gastronomy and wine sounds like a plan to you and yours, you are in for a treat with a visit to South West Spain.
And we are here to help you plan it!.

16/01/2023

We will be attending Fitur 2023 this week. On Wednesday the 18th and Thursday the 19th of January we will be in the Andalucia section meeting suppliers and clients.
If you would like to meet, please PM so we can set an appointment! See you at

16/01/2023

We will be attending Fitur 2023 this week. On Wednesday the 18th and Thursday the 19th of January we will be in the Andalucia section meeting suppliers and clients. If you would like to meet, please PM so we can set an appointment! See you at
https://genuineandalusia.com/

21/12/2022

Merry Christmas and happy 2023 from the coast of light in Southernmost continental Spain!
We wish you a fabulous post-covid festive season and a new year filled with memorable travels!.
We couldn't have hoped for a better return this year to doing what we like the most: planning and conducting unforgettable trips to our homeland.
This has been a year to be most grateful for so we would like to extend our gratefulness to all our wonderful guests and simply amazing suppliers. You know who you are!. GRACIAS!

07/11/2022

We often receive requests from travellers who want to come to Spain to do the "must-dos" and see the "must-sees". However, after having an interview with these travellers (most often through a video call) we come to the conclusion that these ideas they have in mind at first are not lined up with their personality.

It's in these cases where a travel specialist can uncover a whole range of options that travellers didn't even know existed and that may be much more lined up with their real preferences and motivations.

The key here? To encourage travellers to reflect on what they would really like their trip to be, to question the must-dos and the must-sees and to work together with an empathetic destination specialist on a meaningful and fully personalised trip.

This is what we call Constructive Travel. Learn more about it in this blog post:

Constructive travel will take your travel experience (and yourself) to a whole new level. Get essential advice now on how to switch to constructive travel

02/11/2022

Hikes departing from secluded hotels and taking us through magical forests, quiet farmland, rocky mountains, whitewashed villages and finishing with an invigorating dip in a private pool.

Fall is an ideal time of the year for outdoors adventures in Andalusia and we have a great collection of them to add some nature and active plans to your Spain vacation.

www.genuineandalusia.com

29/10/2022

Working from an old olive oil mill while re-inspecting one of our favorite nature reserves in Andalusia.
Checking new hikes, restaurants and wild swimming spots to craft new tours and adventures for our guests.

19/08/2022

And when you believed that the generosity and thoughtfulness of your clients was already beyond boundaries...
Boom!.
A new surprise comes your way!.
This beautiful handmade set of coasters and handwritten letter was sent to us by a client for whom we crafted and conducted a bespoke 3-day sherry trip.
We obviously became friends with them after sharing 3 days of sherry adventures, dozens of sherries and fabulous meals together, so this lovely gesture has made us very happy and brought lovely memories of that trip!.
We consider ourselves artisans of travel so we appreciate artisan presents immensely!.
Thank you Duke and Carol for this!.

11/08/2022

We just have to LOVE our guests!

What a fabulous and FUN review from a beautiful couple from the US for whom we designed and conducted a 27-day trip through Southern Spain!

Thank you Ellen and Barry for being such lovely guests and for taking the time to write this lovely review! Southern Spain misses you!
www.genuineandalusia.com

Genuine Andalusia: A fabulous trip to Andalusia! - See 161 traveler reviews, 103 candid photos, and great deals for Jerez De La Frontera, Spain, at Tripadvisor.

22/07/2022

Ready to take our guests from on a day trip to the shores, villages, natural parks and historical sites on the Atlantic side of Southern Spain.

If you want a private tour company to help you venture out of your resort to discover the many wonders that Southern Spain has to offer, we are here to help!.

Comfort, beauty and authenticity guaranteed.

29/06/2022

Hike re-inspection before taking some very special guests from on a private tour of Southernmost continental Spain filled with stunning scenery, fascinating history and delicious food!.