Senior Lecturer Emerita Grace Jarvis, herself a part-time Málaga resident, will be our expert guide on this trip.
Málaga, the capital of the Costa del Sol, is a modern and cosmopolitan city and a popular cultural destination. Using our Dickinson connections and access to Málaga’s local experts, we will provide unique and immersive opportunities for our travelers.
In addition to enjoying the sights of Málaga and the surrounding area, you’ll have a chance to enjoy authentic experiences such as a cooking class, wine tastings, guided tours, flamenco music and dancing and a hands-on art workshop.
This is a “choose your own adventure” alumni trip. You can make your trip as busy or relaxing as you want. You choose only the options you want. You choose your own flights based on when you want to arrive and when you need to leave, making it possible to use this trip as a kickoff for a longer vacation. You choose a hotel that’s comfortable for you, such as one where you can use points to pay for your stay (although we will have a hotel block if you’d like to stay with other Dickinsonians). Or, if you wish for more of a homey stay, use Airbnb to find just the right setup for you.
In order to create a small-group, authentically Spanish experience, our trip is limited to 25 people.
So whether you studied in Málaga as a student and have been longing to return, or you have always wanted to visit, we hope you’ll join us in April for a delicious journey to Spain’s Costa del Sol.
Sunday, April 22, 2018
- Evening welcome reception: Meet fellow Dickinson alumni and your expert guide, Senior Lecturer Emerita Grace Jarvis, a part-time Málaga resident. (free)
Monday, April 23, 2018
- Full-day bus trip includes a visit to Frigiliana (voted the “prettiest village in Andalusía”), a delicious lunch with spectacular scenery, and a stop in the town of Nerja (the “jewel of the Costa”) with time at Playa de Burriana. And don’t forget your camera—our stop at Balcón de Europa provides magnificent views up and down the coast. ($110)
- Evening tapas and wine tasting in the historic district of Málaga ($55)
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
- Morning tours of Casa Natal Picasso, birthplace of the world-famous artist, in the heart of the historic center of Málaga; and the Museo de Málaga, in the impressive Palacio de la Aduana, with a group lunch at the museum’s rooftop restaurant ($60)
- Afternoon visit to Museo Picasso, which lays out the artist’s work in roughly chronological order, showing how it evolved over time. Then we head up to the historic Castillo de Gibralfaro and Alcazaba Fortress, which sit high above the city. ($50)
- Evening reception with Dickinson students and faculty, who are studying and teaching in Málaga, along with some of our local host families, who’ve welcomed Dickinson students into their homes ($40)
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
- Tour the superb food markets in Málaga that sell everything from the Costa del Sol’s freshest fish and seafood to some of Andalusia’s finest organic produce. ($20)
- Group lunch ($50)
- Evening Spanish cooking class: Learn to cook some delicious regional recipes with our hands-on Spanish cooking class, then enjoy the traditional southern Spanish art of flamenco music and dancing with the band Amigos del Rocio. ($125)
Thursday, April 26, 2018
- SOLD OUT Full-day bus trip to the magnificent Alhambra Palace, one of Spain’s major tourist attractions; a group lunch at Parador de San Nicolás with its dramatic views; then on to picturesque Granada, a city rich in history and culture ($135)
- Dinner is on your own.
Friday, April 27, 2018
- Art workshop with a local artist, lunch on your own, then tour the Pompidou Centre ($100)
- SOLD OUT Take a full-day bus trip to the breathtaking cliff walk along The King’s Pathway of El Caminito del Rey, lunch on your own, and enjoy a winery tour and tasting in the small town of Alora ($100)
- Dinner is on your own.
Saturday, April 28, 2018
- Morning private VIP tour of the Museo Carmen Thyssen, which houses paintings amassed by one of the world’s foremost art collectors over the past 30 years. The permanent collection consists of 230 works, mainly by 19th-century Spanish artists. ($30)
- Group lunch ($40)
- Afternoon walking tour of Centro Historico, including a tour of Palacio del Obispo (Bishop's Palace), which houses a collection of religious paintings and effigies, and the Roman Theatre, the oldest monument in Málaga City and the only remaining Roman ruins in Andalucia ($30)
- Say “Adios!” to your new friends at a farewell dinner at one of Málaga’s top restaurants. ($185)
Registration available at the end of July.
Dickinson Hotel block: Our block of rooms at the AC Hotel Málaga Palacio is full.
As a condition of acceptance, each participant must agree to and sign the release of liability within two weeks of registering for the trip. They can be mailed to Laura Wills, associate director of alumni relations, Dickinson College, PO Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013 or emailed to willsl@dickinson.edu.
The trip includes:
- an expert Guide who speaks both English and Spanish fluently
- tickets/entrance fees to museums and attractions as well as local taxes and service charges
- tips/honorariums for our local experts, guides, musicians and artists
- ground transportation to/from the excursions
- and meals as indicated.
The trip does not include:
- transportation to and from Málaga
- accommodations
- passport fees
- insurance for baggage, trip cancellation or accidents
- transfers to and from airport
- or personal expenses.
What to expect:
The itinerary and restaurants have been selected well ahead of time but may need to be adapted if issues arise, regarding weather, ease of access, transportation or other factors. Enjoying the local cuisine will be a highlight of this trip; every attempt will be made to accommodate travelers with dietary restrictions.
Activity Level:
Guests should be able to enjoy an hour of walking at a time, be sure-footed on cobbled surfaces, and walk up and down stairs without assistance.
Payment and Cancellations:
The fee for the events that you select on the online registration form is due at the time of registration. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. Event fees are fully refundable up to December 22, 2017. Cancellations before March 22, 2018 will be fully refunded less an administrative fee of $500 per person. We encourage participants to purchase trip-cancellation insurance for their airline and hotel reservations.