A different side of Spain: walking in Andalucia

The hotels were really contrasting and interesting. They're part of the Parador chain in Spain, which is unique in that it's still predominantly state-owned, and that's to do with the heritage aspect. Usually, the building will be notable in some way; they won't just be a standard city hotel.

Hotel Parador de Antequera was designed in a modern style by a renowned architect. It was positioned high up, so you had these lovely views across the surrounding hills with millions of olive trees as far as you can see.

Parador de Jaén was originally a 13th-century Moorish fortress above the city, so you’re essentially staying in a castle! It has a large lounge, giant fireplaces, big windows, and a huge dining room with hanging lights, ironwork, stone, and dark wood, making it very atmospheric.

Most of them were quite experienced Explore travellers. There were seven people, including me, ranging from their 50s to 70s. The group was friendly, interesting, and happy to chat.

Many had taken several tours with Explore over the years, in all sorts of places. One of them has been travelling with Explore for over 20 years and has been all over the world. As the group was quite widely travelled, they could chat about other experiences they've had.

Definitely – we had three solo travellers on our tour. Explore tours typically attract solo travellers, so you know you've always got that in common with people who are on the same tour. We had group meals, and there was always lots of conversation as people are interested in each other.

Whether it's previous travels or because everyone's got an interest in travel, everyone's got something to share. People who join tours may live on their own, so it's a nice way to mix and meet other people.

It is the olive oil production capital of the world. When you’re in the minibus and the landscape changes, there are times when you're seeing olive trees as far as the eye can see. There are a lot of provinces within the region; we were just in one, but in that province alone, there were something like 66 million olive trees.

Another interesting fact is that Andalucia was under Moorish rule for over 700 years, and that influence is still visible today in the architecture, culture, and food.

I feel like Spain has a lot more to it than we think. Some people, particularly us Brits, may think of it as just sun, sand, and sea. We don’t go anywhere near a beach on this tour! There's so much to discover, like the different types of landscapes, regions, and architecture. You also forget how large it is – part of that variety is because it’s an enormous country.

You're coming across things that you don't necessarily get back in the UK or other parts of the world. I think it surprises people – the level of variety in terms of nature, culture, and food. You could go three or four times to different areas and see things that are completely different.