Make Lifelong Memories through the Chamber's Travel Program

A small group of Chamber travelers headed to Spain and the Costa Del Sol for a nine-day excursion this month. Central Holidays, the Chamber’s travel partner, took care of all the details from the moment we stepped onto the flight in Nashville, offering us a carefree all-inclusive experience. We arrived in Malaga, Spain, and our home base in Torremolinos, Spain, on the Mediterranean. The weather was sunny and perfect! Highlights included Seville, the capital of the Andalusia region, home to a 15th-century cathedral, the Giralda, as well as the Alcazar Palace.

We visited Ronda, in the mountainous region of Spain, and toured the country's oldest bullfighting ring.

On Sunday, we ferried across the Mediterranean to Tangier, Morocco, and spent a day in the old town, or kasbah. We spent a full day in Gibraltar, a British territory located at the entrance of the Mediterranean. On Gibraltar, we made friends with the famous Barbary macaques – the only wild monkey population in the European continent – and marveled at the stunning views of the African coast.

Another highlight was Mijas, one of the most picturesque villages of whitewashed houses in Andalusia.

On our final day of the trip, we traveled to Granada, where we toured Alhambra, a fortified city of the 13th and 15th centuries.

Fellow traveler Seab Tuck of Tuck-Hinton Architects said, “We learned some amazing things: Spain is the second-most mountainous country in Europe (after Switzerland), Gibraltar is part of England, and 1492 is a much bigger deal in Spain than Columbus sailing the ocean blue. We had a great time, dined on a meal of squid, and walked many miles. The views were magnificent – both the snow-capped mountains with small white villages clinging to the slopes and the beaches of the Mediterranean.”

Through Central Holidays, the Chamber is bringing travelers to Ireland March 11-19. Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in the birthplace of the holiday while exploring cultural treasures, traditional Irish food, music and folklore, and picturesque landscapes. Make your reservations online at centralholidayswest.com/booking. This trip is open to the public; the group booking code is B002166.