U3A Denia

Back row l to r: Graham, Richard and Chris. Front row l to r: Cazzie, Ginny and Liz

Our aim is to provide our membership with a wide choice of value for money trips to suit all pockets, bearing in mind the rising cost of transport and food. As well as being friendly and fun, we endeavour to make our trips educational/cultural in line with the U3A ethos of continued learning and sharing experiences.

These are the trips we've organised for you for the rest of this year:

2 - 9 October - eight nights in Mallorca visiting some of the UNESCO world Heritage sites.This trip is now full.

18 October - a bodega visit to Vicente Gandía with lunch. This trip is now open for booking

12 December- sightseeing/Christmas shopping day trip to Murcia, IKEA and the Condomina. We will advertise details of this trip later in the year.

23 - 27 December - four nights full board in Hotel Kaktus, Albir, where we had such a good time last year. This trip is now open for booking.You will need to pay €100pp deposit straight away.

MALLORCA - a journey through time
Eight nights half board

Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, has a rich history dating back over 2,000 years. Our base will be the four star Hotel JS Palma Stay in C’an Pastilla.

It’s an adults only hotel with buffet meals (no ‘tourist menus’), pool, jacuzzi, spa and evening entertainment. There’s a bus stop right outside if you wish to sightsee by yourself, but you probably won’t need to when you see what we have in store for you. Of course, it’s entirely up to you how you spend the holiday. You can take the trips with us, or not, if you prefer to do something else.

Day 1 (Wednesday 2nd October)- arrival and overnight.

Day 2 (Thursday 3rd October) - breakfast, then a morning’s guided tour of old Palma to see the historic centre with its picturesque streets, emblematic monuments, important Gothic style buildings and Medieval Jewish Quarter. Afternoon free, dinner and overnight.

Day 3 (Friday 4th October) - after breakfast we’ll take the iconic wooden train up to Sollér in the Sierra de Tramuntana mountains. The mountains have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, and are considered one of the most impressive natural landscapes in the Mediterranean. You can stroll around the little streets and maybe take the 15 minute tram to the port of Sollér, which runs hourly. Stay as long as you like. Dinner and overnight

Day 4 (Saturday 5th October) - At your leisure. You may like to visit the fabulous Cathedral/Basilica. A masterpiece of Gothic architecture, it was built over a period of 400 years and is considered to be one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Spain. In the afternoon, you could visit the Royal Palace of Almudaina. Dating back to the 14th century and originally an Arab fort, this grand palace is the official residence of the Royal Family for special events and their annual summer holiday. The 11th century Arab baths are an outstanding example of Islamic architecture in Spain. The lovely gardens are worth a visit, too. Entry is free to pensioners between 3pm and 6pm on Saturdays. Dinner and overnight.

Day 5 (Sunday 6th October)
After breakfast, we have a morning visit to the beautiful village of Valldemossa. This charming hilltop village, set in the Tramuntana Mountains, is famed for its quirky, cobbled streets and the 13th century Cartuja de Valldemosa, a monastery which was originally a palace.
We have a guided tour of the Cartuja, which was once home to Chopin, who lived there with the love of his life, Aurore Dupin, also known under her pen name of George Sands. He composed some of his most acclaimed pieces here. Afternoon is free time. Dinner and overnight.

Day 6 (Monday 7th October)
We’ll visit the Caves of Drach in the morning. Formed between 11 and 5.3 million years ago, the four caves stretch for 4km. Our half day guided visit includes a live classical music concert from floating musicians and a boat trip around Lake Martel. You can then enjoy some free time in lovely Porto Cristo and have lunch before we return to the hotel in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight.

Day 7 (Tuesday 8 October)
We’ll spend a full day in Formentor, the northernmost point of the island, known as Mallorcan Finistere. A must-see for any visitor is the dramatic and stunning Cap de Formantor - where the Tramuntana Mountains meet the Mediterranean - and a windswept lighthouse which stands on the promontory.

We’ll also visit the pretty town of Puerto Pollensa, playground of the rich and famous, who moor their super yachts in the turquoise waters of the harbour. 15 minutes inland is the ancient town of Pollensa, with its famous 365 Calvari Steps and views to die for if you can make it to the top! A retreat of artists, writers and musicians, its narrow winding streets and artisan shops are worth exploring. Dinner & overnight.

Day 8 (Wednesday 9th October)
Free day today to do as you please - revisit the places you enjoyed most, see those you’ve missed or just relax in our lovely hotel by the pool. Dinner and overnight.

Day 9 ( Thursday 10th October)
Early breakfast before we board the coach for the ferry at 8am, arriving back in Denia at 1.15pm.

We are restricted to 40 places on this trip

Cost for 40 passengers:
Double room €988 per person
Single supplement €285

There are a small number of sea view rooms (€190 extra per room) and partial sea view rooms (€140 extra per room) available on a first come, first served basis, subject to availability at the time of booking. Please ask when you book. The hotel is not on the beach.

For members with mobility issues, contact Ginny about mobility information for some of the sites.

You, and anyone travelling with you, must be a fully paid up member of U3A Denia.

Please read our Terms & Conditions before booking.

This trip is now fully booked.

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - to be advised
McDonalds Denia - to be advised
Mas y Mas Ondara - to be advised

Vicente Gandía - a bodega visit with a difference

One of the top 15 bodegas in Spain, multiple winner of Best European Winery, producer of over 90 different red, white and rosé wines, and marketed in over 60 countries, Bodegas Vicente Gandía is well known to all lovers of good wine. Their Hoya de Cadenas estate is in Utiel, 80k from Valencia. We wouldn't normally travel this far for a bodega visit, but Liz felt this one was worth the two hour journey (including a comfort/coffee stop).

As you would expect from such a prestigious bodega, it’s truly a visit with a difference. We tour their estate in a little tourist train and visit their 18th century house-museum to discover the origins of the winery, before we see their Barrel Museum of 21 casks, decorated by famous artists. We’ll learn how they make their wine - and then comes the best bit…. we taste three of their most popular wines and have the opportunity to buy them in their shop.

Time for lunch, and we’ll be eating in an old Valencian posada: Hotel Restaurant Posada Venta Pilar in Bruñel.

Here’s the menu:

Starter
Andalusian Gazpacho
Fideua (similar to paella but made with noodles instead of rice)
Fabada (Asturian bean stew)

Main course
Iberian pork with Pedro Jimenez
Meluza
Stuffed chicken thighs
BBQ ribs
Vegetarian option

Postre
Pan Calatrava (a bread and butter pudding-type flan)

Wine, water and coffee is included.

Wined and dined, we can have a snooze on the way home, arriving at Ondara at around six and Denia New Marina half an hour later.

PRICE: €52 per person up to 40 passengers
€49 per person 41 to 50 passengers

Maximum number of passengers is 50

If you have mobility issues, please discuss with me when booking.

Remember that you, and any traveling companions, must be fully paid up (2024) members of U3A Denia to travel with us. We will check!

The trip is now full. Please contact Ginny to be put onto the cancelleation list: travel@u3adenia.com

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - tba
McDonalds Denia - tba
Mas y Mas Ondara - ALSA bus stop tba

4 star Hotel Kaktus
4 nights, full board

This large, family-run hotel is nestled between Benidorm and Altea in the pretty little resort of L’Albir. It’s right on the beach and used by both Saga and Tui, so you can be sure they have all the facilities we Brits love - kettles in the room for our morning cuppa, English TV stations, an International cuisine, eggs and bacon for breakfast (they even serve porridge!), and they have good facilities for disabled travellers, too.

Decorated in an unusual Art Nouveau style with cane furniture and stained glass, the hotel is open and airy with a superb bar/lounge and dance floor for their regular entertainment evenings. If you’re a card or games player or just prefer to chat in the evenings, there’s plenty of space to do so.

Our rooms are large with comfortable seating and all have a side view of the beach and promenade, and that all-important kettle! All meals are served buffet-style and we all agreed the food last year was excellent.

They charge 12 euros a night for their underground car park, but you could probably find parking in nearby streets for free.

Price: 23 - 27 December (5 days, 4 nights) full board
- double room - 460 euros per person
- single room - 568 euros

The price includes a Gala Christmas Eve Dinner, a Gala Christmas Day Lunch and wine and water with meals (including the non-gala ones). We had a wonderful Christmas here last year, which is why we’re going again.

I shall ask you for a 100 euro deposit per person by 8 September, and the full amount by 16 November. Please do not pay until I send you an email with the payment details.

TO BOOK: email Ginny: travel@u3adenia.com with:
- the names of everyone travelling with you
- whether you need disabled facilities and
- whether you want a single, twin or double room.

WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION, I CANNOT BOOK YOU ON THE TRIP.

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - Not applicable
McDonalds Denia - Not applicable
Mas y Mas Ondara - Not applicable