U3A Denia

l to r: Ginny Whitehead, Neil Parkin, Chris Whitehead, Graham Cromack. Front: Christine Parkin, Liz Jones

Our aim is to provide our membership with a wide choice of trips, from days out to nights away and occasional overseas travel. We arrange value for money trips to suit all pockets within the limitation of minimum numbers required to make a trip viable. As well as being friendly and fun, we endeavor to make our trips educational/cultural in line with the U3A ethos of continued learning and sharing experiences.

Each year we offer three or four day trips, sometimes including lunch, a couple of overnighters, a theatre/exhibition trip and a Christmas break.

These are our plans for 2019:

January: Theatre trip and two nights in Madrid to see Lion King

February: Day trip to a Fallas factory, lunch break in Valencia, then visit to Fallas Museum

April: Theatre trip and overnight in Benidorm to see an Elvis Show

May: Overnight trip to Murcia and visit to Caravaca de la Cruz to see their festival of the running of the wine horses.

Six night visit to Vienna, Budapest and Prague

June: Day trip to Guadalest, and a picnic at Algar Falls

October: Day trip to a microbrewery, to Xátiva Castle for lunch, then a guided visit to The Borgia Palace in Gandia.

November: Alicante Titanic exhibition

December: Four night Christmas break on the Costa del Sol with visits to Gibraltar, Ronda and Málaga to see the Christmas lights. NOW BOOKING

PLANS FOR 2020

Day trip to Elche museum, a shoe factory, lunch included and tea in a Moroccan tea garden, in March/April

Four day visit to Córdoba 3-6 May to see the Mesquita and patio flower festival . NOW BOOKING

Day trip to the BioPark and Lladró Museum in Valencia
5 June. NOW BOOKING

Six night visit to two European capitals - Berlin & Amsterdam in September

Day trip to a famous bodega in Yecla to wine taste and have lunch in their restaurant 2 October. NOW BOOKING

Christmas break still being researched

PLANS FOR 2021

Three night visit to Río Jucár area with visit to caves, boat trip, tourist train and bodegar visits included. Half board at hotel in Jalance.

Day trip to Enrique Mendoza Bodega with visit to Altea old town for lunch.

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE FULL DETAILS OF TRIPS

You may see similar trips to ours advertised by Gandia Tours. Please follow this link so that you are aware of the advantages of booking via the U3A Travel group.

18th October

Depart Dénia for Soccorada Micro Brewery, Xativa
Guided tour of brewery in English with an explanation of the process of manufacturing craft beer
Snacks and beer tasting

Depart for Xativa town

Dotty train tour which takes us past the house where the Borgia family lived up to the castle
Lunch in the castle restaurant
In the afternoon a guided tour in English of the Ducal Palace, Gandia also home to the Borgia family from 1485

Price includes:

Guided tour of brewery
visit to castle
lunch in the castle restaurant
Guided tour of Ducal Palace
Basic insurance

Bookings will close on 7 September

ALL QUERIES TO LIZ JONES :alandliz_03@hotmail.com

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - 9.00
McDonalds Denia - 9.15
Mas y Mas Ondara - 9.30

This event is open again for booking

Our visit begins at 11am and you’ll be given an audio guide in English.

The exhibition is housed in the Fish Market on Alicante’s main promenade. It’s an interactive experience where you’ll receive a boarding pass corresponding with a passenger on the ship, which allows you to relate to the individual story of your passenger. The 12 metre reconstruction of the ship allows you to explore the first, second- and third-class galleries. You’ll hear music of the era as you pass through the exhibit and examine recreations of the ship’s interiors, stroll along the promenade deck and marvel at the famous grand staircase.

The visit lasts an hour and a half. Afterwards you have time for lunch and to visit the shops or other sights/attractions in the area before our journey back to Dénia.

ALL QUERIES TO LIZ JONES: alandliz_03@hotmail.com

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - 0845
McDonalds Denia - 0900
Mas y Mas Ondara - 0915

CHRISTMAS ON THE COSTA DEL SOL - 5 days, 4 nights

Join us for a fantastic five day, four night, all inclusive Christmas break in the four star Hotel Blue Sea Cervantes in Torremolinos.

The trip includes excursions to Gibraltar and Ronda, and to Malaga to see the Christmas lights. There will be a special Gala Christmas Day Lunch.

Torremolinos has come a long way from its (in)famous past as a 1960s mass tourist destination. It’s clean and smart with blue flag beaches, parks, gardens, quality shops and a variety of nightlife. It also has a lovely historic old town, which is just a short walk from our hotel. If you enjoy walking, the promenade of Torremolinos surrounds almost the entire coast of the city.

The price - which is all inclusive (full board and all drinks) - includes driver and guide tips, Christmas crackers and mint chocolates on Christmas Day and sweets on the coach. Final price depends on the number of travellers.

During the coach journey, we will have comfort stops every two hours and a break for lunch.

To help you budget, we will take staged payments throughout the year with the final payment in October.
If your plans change, your deposit will be refunded up to 1 October.

As we have already paid the deposit for this trip, you will be asked to pay €100 deposit per person when you book and your place has been confirmed with the hotel.

Price per person in a double room:
Group 30 - 39 €532
Group 40 - 49 €499

Single Room:
Group 30 - 39 €642
Group 40 - 49 €609

If you prefer to drive, then the price is €400 per person sharing a double/twin room.

Bookings will close on 30 September

ALL QUERIES TO GINNY WHITEHEAD cheftalia47@gmail.com

Four days, three nights on b&b basis

The ancient city of Córdoba is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home of the Mezquita, one of the world’s greatest works of Islamic architecture and the most beautiful mosque ever constructed by the Moors in Spain. Every year for two weeks in May, Córdoban residents open their flower-bedecked patios to the public. We’ll spend three nights on a bed & breakfast basis, staying in the three star Hotel Maimonides, right in the heart of the Jewish quarter and opposite the Mezquita. We’ll also visit the10th century ruined palace-city of Medina Azahara and, on the way home, the oldest human settlement in Spain - Guadix - for lunch in one of its Troglodyte cave houses. Here’s our itinerary:

Day 1 Drive to Córdoba, visiting Granda on the way for lunch (not included). Overnight accommodation.

Day 2 Buffet breakfast, then locally guided tour of the Mesquita and old Jewish quarter. Free time in the afternoon to visit the flower patios, Arabic baths, Roman bridge and many other sights. Overnight accommodation.

Day 3 Buffet breakfast then a half-day excursion to the ruins of the Medina Azahara (entrance and official guide included). Return to Cordoba and a free afternoon to revisit the sights and take in the atmosphere of this enchanting city. Overnight accommodation.

Day 4 Buffet breakfast and departure to Guadix, famous for its Troglodyte cave houses. We’ll visit one of the inhabited caves and enjoy a lunch of tapas with wine in the cave. Return to Denia.

Price per person in double room
30-39 people €437
40-49 people €415
Single supplement: 105€

There are only two single places left.

Included in the price:
**Private coach with our own Guide (Rolf)
**Bed & Breakfast accommodation in central three star hotel
**Local guided tour and entrance to the Mesquita
**Half day excursion to Medina Azahar with guided tour
**Entrance to Troglodyte cave + tapas lunch with wine

ALL QUERIES TO GINNY WHITEHEAD: cheftalia47@gmail.com

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - 0900
McDonalds Denia - 0915
Mas y Mas Ondara - 0930

The BioParc in Valencia is a uniquely designed ‘safari park’ where 4,000 African animals and 250 different species live in naturally created habitats. Animals of different species live together just as they would in nature. There are no cages, just perspex barriers separating species and animals from visitors, so you can get up really close without disturbing them. The BioParc has been awarded a Certificate of Excellence by Trypadvisor.

You are not allowed to bring your own food into the parc so, after you’ve seen all the animals, we’ll enjoy a three course lunch in Restaurant Samburu. In the afternoon, we’ll visit the famous Lladró Porcelain Factory and Museum. We’ll watch a video and walk around the factory to see artisans at work, molding and painting pieces, before visiting the museum to view the current collection.

The price includes entry to the BioParc and lunch. The Lladró Museum visit is free.

Prices are approximate as 2020 entrance fees are not available yet. There is a free place for the trip organiser which will be converted into cash to reduce the overall cost for everyone.

30 - 39 passengers 40€
40 - 49 passengers 36€
50 - 55 passengers 34€

ALL QUERIES TO:GINNY WHITEHEAD:
cheftalia47@gmail.com

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - 09.00
McDonalds Denia - 09.15
Mas y Mas Ondara - 09.30

DAY 1.- SPAIN - BERLIN
Transfer by bus from Denia to Valencia/Alicante airport, Flight TBA but will try and get an early one, giving us as much time as possible to explore the delights of Berlin.

The bus will pick us up at the airport, transfer to the hotel, which is situated in a very central area with plenty of bars and restaurants with great transport links. Free time in the afternoon. We have indicated that we wish to stay in the “CROWN PLAZA” a 4.5* hotel rated 8.9 Fab, the price of which is included in the final price, however we cannot confirm or book it until we know we have sufficient numbers and the tour is a goer. Whatever we will be staying in a 4* hotel in a central location.

DAY 2.- BERLIN
Breakfast at the hotel. We will start the day with a guided coach tour in English with an official guide, getting off here and there at it’s most emblematic monuments such as the Reichstag the German Parliament, the glass dome of which was designed by our British Architect Norman Foster, which affords magnificent views across the city. The Brandenburg Gate, the Monument to the Holocaust. We will admire the Victory Column, and walk along Alexanderplatz past the impressive the TV Tower, plus other famous gardens and monuments such as The street, known commonly as die Linden (after the lime trees that once lined it) it is the oldest boulevard in Berlin.

Lunch we leave to you. After lunch I have arranged a boat trip on the river Spree which meanders around Berlin passing some fantastic sights. Return to the hotel and free evening plus a Hop On Hop Off bus included in the trip.

If the mood take you, you must visit Berlins most famous department store Ka De We, I have been and could have spent hours in its food halls (I’m a Foodie) It’s Berlins equivalent of Harrods, well worth a visit.

DAY 3.- BERLIN
Breakfast. Free day in Berlin with the possibility of visiting Sachsenhausen concentration camp or Potsdam with an official English guide. Accommodation.

DAY 4.- BERLIN- AMSTERDAM
Breakfast. Transfer from Berlin to Amsterdam by coach, with a stop at “Hamlin” for lunch (famous for it’s Pied Piper) On arrival in Amsterdam we will book into the Hotel Mate Aitana 4* situated on an island on one of the Canals again this hotel is very central but will have to confirm once we have numbers etc Free Evening.

DAY 5.- AMSTERDAM
Breakfast at the hotel. In the morning we will visit the Rijksmuseum (entrance fee included). Lunch at a restaurant of your choice (not included). We will continue our visit with a boat trip along its famous canals (entrance fee included). Amsterdam is even more spectacular from the water, we'll be able to see the most important places in Amsterdam. After the trip, free time, and return to the hotel.

DAY 6.- AMSTERDAM
Breakfast. Free day in Amsterdam with hop on hop off bus pass.

DAY 7.- AMSTERDAM
Breakfast. Transfer from the hotel to the airport for our Flight home. Bus transfer from Valencia/ Alicante airport to Denia.

Approximate price per person in double room: 1.350€
Approximate price per person in single room: 1.900€

PRICE IS BASED ON A MINIMUM GROUP OF 40 PEOPLE

The price includes:
• Regular flights (includes check-in of 1 piece of luggage per passenger).
• 3 nights stay in Crowne Plaza Berlin City Centre 4* or similar, in Berlin.
• Stay of 3 nights in 4* Hotel type Room Mate Aitana 4* or similar, in Amsterdam.
• Bed and breakfast.
• Extra insurance with cancellation worth €30
• Coach service:
• Transfer airport-hotel the first day.
• Transfer hotel-airport on the last day.
• Transfer Berlin-Amsterdam.
• Bus hop on hop off in Berlin & Amsterdam 24 hours.
• Official guide in English for visit to Berlin.
• Entrance to Rijksmuseum.
• Panoramic boat cruise on the river Spree in Berlin.
• River tour through the canals of Amsterdam.
• Accompanying guide in English during the whole tour.
• Bus transfer from Denia – Valencia/Alicante airport - Denia

The price does not include:
• Entrances to monuments, museums or shows not mentioned in the previous section.
• Lunch.
• Dinners not specified in the previous section.
• Tourist taxes, paid directly at the hotel
• Extras in hotels.
• Official guides not mentioned in the previous section.
• Any service not mentioned previously

Any queries, please contact: graham.cromack@sky.com

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - To be arranged
McDonalds Denia - To be arranged
Mas y Mas Ondara - To be arranged

We rarely make the same trip twice, especially within a year, but we’ve had so many requests to revisit this bodega that Liz has agreed to repeat it.

So, back by popular demand, we are again going to visit the Bodegas Familia Castaño in Yecla, in the Murcia region. A little added interest this time is that we are going during harvest time.

We will be travelling by bus, picking up at the usual departure points. We’ll have a relaxed journey to Yecla, followed by a tour of the vineyards and bodega. Then we will enjoy a lovely paella lunch in the bodega’s restaurant and, of course, sample their delicious wine! There will be time for a visit to the bodega shop for those who wish to take some wine home with them, before a relaxed drive home.

35€ per person to include lunch with wine

For any queries about the trip, contact Liz Jones: alandliz_03@hotmail.com

Pick up time from:
New Marina Denia - 0900
McDonalds Denia - 0915
Mas y Mas Ondara - 0930

Is a safari on your bucket list for 2021? If so, read on.......

I would like to organise a six day safari to South Africa for September 2021. We’d spend three nights in Cape Town and three days on safari in the Thornybush Game Reserve.

Think you may be interested? Please contact Graham.cromack@sky.com for more information, so that I can gauge whether there is enough interest to take the idea further. Look forward to hearing from you!