Spain & Portugal in Depth (2012)

I recently returned from this trip and found it to be fantastic ... it definitely exceeded my expectations! Our program director, Filipa, really made the trip special: she consistently went above and beyond in providing extra "discoveries" and city walks.

The absolute highlight of the trip for me was an unforgettable visit to the Mezquita (Great Mosque) in Córdoba. This amazing structure is a beautiful and fascinating building that symbolizes the many religious changes that Spain has undergone over the centuries. Today, the Mezquita is the cathedral of Córdoba but the vast majority of its art and architecture is the work of Islamic architects who built it in the 8th century. It was absolutely breathtaking!

We also managed to try delicious (Portuguese seafood stew in Cascais) and interesting (pig's ears at a tapas bar in Madrid) food along with some great wine. While in Madrid, don't miss the Mercado San Miguel, a wonderful place to visit with many food stalls and a friendly, urban crowd.

All in all, a wonderful trip with many fond memories!

Traveler: Tracy Hobbs from Birmingham, MI traveled on April 12, 2012

Just returned from a great trip to Spain and Portugal. Spain is a country of contrasts - hills, mountains, the sea, fantastic art museums, historic buildings but lots of restoration, groves of olive trees, charming villages back in time and modern freeways. Portugal is more laid back, not as well restored but equally wonderful buildings and more hills than mountains with farms of grain and livestock dotting the hillsides. Lisbon is built on 7 hills.

it is a busy trip and not designed for those who want lots and lots of shopping. I thoroughly enjoyed the lovely city of Bilbao as the gorgeous Guggenheim museum is the anchor of a city restored from an industrial wasteland to a green and charming city. From the Prado in Madrid to the Alhambra in Granada to the huge cathedral in Seville, the gorgeous sand beaches of Malaga and the lovely flowers in Cordoba; each is to be cherished individually. The people who host the lunches are delightful.

If you are lucky enough to get Andres Cabrera, you will have many 'Wows. His many years of experience and his passion for the two countries are very evident. He has a wealth of knowledge and took us on special discoveries like the garden tour of Cordoba and a streetcar tour in Lisbon.

The only advice I would have is bring a washcloth. Hotels do not have them, no do they have kleenex in many instances.

Practice your Spanish...and your Portugese ..and enjoy. The wine and food are delicious.

Traveler: Jane Shanard from Minnetonka, MN traveled on April 28, 2012

Although we had adequate time to stay at each location, the amount of walking became arduous for many. Some people abbreviated walking tours...

Traveler: Gary Denton from Portland, OR traveled on October 17, 2011

I had a great time on this trip. Our guide Filipa was very well versed on this part of the world. My two basic interests were improving my Spanish and enjoying the Iberian Peninsula. I had the experience of turning 65 years of age on two continents; Europe and Africa because of the optional trip to Morocco. I was with a group of 9 people from Georgia, 8 of us being from the same town Carrollton about 50 miles west of Atlanta. If you were on this same trip, I was the guy that danced with the belly dancer in Morocco. I have another trip planned soon with GCT to South America by myself, but most likely the Georgia group will get together again for another adventure. Take care and keep traveling.
Bill Erickson

Traveler: Mary Erickson from Carrollton, GA traveled on January 29, 2012

Great trip - fantastic history, diverse culture, and stunning architecture. The Moorish influence added another dimension to everything. I will always remember where I was 11-11-11 at 11:11 am. I was in the Mesquite in Cordoba. Breathtaking!

The pacing of the trip and the central locations of the hotels made the most of our time. Our tour director, Victor Santos, was great. His humor really made him a standout. His animated presentation overlooking the bullfighting ring in Malaga was priceless! Whether you were for or against bullfighting, he did a great job.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned in other reviews is dietary issues. I am celiac, and there was also a vegetarian in our group. Whenever there was a group meal we both felt Victor did an outstanding job accommodating our needs.

If you go to Spain, I highly recommend including Barcelona if you can. I went a few days early on my own. Barcelona showed another outstanding facet of Spain.

Traveler: Gloria Gardner from Onamia, MN traveled on November 03, 2011

I heartily recommend GCT's trip to Spain and Portugal particularly if you get our guide, Filipa Fernandez. I have traveled many times with OAT but this was my first GCT trip and it was the best organized and run tour I have experienced largely due to Filipa who is pleasant, knowledgeable and well organized.

Our first few days were spent in Madrid where we were shown the sights on a quick bus tour then left to experience the museums and shopping largely on our own as we overcame our jet lag at our own pace. Madrid is beautiful. Full of amazing discoveries, from the first class Prado to the stores and cafe's where we experienced chocolate' y churros (yummy). Well worth the time and very easy to reach by foot from our centrally located hotel.

Don't miss the optional excursion to El Escorial. The tombs of the Spanish Monarchy were worth the extra expense all alone, throw in the rest of the Monastery and Cathedral along with a tour of Franco’s tomb in the Valley of the Fallen and we’re talking something that you will always remember. On top of that the local guide was knowledgeable and Filipa was there, as always, to fill us in on interesting side stories and provide guidance along the way.

Leaving Madrid we traveled first to Toledo where we were shown around the UNESCO world heritage site. From the old city’s amazing Cathedral to its picturesque squares and hilltop vistas, this place is literally dripping with things to look at. And the art is world class to boot. You’ll be shown works from numerous artists – but most notably El Greko who's 'The Burial of the Count of Orgaz' is a masterpiece.

The bus moves on south to visit many amazing sites in southern Spain including the Alhambra in Grenada and the beautiful beaches of the Costa del Sol on the Mediterranean Sea. You see the Rock of Gibraltar up close on an optional trip to Tangier Morocco where you also visit the souk and experience a taste of Moroccan culture.

When the tour turns north west, there a many more sights along the way until the tour reaches Portugal and my personal favorite location. Lisbon. Even in the massive economic decline that has left some of the sights a little shabby, this city is stunning.

The side trip up the coast to Cascais is not to be missed. There is just too much to talk about in this short review (Flaminco dancers, bullrings, horses, olives, tapas and the glorious beauty of Ronda among other treats). Suffice it to say that traveling with Filipa and GCT was delightful and I hardily encourage anyone interested to join the fun!

Traveler: Russ Gregory from Austin, TX traveled on September 13, 2011

Our trip to Spain and Portugal was outstanding. Filipa, our guide, was charming, beautiful and knew her history and culture extremely well. We enjoyed the weather in November. The hotels were really nice. All the breakfasts were wonderful and the extra experiences provided by Grand Circle were interesting and special. I highly recommend this trip.

All the optional side trips were very interesting . We loved the trip to Tangier with Filipa. We would not have had as much fun on our own.

Grand Circle provided an outstanding learning experience. Loved it.

Traveler: Jean Hatlestad from Minnetonka, MN traveled on November 13, 2011

I have put together a DVD of pictures that are not offensive to anyone with Spanish music from a disc that I purchased over there. If you are interested I will send a copy of it for your files.

How can I ask a question about the England, Scotland & Wales trip for 2012 ??
We would love to go back to a "TATOO" in Edinborough !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Traveler: David White from Montoursville, PA traveled on May 22, 2011

I traveled solo on this trip and our trip leader Filipa Fernandes was excellent in every way to see that I had a wonderful trip
We toured Madrid and saw many places such as the Prado Museum, the Royal Palace. She took us on some discoveries which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I also took the optional El Escorial trip and we stopped at the Valley of the Fallen where 40,000 men are buried. I learned quite a bit about Spain that I had probably forgottenover the years.
The Mosque Cathedral in Cordoba was one of the many highlightsof the tour. It was beautiful
I loved the trip across the Straight of Gibralter to Morocco. I enjoyed the market place with the shops and tasting some of the food. Also haggling with the vendors over prices for their wares. The lunch was very nice too.
I enjoyed staying on the beach in Torromolinas Just staying by the Mediterannean and see the beautiful sunrise was wonderful.
When I was in Seville I. came down with a stomach virus several others had it too. I went to the Flamenco Show and had to go back to the hotel. Filipa called a cab for me and then when she got back from the show she called a Dr since I decided that going to Lisbon the next day being so ill would probably be a problem for me. She went and got my medicine at 10 PM The next day she set it up wth the lady at the horse stud farm for me and several others to each have a bed while the others were touring and having lunch That lady was so very nice.
Upon arriving in Lisbon Filipa helped me to my room.made sure I was OK with everything. She made sure that even though I was traveling alone that she was there for anything I might have needed. It is a testament that you are solo travel friendly in more ways than I thought prior to that situation.
I did get to go to Cascais and Sintra which was just a beautiful area I could have stayed there for a week or more. I did miss some of Lisbon and would love to go there again since it appeared to be a beautiful area.
It was just an all around excellent trip and experience thanks to our trip leader Filipa

Traveler: Patricia Rhubart from Allentown, PA traveled on October 16, 2011

While the base trip was interesting and a lot of fun, the post-trip to the Island of Madeira was wonderful and a relaxing and good wind down from the hectic pace on the mainland. And it is so beautiful!!

Traveler: Jeanne Burroughs from Chico, CA traveled on October 20, 2011

I wasn`t sure what to expect but the trip turned out to be fabulous. We went in October and the weather was in the 70s..
Each area we visited had something to new to experience. Madrid and the Prada, the markets and the squares with music, food and shops.
Cathedrals, museums were all interesting and different. On this trip I could really put history into place learning about all of the Kings and queens and how they were connected to the different countries.
Portugal was a nice surprise and easy to get around. We road a tram, with the locals. Loved Lisbon.
Our guide Ramon would take us on discovery trips every afternoon after sightseeing and we really saw all of the areas in depth. There wasn`t any wasted time. He showed up stores to buy water or extras as food, soda .
Morroco was just okay . A place to see once.
Spain and Portugal should be on everyones list to see.

Traveler: Janet Weaver from Cudahy, WI traveled on October 06, 2011

What's not to like about Spain and Portugal? For art lovers, there are the wonderful museums in Madrid, and the trip to Escorial and the pantheon where Franco is buried was well worth the money. If you want to see an incredible monument to a super-sized ego, this is the place to visit.

The combination of Arab and Spanish culture in Spain has produced some amazing architecture. We've visited most of the major cathedrals in Europe, but the combined mosquecathedral in Cordoba took our breath away. If only we had had more time!

Believe it or not, the Alhambra in Granada doesn't even compare with some of the other Moorish structures we saw. Now our goal is to go back and spend more time in the walled towns of Toledo and Cordoba. Ronda is a bit harder to get to, but it's well worth an extended visit. Hemingway thought so, and you'll see photos of him in various establishments around town.

Nothing distinguishes Torremolinos except its beaches, and the water lovers liked it more than we did (and yes, it was too cold to go in swimming in November). From there, seventeen of us took the trip over to Tangier for the day. It was rushed and hectic, but most interesting. I paid a Euro to sit on a camel for 30 seconds before he decided to sit down again. But we got the picture!

I've lived in North Africa and so wasn't surprised at the aggressiveness of the street vendors and shop owner. We really didn't have time to bargain for the half-hour you need to get prices down to a reasonable level, and if you have a choice, opt out of the carpet establishment we went to. We were forced to sit as sales staff rolled out carpet after carpet in the hope that we would buy one in the 15 minutes we had left to shop.

The restaurant had decent Moroccan food, but, don't expect the belly dancing we're used to seeing on TV. I almost felt sorry for the veiled young lady who had to go through the rather tepid motions of a dance for us.

I can't remember the name of the little town where we had our home-hosted lunches, but they were great, especially since we got to visit a retired electrician who happened to be a great cook and spent at least 15 minutes talking to us (in Spanish) after the meal. I bought an exquisite wood inlay table and tray at the craft shop there and they both made it all the way home without incident. Just ask them to break down the table for you. All you'll need is a screw driver and the ability to match numbers when you get home.

The bus ride from Seville to Lisbon was long, but the trip to the horse breeding ranch was a highlight. The owner is one special lady, and her trainer son is very easy on the eyes!

Lisbon is an extremely interesting city, as is Sintra. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to adequately see either one. We had been to both before and so we knew what the group was missing. If you can arrange it, stay a few extra days to really see the monastery and castle, then take the 45-minute train ride up to Sintra to see everything the tour misses.

Now, a few more pluses and a few minuses:

Our guide, Carlos, was probably the best guide we've had with Grand Circle, and his English was just bad enough to be enjoyable. If you are lucky enough to get him, cut him some slack because he speaks four languages. If you speak French, he'll be delighted to converse with you in that language.

The people in both countries and warm, friendly, and authentic. Pick-pockets, however, are a real problem in Madrid and Lisbon. Hang on to your wallets and purses.

Weather is a huge factor and we don't really recommend any tour beyond early November. The rains drowned out our visits to Ronda and Sintra.

The local guides varied greatly in their personalities and presentations. Disliked only one who came across as very dry and arrogant.

The "Whispers" that Grand Circle uses are necessary but cumbersome. Some of the sites were so crowded, however, that they were the only way we could hear the guide.

We understand the rule about no food and drinks on the bus, but the tour of Sintra didn't get back to Lisbon until 2:30. We were starved! If we had known it would be so late, we would have gotten a sandwich in Sintra.

Expect some high-quality hotels sandwiched between the ones in Madrid and Lisbon. The one in Madrid was the worst. Very hard, uncomfortable mattresses. It was hot our first few days and the AC system was very poor. Be aware that the electricity in the rooms works only when your key card is in it's slot on the wall. Thus, when you go out, the AC goes off and you come back to a hot room. We tried leaving one of our keys in the slot, but the maid always took it out! If you get one of the really old rooms facing the western sun, see if you can be moved.

The places you'll want to see in Lisbon are quite far apart, and you'll have to learn how to take a streetcar or the metro is you want to visit places on your own. Be adventurous and learn how. The metro ticket machines offer instructions in English or you can buy a 3-day, all inclusive ticket at the tourist offices.

Finally, be sure to bring your own wash cloths. The hotels don't provide them.

Bottom line: We had a great time on this trip. It went extremely well, thanks in great part to our guide. Part of the fun is meeting other Americans who love to travel and have been just about anywhere you are thinking of traveling. We got the scoop from several people on our next OAT trip to Machu Pichu this December.

Linda Laugen

Traveler: Ronald Laugen from Spring, TX traveled on October 13, 2011

Great trip. Our PD, Eduardo was great, on of the best I have found. He was of great help just after I arrived and my ATM card did not work. He helped me call my credit card company to get a cash advance thru the ATM machine.
Be aware that nice restaurants do not open for dinner until 8 or 8:30 PM. There are little cheap "diner" type places open earlier in the day, but the food is not always great. In other words, have a nice lunch if you do not like to dine so late in the evening.
I like to travel in fall because it is not so crowded, but be aware that the weather can range from chilly and rainy (wear a fleece top and raincoat) to summer-shorts or a skirt.
Several of us had encounters with pickpocket attempts. Consider investing in a safe carrier for your valuables.
I will definitely be taking another trip!

Traveler: Jacqueline Densing from Pewaukee, WI traveled on October 20, 2011

We did really enjoy the escorted tour to Spain and Portugal. There are few things we would like to share.
1. The price is affordable. Other companies will price us out. We think it is a bargain price.
2. Cities we visited such as Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla are so wonderful. Anyone who likes history and culture will like the trip. This is the trip heshe cannot miss.
3. The program director is so customer friendly. All tour guides and program directors we had before were all so nice too. But he is the one our money can buy. He always did something more than required. He is the best of the best. To us we gave him a perfect score. A nice tour with a nice program director makes the trip a wonderful experience.
4. Certainly if Lisbon were replaced by Barcelona, it would be a perfect of perfect trip. But the price could be changed accordingly. Anyway, the escorted trip to Spain and Portugal deserves a perfect rating.

Traveler: Yih-Lang Wu from Chelmsford, MA traveled on October 20, 2011

We toured with Ramon Romero who did an excellent job. The weather was outstanding and we saw a lot at a reasonable pace during the two weeks. Due to his experience, we got to see a lot of Spain that going on our own we would have missed. Our group was a great bunch of friendly individuals.

We did our own air and arrived in Madrid three days early so we could see the Opera House, Palace and the museums and could also remain in Lisbon for two additional days to see the Castle of St George and Sintra in detail. We had wonderful food on this trip. Our local guides were excellent.

We did the day trip to Morocco and loved it. So much so, we plan to return for a two week trip. We got to ride a camel, saw the Medina and had a wonderful lunch complete with belly dancing and music. An outstanding day!

The hotels were in a good location. Not to be missed is the rooftop dining at the Hotel Mundial in Lisbon, eating at a local restaurant in Cordorba across from the Grand Mosque, the Reina Sofia museum and Opera House in Madrid. Be aware there are no face cloths and little soap in each hotel - these hotels are Spanish and this is Spanish style.

Traveler: Barbara Ballard from Williamsburg, VA traveled on October 06, 2011

We totally enjoyed this 15-day Grand Circle trip and our tour guide, Juan Jose Perez, was excellent. The trip moved very fast to the highlights of each city, making the most efficient use of time. Our early-October weather was perfect, with warm and blue skies.

This tour is very worthwhile and educational. If you are trying to decide whether to take this trip: GO! Our charming tour leader was a walking encyclopedia of historical facts and cultural insights. The hotels were located very near to key tourist sites, so our free time could be put to good use by just walking a few blocks.

We had no idea how attractive Spain is. Cities are clean, historical sites have been restored, pedestrian streets are reserved for walking, and endless rolling hills of olive trees fill the countryside. The pre-trip to Bilbao was a delight.

I liked it so much, that I would have preferred to have an extra day in each of the places we stayed, especially Madrid and Seville. There was so much to see and everything was so intriguing. The mosquecathedral in Cordoba was fantastic.

From the southern coast, we took a one-hour ferry to Tangiers, Morocco across the Straights of Gibraltar. You can see the mountains of Africa across the Straights. It is amazing how close it is. This optional trip was fascinating, but a tiring long day.


I suggest that Grand Circle design a trip called “Leisurely Spain” that does all these same places more in depth, and eliminates the three days in Portugal. Portugal, to be seen properly, should really be a separate trip. After the tour, my husband and I stayed an extra eight days in Portugal and explored the castles around Sintra, Queluz, Malfa, and the whitewashed towns along the coast.

The big advantage of the tour is its very efficient use of time. The only negative of this itinerary was the two long days of bus travel. Unfortunately, about 75% of our group, one by one came down with colds. When people in the seat behind you are constantly coughing, and blowing their noses in the bus, it becomes unpleasant. These people needed a day off to recuperate, but they couldn’t because the group was moving to a new town.

After the tour, my husband and I continued eight extra days in Portugal and eight extra days in Barcelona. Having been introduced to these countries by the tour, we were better able to travel on our own. We struggled with our maps and missed having a tour guide, but it was also fun. We slept in and moved slower.

We rented a “Smart Car” in Sintra, Portugal for only $39 Euros a day, and drove north exploring many charming areas. Then we took a $70 plane flight back to Barcelona Spain to conclude our trip. Barcelona was not on the GCT tour and we wanted to see it.

One tip: Spain is humid, so it feels warmer than weather forecasts suggest. The only place we needed warm clothes was in the north, Bilbao.

Traveler: Linda from San Francisco Bay Area, CA traveled on October 06, 2011

Several weeks ago I returned from the trip Spain and Portugal in Depth. The weather at the beginning of October was perfect and my companion and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to these two countries. Our guide, Judy, was always helpful and available and the guides on the individual tours were uniformly excellent.

We were particularly delighted with both “discoveries” that were included in the trip. The home-hosted lunch in Salinas was of particular note. Smaller groups are formed for this event and we were only 6 at the table. The hostess did not eat with us and spoke very little English; however she served us graciously and appreciated our efforts to say a few words in Spanish, as well as our obvious delight in the wonderful meal. She invited us to take a tour of her lovely home and posed willingly for photos.

Our visit to the horse-breeding farm in Lisbon was also very interesting and enjoyable. We had to get off the highway and travel on an unpaved road to get to it but it was worth it. The farm house lunch that we had there was excellent and even included the most popular soup in Lisbon called caldo verde. The handout on Portugal gastronomy that we received from our guide has the recipe in it and I plan to make it one of these days. In addition to the great lunch, we saw a show put on by 3 beautiful horses and their trainer and learned a little bit about the history of the farm and the 5 generations who have owned it.

I can’t say enough about Torremolinos. All the rooms at the hotel Melia Costa del Sol have balconies with a view of the Mediterranean. Bring your bathing suit, if you wish; even in October there were people in the water. Our preference was to just walk along the surf in the early evening. If you like shopping, don’t miss going to the Torremolinos Center. This can be accessed by elevator at a minimal cost if you wish to avoid the steep climb. However, it is definitely more fun to walk back down along the narrow little street full of small interesting shops.

The Plaza de España in Seville, built as a showcase for the 1929 Expo, was something to see with its beautiful buildings and liberal use of decorative tile in its alcoves and little bridges. Be sure to have your camera with you. Also in Seville the included dinner and colorful, fast-paced flamenco show that followed are not to be missed. The meal was wonderful; it even included an after-dinner drink and the show was very professional and delighted everyone.

If you go on this trip, and I highly recommend it, don’t miss the optional tours to El Escorial (very much worth seeing) and Cascais and Sintra - two lovely towns in Portugal - where you will be given free time to look around on your own.

As to any criticism about the trip, my companion was particularly disturbed that dinner did not follow the welcome drink upon arrival but was offered the following day (no doubt GCT had some very good reason for doing this). This resulted in our having to look for a restaurant to have dinner at after a long stressful trip. However, as it turned out we luckily chose a modest place (I believe the name was Cafeteria Iowa) where we had one of the best meals of the trip.

Jo Steininger from Asheville, NC traveled on October 11, 2011

Traveler: Jo Steininger from Weaverville, NC traveled on October 11, 2011

This trip with GCT was excellent, and the best part of the trip was our Tour Director, Carlos. He emailed us ahead of time giving us pertinent information concerning our trip, he telephoned us the day before departure to introduce himself in person, and upon arrival back home, he emailed us to say he hoped our return trip was pleasant. What a guy! He obviously loves this area and shared many facts and experiences with us during the trip. Our hotels were excellent and conveniently located. We especially liked staying in most hotels more than one night. Scenery was lovely and weather was perfect...only 1 day of rain. I would like to have seen more included meals, especially dinners. If you are a single woman traveling solo and don't hook up with other single travelers, you might feel a little abandoned at dinner time. We found prices somewhat high with the Euro; I suppose that's to be expected in this world economy. We encountered no hostility with the residents; they were more than willing to help us with our Spanish when needed. A great trip, and a great time of year to travel!

Traveler: Alice Betts from Hendersonville, NC traveled on October 13, 2011

Our guide, Victor Santos was the greatest!
Spain is a beautiful, fascinating country with rich history. Victor was exceptional in exceeding our expectations. Not only was he knowledgeable, enthusiastic and caring, he was a walking history book which made everything come alive! Victor was fun and had a great sense of humor and entertained us on the bus.

I especially enjoyed "learning and discovery"...the cured ham tasting, the stop at the Windmills in La Mancha, the custard pies in Lisbon. We were fortunate to be in Seville on Columbus Day and saw his tomb. Our favorite cities were Madrid, Cordoba and Seville.

The Flamenco show was terrific, especially the pre-show with one of the dancers explaining the dresses and traditions, and Victor on stage.

We always find the home hosted dinner to be a highlight and it was. I love the personal touches that GCT provides for us.

Glenn and I highly recommend this trip.

Traveler: Martha Terwilliger from Agoura Hills, CA traveled on October 02, 2011

My wife and I have just returned from a delightfull Spain-Portugal trip. We could not have asked for a better Program Director than Rui Miguel. He made sure that all 38 of us were well versed in both the past history and the present day events and problems of the two countries
Not only were we shown the highlights of Madrid, But we had time to tour the Prado Museum and then walk back to our hotel to see these same sights in more detail. The other places that we visited in Spain were all escorted and with the "Whispers" could keep up with the explanations and still take pictures.
There was enough time to do some shopping. However, do not come on this trip expecting to have lengthty time to shop. On our way to the home-hosted lunch, Rui stopped at an artisan co-op, which was worth the stop
We did both the pre and the post trips and would recommend both.
Our only complaint was the optional trip to Morocco. For those who had previously been to Morocco, another optional trip could have been offered, such as a trip to Gibraltar.
All-in-all, the Escorted trip to Spain-Portugal was fun, educational, and well worth the cost.

Traveler: Robert Whisnant from Huddleston, VA traveled on September 19, 2011

The tour was well done. Intellectually stimulating, esthetic and comfortably balanced. The guide Valle was particularly good and went the second mile to make it a meaningful experience for all tour members.

Traveler: Brent Mikesell from Sacramento, CA traveled on October 04, 2011

This was an unforgettable trip - we had forgotten how long the Arabs were in Spain and Portugal and the influence they had on those countries.. They were so unlike other European countries we had visited - a great surprise! Our guide, Carlos, was excellent! We learned so much on this trip due to his knowledge of and great explanations of all that we were seeing. Some on our tour felt that the pace was too difficult - be aware of that and if you have health issues you might consider not taking the optional trips so that you have time to recover your strength - although you can't pass on the optional trip to El Escorial - wonderful! Food in both countries was great - especially if you enjoy seafood.

Traveler: Kathie from Mc Farland, WI traveled on September 15, 2011

A very good trip especially anyone who is interested in history. I developed a toe problem over there so that bothered me enough that I could not enjoy my trip as much as I should have. But all in all it was a very interesting and informative trip. The tour guide was excellent. He knew his history and was very caring for all of us. I will say you need to be in good physical shape for there is a lot of walking on cobblestone and uneven ground. and if you go on the side trips there is not a lot of free time. I would recommend this trip to anyone.

Traveler: James Hill from Jacksonville, AR traveled on September 15, 2011

Our arrival in Madrid was met with surprising warm to hot weather for October. Our Program Director, Valle Lopez, was just great. Being from the area she kept us informed of the beauty and historical significance of whereever we were. The tour of Madrid was really informative and gave us a lot of options to explore on our own.
The trip to El Escorial was worth the effort to get up and down all those steps, especially down to the tombs. Every room brought one surprise after another - history brought alive.
Toledo was visited with a very informative guide and to see the El Greco painting explained by our guide was terrific.
On the way to Cordoba we saw lots and lots of olive trees and had frequent stops to make the trip more enjoyable. We did walk across the old Roman Bridge in 98 degree temp.
At Granada the Alhambra was just as spectacular as promised. The gardens were beautiful and our guides were well informed. This side trip was excellent. I will never forget standing in the spot where Queen Isabella gave Christpher Columbus permission to sail east to find the West Indies!
Our hotels could not have been any better. In Torremolinos we could look at the beautiful Mediterranean all day.
Our trip to Morocco was terrific. The crossing of the Straight of Gilbratar, the narrow streets, camel ride, lunch in a local restaurant and just getting a feel of the city made the trip.There were a lot of steep inclines and steps you had to traverse and some of our group were pretty tired by the end of the tour.
In Malaga we saw where Picasso was born and where he was baptized. Since this was our PD's home town, she showed us the floats used during Holy Week that were carried through the streets by 100 men. We also saw the old Roman Collisium and saw the restored entrance to the stage built with the help of Grand Circle through the World Heritage Foundation. Thrilling to know people from all over the world can now see this marvel. Our PD took us on a walking tour of the town and we stopped under a 500 year old fig tree and was treated to a glass of wine and a local cookie which was delicious!
The home hosted lunch was a great success. All of us enjoyed that.
Perhaps my most favorite part of the trip was our visit to Ronda, way up in the mountains but very stark and beautiful. We saw the bullring at Ronda and was told that Orson Wells' ashes were buried at the home of a local bullfighter near Ronda. Ernest Hemingway also used Ronda as the backdrop for his famous novel, "For Whom The Bells Toll".
Along the highway to Ronda were blooming oleander bushes.
We found out, after DNA testing, that Christopher Columbus' ashes and some bones are really burried in the Seville Cathedral.
The flamingo show was enjoyed by all of us. The visit to the horse stud farm was also a hit, it came at just the right time in our tour.
The tour of Lisbon was another winner. It is just so beautiful to see what they have done with the seaport area. The Monument to Discoveries was awesome.
The side trip to Sintra and Caicais was also a high-lite of the trip. The food was so good in Caicais we were reluctant to leave this beautiful place.
An overview of this trip would be - a lot of walking up and down hills, flights of stairs but in the end it was all worth it. We came to see the countries in depth and that is just what Grand Circle did for us - show us as much as they could cram into our 15 days. Lucille and Jerry Cole

Traveler: Gerald Cole from Falling Waters, WV traveled on September 11, 2011

This trip was a feast of art, architecture, history and culture. Our guide, Judy, was warm and caring and very knowledgeable. I loved the pre-trip optional days in Bilbao which is a wonderful city. The juxtaposition of old and new architecture there was amazing. Visiting the Prado Museum in Madrid was a highlight. I loved Toledo, Cordoba, Granada, Ronda, Seville. The optional day in Morocco and seeing the Rock of Gibraltar were thrilling. The home hosted lunch was memorable as was the trip to a horse stud farm in Portugal. Lisbon, Sintra and Cascais were wonderful to visit. I came home thrilled and so filled with information that I have had to go back to my travel books to consolidate all my new learning.

Traveler: Jane Boynton from Bethesda, MD traveled on September 03, 2011

I loved the small touches that our leader, Ramon Romero, provided: one day in Cordoba we were near a church at 3:00. He had us stop in front and hush. We anticipated church bells. Instead, there sounded three strums of a Spanish guitar. It was lovely!
On that same walk, Ramon asked a woman who was entering her house if we Americans could have the experience of seeing a real Spanish patio in a private home. She graciously invited us in to her lovely patio which we would never have seen had it not been for our charming and friendly guide who was always on the lookout for something special to show us.
Prior to leaving for this trip, my bank teller, who is from Lisbon told me about the custard tarts that are sold in a special bakery a few blocks from St. Jeronimos Cathedral "A must", he said. I thought there was little hope. But after our visit to the cathedral, Ramon produced a box of those famous custard tarts and passed them out to us. They were sublime.
All small gestures, but ones I will remember.

Traveler: Linda Vaughan from Fairfield, CT traveled on September 01, 2011

Spain is a great country to visit. Beautiful people, great weather, amazing buildings, super food, and an outstanding tour guide in Andres'. As with other top GCT guides, Andres' seem to think of everything, the sign of experience and professionalism. Our group was on time which always makes for a better trip. We had a little bus problem near a small town and while the driver was checing it out, Andres' bought everyone a beverage of choice. Madrid is a beautiful city with much to see, along with Costa del Sol, our two favorite areas. We enjoyed the optional day trip to Morroco. The Whispers were a great aid to hearing all the information when in a group setting. The airline arrangements could have been better, but overall a very good trip.

Traveler: Tommy Cunningham from Westminster, CO traveled on September 01, 2011

November weather was great - had only two rainy afternoons that were a bother - rest of the time was usually sunny and VERY crisp (but warm in Costa del Sol). Take a pair of gloves and a knit hatear muffs and a warm jacket and a windbreaker (to layer on top if windy) and you'll be fine. Just like most travel, plan to dress in layers – oh, and buy a scarf or two (there are many and they are really prettyinexpensive) if your neck gets cold.

My advice? Don't miss Bilbao - the museum is worth the whole pre-tour. Don't miss getting a fried calamari sandwich in Madrid close to the Plaza Mayor - can't get one anywhere else. Don't miss having a hot chocolate and churros - it's a bit of heaven. It's like dipping a delectable 'stick' into fabulous chocolate mud. Don’t miss the Lello bookstore in Porto. You’ll have to go on your own during your free afternoon. So worth it!

Most hotels were in good locations for walking the neighborhoods – not every hotel was great – but all were just fine. The food was very good – be sure to try the Spanish gazpacho (at the Cordoba hotel dinner buffet) – it’s different than most recipes but oh so tasty.

Pray that you get Andres Cabrera Quesada as your program director. He is warm and humorous and so-o-o knowledgeable - when he is giving you tons of historyinformation, it is in learnable bites and told like an interesting story...wait until you hear him talk about Don and the windmills. Wonderful! This man is in love with Spain (and Portugal) and loves his job. Andres walked us through a non-tourist neighborhood in Cordoba, introduced us to a friend and her patio, arranged to open up a neighborhood church and then bought us all an ice cream cone. And that was just one afternoon. What a guy. What a professional.

Other highlights for me: Sevilla – the Spanish Plaza (we were there in late
afternoon and the light was wonderful for taking photos) and the Alcazar (my favorite Alcazar of several that we saw). Cordoba – the cathedral. Madrid – the Prado museum and later just walking around. Torremolinos – just being so warm while walking the seaside boardwalk and shopping in the town square area. Driving the countryside – seeing the olive tree groves in Spain and the cork trees in Portugal. And finally, just hanging out with some really neat new friends!

Traveler: Linda from Los Angeles, CA traveled on November 04, 2010

We went on the trip SeptemberOctober 2010. The big strike occurred when we were in Madrid. It was actually a plus because we spent an extra day in Madrid. Thus, we were able to see the Prada and Thyssen Museums and the Palace. Don't miss any of these.
Wish we could have spent a little more time in Toledo. Fascinating historical city. Cordoba and the Alhambra were just as wonderful as promised.
Since returning, I have read "Tales of the Alhambra" by Washington Irving. He spent time living in the Alhambra in about 1830. I highly recommend the book. It made the Alhambra come alive for me. We had some singers from the University sing at lunch. I bought a CD and have been enjoying it since.
Portugal was interesting. Coffee was better there. (Spain had the worst coffee I have ever drunk. Take coffee envelopes and make your own with the hot water at breakfast.) One of the highlights was a visit to a horse farm that had been in the family for hundreds of years.
The extended trip to Madeira put the frosting on the trip. The scenery was more than I had imagined. Be sure to take both day trips. Hotel Melia was excellent. I left a notepad in the free internet room. It had my name on it, and someone from the hotel returned it to my room. Service was exceptional.
Over all, other than the l-o-n-g bus rides, the trip was great.

Traveler: Doris Foley from Independence, MO traveled on September 26, 2010

My trip to Spain and Portugal in the very beginning of June, 2010, was marvelous!
This was my first trip with GCT, and I was extremely lucky to get Juanjo Perez as my Tour Director. GCT is doubtlessly very fortunate to have such an outstanding employee, and I'm really very pleased to have had the opportunity to see Spain and Portugal with Juanjo. In fact, I was impressed enough to write a really long review!

Juanjo is not only a wonderful, erudite guide with a deep, multifaceted knowledge of history, culture, and traditions, but also a charming, good-natured, and obliging person. It is a pleasure to converse with him. Juanjo greeted us with gracious hospitality, as though he were happily and proudly showing us his home. He did everything possible, going above and beyond to ensure our comfort and enjoyment of the trip while tactfully leaving us free to choose what to see and do.
Juanjo was always very accommodating and made us feel genuinely cared for. Listening to Juanjo was particularly interesting thanks to his lively and captivating manner, his excellent sense of humor as well as his tactfulness. He eagerly answered our questions, whether they were about historical events or current social issues.
His sincerity, friendliness, openness, clever wit, tactfulness, and good manners won the hearts of absolutely everyone in our group!

Juanjo did not shy away from further excursions and tours which were not listed on the program. He invested his personal time so that we could make warm memories of our trip. He likes to pleasantly surprise his guests. He treated us all to mouthwatering ice cream from a very well-known cafe, brought us a really great rare cheese on fresh homemade bread as a snack, and even showed up with a huge box of delicious pastries from a famous local bakery, where they've been guarding their secret recipe for generations.
Juanjo knows his country and loves it - he plants that feeling in your heart, and makes you want to visit again and again. There really isn't a Tour Director better than Juanjo!

It is the Tour Director who sets the tone for a trip and creates the atmosphere. This is why I have devoted such a large portion of my review to Juanjo Perez. My warm, wonderful memories of my trip and my desire to travel with GCT again are owed to his brilliant performance.

***

Others have written quite detailed reviews of the trip itself, so let me briefly mention some practical details. Almost everywhere, the hotels are good and conveniently located. However the service wasn't great in some of the hotels, at least compared to American hotels.
Note that few people in Spain know English, even in hotels. Again, Juanjo Perez did a wonderful job, seeming to appear as if by magic to help us communicate with local folks.
Someone's already mentioned that it's important to have comfortable walking shoes. Note that in Spain, and Europe in general, sneakers are mainly worn inside the gym rather than on the street. Summer dress shoes, moccassins, or comfortable sandals would be more appropriate. Take care to have shoes with a thick sole, because the streets are paved with stones which become quite hot in the sun. For women, I recommend light long summer skirts to protect your legs from the hot Spanish sun. Yes, the end of May has very hot weather: elect to go earlier in the year to avoid the heat. Light, long-sleeved shirts will protect your arms from burning. The heat might make you want to change a few times a day, and I found it useful to pack extra clothes.
A bathing suit is also nice to have, because you may want to swim in the pool or the sea at Torremolinos. Even if you choose the optional tour to Morocco, you will still have a few hours to lay around on the beach.

I enjoyed the one-day tour of Morocco because it was a nice introduction to the country and because it offered a rare chance to buy wonderful, handcrafted silver (and gold) jewelry as well as extremely high-quality, handcrafted, unique rugs at very reasonable prices.
The prices in Morocco depend on your ability to haggle, so your mileage may vary. Still, if you go to where Juanjo took us, you can have an amazing rug delivered to your home for significantly cheaper than American prices.

Don't miss the Flamenco show - it is an impressive, colorful spectacle which will captivate you. I could write a book about this trip, but it's so much better to come see it for yourself. Spain and Portugal will open up their treasures to you, especially if you go with Juanjo Perez.

Traveler: Ms. Rubin from Brooklyn, NY traveled on May 27, 2010

This was my 3rd trip with GCT, and it lived up the expectations I have of all of their trips! Our Program Director, Eduardo, was exceptional! He was knowledgeable, friendly, and rightfully proud of his country and heritage! I wish I could get my alarm clock at home to mimic his "brrrringggg...brrrrringggg...brrrrringggg" attention getter on the bus!

I knew from having read other reviews, that we would be seeing a considerable amount of locations in the limited time we were in both countries. While it was disappointing not to really be able to do justice to any one location, I now know where I would like to go to spend more time in the future.

Unfortunately, due to the volcanic cloud in Iceland, I was not able to take the pre-trip to Bilbao. However, GCT demonstrated why I love traveling with them by thoroughly handling all of the itinerary and flight changes and keeping me well informed.

What I love most about GCT trips are the special "discoveries". The home-hosted lunch, visits to the brotherhoods in Malaga, sampling the marzipan in Toledo, the manchego cheese and bread in La Mancha and Belem pasteries in Lisbon, and visiting the Brito-Paes ranch in Portugal made this trip very special.

Spain and Portugal are both beautiful countries, rich in multiple cultures and history. Despite the disappointments, it was well worth it!

Traveler: Nancy Mcfaul from Huntington Beach, CA traveled on April 22, 2010

We would add one thing to what Therese and Vincent said earlier, don't miss the Pre-Trip to Bilbao. It was the perfect way to start travel in Spain. It gave us a few days to get our "body clocks" set to local time and a chance to start our visit to Spain in the beautiful Basque Country. Bilbao is a city that has recovered from its industrial heritage to become a modern, excedingly clean, and forward looking city. Easy to visit and to get around in. On the one full day of leisure we caught a bus to San Sebastian and spent the day enjoying both the sites and fine food in the Old Town. PS: The local guide, Unai, was again one of the best we have had. Both knowledgable and extremely helpful beyond what was expected.

Traveler: Robert and Kathleen from Hereford, AZ traveled on December 03, 2009

I was on the same trip that Mei Ching and Vincent from Reading MA were on. Vincent's review covered everything beautifully .

I only want to add that this was my first Grand Circle trip (having gone on at least 10 OAT trips) and was apprehensive about the large group.

Let me put your mind at ease. It was a perfectly wonderful trip and I would never again hesitate to go with GCT.

Traveler: Therese from Weymouth, MA traveled on December 03, 2009

Just came back from a fantastic Spain and Portugal tour from Dec 6 to Dec 20. There were 32 members in our tour, many are seasoned travelers.

The hotels were all very good, most are within walking distance to the sights in old town; if not, then it was a quick metro ride away. Our program director, Eduardo Roquero, did an outstanding job in introducing his country to us. Our bus driver, Pedro, quietly and capably handled the driving every day, as well as loading and unloading our luggage every two to three days.

In this review we will not comment on sights because you may find relevant info from trip itinerary. Instead, we’ll provide tips that may be useful to travelers planning on taking this trip.

1) Madrid – If you have friends or family members urging you to go to Restaurant Botin to try their roast suckling pig, then make reservation online on Botin’s website at least a day before leaving home and print out the email confirmation to take along with you. (We booked dinner for Day 2.) Upon arrival in Madrid we found out the welcome dinner on Day 3 was switched to a welcome lunch. We are not sure if this “switch” only applied to our group due to the restaurant’s availability on a particular date or if this was an often occurrence because it was more convenient for everyone. The bottom line is you’ll need to be flexible on your dining planning on Day 3.

2) Cordoba – our hotel, Hotel Cordoba Center, is located near the train station in the northern part of the town, and is a long walk to the Mezquita in the old town. Therefore at the conclusion of the guided tour to the Mezquita, shave off 15 minutes from your lunch break and walk toward the river to take a look at the Roman bridge while you were very close to it. We forgot to do that, so in the evening after dinner we walked to the old town to see the Roman bridge then took a cab back to the hotel. Note that the old town looked deserted in the night, locals return to the new town after dark.

3) Torremolinos – We did not take the optional tour to Morocco because we imagine it would have been a long day. We hope some one who went on this excursion could post hisher impression of the trip. We originally planned to take PORTILLO AUTOBUS from Torremolinos to Mijas for the day, but on the morning after a leisure breakfast we decided “no more bus today”. We walked along the promenade to the old fishermen’s quarter called La Carihuela to have a seafood lunch. There are many restaurants in La Carihuela, including several upscale seafood restaurants with ocean views.

4) Ronda – our PD Eduardo told us about the black hoofed, acorn-eating Iberian pigs and that their ham are called Iberico ham and that it is the best kind of ham that it melts right in one’s mouth. And then, we walked right into a ham store where we were all treated by GCT to a slice of Iberico ham. Very delicious indeed.

5) Sevilla – We have been trying to find out which Flamenco night club GCT’s optional Flamenco show would take us to, but could not get any answer from Customer Support. The Flamenco night club our optional tour went to was the “El Patio Sevillano” near the Bull Ring. A very pretty dancer spent half a hour before the show with our GCT group to explain, demo, answer our questions as well as let us touch Flamenco costumes and mentone to feel the material, which was very exclusive. The Flamenco show was very entertaining, the after-show dinner was good. The highlight of the evening, however, was our PD Eduardo’s impromptu dance on the stage with the female flamenco dancers. Vincent captured Eduardo’s dance in a video and posted it on youtube: “ www.youtube.comwatch?v=VFYo-bElMaw " to share with GCT members. In the likelihood that this URL becomes gibberish after we submit this writing because the forward slash following the “.com” is dropped or the question mark after “watch” is dropped, just go to www.youtube.com then search for four key words combined “Eduardo Flamenco Sevilla Spain”, and then on the result list select one that was submitted in Dec 2009. In the video the stage’s background has “El Patio Sevillano” on it.

6) Lisbon – the Hotel Tryp Oriente is located in the eastern edge of the city, next to the Oriente train station, and across from a shopping mall named after Vasco da Gama. In this mall there is a food court on the 2nd floor. One vendor in this food court sells very tasty Argentine grilled food. We had grilled calamari and pork which were very delicious. Other team members who had grilled steak or grilled chicken all said they were very good.

7) Porto – directly across the street from our Hotel Vila Gale Porto is a cozy restaurant filled with locals. Menu are posted on the front window, very good value. I don’t recall the restaurant’s exact name, but it is very close (in spelling) to "Triumphe".

Traveler: Mei-Ching and Vincent from Reading, MA traveled on December 06, 2009

Our trip to Spain and Portugal in late October, 2009, was fabulous. Our tour guide, Victor Santos, was the best host to his country that we could have dreamed of. There was not a single flaw in his performance as he guided us through the historical, political and geographical delights of his country. All of this with a great sense of humor.

The time of year we chose was perfect. We had great weather every single day. The hotel locations and quality were outstanding. The food was excellent and modestly priced in all locations.

Having three days in Torremolinos was a good choice for those of us who opted not to go on the Morrocco optional trip. It gave us a day off the bus to walk and relax before we went to the second half of our trip. With a two week trip, it's important to have a resting day some time around the middle of the time frame.

Portugal was wonderful but I would have liked to have time included on the Algarve instead of Porto. Lisbon was great, but we could have gone to the Algarve and back to Lisbon for outgoing flights rather than to Oporto.

Madeira is not to be missed!!! It is the most incredible island we have ever visited. The hotel location on the ocean was perfect. The amount of time was good although we could have stayed much longer. The scenery is spectacular, the food good and reasonable, and the natives are very friendly. Not many Americans there because it is difficult to access from our airports. Please don't ever drop Madeira from your post trip choice. It' beyond words.

This was one of the finest travel experiences we have had and we've had many.......And it was due to the great work of Victor Santos as our guide.

Traveler: Judy from Saco, ME traveled on October 22, 2009