Kimkim Trip Reviews for Spain

Our twelve day trip was simply amazing. Helena and team were wonderful to work with. Especially since we started planning our trip in 2019 and then had to delay it due to COVID. So this was a much anticipated trip. The team was responsive, friendly and helpful with all our questions and thought through even the smallest details. Once we told them a little bit about what we thought we'd like to do, they planned a fantastic itinerary. We had the perfect balance of busy tours to enough "free" time to wander and explore on our own. From tickets to museums and trains to city tours, everything was just perfect.

Regarding the tour guides, they were all wonderful in their own way. Our Madrid walking city tour guide was very knowledgeable about the city, and during our private tour was able to share lots of history that I don't think we would have gotten from a standard tourist tour. He was patient, loved answering our questions and shared information about local habits. We had a day trip to Toledo and our private guide, Sonia, was perfect. She had a passion for the city, because she lives there and was a history major in college, was incredibly knowledgeable about the city's history and how today is a reflection of that history. Sonia was so delightful, she seemed like a genuine friend. We had another private tour in Granada, with our day trip to Las Alpujarras Mountains. Marta was our guide here and again, she had a background in history and a deep love of this mountain and the many communities. She was also able to pivot easily because while we came prepared for a hike, she had to explain that our time would be spend driving from village to village with some walking at each place, not an actual hike with an easy or hard route as was stated in our Trip Plan. We didn't mind it either and because the villages were so steep, we still got in some hiking! :-)

We had another tour guide, this time it was a small group tour in Sevilla. The guide was wonderfully knowledgeable about the city history and our fellow tourists were delightful and we really enjoyed their company. We also had a lovely tour guide in Tangiers, Morocco. All of the tour guides we had were simply amazing and the highlight of our trip. Well done with selecting these professional tour guides.

Other highlights were the flamenco show in the cave. That was an amazing and spiritual experience, something where we thought we just be entertained, but the performance was way beyond that. This experience surprised us both and we loved it.

Lastly, a note about our hotels. We stayed in four different hotels and they were all great. The staff at the Granada hotel and the tower room was probably the most unique stay with great hotel staff. And of course the staff at Hotel Alcazar in Sevilla were wonderful as they worked with you to get my bag back that was left on the train. Thank you for the upgraded room! The balcony room was simply stunning - looking out over the park across the street. It was amazing and we could have stayed there forever.

Thank you thank you thank you!

Hotel Reviews

Petit Palace Posada del Peine

Madrid

Great location in the middle of lots of activities. Hotel staff was fine. Our 1st floor room was clean and neat, though very small. A large person would struggle using the toilet room as it was very narrow.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gar Anat Hotel Boutique

Granada

The history of this inn alone was amazing. The staff was super friendly and helpful, warm and engaging. We stayed in the tower room which had views of the Alhambra.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Alcázar

Seville

Great location near lots of things to do and see. our 6th floor room had an large balcony that faced a city park. Perfect for sitting with a glass of wine and watching the activity go by. The room was large and very comfy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only You Hotel Atocha

Madrid

Fantastic room and rooftop restaurant. Staff was very friendly and location was near lots of activities.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Tapas Culinary Experience

Madrid

Our tour guide was great and chose 4 places to visit, carefully explaining the differences at each.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Thank you Raquel for a well planned itinerary- we enjoyed everywhere we went, hotel was in a safe neighborhood with excellent amenities and fabulous buffet breakfast including gluten free and vegan options. We knew it would be a super busy 5 days but easily got to our timed destinations. We started with going on our own to Montejuic funicular before La Sagrada Familia. Loved Parc Guell and Casa Batlló, the gold ticket was wonderful. We loved the private tour of the Gothic area with Albert, he was fantastic. Our long day trip with Matt to Girona and Figueres to see the Dali museum was excellent and especially enjoyed our hike to Montserrat with Jordo, he was very informative and got us down the mountain before it rained!! Wonderful trip to the Algarve, it was sunny during the day and rained in late afternoon and evening in spots. We are now on Lisbon. Thanks for all your help. We will recommend and use Kimkim again, best, Emilie

Hotel Review

Radisson Blu 1882 Hotel, Barcelona Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Great Breakfast, safe neighboorhood

Authenticity & Character

Great modern amenities, gym, fabulous breakfast

Location

La Sagrada Familia within walking distance

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Great beds and pillows

Activity Reviews

Private Visit of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter

Barcelona

Albert was so knowledgeable in history and language, very personable from his hometown, Barcelona. Went to Picasso museum afterwards!! Bonus

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Day trip to Medieval Girona & Dali Museum in Figueras

Barcelona

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Matt was wonderful driver and had so much more information about Girona and especially about Dali!

Transport

Clean, 8 people were all comfortable

Thank you KimKim for making my life easier when it came to travel planning! I wanted to gift my mom a trip to Spain for her birthday and after months of planning, I really had no idea where to start. A lot of the package tours I came across online either didn’t have the dates I wanted for my trip or already had a pre-planned itinerary that didn’t suit my interests. I came across KimKim travels on Instagram and I was so surprised how easy planning a trip can be when I saw how customizable it was. What I enjoyed about booking with KimKim was that depending on the interests/sites you want for your trip, you can easily adjust the price of your trip as well. Big thanks to Yuri and Adam, they were very clear when it came to addressing my questions and concerns. They both really helped me a lot with organizing my Spain trip from start to finish and everything worked out perfectly. Both my mom and I were in Spain for 5 days around Barcelona and Girona regions and although our stay wasn’t for very long, we surely did a lot within those days and had an amazing time. I highly recommend KimKim for those who don’t know where to start when booking their trip, their formula will help you save so much time, stress and money. Can’t wait to use KimKim again for my next destination.

Hotel Review

Hotel Regina

Barcelona

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Full Day of Barcelona's Highlights

Barcelona

Both my mom and I did this tour on our very first day in Barcelona. Originally, we wanted to stick to just Sagrada Familia and Park Guell but this highlights tour was so much more worth it because we were able to see and do so much more within the city. Besides Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, we were able to see the Gothic Quarter, Barcelona Cathedral, El Born District and Montjuic Hill. Shoutout to our tour guide Marlon! He did an excellent job assisting us tourists within the city and was very knowledgeable on the places we went to. He even gave us free time to explore on our own and also gave us enough time to take pictures :) I highly recommend this tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband and I could never have planned this vacation without KimKim-specifically Beatriz De Pablo from Espiritu Travel. At the outset, I tried organizing the trip myself utilizing online services but I instinctively knew professional help was needed to maximize this travel experience.
Our 16-day trip began in Barcelona with travel to Girona, Tarragona ending in Madrid. KimKim arranged all of our train tickets, hotel stays, and tours and provided background support via the Trip Plans App which placed all information at our fingertips and access to support from Beatriz's team 24/7. Initially, I was skeptical but now I would not plan such an ambitious trip without relying on KimKim.
All of the hotels we stayed at were well-located smaller boutique properties with top-notch service that frankly exceeded the service levels we have experienced in large name-brand luxury hotels. And I fully admit I would never have selected these hotels on my own just by reading reviews on the internet--that is the value added provided by KimKim.
The Petit Palace Icon Barcelona was well located. It was extremely clean, and comfortable, with nice amenities in the well-appointed rooms. The breakfasts (included) were very good. They also offered food service with a bar. Everything was within easy walking distance and more importantly, it was quiet--Barcelona can get noisy! In Girona we stayed at the Carlemany which again was a very nice and well-located hotel; it was newer and more modern but the rooms were very comfortable (the bed was exceptionally comfortable!). We could quickly walk over the bridge to the old Girona or to the Plaza Independencia. Our hotel in Tarragona was more spectacular in terms of views-we stayed at the H10 Imperial Tarraco and had a view of the ocean/beach and the Roman Amphitheatre. Again, the property was very nice with a good restaurant and bar. By far our favorite hotel was the Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes in Madrid. You would never know it was there! Again, the location was perfect for tourists like us. The staff was very friendly and attentive, the room was very nice, quiet, and spacious again with great amenities. The breakfast at Hotel Catalonia Las Cortes was probably the best of all of the properties we stayed at plus in the afternoons they offered complimentary snacks, and coffee which was very welcomed after a long day of sightseeing.
As for guides and tours:
Barcelona
On our first night of the trip, we had the best Tapas Tour imaginable. It was a small group led by Bryan, a food critic who knew and understood the food scene in Barcelona and graciously shared his wealth of experience. We visited 3 restaurants and enjoyed great food and wine plus met some interesting people.
Day 2 : Dani (Gaudi Tour)
Dani was so knowledgeable about Gaudi and the overall history of Barcelona and its unique architecture. We learned so much from this walking tour.
Day 3: Montserrat & Penedes Tour (Joan & Roger from Llopart Winery)
We wished we had more time in Montserrat; what a spectacular site. I would definitely revisit this site. After Montserrat, we visited Llopart Winery and received quite a comprehensive lesson on wines in the region and tasted exceptional wine.
We spent days 4/5 doing self-guided tours using the wealth of information provided by Beatriz. What a great city to explore.
Girona (GUIDE: Laura)
Once again we were lucky to have such a knowledgeable and friendly guide. She really explained the overall history of the area and shared her academic expertise. We really appreciated Laura's tour of Girona. In fact, if we were to return to Girona/Barcelona we would definitely want to arrange tours with her.
Tarragona (GUIDE: Carmen)
Another friendly expert. We enjoyed our afternoon with Carmen and appreciated her suggestions for other things to see in the area.
Tarragona (Priorat Wine Tour-)
Our private driver took us to two wineries. At the first winery, Mervm Priorati, we were lucky to have Ania guide us through the wines and provide a tour of the property and wine-making operation. The wines were very good. In fact, we shipped some home! The second winery was also nice although I cannot recall the name of the guide. But we did prefer the first winery.
Madrid ( Madrid Walking Tour/ Toldedo)
Brad was such a charming and friendly guide. We really enjoyed the walking tour which proved to be very helpful over the duration of our stay in Madrid. Toledo was an unexpected surprise! Our guide Victor Rodriguez was excellent and really shared his deep knowledge of this incredible UNESCO site.

No review of this trip would be complete without acknowledging the value of the direct communication with KimKim afforded by the App. We used this so much. With a click of a button and you are sending a message to your travel consultant and receiving a reply immediately. We received confirmations for all of our guides, and excursions through the App. When we were considering additional excursions or purchasing tickets for a museum we communicated through the App and everything was arranged. When we decided we wanted to leave on an earlier train from Toledo (on a Sunday of a holiday weekend) we utilized the App and were told how to exchange our train tickets. Beatriz advised us who would be our contact on her days off. It was fabulous! We always felt like we had someone to reach out to if necessary.

Hotel Reviews

ICON BCN by Petit Palace

Barcelona

The Icon is a lovely boutique hotel in a perfect location. Its small size allows the staff to provide excellent service. The rooms and the entire property are VERY clean. Breakfast is extremely good. Nothing like the typical fare at a Hampton Inn in the USA. The hotel also has a nice little bar that serves food plus a charming outdoor space with a pool. Right across the street is a 5-star hotel--go ahead and enjoy the rooftop bar on that property but I doubt the experience of staying there would exceed the service we received at the intimate and quiet Icon.

Authenticity & Character

Old architecture; the rooms were not overly huge but they were very comfortable. Did not feel like cookie-cutter brand hotel rooms

Location

We liked the fact it was off the main street but close enough to get where you wanted to go fast. Restaurants etc nearby

Staff

The staff knew who you were by name and what room you were in;

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice amenities (Molton & Brown); comfortable bed; very prompt cleaning your room each day

Hotel Carlemany Girona

Girona

Nice location ; easy access to the old part of Girona

Authenticity & Character

Very nice clean and modern

Location

quick walk to the bridges to the old city and to the main square

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

best mattress!

H10 Imperial Tarraco

Tarragona

Authenticity & Character

Modern hotel but very nice

Location

The view from this hotel was stunning; Overlooking the beach and the Roman ruins; Easy to walk to restaurants

Staff

The gentleman who was at the front desk was so nice and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean, comfortable...the only minus was that the shower (which was clearly remodeled) got the floor really wet everytime you used it but other than that it was great

Catalonia Las Cortes

Madrid

What a delightful property; Loved the location and the rooms. It was charming...the people who worked there were so nice and helpful. The breakfast service was excellent; nice buffet but you could also get made-to-order omelets, eggs etc. In the afternoon, they have snacks (finger sandwiches, coffee, and other items)

Authenticity & Character

Just a charming property with charming rooms. They have maintained the character of the original building while incorporating the hotel function.

Location

Hidden gem; You would not know this hotel was even there...but it was right off of Santa Ana Square and easy to get to everywhere you wanted to go

Staff

The staff was friendly and attentive

Cleanliness & Comfort

The entire property was very clean; Best towels ever!

Activity Reviews

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

Our first night in Barcelona we were guided on a tapas adventure with a true expert, Bryan, a food critic and so knowledgeable about the food scene in Barcelona. Besides taking us to 3 great restaurants he also provided recommendations we utilized for our entire stay in the city. He is a great conversationalist and really engaged with the group. So much fun

Quality of Experience

Bryan the guide!

Food

Everything!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Bryan facilitated spirited conversation among our small diverse group. Very fun

Barcelona & Gaudí: An Architecture Walk

Barcelona

Dani really shared his depth of knowledge which reflected years of experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Dani was so friendly and nice

Day Trip to Montserrat & Penedès Region Wine Tasting

Barcelona

Montserrat probably deserves a day on its own. So fascinating and spectacular; The trip to Llopart winery was also exceptional;

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Joan our guide at Montserrat clearly had great affection for the monastery. Roger at Llopart was excellent.

Transport

A larger van is needed for the 6 tour participants plus a driver. It was very cramped

Privately Guided Tour of Girona

Girona

An expert/academic tour guide is really a benefit for this site; There is so much history here. I would revisit Girona again

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Laura was fantastic; her academic background really helped

Guided Visit of Museo del Prado with Art Historian

Madrid

This is not a place to miss. You could spend a number of days here taking all of it in.

Quality of Experience

Our guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Linda our guide really focused on the Spanish Masters and gave us quite an Art History course. We were able to use our new found knowledge of the Spanish painters when visiting Toledo!

Highlights of Old Madrid Walk

Madrid

It is always nice to take a walking tour when you first get to a city to get the lay of the land and understand where everything is in relation to where you are staying. Our guide was very personable and very helpful

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Brian, was very insightful and shared the interesting history of Madrid on our walking tour

Train Madrid to Toledo, Guided Visit of Toledo, Train Toledo to Madrid

Madrid

Toledo was a surprise; So much to see and so much history. The basilica was beyond expectation

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Victor Rodriguez was excellent

Transport

Easy train trip from Madrid to Toledo.

I had the absolute pleasure of working with Marina at KimKim to plan our honeymoon to Spain, and I cannot express enough how grateful we are for her exceptional expertise and incredible dedication. Marina made the entire process a breeze, taking away any worries or stress that we had about planning a trip to a country we had never visited before.

From the very beginning, Marina's warmth and professionalism shone through. As first-time international travelers, my husband and I were feeling a bit overwhelmed by the logistics and intricacies of planning a honeymoon. However, Marina's extensive knowledge and experience put us at ease. She patiently listened to our desires and aspirations for our honeymoon and took the time to truly understand what we were looking for.

We explained to Marina that we wanted a romantic and immersive experience, where we could truly soak in the beauty of Spain's nature, architecture, and culture. And let me tell you, she exceeded all our expectations. Marina's deep understanding of the country, combined with her innate creativity, resulted in a meticulously crafted itinerary that catered perfectly to our desires.

One of the aspects that made working with Marina truly outstanding was her invaluable insider knowledge as a native Spaniard. This added a level of authenticity and depth to our trip that we would not have achieved otherwise. Marina was able to suggest activities and private tours that were "off the beaten path," allowing us to uncover hidden gems and experience Spain in a way that felt more intimate and personal.

In fact, two of our most memorable experiences during the honeymoon were activities that Marina initially suggested, and at first, we weren't particularly drawn to them. She encouraged us to visit a Sevillan olive oil estate, where we learned about the intricate process of olive oil production and indulged in a tasting that left our taste buds dancing with delight. Additionally, Marina arranged for a private tour of Granada's St. John of God Basilica and St. Bruno Monastery, led by the remarkable Ruth. We were completely captivated by Ruth's deep knowledge of history, art, religion, and culture, and her engaging storytelling and sense of humor made our tour truly enchanting.

Throughout our journey, we were continually impressed by the quality of the tour guides Marina had in her network. Each guide was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also passionate about sharing their love for their respective regions. They went above and beyond to ensure that our experiences were immersive, informative, and truly unforgettable.

Thanks to Marina's impeccable planning, attention to detail, and unwavering dedication, we had the honeymoon of our dreams. Every aspect of the trip, from the carefully selected accommodations to the seamless transportation arrangements, worked harmoniously to create an experience that exceeded our wildest imaginations.

As we reflect on our time in Spain, one thing is certain: Marina's expertise and guidance were instrumental in making our honeymoon an unforgettable journey. Her professionalism, creativity, and genuine care for our experience truly set her apart. We are eternally grateful for her tireless efforts in crafting a trip that perfectly encapsulated our desires and allowed us to fall even more deeply in love with Spain.

In the future, without a doubt, Marina at KimKim will be our go-to resource for all our travel needs in Spain. Her unparalleled expertise, unwavering commitment to excellence, and ability to create personalized and extraordinary experiences make her an invaluable asset for anyone seeking an unforgettable adventure in this captivating country.

Thank you, Marina, for curating a honeymoon beyond our wildest dreams. Your passion, dedication, and exceptional service have left an indelible mark on our hearts, and we eagerly look forward to our next adventure with you at the helm.

Activity Reviews

Visit an Andalusian Olive Oil Estate

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided visit of Monasterio Cartuja & Basilica de San Juan de Dios

Granada

Marina arranged for a private tour of Granada's St. John of God Basilica and St. Bruno Monastery, led by the remarkable Ruth. We were completely captivated by Ruth's deep knowledge of history, art, religion, and culture, and her engaging storytelling and sense of humor made our tour truly enchanting. Our experience with Ruth was one of the highlights of our honeymoon, as we learned so much from her!! 10/10 recommend Ruth for all tourists visiting Granada!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I planned this trip through KimKim with Luis of Hidden in Spain. When any friends or family asked me how was it when I returned home, my answer was SPECTACULAR! We were a group of four traveling into Madrid from NYC area, and going up to Basque country and then into the Picos de Europa. Overall, I can't recommend visiting Basque country and Cantabria/Picos de Europa enough, but I want to make special mention to a few of our guides and tours.
- Madrid - E-bike tour was a great way to start our tour of the city. This is a European metropolis so it is hard to see all of it in 1-2 days, but the highlights were great and the guide was very informative. Make sure you also check out the San Miguel Market and get a great plate of tapas to share with your friends.
- Basque country - San Sebastian, Getaria, Guernica, Bilbao (among others!) where to start. The Basque people are very proud of their home and we learned why. The local culture is so rich in history, and we enjoyed learning about it from all of our guides. Here are some standouts:
- Hiking the Camino de Santiago - Our guide Guillermo took us on a great moderate intensity hike along a small portion of the Camino de Santiago leaving from San Sebastian and ending in a small town of San Juan in Pasaia for lunch.
- Pintxos tour - we went on a wonderful tour of some of the best Old Town pintxos stops with Nerea. This was a ton of food (& drink!) & she was very informative of the culture behind pintxos bar hopping.
- Rioja wine tour - wow. I did not know how spectacular this would be. It is worth the trip and it wasn't a boring one with our wonderful guide Andy. Three vineyard stops and a dreamy lunch in the actual vineyard, next to the river.
- Road trip between San Sebastian and Bilbao - Our guide Gorka was super fun to travel this coast with. He taught us a lot of the centuries of history,. Getaria, Guernica, San Juan de Gaztelugatxe were all stops, and we got to Bilbao in time for our tour of the Bilbao Guggenheim. Bilbao is a fabulous walkable city worth the quick stop on our trip.
- Picos de Europa National Park - probably the biggest highlight of the trip! If you are hikers (or climbers!) don't miss this. The fabulous Hotel de Oso is a perfect paradise in the valley to enjoy time in this area. We hiked around with guide Javi and enjoyed "mountain therapy" with life changing views. The restaurant at this hotel is Michelin rated and we would eat here multiple meals in a row if given the opportunity.
- Return to Madrid - Tapas tour with Theo was amazing. We loved exploring Malasana neighborhood after the tour.
Can't recommend Luis with Hidden in Spain enough - KimKim hit it out of the park once again.

Hotel Reviews

Catalonia Donosti

San Sebastián

This hotel was phenomenal, definitely the most luxurious/nicest amenities. We loved spending time on the rooftop terrace with a pool and plenty of seating. Wonderful location, walkable to the beach, the old town, and our local hiking. Absolutely fantastic daily breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eurostars Hotel Plaza Mayor

Madrid

Great location in the city center near Plaza Mayor. We did not need a taxi to explore.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Barceló Bilbao Nervión

Bilbao

This hotel was a great location for our short stay.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean, odd layout to the room made using the bathroom somewhat awkward, but over all not a deal breaker.

Hotel del Oso

Camaleño Cantabria

Our favorite hotel of the trip by far. The charm, quiet and peace of the neighboring river, and the staff were just wonderful. It helps that they have a Michelin reviewed restaurant on site-do not miss eating here.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Michelin starred restaurant

Spain

Arzak was truly lovely. Three star food, atmosphere, experience - the whole package. Does not feel stuffy, or rushed. Easy to relax and truly enjoy a once in a lifetime meal here. Eskerrik asko to the whole staff.

Quality of Experience

Food

Dalia is a fabulous travel specialist. After talking to us through emails and phone calls, we were able to decide where we wanted to go for our 2 week trip to Spain, and what we wanted to do when we got there. We went to Madrid, Toledo, Sevilla, Granada, Cartegena, Valencia and Barcelona. With her help she booked us into super nice - but also within our budget - hotels that were very close to the city centers and the attractions we wanted to go to, which included museums, parks, Roman ruins, cultural events and good places to eat. Dalia lives in Spain and speaks perfect English as well, and was ALWAYS available to communicate with us before and during our trip, but the time difference to the US made it easier once we got to Spain. While we were there, she would instantly respond to any questions I had about language, customs, etc.
We were booked with several tours including the Alhambra in Granada, the Roman ruins at Italica, a winery tour and Toledo, and the Gaudi tour in Barcelona. I want to give a special mention to Enrique, our guide to Alhambra, who was the nicest person and so educated about his city in general. He was born there. We took his suggestion for a restaurent and had a wonderful meal there, and he was there with his wife. He even came over to our table and bought my appetizer! I'm glad we tip well in general but he didn't need to do that. Also, our guide in Italica (what was his name???) was fabulous and funny. And our guide in Toledo spent some free time showing us around the cathedral when he didn't have to before our wonderful winery tour.
With Dalia's help she rented a car for us, got us 2 sets of train tickets and timed tickets for the Prado. I absolutely always felt supported by her, as much as if I had a friend on hand who was able to answer all my questions.
This is our third trip booking through KimKim and they honestly do a really good job at finding the right people to help travelers get around an unfamiliar country on their own.

Activity Reviews

Toledo group tour

Spain

Toledo was an interesting old city but the best part of our time there was our guide took us around the Cathedral and he was good, I think his name was Majed. Also we went to a winery afterwards and that was excellent. The woman was warm and funny and smart who showed us around and did the wine tasting with us. We bought some to take home and my husband told me I asked him what we can throw away in our carry on so we can get my wine home! It was a fun day all around.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Day trip to Italica

Seville

Such an interesting place and only a 1/2 hour outside of Sevilla! Really if you like Roman ruins you have to see this place. They filmed the last GOT episode here! Our guide, Alfonso Jose, was amazing. Funny, well-read and passionate about the subject. Great 1/2 day, worth the time and money.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Alhambra Private Guided Tour

Spain

Such an interesting palace with a rich history! Wear good walking shoes. Enrique was our guide and he was just the best. He grew up in Granada and told us about so much history, not just of Alhambra but also of Granada and it's people. He has been doing tours there for so long that every single person who worked there greeted us and I told him he was like the "Mayor of Alhambra". :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gaudí Barcelona: Sagrada Familia and Park Guell - Afternoon Tour

Barcelona

We went with a big tour and that is not so much our style. However, we did get to see everything - the Sagrada Familia and the Park Guell, and they are spectacular. I would suggest to either have a private tour or go on your own with information so you know what you are seeing because these are out of this world sights and emblematic of Barcelona. Once you see them, you will know what all the fuss is about, believe me.

Quality of Experience

smaller tour

Our trip was lovely. Our guides, Diego (Bilbao to Guernika, San Sebastian) and Juan (to Pamplona) , were outstanding. Our driver from San Sebastian back to Bilbao was also great. The walking food tour we took with Carlos (Devour) on Wednesday was fun and informative. He was also a wonderful guide. Even though it rained almost every day, we enjoyed every minute of our trip. The drives along the coast with stops at villages and sites were stunning. We learned a lot at our itinerary destinations of Guernika and Pamplona and points in between. Of course, the Guggenheim was breathtaking, and the food was absolutely delicious everywhere! People were friendly and helpful throughout our trip. We leave beautiful Basque country with fond memories and a promise to return.

We had awesome assistance every step of the planning and implementation of our trip to Madrid and Barcelona.
The local guides were super. Margit with Walk and eat in Madrid was terrific! Carmen in Madrid was great! Mar in Barcelona was unbelievable! Patricia with YourTripToSpainAndPortugal was so fantastic and available for all our questions before and during the trip!
I would totally recommend going to Spain with the local guides and helpers!

Hotel Reviews

Pestana Plaza Mayor Madrid

Madrid

Super, great place to stay. They were so helpful and friendly yet so professional as well. Loved our room for the three of us and the breakfast was so nice.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Loved every aspect of the hotel!

H10 Art Gallery

Barcelona

Good location. Very accommodating and went out of their way for our needs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

All nice but the elevator was an issue so we took the stairs most of the time...good exercise!

Activity Reviews

Barcelona private guided walking tour of the Gothic quarter & Picasso Museum

Barcelona

Carmen was awesome.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

prompt

Transport

on time and helpful

Barcelona private guided tour of Gaudi masterpieces: Guell Park and "Sagrada Familia" Cathedral.

Barcelona

Cannot begin to explain the beauty and creativity

Quality of Experience

sites!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

answered questions honestly and helpfully

Transport

explained details

Sunset Sailing in Barcelona

Barcelona

The perfect, relaxing end to a few busy days.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Boqueria market guided tour + cooking workshop

Barcelona

Such a fun activity with the best chef and guide! We were a little apprehensive about who the other "cooks" in the workshop would be, but everyone from many walks of life and countries was courteous and such good company for our cooking and dining experience.

Quality of Experience

The chef was super!

Food

CHOCOLATE! but the other food was nice, too

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Evening Wine and Tapas Experience in Malasaña quarter

Madrid

Margit was so great to share with us the area, history and explain all about tapas and the pork i Spain.

Quality of Experience

Margit's personality was so sincere and welcoming.

Food

Really delicious and Margit's explanation of each dish was wonderful and enlightening.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

!!

Transport

Private guided tour of the Habsburgs' Quarter & Royal Palace

Madrid

Carmen did not leave out a single site or explanation of all the history surrounding the areas we walked. Never boring, though, and answered our "why" questions. She is a wonderful people person.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Imam remiss in not writing this review earlier ! Luis organised the most amazing trip we could ever have done in the time we had in Spain. I had done quite a bit of research beforhand but needent have bothered. He just asked us for a few ideas we had and then like an architect, brought everything together like magic. The local guides and drivers he selected were absolutely first class, along with the hotel recommendations too. Trust his ideas is all i can say :0

Thanks Luis !

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Neri Relais & Chateaux

Barcelona

We stayed here on Luis’s recommendation and it couldn’t have been more perfect. The folks there were just amazing. When my two teenage boys wanted to have a night out they advised how to keep safe and arranged transport both ways to make sure that they were. Just outstanding. The location is perfect - steps away from the cathedral so you can see it off peak and lots of lovely restaurants and shops nearby. Stay here if you can!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Casa Romana Hotel Boutique

Sevilla

A cute hotel just near Real Alcazar and Le Corte Englaise. Nice helpful staff who made us feel welcome and a very authentic environment as if you were a nobleman during Seville’s peak, Breakfast was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Sunset Yatch Tour

Barcelona

The assembly place didn’t have clear signange.

Luis was wonderful and set up a fantastic trip through Spain for us. He checked in every few days to assure that all was going well, which we appreciated. There were some drivers to meet us at various train stations that we could not find, but Luis was very responsive to our calls. All in all, Luis was wonderful!
Connie Rubsamen

My wife and I just completed a 3 week trip throughout Spain. Dalia curated a fantastic experience for us, which
started in the planning phase. She took great care to understand what our interests and favorite types of activities were. She drafted an itinerary. Through our many conversations she continued to refine it until it was perfect.
We traveled to Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Sevilla, Granada, Mallorca, and Barcelona. The transportation that Dalia arranged was flawless. From private drivers, to trains, car rental and inter-country flights, everything was coordinated and timed perfectly. Dalia was available throughout the trip on What's Ap to help with any questions, restaurant recommendations, etc. We had private guides throughout. They were uniformly excellent and had a great depth of knowledge about the sites that we visited. Some of the highlights included the Prado Museum, the Montilla olive oil & wine region day trip, the Sevilla Tapas & Flamenco Evening Tour, the Iberian Ham experience in Aracena Natural Park, the island of Mallorca, a Market Tour + Cooking Class in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, and a walking city tour of Gaudi's masterpiece, the Sagrada Famila.
We requested small boutique hotels rather than the large commercial ones. We particularly enjoyed the Hotel Casa Del Poeta in Sevilla and the Cap Rocat in Mallorca.

We have travel throughout the world. This was one of our best trips ever. Thanks Dalia. Thanks Just Explore.

In planning for our trip (interrupted by covid) the Spaintop consultants (Sylvia and the Joël) helped us to put together a most memorable experience in Spain and Portugal.
Our journey started with a train to Léon where the hotel was in the main square. Two great days during the Easter festivals. Then onto Santander via Picos de Europa which was amazing. Our guide Alejandra and driver Jorge were friendly and knowledgeable. We also had Mercedes take us on a foot and wine trip - the winery was definitely a highlight.
On to San Sebastián, via Balboa and the Guggenheim, again a very nice hotel and our San Sebastián guide, Amaya, took us on a memorable Tapas journey.
Barcelona was next `after a short flight. We were picked up at the airport by another very nice driver. The hotel staff were very friendly and were quite happy to look after our bags - we had arrived to early. A small group tour of Barcelona which included a quick entry into the Sagrada Familia.
The visit to Cordoba was also interesting including a tour of the Mesquita with a knowledgeable guide who firstly showed us some of the historical parts of the town.
Sevilla by train, again a very nice hotel. Our guide, Juan, new his stuff as he showed us around the historical parts and recommended our lunchtime restaurant.
The next part was a tour of the white villages to Ronda by our guide Alfredo - a really great guide - who explained about the villages.
Alfredo also was our guide a day later for the Caminito Del Rey - a truly fantastic walk. Again his knowledge and insights were really good.
Granada was our next stop and again a very knowledgeable guide for the Alhambra.
Malaga was next - great hotel and used the hop on hop off bus to get a good overview.
In Lisbon our guide was Cristina who showed us around the historical centre and into the Aflame district. She also made sure that we had a table at a little restaurant for lunch.
We also stayed in the Douro Valley where the hotel was idyllic.
In Porto we met Joana who took us on a lovely tour (in the rain!) to finish in a wonderful little restaurant.

Overall the efforts of SpainTop have been excellent.
We had a wonderful journey that went without hitches.
I would certainly recommend them and personally would use them again.

Our trip in Spain was better than anticipated, from North to south what a beautiful country. Our guides really did make it Toledo was an incredible stop totally unexpected
Irene was helping all the way thru we had a couple of hiccups but Irene looked after us all the way
Thanks to everyone at KimKim

Overall a very good trip. Hotels were for the most part OK. Rooms were small as they tend to be in Europe. Last hotel in Lisbon was very dated. Tapas trip with guide in Barcelona was great. The one in Madrid was disappointing. Dinner at the host family in Lisbon was outstanding. Sightseeing suggestions were great. Flights, trains and transfers were all very good and on time. Thank you Karenina for setting up our vacation, thoroughly enjoyed.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Dom Carlos Park

Lisbon

Very small room and bathroom. Had to put suitcase on the floor to open making it impossible to walk around the room.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Meliá Lisboa Aeroporto

Lisbon

Location

Needed an airport hotel and it was right at the airport

Cleanliness & Comfort

Andante Hotel

Barcelona

Good hotel with an excellent buffet breakfast every morning. Professional staff. Room was spotless.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Near all the attractions

Staff

Every employee was courteous and friendly and provided excellent service

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean

7 Islas Hotel

Madrid

Bathroom was very small. Old fashioned high tub, hard to get in and out of at my age. Breakfast was good each morning.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Good location near attractions

Staff

Staff was great. Friendly and efficient

Cleanliness & Comfort

Bathroom tiny

Eurostars Regina

Sevilla

Our room was fine. Breakfast was of low quality. Eggs appeared to be microwaved, very tasteless. Suasage was a mini hot dog and bacon was often undercooked and raw.

Authenticity & Character

Nicely decorated

Location

in walking distance to everything

Staff

Staff was good

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

What a beautiful church, should not be missed when in Barcelona. Advance tickets really helped out.

Quality of Experience

Tapas Walk in Barcelona

Barcelona

Our guide was Gislane ( I hope I spelled this correct ). She was the best. All five food stops were really good. I felt like I wouldn't need to eat or drink for a few days.

Quality of Experience

Guide and food

Food

Every stop we went to had delicious tapas

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Gislane awesome!!!!!!!!!

Highlights of Old Madrid Walk

Madrid

Jorge was our guide, very informative

Quality of Experience

Took us to all kinds of areas we would have never visited on our own.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jorge was great

Seville Culinary Experience

Seville

Wasn't much of a culinary experience. One place we had our tapas outside of the restaurant as there was no room for us. First stop was good with good and plentiful food, the rest were OK at best.

Quality of Experience

Food

Only the first stop was good tapas wise, last stop was a dessert that was very good

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Avi was our guide. Did a good job.

Flamenco Experience

Spain

What a great experience. Dancers, singers and musicians were very entertaining and gave it their all.

Quality of Experience

Great performances by all involved, they were very passionate about their craft

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Lisbon Roots, Food & Cultural Walk

Spain

Had a fantastic dinner at a host house. Margarita was our hostess and she was accompanied by her friend Amelia. They could not have been nicer. Three in our party arrived on time for the 7 o'clock dinner and three of us difficulty getting an Uber or a cab so we were about 20 minutes late. No problem with Margarita. She served wine to the early arrivals and waited for us to get there. The food and wine that Margarita served was wonderful. We had a vegetable soup appetizer, a cod casserole for dinner with a fresh salad and fresh cut fruit, coffee and cookies for dessert. We ate like royalty and both ladies made us very comfortable with good conversation in their home.

Quality of Experience

One of our best nights of the trip

Food

Outstanding!!!!!!!!!!!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our hostess was the best

We had a wonderful experience with Karenina (Kim Kim tours). She gave great suggestions for our free days. And great suggestions for restaurants. Karenina checked in daily to make sure everything was going smoothly and that we were enjoying ourselves. The tasting tours were with great tour guides and we got to taste authentic Spain dishes. In Portugal we are with Margarida and Emilia. Margarida welcomed us into her home and shared a delicious authentic Portuguese meal with us. It was a fabulous trip! Highly recommend Karenina!

Activity Review

Private Tour of Barcelona & La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona

Great tour!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Pascu Robredo gastronomic tour in Balboa was excellent

Gastronomy tour in Oviedo was not what we expected. Noella was a lovely guide and taught us so much about the city. She gave us a history tour, not a food tour we were expecting.
She walked us around the city for two hours and showed us pictures of food on her before she took us to eat.
This would have been wonderful if we had not expected a food tour.

Hotel Review

Puebloastur Eco-Resort Wellness & Spa

Cofiño, Parres

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

The Best of Pintxos Gastronomy Experience

Bilbao

Beatriz was awesome to work with and made our trip smooth sailing. Teresa in Sevilla was very congenial and informative. we enjoyed her company and insights on our tour . unfortunately i have lost the name of the lady who took us to the flamenco show but she was delighful and showed great enthusiasm for the dance and explained some of the intricacies of the dance. Our tour of Cadiz was also exemplary and Adriana did a great and energetic presentation of the sights. i would say, in retropect, that i would have taken only one day in Cadiz and added it to either Sevilla, Ronda or Malaga. These three cities were the best.

Hotel Review

Gran Hotel Miramar

Málaga

Beautiful; the staff was amazing . the food was great. The room was awesome.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Tapas & Flamenco Experience

Seville

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Spanish Guitar Experience

Ronda

Amazing trip! Guides that deserve special mention were Teresa, our bike tour guide in Seville and Vincente our guide at the Alhambra.

Hotel Reviews

Only You Hotel Atocha

Madrid

Great location opposite train station.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Opposite train station

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Smart Suites Albaicin Apartments

Granada

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private City Bike Tour

Seville

Very good tour with Teresa. Great having a local showing us around. Highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guided Visit: Alhambra & Generalife Gardens

Granada

Needed more information about where to meet our guide. We didn't have a voucher and were told where the meeting place was. There were so many guides and it was confusing trying to find which group we were with.

Valencia Urban Wine and Tapas Tour

Valencia

Guide Maria was lovely but didn't have much information about us or what we were expecting from the tour. From our perspective, we thought we'd be part of a bigger group going to a variety of tapas bars. We enjoyed the tour, due to our lovely guide, but probably needed more information about this tour.

Our trip to Madrid and Barcelona included several great private and small group tours which were almost all very kid-friendly and enjoyable. Our Boqueria tour and paella cooking class was the most engaging and fun, while our tour with Matt to Costa Brava and Girona was a beautiful and relaxing chance to visit the quieter parts of Catalunya. Our Madrid hotel was great and centrally located, while our Barcelona hotel was located in a grafitti-filled neighborhood with tons of homeless people which was a bit of a long walk from all attractions. Overall, everyone enjoyed Madrid and the day trips to Toledo and other smaller cities the most.