Has anyone experienced Rick Steves' 8 days in Spain (Barcelona/Madrid)? I'm thinking of booking and would love some feedback. I've already done one RS tour in France and loved it, but I'd be interested to hear what anyone thought of Spain. Thanks.
Posted by
Tumwater, WA, United States
118 posts
My wife and I did the tour a couple years ago and enjoyed it. We arrived in Barcelona a few days early and took a cooking class and explored the city. The length of the tour was just right for us. Several people in our group stayed in Madrid after the tour.
We traveled the east and southern coast of Spain and then returned to Madrid for a couple days before returning home. The tour helped me become comfortable traveling in Spain. Have a great time.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9363 posts
Have you checked the Tour Feedback section under the Tours tab at the top of the page? There are also scrapbooks of various tours that you can look at.
Posted by
Salem, Oregon, USA
2489 posts
I second the suggestion to check the tour feedback section. I took the 16 day best of Spain tour and loved it - can only imagine the Barcelona/Madrid tour to be as good or better, especially if Helen is the guide. Barcelona was my favorite of the big cities and it looks like you day trip to Toledo, one of the best little towns. If you have specific questions, send me a PM and I'd be glad to try and answer them.
Posted by
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1320 posts
I took my niece on this tour last summer and we loved it and loved Spain. For both of us, it was our first time in Spain. We had a couple of days on our own before the tour in Barcelona, and after the tour, we took a train to Seville for a couple of days. The tour feedback will give you what you are looking for. Our guide was Federico and he was absolutely fantastic. As on all RS tours, we had a good mix of group time and free time. The food and wine were wonderful in Spain and there was plenty to see in both cities as well as in Toledo where we went on a day trip with the tour. What are your doubts about Spain?
Posted by
OP
Los Angeles
222 posts
My doubts are less about Spain and more about the short length of the RS tour itself - since I'm coming from Los Angeles it is a long flight and I'm afraid it will seem exhausting only to be there 8 days and then to have to turn around and make the grueling flight home again. I'll be traveling on my own and am not so interested in taking additional days before or after the tour. I'm also wondering just how hectic the tour itself is.
Posted by
Lake Oswego, Oregon
1320 posts
How about taking the longer Spain tour? Or combine Barcelona/Madrid with another shorter tour. Some tour members in my group combined the Barcelona/Madrid tour with the Basque country 8 day tour. You'd get to see a different part of Spain, a bit of France, and more of the countryside/smaller cities as a contrast to the larger cities of Barcelona and Madrid.