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Specialists in Group Tours to Spain
Spain is a vibrant country that combines the spirit of its various rulers over the centuries. Phoenicians, Romans, Moors and Christians have all laid claim to this wondrous land. This rich history is complimented by an expansive landscape of mountains, deserts, and glorious beaches. The combination makes Spain overwhelming attractive as a destination for the enjoyment of learning and culture. Since we sent our first group here in the early ‘80s, Casterbridge Tours has been custom designing itineraries that impart the special feel of Spain and bring groups back year after year. Find out why as you read on.
The Best Flights to Spain on Guaranteed Dates
We have exceptionally close relationships with many European national carriers, including Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, and of course, Iberia. These relationships allow us to find your group the very best flights and fares, with minimal connections in order to make your trip less time consuming and stressful.
This means we can offer you the very best routings, including to some of the lesser-known gateway cities, which can significantly reduce your journey time when you arrive. Imagine flying into Malaga or Bilbao rather than enduring a lengthy transfer from Madrid. Consider the advantage of a flight directly into Barcelona so your Catalonian Adventure tour can begin that first day in Montserrat, rather than the arrivals lounge of a connecting airport. We strive to make your transfers as efficient as possible, without the unnecessary stress and increased cost of tiring, time-consuming journeys.
Casterbridge always guarantee your tour dates, and you will know your proposed flight schedule and routing as much as 11 months in advance of your tour!
Making the Most of Your Arrival Day in Spain
Casterbridge strives whenever possible to make arrival days a useful part of your tour. By doing things like exploring the Old Quarter of Madrid, discovering Poble Espanyol in Barcelona, or strolling through the Albaicin in Granada, we are able to ensure that the afternoon of your arrival days are not simply lost time.
This standard practice serves to increase the value of your time spent in country, and simultaneously reduces “jet lag.” Arrival Days count in your overall tour time, you should not allow that time to be wasted!
Thematic and Chronological Travel in Spain
In a genuine attempt not to confuse participants with mixed, haphazard and unrelated materials, we aim whenever possible to provide thematic, and chronological content to each day of the tour.
In Spain for example, thematic days are dedicated to such topics as ‘Toledo, the City of El Greco,’ ‘The Romans in Spain,’ ‘Legacy of the Moors,’ and ‘Gaudi: Father of Modernista.’ We carefully track the course of momentous events or the lives of historical figures to create learning that is both engaging and easier to follow.
All Casterbridge tours are highly customizable to fit your educational themes and priorities, ensuring you get the very best out of your travel experience.
Our Casterbridge Tour Manager/Guides in Spain
As we all know, there can be a few bumps in even the smoothest of roads. While we strive to ensure none pop up on your tour, you can relax knowing that your exclusive Casterbridge tour manager/guide is there if they do.
Usually, your tour manager/guide will live locally and be fluent in both Spanish and English. He or she will be with you 24 hours a day, from airport arrival to departure, in order to confirm reservations, help you get from place to place, and suggest free-time and evening activities that meet your group’s needs and budget.
The role of a Casterbridge tour manager/guide is so important that each must go through a specially designed Casterbridge training program and only the top few percent of each class are selected to act as our representatives in Spain. They are continuously evaluated and only those with the highest recommendations from our groups are permitted to stay with us.
We hand-pick each Casterbridge Guide to make certain they meet our exacting standards.
The Expertise and Perspective of Local Guides in Spain
Never underestimate the value of expertise, especially when it is shared willingly with eager learners of any age. For this reason, Casterbridge strives to provide you with specialist local guides at the most important sites on your itinerary, such as La Sinagoga del Transito in Toldeo, The Prado in Madrid, and La Mezquita in Cordoba.
These local specialists are in addition to the 24-hour presence of your exclusive tour manager/guide. Each if them is trained to impart even the tiniest detail of their particular area of expertise, and each must pass a stringent test for licensure in Spain. In Spain, we generally plan for you to have a local guide with you at some point almost every day, excluding arrival and departure days.
You can designate those sites where you would like to have a specialist guide, and whether you would prefer them to present an academic or a cultural emphasis that focuses on the specific theme of your tour.
A Balance of Educational Visits, Cultural Experiences, and Recreational Activities
Balance is essential, not only in life, but also on a great tour. Casterbridge makes every effort to achieve that balance by offering a variety of recreational and cultural activities to complement the educational opportunities along your tour. It may be taking Flamenco dance or Spanish language lessons, dining like the locals in a “Tapas Crawl” from restaurant to restaurant, or hiking in Pico de Europa National Park. Whatever your preference, we have many different options for fun, exciting experiences while in Spain.
Click here for our Cross-Cultural Connections, where you will find a comprehensive list of the recreational and cultural opportunities available in Spain.
Our Accommodations and Meals in Spain
Casterbridge Tours chooses 3 star (and occasionally 4 star or superior 2 star) hotels as a standard, but you are always free to request alternate accommodation for your group. Each hotel is evaluated following each stay, and we continue to use only those who are consistently rated highly by our groups. When possible, we prefer to use smaller, family owned hotels as opposed to giant concrete monoliths. Please feel free to ask for a list of sample hotels in the area your group will be traveling.
As part of our educational travel philosophy, we always strive to give our groups extensive exposure to the local people and culture. Part of the experience is, of course, sampling the local cuisine. Therefore, unless you request it, your Casterbridge tour will not include a lot of American chain restaurants. For dinner, you will sample regional cuisine, either in your hotel or in neighborhood restaurants.
In Madrid and Barcelona, this means that whenever possible, we will have dinner in local restaurants away from the hotels for an authentic dining experience.
All Admissions Are Included in Our Group Tours to Spain
A standard Casterbridge Tour averages double (and sometimes even triple) the average number of admissions that most of our competitor’s tours do. In addition, Casterbridge is one of very few operators who will pre-book your group into as many major attractions as we can. In Madrid, for example, we will pre-book visits to the Prado. In Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia can be pre-booked, and in Granada, we will pre-book you into the Alhambra.
Pre-booking ensures that we always receive group admission rates, we can pay them in advance, and your group can bypass the general admission lines. This unparalleled level of service and value has come to be expected by Group Leaders choosing Casterbridge as their Tour Operator.
Getting Around in Barcelona and Madrid
A practice unique to Casterbridge is, unless a bus has been specifically requested, most of our groups will receive passes for the metro systems for sightseeing in Madrid and Barcelona. Not only will this provide a great cultural experience for your group, but it is also the most efficient and convenient way to navigate these two bustling cities.
Remember that your exclusive tour manager/guide will be with your group at all times to help you with directions, the language, and interactions with local people as you journey to your next visit.
Undiscovered Jewels and Hidden Treasures in Spain
Because Casterbridge Tours is a custom tour operator, we can offer you tremendous flexibility in your tour itinerary. We can mold your schedule to your specific, detailed needs. So we would be delighted to take you to any of the “hidden treasures” around Spain not always found on a standard itinerary.
Some of the recent jewels chosen by our group leaders were The Virgin’s Cave at Covadonga, and The Arab Baths at Jaen. Some groups have also requested to spend an overnight off the beaten path in places like Cangas de Onis in the northern mountains and the lovely white village of Nerja along the Costa del Sol.
Your tour is truly your tour with Casterbridge!
Register to plan an educational tour to Spain, either online or by calling 1-800-522-2398. Start planning your group travel program today!
