Spain - Tour Or On-Your-On
 

My wife & I are going to Spain in September.Neither speak Spanish. Any suggestions - should we take a tour or do the travel on our own?

This is a country that's very easy to tour on your own and you save time because you can travel by train for example between Madrid and Seville in 2 1/2 hours instead of at least 6 by bus. My Spanish turned out to be worse than I thought but we encountered people in railroad stations and hotels and major attractions(but not necessarily a random person on the street) who spoke English.

What Laura said. Also, we rented a car and found it very easy to tour the back roads of Andalucia.

I bet for touring Spain for yourselves, rent a car and explore also the mid-range cities.Paradores would be a good option to stay. And do not miss the coastal Southern Spain, that has, in my opinion the best weather of the year. Can give you some more information about sightseeing.

I'd also recommend independent travel, Spain is very easy to get around and the trains are quick. <BR> <BR>We got an independent package from Central Holidays which included hotel, 1/2 day sightseeing in Madrid and Seville and train passes. We booked our own airfare since it was much cheaper but they do also have airfare if you want it. The package included hotels in Madrid, Seville, Cordoba and the Costa del Sol. At the time, I didn't have much time to plan the trip so it was nice having all the details taken care of. <BR> <BR>We also do not speak any Spanish and we had no trouble getting around.

I did a tour of Spain and enjoyed it very much (Madrid, Andalusia-Granada, Seville, Cordoba-, Barcelona, and Costa del Sol). The Spanish people are very warm and hospitable, so if you are inclined to travel on your own, I'm sure the other posters are right. If you prefer a tour for the comfort and convenience, I can assure you that you can get a richly satisfying experience of this wonderful country that way too.