PamNC

My husband and I are looking into a Portugal/Spain trip for 2016 for 3-4 weeks.. We've never used a tour company, but are searching for a GREAT one that spends at least 2-3 days at each location. We are not interested in running wild, moving to a new spot each day. I've been searching the web and have come across Odysseys Unlimited tours. Has anyone had any experience with them? Or, do you have another company to suggest? We are foodies, which I know won't be a problem as dining does not seem to be an issue. We don't want high adventure type activities, but are more interested in seeing the many gorgeous sights, learning about the history, and enjoying the local entertainment and culture.

Thanking you in advance for any help!

Ozarksbill

I could and will recommend Grand Circle Travel with whom we toured Spain/Portugal last October. See report. Most people on Fodors are independent travelers as have we been at times. But our nine GCT tours incl. several river cruises and 41 Road Scholar (Elderhostel) programs have been worthwhile and allowed enjoyable moments. Now in our older years we may not be able to keep up with the walking...dragging up the hills of Cordoba, Ronda, etc.

Good luck in your searching. To add a note we feel GCT and RS emphasize a total eperience and not sightseeing or shopping.

IMDonehere

If you do not have mobility issues, I suggest you put together your own tour. Spain is well-trodden by tourists and the buses and trains are excellent and there are a few cheap-o but reliable airlines.

If one of your interests is food, I also suggest you read about San Sebastian/Donostia.

jrjcolllins

We just got back this past April where we went on the Odysseys Unlimited Portugal and Spain tour. We loved it! We have traveled with the company 3 other times. But we also like to travel independently so when we finished our Odysseys trip in Barcelona we rented a car for a few days and headed North exploring the Costa Brava area. The Grand Circle tour company is a reputable company but it is a large-group tour. Odysseys has a maximum of 24 people. We had 21 people on the Spain tour.

kja

I trust you are aware that you can easily travel to Spain and Portugal on your own -- as IMDoneHere notes, there is no need for a tour unless that is your preference.

nytraveler

You might want to consider a package rather than a tour. They will organize flights, airport transfers and hotels (your choice of hotels based on budget and your desires) and can offer you a number of tours in each city. That way you stay as many days as you want in each place and can take whatever tours you want - or just relax as many days as you want.

If this makes sense check out Gate 1 - but there may be other companies that offer this.

Rubicund

There's no contest here, just put it together yourself. With 3/4 weeks you'll be able to put together a fantastic trip that suits you, not one that suits someone else.

Decide what you want to see, get out a map and plan the trip. For me, that's a big part of the travelling, just the anticipation of it all. For Portugal and Spain maybe try to fly into Lisbon and out of either Barcelona or Malaga (or vice versa) and then fill in the gaps.

Robert2533

Bus tours tend to rush things a bit; 2 days/1 nigt, beform heading off in a new direction, Hardly giving you time to enjoy anything along the way. Hotels are typically away from the main tourist destinations.

Check out Petrabax.com to see what they have to offer. Or go with a traveler.