The Spanish must be laughing. For half a century, tourists have colonised the beaches, the bars, the islands and city centers, thinking this is “Spain...
Europe may be the world’s second smallest continent, with some of its tiniest nations, but it finally lays to rest, with ease, the whole ‘size isn’t e...
Reviews
1 Reviews of Spain small group vacation
4 out of 5 stars
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Reviewed on 05 Oct 2015 by Barbara Harrison
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
So many things, but the hike in Ronda what so memorable-- watching the light change with the sun rise, all the fruit trees we strolled through and the stunning view of the walled city. The chance to shop for and make Paella in Valencia was also a huge hit. Exploring the food and drink in the back alleys of Seville was wonderful too. The Alhambra was spectacular. Wandering through the orange trees in the gardens of the Moorish palaces was so special.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Travel light; bring comfortable walking sandals...definitely eat and rest when the locals do to take full advantage of the local color and your time at each stop. Rent the local city bikes - keep moving so you can enjoy all the wonderful food! Eat with the group (my group was small - just 5 of us) so that you can take advantage of a large selection of tapas and get a broader experience. Read up on every city to prioritize what you want to do - you can do a lot in the day and 1/2 you will average at each stop.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We went to and supported local restaurants and took advantage of local tours, so I think so.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Was great! Vivi shared her favorite haunts, gave us the local view and made sure we all had a wonderful time.
Responsible Travel
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we've screened this (and every) vacation so that you can travel knowing we've worked to maximise the benefits of your vacation to local people and places, and minimise any negative impacts.
Planet
As a global operator, we take our role in the tourism industry very seriously. We recognise the impact that tourism has on local communities and the environment, and we plan and operate all our tours with this front of our minds. We believe that every tour operator must be responsible in the way they conduct their business, to ensure the welfare of all people and the conservation of the environment.
We are committed to operating in a responsible manner, incorporating the principles of sustainable development in the way we provide our travelers with real life experiences. These values are more than just words on a page; they are ingrained in our culture and the daily operations of every office and every trip. In addition, we expect our staff and travelers to demonstrate the principles of responsible travel - respecting people, cultures and local environments; in the distribution of wealth; in good will and cross-cultural sharing; and in contributing to sustainable development.
As company our responsibilities don’t stop when our tours end. Our own in house foundation has been in operation for over 10 years; a not-for-profit fund that has distributed over AU$3 million to more than 70 non-government organisations since 2002, from health care, education, human rights, child welfare, sustainable development and in environmental and wildlife protection. Donations come from our travelers and are then matched by us dollar for dollar.
As a company we aim to contribute to the environmental preservation of the destinations we visit and to reduce any negative impacts our operations may have. This translates to actions such as using local transport where safe to do so in order to reduce emissions, observing all national and marine park visitor rules and operating a ‘take in, take back out’ waste management system, to name but a few examples. Through our inhouse foundation we also invest money into environmental initiatives that benefit the planet, including restoring kelp forests to help reverse the effects of global warming and protecting endangered species such as sea turtles and elephants.
People
We believe that responsible travel is about the attitude you take with you and the choices you make when traveling - to respect and benefit local people, their cultures, economy and the environment. On trips like this through Europe for example, dress standards are conservative, and we recommend modest dress when visiting churches.
We take care to use local transport throughout and stay in small, locally owned hotels and guesthouses. We source produce locally throughout the trip, eat at local restaurants and encourage our travelers to purchase souvenirs from local artisans and recruit our on the ground team from the local community. This not only gives a fantastic insight into the country and a snap shot of day to day life, but it also puts valuable financial resources back into the local economy, creating jobs and supporting local businesses.
