Exhilarating Adventure to Barcelona & Madrid Tour

This trip was the best vacation my husband and I have ever taken! Zicasso's travel designer was excellent; he was very knowledgeable and planned the perfect itinerary. I would book another trip with him in a heartbeat! I told him we wanted to go to Barcelona and the activities we wanted to do. He was spot-on with the initial itinerary and we only needed to make minor adjustments based on additional recommendations he had.

The entire trip was very well planned out and everything went off perfectly. I wish I could do this trip all over again!

We stayed the first three nights in Llafranc, Costa Brava, which is a very lovely seaside town that our travel designer suggested. The hotel there was beautiful, pristine, and right on the beach. We went for a wonderful hike, took a day trip to the Dalí Museum, and had a wine tasting at a smaller vineyard that he suggested rather than a large, touristy one. Here, we had a private tour and tasting with the host. On our way to Barcelona we had a tour of Girona, where it was very interesting to see and learn about the history. We loved the hotel in Barcelona. It was in a great location, with many good restaurants nearby, and was also beautiful and pristine. The first night in Barcelona we saw a flamenco show that was incredible and the next day we saw Park Güell and La Sagrada Família. In the evening, we did a tapas tour through five restaurants that was so much fun. The next day, we had a cooking class, which was one of our favorite activities of the trip. The last day, we took a bus trip out to Montserrat, which is well worth seeing and only about an hour outside the city.

I was able to be in communication with our agent throughout the trip. He was always available for questions and also gave us recommendations for restaurants and bars to go to. He also made dinner/lunch reservations as needed.

All of the private guides that were hired were excellent: our guide who did our hike, our guide who took us to the Dalí Museum and Girona, and our guide who showed us Park Güell and La Família Sagrada. They were all so knowledgeable and enjoyable to be with. Even the guides when doing group activities were amazing: our guide who did the cooking class, our guide who took us to Montserrat, and our guide who did the tapas tour.

I appreciated that although our itinerary was busy, our travel designer made sure there was still free time to explore on our own. He was a pleasure to work with and made this vacation so special. The whole process of planning was very easy because of his expertise. I will definitely use him and the tour company for future trips!

The owners of Zicasso’s tour company were amazing from start to finish. They curated a custom trip for us to Barcelona, Madrid, Seville, Málaga, Toledo, and Granada. They listened to our requests and came up with a brilliant itinerary that included personal drivers, hotels, dining recommendations, and tour guides. They were also so quick to respond to our questions and pivot our plans when needed. This was a very special 30th-anniversary trip for us and they knocked it out of the park.

The trip itinerary and guides provided in Barcelona, Porto, the Duoro Valley, and Madrid were excellent. They were very knowledgeable, professional and personable, and spoke excellent English.

Most of the drivers were very good, but we were surprised that some of them did not provide bottled water for half-day tours (we had to ask and stop to buy it). This was a minor nuisance, but given the price of tours and previous experiences, a simple expectation, as well as having the car cooled down and AC on during hot days when being picked up.​

The tour manager did an outstanding job overall, but could have improved on some specific requests that seemed to be either forgotten or missed regarding an electric scooter/wheelchair we rented that caused some issues during pick-up and drop-off. Otherwise, working with her was a very good experience.

We visited Madrid, Toledo, San Sebastián, Bayonne, Biarritz, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Hondarribia, La Rioja, Barcelona, Montserrat, and the Penedes (Cava) region.

We loved our private guides, private wine tastings, and day trips outside of the big cities.

Our experience with Zicasso and the tour operator was nothing short of amazing. From start to finish, everything was thoughtfully planned and beautifully executed. The tours in Madrid and Seville were incredible, each filled with history, culture, and stunning sights. Our guides were knowledgeable and engaging, bringing the stories of these cities to life and making the experience even more special.

After the busy city days, Estepona was the perfect place to slow down and relax. We enjoyed exploring the charming streets, indulging in a little shopping, and taking part in a fun and memorable cooking class that gave us a true taste of Spanish culture. The balance between sightseeing, cultural immersion, and relaxation made the trip feel perfectly designed just for us.

A special thank you goes to our travel agent, who was simply wonderful throughout the entire process. He was patient with all of my many questions, quick to respond, and flexible in accommodating every addition or change to the itinerary. His attention to detail and genuine care ensured we felt supported and stress-free from the moment we began planning to the very last day of our travels.

The accommodations, transfers, and overall flow of the trip were seamless, allowing us to simply enjoy the journey without worry. This trip exceeded our expectations and created memories that we will truly cherish.

We highly recommend Zicasso and the tour operator, and especially our travel agent. If you’re looking for a personalized, well-organized, and unforgettable travel experience, this is the way to go.

Zicasso's travel specialists did a great job for us. They clearly listened to us and curated an experience that was made specifically for us. It checked all of the boxes and more.

Highlights were the local tour guides in each city. It was great to meet and get to know local people, learn so much history, see the architecture (Gaudí in Barcelona and the awesome palaces and cathedrals that we visited), the Montserrat hike, Caminito del Rey (which was absolutely better with a guide), and the Marbella e-bike adventure.

The hotels were wonderful; all unique and all great choices. We came home happy and tired, which is the sign of a good trip for us (since we do not ever sit on beaches or at pools and relax!).