Spain and Portugal Tours in December

We loved our trip to Spain and Portugal! We enjoyed each of our private tours with our tour guides in the various cities we experienced. They went above and beyond to share their knowledge of the planned sites, plus they added in individual unique sites and information along our walking route.

Zicasso’s tour company took all of our requested activities, venues, and interests to customize a trip that fit us well. They were in communication with us during our trip when a planned site was not available due to construction. Our tour guide provided us with other possible replacement options and let us choose what was of interest to us rather than them making the decision.

We tremendously enjoyed all of the cities, Madrid, Toledo, Granada, and Seville in Spain and Lisbon and Porto in Portugal. Our trip went smoothly and the activities were scheduled at a good pace for us! An extra bonus for us was seeing King Felipe VI by being in the right place at the right time near the opera house in Madrid while we were on our walking tour. We highly recommend Zicasso and the tour company.

Zicasso’s travel agency helped us plan a 17-day, three-country tour (Morocco, Portugal, and southern Spain). We were able to enjoy all the highlights of each city we visited with a very well-paced schedule!

The travel company's staff were flexible too! Adjusting the initial itinerary for cost and sites to visit was not an issue. We cut out a leg to Barcelona and some private drivers where prudent. We also adding things back in (i.e., a sherry-tasting experience, etc., was accommodated).

During our trip was where this travel company truly excelled. The staff very conscientiously checked in on us as our tour progressed and were proactively reminding us (via a messaging tool) of meeting places and the names of guides for the next day. They stayed on top of our itinerary and continuously inquired if they could do anything else! I enlisted their help when I had trouble checking in to our flight from Casablanca to Porto. At my request, she stepped in and helped successfully check us in! Knowing of my difficulties in checking in to intra-EU flights, she then took the initiative to check us in to our next flight from Lisbon to Sevilla! I even had a scare when I forgot some valuables in the safe in our hotel in Málaga, but she was able to retrieve them and send them to me in Madrid! It was comforting to know we had someone in our corner looking out for us!

We have gone with Zicasso on many trips, but this tour operator met and far exceeded our expectations for this trip! The travel company not only saved me a great disappointment for my forgetfulness, but provided very informative private guides, courteous drivers, and exceptional personal service throughout our itinerary! This was our 43rd-anniversary trip and they provided us with wonderful memories that will last us a lifetime!

My husband and I returned from a 19-day trip to Spain and Portugal on September 22nd and would highly recommend our travel agency, arranged through Zicasso Travel.

Our travel agent customized a trip, taking into account our budget and incorporating visits to Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, Málaga, Granada, Seville, and Ronda in Spain, and the Algarve coast, Évora, and Lisbon in Portugal.

We easily communicated via emails, phone calls and zoom, and after four drafts we agreed to a final itinerary that met out interests, along with his excellent recommendations. Our agent was always gracious and understanding to the changes we wanted to make. He also included some down time on a few half days of tours to do some sightseeing on our own along with his recommendations.

Having planned two trips abroad ourselves in the past, and being older, it was so reassuring to have a competent and knowledgeable travel agent to take care of all train reservations, tickets, hotels, private drivers and tour guides. It was also reassuring to know if we encountered any problem during the course of our trip we could contact someone at a 24/7 emergency number. The train transportation arranged between a few cities went smoothly in the comfort of first class, our private drivers were pleasant, professional and informative and our individual tour guides that were arranged to meet us were prompt and so knowledgeable which made each tour all the more memorable. Lastly, our agent was able to provide the resources for us to meet some personal needs at each hotel where we stayed.

It is hard not to be overly effusive in praise of the trip. The hotels, travel, guides, and itinerary were all wonderful. The trip was tailored to our needs and interests very well. We loved our app and Zicasso’s travel specialist checking in on us.

So what were the favorites for me? The Douro Valley, Córdoba, and Toledo. Not saying that I did not enjoy all the rest, but those were the standouts and might merit a return. I think being there during the Christmas season was special, though the crowds in Madrid were a little much for us. It was colder than we expected, but better than sweltering heat.

So what could I have lived without? The Metropol Parasol (recommended by someone else, not the travel company) was underwhelming and the Royal Palace in Madrid was not as interesting as other landmarks. The Alhambra and the Retiro Park in Madrid were more enjoyable.

That said, the travel specialist did a wonderful job accommodating our lifestyle and interests, making for a wonderful travel experience.

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.

Zicasso's trip expert was patient and responsive to our numerous requests and persistent in thoroughly organizing the trip. All planned aspects of the trip were carried out professionally and as scheduled. Recommended restaurants proved to be great choices.

For scheduled transfers, we were met by courteous, helpful drivers, with clean, comfortable vans. The drivers knew exactly where we were to be delivered and, on appropriate occasions, showed amazing skill in navigating the complex maze of narrow streets and tight corners of some of the old city centers.

Selected hotels were prepared for our arrival, provided clean, comfortable rooms, and served delicious breakfasts. Hotel staffs were consistently friendly and helpful. The staff of our hotel in Sevilla were especially noteworthy for their efforts to make our stay as enjoyable as possible and, even more, for their quick response to a medical emergency experienced by one of our group.

Tour guides were absolutely outstanding. Each was thoroughly knowledgeable of their tour subjects, able to field our numerous questions, and readily adapted the tours to our expressed interests.

Overall, a well-planned, well-executed, and most enjoyable trip.