Tipping optional I was surprised at the laid-back way in which Gate 1 approached gratuities for the

The package cost about $2,500 a person, vacation rentals virginia beach va including round trip flights, airport transfers, eight nights of hotel with private rooms for each of us, daily breakfast and a buffet dinner, as well as guided vacation rentals virginia beach va tours of each city, admissions to Madrid s Prado, Granada s Alhambra vacation rentals virginia beach va Palace and other key attractions, and guided stops in Toledo and Cordoba.
An added perk –– and break from the tour bus –– was the inclusion of a high-speed rail transfer from Madrid to Barcelona. Instead of another day on the bus, we traveled between the cities in about three hours time.
By my estimate, it would have cost at least $3,000 each to set up a similar itinerary on our own. Money-savings aside, here s a look at what I liked best about the experience and a few things vacation rentals virginia beach va that could have been improved.
Tipping optional vacation rentals virginia beach va I was surprised at the laid-back way in which Gate 1 approached gratuities for the tour guide and bus driver. The operator didn t provide vacation rentals virginia beach va envelopes, leaving it up to us to tip –– or not.
Hotels vacation rentals virginia beach va not so central My only real gripe was the location of most of our hotels outside the center. That meant a bit of planning to take the metro or bus, but wasn t a major issue, given Spain s good public transportation system.
No hidden costs Unlike many operators, Gate 1 puts the value in the main itinerary sand doesn t try to drive up its fees with lots of optional excursions. Of the two offered, we opted for a flamenco performance at Seville s El Patio –– it was fairly priced and seemed like the real deal.
Long travel days Trying to cover so much ground in a country as big as Spain had its challenges, mainly during vacation rentals virginia beach va our day-long bus trip from Seville to Madrid. We did get to break up the ride by stopping at Cordoba vacation rentals virginia beach va to have lunch and see the breathtaking Mezquita, a cathedral built inside a mosque that dates from 786, but it still felt like a bit of a schlep.
Successful journey The experience proved to be the perfect choice for our circumstances, giving us a way to cover a lot of ground for an affordable price, without the hassle of setting up all the details ourselves. I would recommend Gate 1 to anyone traveling under similar circumstances.