When Dr. Carlos and Rita Fernandez approached Sis Mishou, CTC, at Interlachen Travel, they had never traveled to Europe before but knew they wanted to visit Spain. Because of time constraints, they also wanted to see as much as possible in 11 days.

Sis provided many options but strongly encouraged a tour because the trip was to be Carlos and Rita’s first adventure to Europe. While they had considered another Spain trip that was more expensive, Rita admits that they couldn’t have been happier on a different tour.

Insight’s “Highlights of Spain” tour began in Madrid and circled southern and middle Spain through Barcelona, Valencia, Granada, Seville, and back to Madrid. The sites were incredible. Those that stand out for Rita include the Ramblas in Barcelona. This two-mile street was quaint with its open-air markets and cafes. Of special appeal to Rita was the lace being hand crafted right in the street. “One woman even approached me and she had lace with the Statue of Liberty design right in the lace!” said Rita.

Another site that will be unforgettable for Carlos and Rita was the Prado Museum in Madrid. Anyone who has taken art history has seen paintings that hang in the Prado Museum, but for Rita it was moving to see them in person. In Seville they visited the 15th century cathedral where Christopher Columbus is buried. Throughout the tour, the Spanish countryside was breathtaking. What impressed Carlos and Rita about Spain, other than the rich history and beauty, was the cleanliness of the streets, restaurants, hotels, and food.

On their last evening of the tour, the group visited a family-owned Spanish restaurant. They were provided an authentic meal (Rita’s roast suckling pig was the entire pig—head and all!) and the music played and costumes worn were classical Spanish. It was a perfect evening to end a perfect trip.

What made the tour so perfect? While Carlos and Rita were at first apprehensive about going on a tour, according to Rita the tour guide was the key to the trip’s success. He knew Spain inside and out. The tour group was also not what she expected—the group was diverse and from all over the world, which made the tour even more interesting. Up front Sis was thorough and took care of the details, which Carlos and Rita appreciated. She even provided two itineraries, one to take and one to leave with family at home. The tour included just about everything that was needed, allowed for leisure time, and ran smoothly.

Would Rita recommend this tour to a friend? Absolutely. If you have a limited amount of time but want to learn in-depth about a country, this tour will keep you moving and be educational—in more ways than you can imagine until you actually go!