Historic locations within walking distance of so many interesting places was great.
Nacho Campos was a very special tour manager. We all felt a close connection to him as he worked so hard to accommodate our needs and personalities. He made dinner reservations in advance to busy venues for us and that was so nice to have that option rather than searching for our dinners on our own. He always checked with each of us to insure we were comfortable and happy, and helped tour participants attend a bull fight, additional Flamenco performances and museums. His local knowledge was extensive and so helpful. Thank you sincerely for this amazing experience!

He accompanied us to all of the local tour sites, working with the local guides. The local guides were absolutely first rate, moving us through the architecture and history with insight. The complex history of Iberians, Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs, and Christian Europeans was largely unknown to us, despite some previous reading. Melding these changes into a comprehensive overview was a difficult undertaking our guides had clearly mastered. Throughout, meals, transportation, and hotels were great. Another Amber Road strength is the carefully vetted hotels. Always close to the local sites of interest, the hotels allowed all of us to freely walk and explore, no taxi or Uber required. Not joking, most of our tour group could have just stayed in Ronda, a small jewel of a town with a wonderful hotel, unbelievable vistas and restaurants. The major sites were all included with enough time on our own to revisit and explore after our local guide’s orientation.
Our profound thanks to Amber Road Tours …

In addition to our guide, Nacho, the city guides we had were exceptional. The “off the beaten path” stops as we travelled were especially enjoyable. Each hotel we stayed at was memorable and we would definitely recommend this trip for the history, architecture, unique experiences, people and food. Great trip!

The hotels chosen were always well-located; some better appointed than others (the hotel in Granada was very, very good). The visit to the olive orchard and tour of the pressing plant was really instructive; the visit to the bull farm completely changed my point of view on bull fighting to one less judgmental. Am considering the Central Spain tour for 2023-24!

The hotels used by Amber Roads were comfortable and well located….and very unique….especially the one in Sevilla.
Prior to the trip we read a series of historical novels by David Penny that took place in the late 1400’s and were located in several of the towns we visited. It was exciting to visit those towns and feel the history come to life.
We can’t say enough about Nacho, our guide. He was extremely professional and caring and always seemed to thinking of the needs and interests of the group. He went out of his way to insure that John’s dietary needs were met often accompanying us to meals that were on our own to make sure that the restaurant could prepare food that was suitable. We were so appreciative as John cannot eat many of the common foods served in Spain.
There were just ten participants on this tour….a perfect number. On our first Amber Road tour in Tuscany we met the Schuchmans and have stayed friends over the years. We were able to travel with them again on this trip….so much fun. We also made new friends and would love to travel with them as well. We are looking forward to our next adventure with Amber Road.

Every town visit included a guided tour, and all of the local tour guides were engaged and knowledgeable and also humorous about their respective regions. All of the towns and cities were very interesting to visit. The tour began in Granada where the Alhambra is the main attraction, and we enjoyed a wonderful tour. The tour ended in Seville after traveling through other smaller and very interesting places. We are looking forward to future Amber Road tours!

The first evening was generally free allowing time for us to unpack and explore on our own. Each morning in a new city began with a tour by a well-informed local guide. There was always free time in each city for personal exploration or shopping. I was amazed how seamlessly everything was handled. I needed a trip to the doctor and Sean, our guide went with me to translate the doctor’s evaluation and to make sure that every restaurant prepared the foods that I was suppose to have. Could not have been better. I very much appreciate his attention to detail and my good care. Speaking of Sean, he is a font of knowledge. Any question we had about the history or culture of Spain provided him with an opportunity to impart his vast knowledge. If anything, he killed us with knowledge. As we look at photos and think about all the special things we did–the bull farm, the horse show, the olive making farm, paella cooking lesson, etc., etc., it is a wonder that we did so much. We will have oh so many memories for years to come. If we ever travel to places that we have not seen, there is no question that we would travel with Amber Road again.

The flamenco show, olive oil producer and bull farm provided a perspective of Spanish culture and were also quite interesting. The last section of the ride to the bull farm was a bit bumpy though! Hotels were all good quality and located in central locations for venturing on your own; of which there was a nice balance of free time and included activities. The local guides were all well versed and offered suggestions to enjoy their areas. Included meals were on balance good. Sean also added informal stops that gave us an opportunity of understand the long history of Spain as well as sample the local cuisine. Our fellow travelers were all a pleasure to travel with. We would take this tour again.

The local guides ranged from good to fabulous – most were very, very good.
Sean’s guidance of our group was excellent. His range of knowledge of Spanish history, culture, social mores is extensive and his passion for it all gave such energy to every experience. He clearly loves what he does. Not least, his care and concern for everyone in our group was most admirable. Of note, consistently when there was free time he would offer to lead an informal adventure which always led to an opportunity for a glass of wine or beer and more sharing among the group. He set a very high bar for any future tour we may take and we miss his humor and warmth!

A few things really set this tour apart. Everyday there was one or more jaw-dropping sites/venues that literally took your breath away. The sensory overload at times simply left me saying “Wow, unbelievable” or “This is crazy”. In addition, we had the pleasure of Sean’s graciousness, taking us to sites and places beyond the scheduled tours. Sometimes we would just pull off the road to visit a small church or monastery or view some amazing scenery. Of course, he always included food in our adventures whether it was coffee with churros or other regional specialties and always tapas along with a beverage or two. He even seemed to time our arrival in Cordoba so we would be among the hundreds of locals witnessing a beautiful procession with life size images. Talk about full immersion into the culture! Everyone in our wonderful group got caught up in Sean’s contagious enthusiasm, love, and passion for his country and Andalucia. There were so many memorable moments on this tour – from the first night’s dinner overlooking the Alhambra to the last night in Seville listening to a charming trio in a square. Our time together just flew by. This was my second tour with Amber Road but certainly not my last, whether it’s back to Spain or another country. Thanks for a fabulous tour, start to finish.

Not only does he have the most extensive knowledge of his country, but he also adds a special spice by sharing his opinions which sometimes may be controversial but has the effect of always engaging the group. Often his knowledge surpasses the local guides in each city and would later add more interesting information, especially over a glass of beer and tapas, which was the case everywhere we went. The things we learnt while having a beer was fun, interesting and was instrumental in getting to know more about Spain and the people in our group. For us planning a paella meal for the group on the second day that we were together was pure genius because it was a fantastic way to break the ice (so to speak) and really start to get to interact with each other, including Sean who was the master of this ceremony and right in his element. Another great highlight was the visit to the farm raising bulls for the bullring and learning about this fascinating way of life for many Spaniards. The host made sure that we saw a demonstration up close, and we even were shown a few basic movements by the matador. Leaving for home was an emotional experience, as saying goodbye to our group seems so final. Part of us wants to stay with each other and yet we know it’s time to go back home.