I would encourage anyone planning a trip like ours to build in plenty of time to explore on their own. We had to drop two activities from our plan and in the end this was a good thing. This city is so gorgeous and has so much to offer. She also gave recommendations on things to visit on our own. Our guide educated us on Guadi and his contemporaries and Sagrada Familia is a wonder. But again I can't stress enough how much we loved the balloon! Our architecture tour was also a highlight. Perhaps the tour tries to cram too much in? I would recommend separating the two activities. It was disappointing to not see anything in the monastery and we did not have lunch as stated in the itinerary. Our balloon ride ran longer than expected so all we were able to do was take the gondola to the top and then walk to the bus for the trip down. Pyrenees! However our visit to Montserrat was cut very short. The views were spectacular, I can't describe how breathtaking it was when we rose above the clouds and saw the The balloon trip was the highlight of our trip! The pilot was so skilled that none of us felt any anxiety. They did not charge extra for this service and it was so considerate that they accommodated us in this way. In fact on the day that we left early in the morning for our balloon ride they prepared fabulous to go bags for us. The location is very convenient however and the breakfasts were good. The room product was a little rundown and there wasn't much sound proofing so one heard everything the neighbors were doing or talking about. We stayed at the Hotel Regina in Barcelona. Although all four were from Spain one of them was a Merlot, and another was an Albarino that was not from Rias Baixas. The guide that did the wine tasting was a bit arrogant and I didn't feel that the wines she chose were very well representative of Spanish wines. The guide for the market took us to two nice spots but she didn't seem to know much about food. We weren't as impressed by the Food Sherpa guides in Granada. We did not enjoy these tour guides as well. The Alhambra and Generalife gardens are not to be missed, such a remarkable layered history. Clearly Yannat Tours and Kimkim have a gift for discovering talent. Our guide of the Alhmabra, Edu, was thoughtful and intelligent. It is a bit of a hike going down into the town center but it was just what we needed to work off some calories. It was wonderful being located on the ground of The Alhambra. My main quibble there was that we had twin beds, something Americans don't experience much. In Granada we stayed at the Parador, right on the grounds of the Alhambra and this was also a great experience. We had fun preparing traditional Spanish foods and enjoyed eating them on her beautiful terrace. Our cooking class with Ana at Fresh Cooking Spain was also a real pleasure. Our guides Penelope and Pilar were well versed on the history of Seville and insightful, passionate and just delightful to spend time with. In Seville the highlights were our tour of the Alcazar, a Flamenco show and our cooking class. My bathroom at home is even smaller and not nearly as nice! The staff was very charming and the daily breakfast offerings were extensive, creative and well-prepared, perhaps the best meals we had in Spain. Although the bathroom is a bit small it was so well appointed I didn't mind that a bit. The facility is gorgeous and so well maintained. Hotel Gravina 51 in Seville was such a luxurious experience. All of our transportation was handled smoothly and comfortably. We visited Seville, Granada and Barcelona. The resulting trip had the ease of a formal tour group but the privacy of handling arrangements ourselves. Because Kimkim has so many great contacts and activities to choose from we were able to tailor the trip our interests. I planned a ten trip to Spain with Yuri and his knowledge was invaluable. Planning with Kimkim results in a very memorable trip! My siblings and I as well as our spouses were delighted with the experience.
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