Barcelona Cultural, religious and historic sites Trips

An interesting experience for a first time solo travel, I can say for certainty that I have created some lifelong memories, and that even though there were ups and downs, I would 100% do another Contiki. The people are what make Contiki unforgettable, even more-so than the places. I would recommend picking Contiki for places which you don’t care too much to see everything, as you only get a glimpse of big cities.

Our tour of the Mediterranean Coastal Journey, far exceeded our expectations. The tour manager was absolutely amazing! Having been thrown some curveballs, especially when the rain and windy weather caused Cinque Terre to be closed! Barbara pulled together a tour of the Imperiale Palace for the next day, with a demo on making Pesto sauce, then each of us made pesto as well. I was so looking forward to Cinque Terre, but in the long run we had a great experience in Genoa. Also, the hotel there was lovely being located on the marina, and all the shops and restaurants were just across the street. I was not looking forward to our stay in Genoa but came away pleasantly surprised. Our group of 22 turned out to be incredibly friendly right from the beginning. All the restaurants were very good, she even surprised us with a 1* Michelin dinner experience in substitution for that evening dining experience having been cancelled, so we got to eat at the number 1 restaurant in Marseilles! I have to say that Barbara was responsible for getting the group off to a great start being together, with her great sense of humor, friendliness, being firm about the start time to be on the bus :-) She went above and beyond making the last night of our tour so very special for my daughter, being it was her actual birthday. It was all just perfect! Thank you, Barbara, what tour will you be leading next season? I would consider going on it knowing how you can handle even those last-minute curveballs!

We saw shrines from one end of France to the other including Liseux where St Terese's lived and the convent she entered. We were above the clouds when visiting the shrine at LaSalle in the French Alps! We spent two nights at Lourdes and were able to participate in the nightly procession as well as visiting St Bernadette's childhood home. Every shrine and area we visited was amazing!

Enjoyed all Shrines and cathedrals. Loved the Shine at our Lady of La Salette and having lunch at the convent. The French Alps were breathtaking. All guides were so exceptional - they were very informative. Not another time to explore Avignon. Didn’t like that there was no selection of our meal at dinner also no printing of what we were eating - guessing. Tour Manager was exceptional.

This is a fairly rigorous itinerary and there is a lot of walking involved, as you would expect in Europe. Sidewalks are sometimes narrow and cobble stoned. If you have any difficulty maintaining balance and walking over a mile at a time, this itinerary will tax your ability. If you take advantage of the many additional tours offered, many of which are in the morning, and evening meals, you are in the coach from 8 am until 9 pm.

A great experience of Spain and Portugal giving us an understanding of the culture and history. Our favorite experiences were seeing the Port cellar, the olive mill, and the winery. Learning the history of how these industries have affected the culture and how important they remain to these nations was wonderful. We also enjoyed the many cathedrals and each one’s unique history. Overall a very enjoyable, informative experience.