Savvy Traveler: Spain, different worlds in one country

For many years, we resisted the impulse to take part in group tours to the foreign destinations we visited. It seemed too reminiscent of the 1969 movie, “If it’s Tuesday it must be Belgium.”

The comedy focused on a group of travelers participating in a harried European tour. Everything they saw seemed to flash before their eyes in a whirlwind of color with little, if anything, penetrating the brain zone that remembers experiences.

That may have been the case in 1969, but it is no longer true for the most part. Yes, there are still outfits more interested in taking your money than in providing a quality experience. But exposure to these shady organizations can be avoided by a little bit of research.

There are several on-line sites that give travelers the opportunity to rate their experiences. The only caveat is to make sure that the comments are not posted by the companies themselves.

If it appears to be overly gushy in praise, that should be a red flag. Honest appraisals are generally easy to spot and will give you great insight into the firm you are considering.

We decided last summer to try a package tour. We signed up for a Uniworld Boutique Cruises Line (www.uniworld.com) cruise on the Danube. It was all-inclusive — including a wide variety of tours — and was anything but rushed.

This time around we were headed for Spain. Although we had been there several times, it was more years than we’d care to admit since we were last in the land of Don Quixote. We decided to go with Insight Vacations (www.insightvacations.com) whose motto is “The art of touring in style.”

There are other companies that provide similar trips and many of them are of high quality. The limitations of space prevent us from providing a profile of each.

As for us, we were pleasantly surprised by the thought and planning that preceded our trip. Within minutes after landing in Madrid’s Barajas Airport, we were greeted by an Insight representative. We headed straightaway to a coach for transfer to our hotel.

Insight’s coach was arguably the most comfortable we have ever traveled in. Leg room was far greater than we’ve ever seen on a tour bus. The number of seats has been reduced to provide this extra comfort.

Hotels are all top-tier and most provide free wi fi.

Most meals are included with the exception of many lunches. That is by design as it gives the traveler an opportunity to sample local cuisine.

We avoided fancy restaurants and ate where the locals ate. Tapas (Pinxas in the North and Basque Country) are amazingly good. You simply sit down and point to what you want. When you are done, the counter person will tally the tab. The surprise is how inexpensive your meal was.

There is considerable free time built into the itinerary, giving the traveler ample time to experience local color and culture ranging from the fabulous Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao to the colorful marketplace in Santiago de Compostela.

All of Insight’s guides are extensively trained and have a wealth of knowledge. Beyond that, we found out, they take regular refresher courses and are also familiar with other destinations.

Even though we are familiar with a location, such as London, where we’ve been many times, we often make it a practice to take a guided bus tour on our first day. This is a good refresher and often points out places we’ve missed in the past. We take notes on the ride and then return, at leisure, to locations that appeared to be interesting.

Tours such as Spain and the Danube are like those local excursions except that they last a week or more. It’s a terrific method of seeing as much as possible without “tourist overload.”