Spain Luxury Tour Review: Barcelona, Girona, Bilbao, Cordoba, Toledo, Madrid, San Sebastian, Seville, Private Tours, Cooking Class

There were so many memories created during our two week journey throughout Spain.  Some of the highlights definitely include our tour in Barcelona, our trip to the Fontcaya Olive Oil farm, our tour of Girona, our visits to the wineries of Rioja, the tour of Toledo.  Our guides in each of the cities we visited (which included Barcelona, San Sebastian, Girona, Bilbao, Cordoba, Toledo and Madrid) were professional and informative.  They were also attentive to the individuals in our group, tailoring the physical demands of the tours seamlessly.  No one was made to feel as though they could not keep up, take a break, etc.  
One of the activities that we failed to stress to Lalo in planning our trip was shopping. Some members of our group were very interested in finding those unique items, locally made, that would become treasured reminders of our trip.  Each of our guides were facile in on-the-spot changes to the itinerary that accommodated our interest in local artisans and their wares.  Our drivers were also willing and able to amend the itinerary to make allowances for these unscheduled stops.  
One highlight of our trip was the change that we made to our itinerary once we met our guide in San Sebastian.  As he explained the importance of St. Ignatius of Loyola to us, we were pleased to share with him our own personal connections to the Saint.  Everyone in the group had been Jesuit educated!  We were delighted to find out that his birthplace and shrine were a short detour on the way to Bilboa.  At our request, Lalo was able to arrange for us to make this impromptu stop so that we could visit this impressive site.  
I would be remiss if I did not include food as a highlight of our trip.  Everyone in the group fancies himself/herself a "foodie" and Spain, with Lalo's help, exceeded ALL of our expectations.  Lalo assisted us with reservations in several different cities and the restaurants were all exceptional.  They covered a wide range of establishments that allowed us to experience neighborhood or local environments ad well as haute cuisine in formal settings.  Furthermore, Lalo arranged for our group to cook with a local chef in Seville.  Ana, of Fresh Food Seville, was incredible. She guided us through the preparation of a delicious lunch that was served on her patio under a crystal clear blue sky.  It was a delight from beginning to end!