Your Travel Specialist On: Elite Entree in Spain

By MAUREEN JONES (Star Patcher)

Spanish influence permeates the globe with its refined touch brought to far flung shores from early explorers. Yet, it is at the source that this distinctive ethos exists in its purest form from Picasso’s most lauded canvases to Gaudi’s avant garde architecture. We celebrate Spain’s coveted cultural draws and dynamic beauty with luxe experiences that span the Iberian Peninsula from coast to coast.

I grew up in Great Britain, and Spain was a very popular place for people to go to every year mainly because of the weather. My younger sister did her Master’s Degree in Barcelona so the family went every month to take her out to dinner and since she is fluent in Spanish, we got to do a lot of exploring in many parts of the country with her as our guide.

Being in the travel industry is very useful when you want to use your contacts. We can get private tours of La Alhambra and enjoy the stroll thru the three interconnected Nasrid Palaces, gardens and courtyards perched above the city of Granada. Our clients are impressed at all the extra benefits we can obtain for them.

Barcelona’s grand boulevards and pedestrian streets lined with fashion boutiques and innovative design stores, draw trendsetters from around the globe. A personal shopper can whisk you past legendary international design stores on Paseo de Gracia and Avenida Diagonal and into the most elite shops, bearing labels of Spanish designers coveted by the wealthy residents of the Ensanche district.

Fringing the border of Portugal, Spain’s southwestern region of Extremadura draws historians with Medieval and Renaissance splendor that ornaments the UNESCO World Heritage cities of Caceres, Merida and Guadalupe.

This region is a gourmet’s delight. Home to cherries, olive oil, and lamb through tastings and exclusive farm tours. The Ribera del Guadiana Wine Route pairs oenology with rich history of the country’s largest province of Badajoz. A favorite restaurant in Caceres is Atrio has more than 25,000 labels of wine.

European masters converge in the city of Madrid where countless art museums flaunt the canvases of history’s most celebrated painters. Pass the velvet rope, entering the world’s finest museum after hours accompanied by an art historian. This autonomy allows you to fully appreciate the bold brushstrokes of Picasso at Reina Sofia Museum, the awe inspiring collection of masterpieces at the Thyseen-Bornemisza Museum and more than 7,000 paintings at the Prado Museum, including Goya’s famed Black Paintings.

We love traveling by train and you can embrace the romance of Spain and railway heritage as the verdant countryside glides past the window of the 1923 Pullman car where you sip a handcrafted cocktail. Today the historic cars of two trains hitch to form one of the most luxurious trains in the world, El Transcantabrico.

This eight-day journey forges a path between Spain’s coastal culinary mecca of San Sebastian to Santiago de Compostela, end point of one of the world’s revered pilgrimages of St. James. Along the way, visit iconic sites like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao and the Upper Paleolithic paintings in the Cave of Altamira.

Three journeys I would recommend. 1. Barcelona, Andalucia and Toledo, by a deluxe motor coach, with guided visits in Cordoba, Seville, Granada and lots more. Seven days of the best of Spain. 2. The Paradors of Northern Spain. This visits the unique Basque region, with its own culture, food, music and breathtaking monasteries, castles and palaces. 13 days of seeing a different part of Spain as we think of it as a country. 3. Seven Cities. You see the best Spain has to offer in nine days of being pampered.

I love Flamenco music, the tapas bars, and the culture. You will enjoy the visit more if you have a guide, fully escorted holiday, and its great value.

Maureen Jones

Maureen Jones is president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street, Los Altos. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.

Previous columns by Maureen:

• Your Travel Specialist On: London, England
• Your Travel Specialist On: Alberta- A Wonderful Province in Canada
• Abu Dhabi- A destination apart
• Mougins, Cote De A’zur, France
• HIGH FIVE: What Tops Your List in South Africa?
• Lima, Peru’s Crossroads of Past and Present
• Why Use A Travel Agent?
• The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
• Scotland, The British Open 2015.
• Delectable Dining - Hawaii’s Farm Fresh Table Temptation.
• Themed River Cruises.

Also on Patch:

• Two Arrested In Double Stabbing Near Beach Boardwalk
• Arrests Made In Santa Cruz Homicide
• Off-Duty Cop Captures Suspected DUI Driver Involved in Fatality of Pedestrian From Gilroy
• Homeless to Law School: Powering Through Obstacles
• RIP, Lon Simmons: Beloved Broadcaster For Giants, A’s, 49ers Dies At 91
• Celebrate National Volunteer Month by Giving Blood
• Wind Advisory in Effect for 4 Bay Area Bridges