Details
Important
Before you decide to travel with GEEO, it is important that you read all of the program information on this page. Our programs are quite adventurous, and we find that travelers who review the full trip details are happier with their experiences.
Trip Notes & Expectations
ACCOMMODATION
Our program fees are based on double-occupancy accommodation (see "Single Travelers" below if you do not have a travel companion and would be interested in a private room). Our accommodations are chosen to provide a safe, conveniently located place to sleep. While you may be pleasantly surprised, please don't expect luxury, as we prioritize keeping our programs affordable. Important: Single room accommodations in European hotels are often smaller, and may not be to the same service level as double-occupancy rooms.
TRANSPORTATION
This trip uses a mix of public and private transportation that gets our guests from location to location safely. Sometimes you will have full days and nights of transportation as our trips tend to cover a lot of ground. The transportation will often be an adventure in itself.
ALLHAMBRA TICKETS
Due to changes in Alhambra’s ticketing system, G Adventures requires your passport information at least 30 days before departure to guarantee your guided tour. If your booking is confirmed within 30 days, we will do our best to secure a ticket but cannot guarantee it due to high demand. If unavailable, alternative options like a self-guided Alhambra visit (with reduced access) or visits to Albaicín and Sacramonte will be arranged. The Alhambra visit may occur on Day 3 or 4, depending on availability and local events.
ACTIVITY LEVEL & PACE
This trip is moderately-paced and involves significant walking. You will cover a lot of ground in a short time, with early starts and multiple travel days. The group will follow a structured itinerary, but there is always the option to break away to go at your own pace during free time.
Portugal is especially hilly, and both Spain and Portugal have many uneven cobblestone streets. There are times where you must carry your luggage short distances and get on and off transportation. You should feel comfortable walking for extended periods and navigating varied terrain. Comfortable, supportive footwear is essential. We recommend always carrying snacks and water, as meals can be spaced out.
LUGGAGE
In Europe, it can be rare to find elevators in train stations, hotels, or other public places. We use some public transport on this trip, which means you will need to carry your luggage from place to place and possibly up multiple flights of stairs. You will also need to be able to stow your luggage safely on trains and buses. You should be able to comfortably walk for 10-30 minutes at a time with your luggage. It is essential, therefore, that you pack light and bring luggage that is compact and lightweight. Carrying your luggage remains your responsibility at all times.
FREE TIME
This program has quite a bit of free time in each location, with few activities included as part of the tour. This allows participants to choose how to spend their time exploring each destination. Your group leader is available to help with plans. For ideas, check the “Optional Activities” section at the bottom of this page.
RESERVE IN ADVANCE
If you would like to visit any of the sites below, we highly recommend booking in advance.
Must book well in advance:
— La Sagrada Família (Barcelona): sagradafamilia.org
— Parc Güell (Barcelona): parkguell.barcelona
Highly recommended to book in advance:
— Lello Bookstore (Porto): livrarialello.pt/en
— Palacio da Bolsa (Porto): palaciodabolsa.com
— Clerigos Tower (Porto): torredosclerigos.pt/en
— Porto Ribeira Cruise (Porto): Douro Azul, other local providers, or Viator
— Royal Palace (Madrid): patrimonionacional.es
— Prado, Reina Sofia & Thyssen-Bornemisza Museums (Madrid): Each official website, or Viator
— Alcázar (Seville): alcazarsevilla.org
— La Giralda (Seville): catedraldesevilla.es.
— Casa Batlló (Barcelona): casabatllo.es
ORIENTATION WALKS
The orientation walking tours on this trip are often on cobblestone roads at steep grades and can last several hours. Feel free to opt-out of these walking tours if you wish to, as they can be very physically taxing. In some cases, on the other side of the coin, they may move a bit too slow for you. If you have a map, a travel app, or a guidebook, feel free to go off on your own. GEEO wants you to have the experience you desire, and sometimes that means separating yourself at times from the group
LOCAL GUIDES
In Europe, all guiding is based around local guides, all of whom are licensed to work only in a particular city. As such, our leaders are able to provide orientation walks that will show you the layout of each town and city as well as the location of local services such as post offices and laundromats, but are legally unable to share historical facts and figures in public places. Your tour leader will be able to help you find a local guided tour in each location if you would like one.
GROUP LEADER
All GEEO/G Adventures trips are led by a Chief Experience Officer (CEO), whose role is to take the hassle out of travel and help you get the most from your trip. They’ll share information about the places you visit, suggest activities and restaurants, and introduce you to our local friends. While not traditional guides, CEOs have broad knowledge of the region’s history, culture, and daily life. On some excursions, local guides are used for deeper insight—giving you the best of both worlds.
PROGRAM DETAILS
Single Travelers
Traveling solo? You’re in good company—about half of our participants do the same.
Shared room by default. The program fee covers one person in a twin room. We’ll pair you with a roommate of the same gender if you don’t have a travel companion.
Want a private room? Most trips offer a
“My Own Room” (single-supplement) upgrade. Check the price in the
Extra Services section, then email travel@geeo.org to reserve it. You pay the single-supplement only if you request it.
Emergency Contacts
If you need urgent help during your trip,
call the local G Adventures office first. If no one answers, leave a detailed message with your name and contact information so they can return your call as soon as possible.
EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS:
G Adventures regional office (weekdays 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m. GST): +44 20 7243 9870
For emergencies after office hours: +44 7817 262 559
If you are unable for any reason to contact the local office, please call the numbers listed below, which will connect you directly with the 24-hour Sales team, who will happily assist you.
Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100
Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000
Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000
Calls from Australia: 1300 796 618
Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307
Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999
Packing List
See our blog post of
staff recommended gear to help you pack for your upcoming travels. You must be able to carry your own luggage—up stairs, on and off of transport, and during 15 to 20 minute walks. Bring
one small or medium backpack or rolling bag (22-30lb) and
one daypack for daily items. Space is limited on transportation, so oversized bags cannot travel.
As you prepare your packing list, we recommend checking average weather conditions for your destination on a site like
Weather Spark for the time of year you will be traveling.
SuggestedOptionalDocuments
- Raincoat and/or umbrella
- Personal clothing for cool weather (lows in the 40s–50s, highs in the 60s–70s)
- Sturdy walking shoes
- Daypack
- Sunblock
- Sunglasses
- Sun hat
- Water bottle
- Watch or alarm clock (or use your phone)
- Toiletries – important: some hotels do not give you soap and shampoo
- Camera (or use your phone)
- First-aid kit including lip salve, aspirin, bandaids, anti-histamine, Dramamine, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhea, electrolyte powder, insect repellent, extra prescription drugs you may be taking
- Travel pillow
- Light weight silk sleep sheet
- Money belt
- Phone/tablet for internet – most hotels have WiFi
- Chargers for electronics as well as converters/adapters, if needed
- AirTags or Tile trackers
- Packing cubes
- Earplugs
- Snacks – packing a few granola bars is a good idea; you can also buy snacks when you get there, so don’t go crazy
- Ziplock bags
- Reading/writing material
- Hand sanitizer/baby wipes
- Light fleece top
- Passport (with photocopies)
- Travel insurance (with photocopies)
- Airline tickets (with photocopies)
- USD/EUR cash
- Credit or debit card (see personal spending money)
- G Adventures vouchers, pre-departure information, and dossier
- Any entry visas or vaccination certificates required
- GEEO Classroom action plans for your group – this is sent 10-30 days before departure
: Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge. You can also use a local laundromat, if necessary.
Passports and Visas
Travelers are responsible for securing all required travel documents and meeting the entry requirements for every country on their itinerary, including applicable transit/layover countries.
PASSPORT
All travelers must have a passport valid for
at least 6 months beyond your trip dates with enough blank pages for stamps.
Need to apply or renew? Start here.
ENTRY/VISA REQUIREMENTS
Visa rules change frequently—always verify the latest requirements on the
U.S. State Department Country Information Pages. Non-U.S. passport holders should verify requirements with your country's official government resources. Use the tool below to see entry requirements for your specific itinerary.
Entry information below is provided by Sherpa, a third-party service and trusted G Adventures partner. You must search each of your destination countries separately; “Add connection” solely searches transit visa requirements. Additional fees apply if you choose to purchase any services through Sherpa.
Money Exchange
Currency: Portugal and Spain are both part of the Eurozone and use the common currency, the
euro (EUR). For current exchange rates, visit
www.xe.com.
Credit/Debit Cards: Credit cards (especially Visa and Mastercard) are accepted at many hotels, shops, and restaurants, but not everywhere. Some vendors may also charge an international transaction fee, so check with your bank before you travel.
Cash: For small purchases, tipping, or places that don’t take cards, we recommend using ATMs to withdraw local currency while traveling. If you bring U.S. dollars to exchange, the bills must be new, unmarked, and in excellent condition—damaged or older notes are often rejected.
Emergency Funds: Bring
at least $200 USD (or the equivalent in local currency) in cash for emergencies in case of ATM or card issues. Always carry more rather than less to avoid feeling short of funds while traveling.
See the Estimated Trip Costs section at the bottom of this page for budgeting guidance.
For more advice, see our post,
Smart Travel Finances: Your Guide to Money, ATMs, Fees, and Safety Abroad
Tipping
Tipping is optional but appreciated and goes a long way for the people who look after you on the trip. If you are happy with the service, use these ballpark amounts and adjust as you see fit:
- Service providers/Waiters:
€1-2 EUR for snacks or
10% of the bill.
- Local guides and drivers:
€3-5 EUR per person per day.
- G Adventures tour leader (CEO):
€30-40 EUR per person per week.
(We suggest pooling contributions in an envelope and presenting it as a group)
Tipping Kitty: On some trips, your CEO may suggest a
“tipping kitty” where everyone contributes at the start of the tour, and the CEO uses that pooled amount to tip service providers for the group as a whole (not including your CEO). If your CEO doesn’t mention it and you’d like to use a kitty, we recommend asking about it early in the trip. Your CEO will advise the suggested amount and preferred currency for the kitty.
Flights
Wait for official trip confirmation via email from GEEO before booking your flights. Prices tend to be lowest 90–120 days out, but that window varies by route and year. Neither GEEO nor G Adventures bear responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed.
This program
begins in Lisbon and
ends in Barcelona. Please double-check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in Lisbon. You may want to arrive in Europe one or more days early in case you have flight disruptions. You can arrive at any time you choose, but try to make it in time for our 6:00 p.m. Welcome Meeting on Day 1. You can depart Barcelona any time on the final day of the program.
Plugs and Converters
Portugal uses
Type F outlets (Type C and Type E plugs work as well) and Spain uses
Type C outlets and the voltage for both countries is
220-240V. To use your electronics safely, you’ll need to consider:
1.
Adapter (plug shape)
Adapts your U.S. plug to fit another type of socket. See our recommended
all-in-one travel adapter in our Gear Recommendations post.
2.
Converter / transformer (voltage)
Steps the outlet voltage down to 120V for U.S. appliances that can’t handle higher voltage.
How to know which you need: Look at the fine print on the plug or power brick. An
“Input 100-240 V” means the device is dual-voltage and works worldwide with only an adapter—phones, laptops, and most camera chargers fall into this category. If the label shows
“Input 120 V” (hair dryers, curling irons, some shavers), it could be damaged on high voltage. Pack both an adapter and a travel voltage converter. Converters are inexpensive and sold online or in the travel aisle of many stores.
Weather
The entire country of Portugal basks in the sunshine in the summer, with only slight temperature variations from one region to another. Cooling breezes off the Atlantic Ocean buffer the heat (highs in the upper 70s F) in the coastal towns of Lisbon and Porto, especially at night. Summer in Spain is hot and dry. Expect highs in the upper 80s in Madrid and Barcelona, whereas Seville and Granada will be hotter, often in the upper 90s.
Spain advice from a former GEEO staff member, Cindy:
"I lived and taught in Spain for two years, and these are some of the iconic, must-do activities for me in Madrid and Barcelona:
In Madrid, have dinner at
Restaurante Botin, said to be the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world. Visit some open-air
markets (el Rastro is my favorite). Visit the Prado and Reina Sofia museums. Pick up some lunch (bread, olives, manchego, and jamón ibérico, which every supermarket will have) and stroll through the Parque del Buen Retiro until you find a good spot to people-watch and have a picnic.
If you have the time while in Sevilla and enjoy sherry (
jeréz in Spanish),
take a day trip to the home of sherry, Jeréz de la Frontera. You can tour the
Tío Pepe Bodega, where some of the most famous sherry in the world is produced.
In Barcelona, go to see some of the
parks and buildings designed by Gaudí, including the Sagrada Familia. The Gothic Quarter in Barcelona is fun to wander. I'd highly suggest taking a day trip out to
Montserrat for great views and easy hiking. You can also visit a few different
Salvador Dalí museums/homes on a day trip outside of Barcelona.
Keep in mind while you're planning that all of Spain practically shuts down on Sundays and during the afternoon siesta, though in large cities this is less of an issue. And, of course, go out to "tapear" (bar-hop and eat tapas) whenever you can!
TripAdvisor is a great place to check for current restaurant recommendations."
