Headed to Portugal and Spain

A week from now I’ll be on my way to Lisbon to explore the southern part of that country before crossing over into Spain where I’ll visit Seville and Cordoba before going on to an overnight in Madrid and then heading home. It’s all part of an #InsightVacations motorcoach trip – the first of that type of trip I’ve taken in many years. But that’s a segment of travel I’ve long wanted to write about since it’s the choice of so many readers.

Insight is a top notch tour operator with expert guides,  lots of seat and leg room, and itineraries with special experiences such as winery visits with tastings, a lake cruise, and seeing how free range pigs feast on acorns to become the cherished Iberico hams. We’ll spend  two nights in a single hotel three times during our trip and all are centrally located and within easy walking distance of many attractions for our free time.

Our expert guide has already introduced himself by mail and I’ve received a duplicate list of hotels with addresses and phone numbers  so I can leave a copy behind.  That’s not always the case on organized tours but it’s that kind of attention to detail I’ve experienced so far with Insight. Check out the website at www.insightvacations.com.

I’m doing my homework on the places we’ll visit so I don’t have to waste time asking a lot of questions I can have answers for before I leave. That will leave me time to meet the people, absorb my surroundings, shoot good photos and capture the videos I’ll share with readers early in 2015.

I also have fairly liberal amounts of free time, so am seeking input from others who have been to Lisbon, Évora, Monsaraz, Lake Alqueva and the Andalusian region. Tell me, please, what to eat, what to drink. what to buy,  who to find, and where to take it all in.