About our bespoke, independent tours
in Spain & Portugal

Bed & breakfast accommodation in small independent hotels

An evening meal is also sometimes included on arrival at certain hotels or on request

Ferry travel or car hire are included (we don’t do flights but can advise)

Your own personal Vamoos travel app 

Our own holiday guide for each area, including restaurant recommendations etc (via the app)

Guidebook(s) to the areas you'll be visiting

Detailed point-to-point directions with insider en-route tips

Helpline support whilst on holiday

Flights – we don’t offer flights but are very happy to advise. In each tour page you’ll find travel advice or please call to discuss your particular needs.

Lunch & evening meals – generally we prefer to leave you with more flexibility. Where the hotel has a restaurant they will always give you the option and where not there are always options nearby. 

Car hire extras – One-way charges (where applicable), extra drivers, child seats, GPS and Toll devices (only applicable to Portugal) can only be added at the pick-up desk. We will advise of the applicable charges at time of quotation.

Car hire excess insurance - though this can be included we normally don't. We will advise the excess applicable which you can then insure via a third party or waiver at the pick-up desk.

Holiday Insurance – we no longer offer travel insurance but strongly advise that you do have a reliable insurance in place.

Parking is not included (other than for groups) as it often cannot be pre-booked. Rates range from €10-€40 daily. Note this is mainly only applicable in city hotels.

Tour guides – our tours are independent but we try to make sure you have all the information you need – at your fingertips –  to ensure that you get the most out of the holiday.

Walking routes - there's just too much to cover! That said, our hoteliers are a mine of information and can usually recommend routes for all abilities, appropriate to the season. For keen walkers who like to plan ahead Wikiloc (originally a Spanish platform) is an excellent source for routes throughout the Peninsula.

The price shown for each tour on our website is an indicative, mid-season, 'from' price based on two people sharing rooms on a bed & breakfast basis in our suggested hotels.

The main price shown is fly-drive (i.e. with car hire included) but the pricing note shows a ferry-drive option where applicable).

Our experts will work with you to optimise the itinerary and we will provide a personalised quotation for your holiday with the price and full details of everything which is included. We make every effort to be as trasnparent as possible and will detail any local charges in your proposal so there are no hidden extras.

There are several factors which influence the final price of your tailor-made tour:

• Season – the prices shown on our web are mid-season, not the lowest possible price for the tour. In high season you’ll pay a little more, in the winter you might just get a bargain!
  • Mid-season varies from region to region. In the north the price is for early April whilst in Andalucia it's late July (when it's a bit warm for most tastes!)
  • Special events and local holidays can also significantly affect the final price. Our experts will work with you to get the best value possible.
  • High season is usually in the summer school holidays (except for Andalucía) but June and September are usually close behind for the type of destinations and hotels we work with.
• Accommodation – our standard packages generally include standard rooms in our suggested, hand-picked, mid-to-high range accommodation.
  • In many cases we can also offer upgrades to superior rooms or more luxurious hotels – please do enquire!
• Transport – we generally include a 4-door economy-class or a 4-berth outside cabin on the ferry. In both cases more economic options are available as well as upgrades.
• In-the-city car hire – in our experience a rental car is more trouble than it’s worth while in a city. So with your best interests in mind, where appropriate, at the start or finish of a tour, we’ve already factored that out and will include a transfer to your hotel instead. Of course, we’re happy to accommodate your requirements whatever they are.
• Duration – we’ll happily tailor the tour to the time & budget you have available  – you’re in the driving seat!

See each tour for more detail on prices and what's included - or give us a call, we'd love to hear from you!

Absolutely!

Casas Cantabricas are long-standing members of AITO the Association of Independent Tour Operators and are bonded via the AFPS bond.

Should you require any further assurances, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Our routes are independent, but we try to give you all the info you need to get the most out of the experience:

• Your own personal travel app with everything you need at your fingertips (see About our App) including:
  • Our own guide to each location along the route - including restaurants - based on our 40 years in the region.
  • Your itinerary details, vouchers and all essential documents.
  • Detailed instructions to find each hotel.
  • Point-to-point directions with tips for stops and things to see and do along the way.
  • Messaging service to contact us whilst travelling.
  • Local weather forecast.

We'll also send you a regional guidebook covering the region(s) in question. We usually send DK Eyewitness, Insight Guides, Lonely Planet or Rough Guides.

What's more, we'll give you all the information as soon as you book, giving you plenty of time for planning and dreaming.

Over the course of 40 years in Spain and Portugal we've built up a selection of over 300 hand-picked hotels throughout the region.

The we feature hotels range from small, independent hotels and guest houses, where the owner is often in charge, to Paradors and 5-star luxury hotels with more facilities.

Normally our suggested hotel for any location will be mid-range, often smaller and owner-managed as we find this adds another dimension to the experience whilst keeping the costs reasonable. Where alternatives exist you'll see them in the itinerary details -or let us know your preferences upon enquiry and we'll do our best to find a good match.

For groups we'll always take into account your special needs in terms of parking as well as common spaces where you can socialise.

Our hotels and guest houses are highly individual and, we hope you’ll agree, charming. Most are housed in 'Heritage' buildings or feature traditional architecture, representative of the local style (the Parador Group, with whom we are a partner, exemplifying this type of establishment). We also feature modern hotels where the architecture is part of the attraction (check out Hotel Marques de Riscal for the pinnacle of this style) or, particularly in cities, where it's sometimes simply the best option.

• All hotels are selected and, where possible, inspected by our local expert team and are chosen for their location, style and customer care.

• All of our establishments offer breakfast. For other meals either they must have their own restaurant or there will be options within easy walking distance.

• All rooms are ensuite.

• All hotels have Wi-Fi at least in the common areas (complete coverage is sometimes tricky in historic hotels).

• Air-conditioning, whilst not common in the northern hotels (which are generally old buildings with thick stone walls), is usually offered in those further south – please check individual hotels or ask if this is important to you.

• Parking varies from hotel to hotel but you can always drive to the hotel and leave bags at the reception and most have secure parking at the hotel itself or nearby. If travelling with a special car or in a group our expert team will be sure to tke your parking requirements into account when designing your itinerary.

For a little more detail on the hotels click on the ‘Full Details’ button on any particular tour and you’ll see an example of hotels in that particular itinerary which you can review in detail. Or for an overview see Our Hotels.