Exploring Iberian culture in Portugal & Spain
(19 Reviews)
100% Recommended
Sandee Hughes
New Orleans, LA
Elevate Europe with a Custom Travel Specialist
Hi there, I would like to introduce myself.
I am Sandee Hughes, your trusted advisor for custom-crafted, luxury travel experiences with unique experiences to inspiring destinations.
Dreaming of an unforgettable Europ...
Hi there, I would like to introduce myself.
I am Sandee Hughes, your trusted advisor for custom-crafted, luxury travel experiences with unique experiences to inspiring destinations.
Dreaming of an unforgettable European adventure? Look no further. Combining the magic of France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and iconic river cruises, I create personalized journeys that unveil hidden gems, indulge your senses, and leave you with memories that last a lifetime.
A certified luxury travel specialist, I delve into your travel dreams, crafting journeys that perfectly match your interests and lifestyle. Whether you seek romantic escapes in Provence, family adventures in Spain, or wine immersion in Tuscany, I weave your desires into a tapestry of unique experiences.
I can guide you along the rivers of Europe or independently through countries. As a luxury destination specialist for France, Italy, Portugal & Spain and a river cruise specialist, I can match you with immersive and customizable luxury journeys. My expertise goes beyond just visiting the sites, encompassing the richness of each region's culture and hidden gems. I also have the ability to pair travel with wine tourism through the "Old World" European wine regions.
As a Society of Wine specialist, I unlock the magic of Europe's diverse wine regions. Imagine private tastings with renowned winemakers in Bordeaux, discovering hidden bodegas in Rioja, or enjoying private picnics paired with local delicacies amidst picturesque vineyards.
Why do I love being a concierge travel agent? Plain and simple, because I too love to travel. The richness a well-planned journey brings to personal growth as a human is unmeasurable. Seeing this firsthand with service to you, my clients, brings me enjoyment and excitement.
A verified travel advisor, I have spent years educating myself, familiarizing myself with and understanding luxury travel around the world. My in-depth knowledge of these captivating destinations goes beyond guidebooks. I collaborate with trusted local partners, ensuring exclusive access to hidden gems, authentic cultural experiences, and VIP access to exclusive sites.
Let me orchestrate your unforgettable European escape. Contact me today, and together we'll design a journey that transcends expectations, leaving you with memories that forever capture the magic of Europe.
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Cruising the scenic Douro River
My daughter was studying abroad in Spain and, I was very excited to visit her and explore the Iberian region. Lisbon, Porto and the Douro Valley in Portugal and Salamanca, Madrid and the Canary Islands were on this itinerary. A fantastic two itinerary and May was the perfect time to travel through this region.
I arrived into Madrid airport early in the morning and met my daughter and a private driver we arranged to drove us from Madrid to Lisbon. The 6 hour drive was scenic and enjoyable.
After arriving at our hotel in the Las Ramblas region of Lisbon, we checked in and were off to the historic Alfama district. The Alfama sits high above the rest of Lisbon and provides beautiful views of the surrounding region. I couldn't help but notice that the views and skyline reminded me of San Francisco in California.
After enjoying a glass of Port at a local wine bar, we went for a fantastic Fado music dinner. Fado is a poetic story based music that is signature to Lisbon. The small family owned restaurant was a great introduction to Lisbon and Portugal.
The next day morning we were on the tram to the Belem region. We started over by the fort region visiting Belem tower before walking along the coast to the Monument of Discoveries. Finishing off Belem at the monastery and sampling the famed local pastry created by the monks - Pasteis de Belem. After exploring the Gateway to Lisbon Plaza and enjoying lunch of local clams, oysters and codcakes, we headed to the Lisboa castle and the oldest church in Lisbon. In the high 80's the weather was perfect today for exploring Lisbon even with all the hills.
After Lisbon, we hired a driver to escort us to Porto with time to visit Sintra Castle. This well preserved location was interesting and historical. Tourist driven, we spent most of our time in lines on a self-guided tour. Our driver Emanuel who lives in Sintra drove us around Sintra afterwards and showed us some of the other castles. If we were to visit again we would instead go to the Regaleira a Renaissance Manor and Gardens.
We ventured on to Porto and arrived at our river cruise ship the AmaVida around 4 pm.
The ship spent two nights in Gaia (just across the river from Porto). The perfect amount of time to explore this beautiful area. The included city tour of Porto was the nice introduction ending with a Port sampling at a local Quinta. We spent the remainder of our time exploring Porto on our own and sampling some Ports from the plentiful list of other Quintas in Gaia. A highlight was the sunset cruise passing all of the famed bridges of Porto.
The high points of our 7 day cruise:
- "Green" Vinho Verde wine at Quinta de Avelada
- The Mateus Palace country estate tour
- Scenic cruising through the dramatically picturesque Douro Valley's terraced vineyards
- The quaint river town of Pinhao at the heart of the Douro region
- Hiking the 686 stairs to the Church of our Lady in Lamegos
- Discovering and sampling all of the different types of Port wines
- Relaxing river cruising through the Portuguese countryside
We completed our cruise where the Douro river travels into Spain, in Vega de Terron. Saying goodbye to the staff and crew we traveled to Salamanca on our way to Madrid. 2 hours from where we disembarked, Salamanca is a beautiful city. Featuring some beautiful and well preserved architecture, cobblestone streets, and cathedrals. A highlight was the University of Salamanca, the oldest university in Spain. We completed our visit with a Folklorico lunch before traveling on to Madrid.
Madrid is a beautiful city. Not at all what I imagined for the capital of the country. Very clean and well maintained, with beautiful buildings, historic sites, scenic parks, fabulous gastronomy and of course the wine was enjoyable. We really loved our hotel which was a former Palace that was located walking distance from everything including Retiro Park and the Prada art museum.
Visiting the Palace, cathedral, Plaza Mayor, some of the local parks, a tapas market and walking about 15 miles a day. A few days in Madrid was not enough to really enjoy this beautiful city. We left for the Canary Islands knowing that we will some day be returning.
We flew from Madrid to Santa Cruz de Tenerife. A short three hour flight, our next destination was for rest and relaxation before returning home.
Located off the coast of West Africa, Tenerife is the largest island of the archepelago chain of islands. We spent some downtime at our resort in Costa Adeje region of the island with a few excursions. The highlights of our Canary Island visit were:
- A whale and dolphin catamaran cruise
- Dining on traditional Canarian dishes of local fish and seafood
- A Jeep Safari of the nearby isle of Gomera
- Ferrying between islands
- Barriquito coffee
- The fantastic climate and beautiful ocean waters
From Tenerife we flew back to Madrid for the night and then returned to the United States.
As you can see if you look through the photos. We thoroughly enjoyed Portugal and just fell in love with Spain!