Spain

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: Barcelona
Why: We used the Bus Turistic. This was an excellent way to see the city. They had clearly marked busstops and well-organized routes. The breeze in our faces on the top of the double-decker was great.

Worst: Atocha Station in Madrid
Why: We bought tickets early in the morning from a very indifferent clerk and then were herded onto a train to Segovia at 8 o'clock. So many people pushing and being pushed by train attendants squeezing people on the trains.

Linda Cramb in Jaffrey, NH USA 07/08/2008

Best: Spain - Tour Guides
Why: Dear Rick Steves:

My wife, me and another couple travelled to Spain this past June. We had the most marvelous tour guides while there and wish to give feedback on them.

Two of them were recommended by RS and one should definitely be added to your list.

Antonio Doblas-Guia Turistico Oficial [adoblasg@terra.es] Hernan Amaya Satt [info@madrid-museum-tours.org] Paul McGrath [the-other-spain@hotmail.com]

The first guide (Antonio) is not listed in RS but should be. We have used guides throughout Europe and he was wonderful. He was easy to contact and very very knowledgeable. We did a Bike Tour of including Tower of Gold - Torre del Oro, Guadalquivir River, Maestranza Bullring, Opera House, Triana Bridge, Maria Luisa Park with the squares of Spain and America, Hotel Alfonso XIII, Saint Telmo´s Palace and it was amazing.

The second guide (Hernan) whom is listed in RS brought the Prada to life for us. Of all of the guides we have ever used I would say that Hernan was the top! He is a gracious gentleman and his knowledge of Madrid was magnificent. Please continue to recommend him.

The third was Paul who show us through the White Hill towns. Your recommendation of him was right on target and really made for a wonderful experience. Please keep on recommending him.

Chris Seger Indianapolis, IN

Chris Seger in Indianapolis, IN USA 07/07/2008

Best: Toledo
Why: It was just as it was described in the guide. The cathedral has to be one of the best we visted-having visted many of the German, Austrian and Italian churches in the past.

Mitch Heinemann in Frisco, TX USA 06/28/2008

Best: Ronda
Why: Very small, but very scenic. Easy to walk around. Neat bridge!

Worst: Reina Sofia Museum
Why: Other than Guernica, it's just a load of modern-art "junk" IMHO. Not even a very good collection of Piacasso's or Dali's. A waste of time. Spend the time at the Prado instead.

David Truman in Langley, BC Canada 06/21/2008

Best: The Fountains/Cascades at Placa d' Espanya (Thurs-Sun nights)
Why: The only fountains on in town! Fun and festive feeling and free with beautiful views to Tibadabo (Sacred Heart Church) and the Catalan Art Museum (MNAC)-we went several times!

Worst: Las Ramblas NOT top of the chart as Rick has it!
Why: Just a super touristy street- nothing special at all. I enjoyed the area off to the sides much more and could have easily missed the tackiness of this stretch.

Sally Hirschheim in Baton Rouge, LA USA 06/13/2008

Best: The Alcazar, Seville
Why: Rick gives it two stars. Can't speak for winter, but in May the gardens alone are worth the highest rating possible. They go on and on, with each area more beautiful than the last. Incredible flowering trees. The building is worthwhile, too, and the current exhibit of Turkish calligraphy is fascinating.

Bob and Suzanne in Wilder, KY USA 06/10/2008

Best: The Alhambra
Why: It shows the Moorish civilization in all its splendor. Thank you for the reservation hints in your book, they were followed successfully.

Worst: None
Why: Every place in Spain was beautiful.

Marcia, Jaime, and Two Children in Rochester, NY USA 06/07/2008

Worst: White Villages Tour by Paul McGrath, Sevilla
Why: Paul unilaterally cancelled tour less than an hour before the starting time because some others cancelled at the last minute. We had booked 2 months in advance and he should have behaved professioally. It ruined our day as he cancelled at the 11th hour.

Ashwin Honkan in Pune, India 06/05/2008

Best: All of Andalucia is recommended.
Why: We enjoyed Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, Ronda and Tarifa the most. Lots to see and do in each of them.

Worst: Arcos
Why: If you want to see a hill town, stick to Ronda. There is just more to see and do in Ronda if you are pressed for time. It truly is a jewel.

Dan NJ USA 05/18/2008

Best: Toledo and Ronda.
Why: Two very beautiful towns with lots to do and lots to see.

Dale Peterson in Stillwater, MN USA 05/10/2008

Worst: Costa del Sol
Why: Everything you said it was, and worse. But Nerja was lovely and Ayo's was great.

Ellen Canada 05/09/2008

Best: Alcazar, in Seville
Why: Stunningly beautiful, even more attractive than the Alhambra.

J.King in Berkeley, CA USA 05/04/2008

Best: The Thyseen-Bornemisza Museum
Why: Impressive collection, fewer crowds and a more manageable size than the Prado.

Worst: The food
Why: The strength of the Euro made it difficult to find good food at reasonable prices. I was grateful that picnic lunches and dinners were an option for me. Pan & Co, while I did not get to eat there, did indeed look good. Food tended to be fried and indoor tapas was nearly impossible for me due to all the smokers. The trips to the supermarkets were a great deal of fun and made my trip very interesting.

Lisa in White Plains, NY USA 05/04/2008

Best: Prado Museum: Salvador Dali's house in Cadaques
Why: Prado is a treat - beautiful works in fabulous condition. Salvador Dali's house in Cadaques is unique.

F. & C. Weiss in Victoria, BC Canada 05/03/2008

Best: The Mirador San Nicolas, Granada
Why: What a breathtaking view from this lookout point in the Albayzin! The Alhambra, the entire city, and the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas will forever be etched in my memory.

Robert in Arlington, VA USA 04/18/2008

Best: Madrid/Toledo
Why: Elegant city and easily explored by foot and subway. Loved the Prado. Arranged for a city tour with Jennifer at Le Tango (recommended in the book) which was very good. They also arranged for a guide in Toledo, but due to a wildcat strike on the AVE train, we got there late so even though our guide there was also very good, we didn't get the full tour since he already had another group after ours.

Karen Nagata in Redmond, WA USA 04/17/2008

Best: Nerja
Why: This is what the Costa Del Sol was like back in the days before the high rises (when Torremolinos was a baby and Marbella was a sleepy town). We stayed at the Hotel Balcon de Europa in a Jr. Suite with a balcony overlooking the beach and the ocean...the hotel was a little pricy but worth it for the ambiance and amenities. If you stay anywhere on the South coast of Spain, this should be your stop (its only a short drive from Grenada)

Bill Young in San Leandro , CA USA 04/03/2008

Best: Across the board good recommendations
Why: Accurate in giving the pros and cons but not being judgmental Allows the traveler to have the right mind set and make choices

Worst: Reconstruction projects and lack of posted signs
Why: At the Alhambra it was most noticed. The attendants were not helpful or friendly. A few TI places were not friendly and gave little. Mostly the average person went out of there way as did some of the TI staff.

Sommer in Santa Rosa, CA USA 03/26/2008

Best: Palm Sunday in Seville
Why: Nobody does Palm Sunday quite like Seville, from the mass in the cathedral celbrated by the Cardinal Archbishop of Seville to the processions through the town that bring out the entire citizenry, yound and old alike, all dressed in their finest. Palm Sunday is just the first day of what turns out to be a week long celebration. Not to be missed.

Tony Ambrose in louisville, ky USA 03/25/2008

Best: Casa de la Memoria de Al-Andalus flamenco
Why: Wow! How can their feet move so fast? Absolutely wonderful intimate setting - no hype, just amazing performances.

Gregg Maxwell in Grapevine, TX USA 03/21/2008

Best: Toledo, Palacio Real, Padro, Parque Retiro
Why: The Cathedral in Toledo was a life changing experience for me. And the funny thing is your book was a big hit in Toledo! I had people easing into me and eavesdropping on my friend and I because they wanted to listen to the descriptions you wrote. I was a definite hit in the cathedral and at the St Tomas, Greco, burial painting. I felt like a mini tour guide!We still laugh about it.Palacio Real is gorgeous, but crowded.The cathedral next door is worth a quick look too. The Prado is unbelievable for all the reasons you stated. The artwork and the buiding itself is beautiful.

Worst: The Prado is magnificent but some of the staff were very rude. Hard to believe since we were treated wonderfully by all in Spain. Parque Retiro- my friends sat at the restaurant patio tables by the boats while I went to the bathroom.They were verballyattacked by a waiter who worked in the restaurant.( He wanted them to order something) Once was ok even though no sign said we could not sit there, but he came back because we did not leave fast enough and I thought he was going to hit my friend.
Why: Waiter has an anger problem. There is no way he should have been that angry.No other worsts. Madrid is a gem!!! We even made new friends while we were there!!!!!!!!

Mary Spangenberg in PHOENIX, Ar USA 03/19/2008

Best: Zarzuela
Why: The Zarzuela opera is highly recommended. We could understand what was going on even though we don't speak Spanish (there's an English summary in the program and the acting is hammy). Few tourists, lovely theatre and lovely music.

Matti in Chicago, IL USA 03/19/2008

Best: the Alhambra
Why: The magic of light through the arches and columns

Dick and Marjy in Fiddler, WA USA 03/08/2008

Best: Gaudi's Cathedral
Why: Never have I stayed and marveled at a building for so long. Strange at first, I begin to love it and the centuries of humanity involved in its making.

Tan Milang in Nashville, TN USA 02/22/2008

Best: The site of Africa from Tarifa and the Aziz Tour
Why: I was in a group of 7 great people for the Aziz tour. He was wonderful! He's a very warm & knowledgable - a real goodwill ambassador for his country. I loved the Market place with the colofully costumed women selling cheese. Tangier's suburbs reminds me of California flora. I saw the Alcazar first in Seville and it took the edge off of the Alhambra. Don't miss Nerja. I happenned to be there when they were celebrating St. John's Day. What fun! The Mirasal was a great place to stay. I had 2 balconies in my room @ 30 or 35 Euro. Don't miss Ronda. Barcelona is like another country. I hate modern art but fell in love with Gaudi and Picasso. I'm going back this year. Vueling airlines is great(R.S. tip). At the prices they charge, I thought we might have to get out & push.

Worst:
Why: The Gibraltar Apes were nasty. 3 people were rendered first aid in the Cafeteria after being attacked by the apes.

Liz in Boerne, TX USA 02/19/2008

Best: Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, and Palacio Real and, of course, the Prado, in Madrid
Why: All three were excellent. The modern art collection at Reina Sofia gave us a whole new understanding of modern art. The Palacio - major thanks, Rick, for the clear guide. It was greatly appreciated, as the on-site signage was minimal, and all in Spanish, too. and, of course, the Prado was magnificent. Your book really helped us to get around it, and appreciate many of the things we saw.

Worst: That noisy, bumpy little tourist train in Toledo -
Why: We couldn't hear a word of the recorded spiel due to the rattling noise of the train cars, and bone-jarring bumping on the cobblestoned roads of Toledo. A bus ride on a regular bus would have been far superior (and cheaper)

Lorne in Calgary, Al Canada 02/10/2008

Best: Alhambra in Granada
Why: We LOVED Granada. The Alhambra was very special. We also loved the Generalife Gardens although Rick doesn't highly recommend them.

Michele in Portland, OR USA 01/18/2008

Best: Ciudad Rodrigo
Why: Book suggested stopping here on our way to Portugal from Salamanca (which we loved). Met friendly people in Rodrigo and went to El Sanatorio for tapas-locals were so nice

Joan in JACKSONVILLE, FL USA 01/17/2008

Best: Barcelona
Why: The book really provided all the information that you would need to see the city. Rick Steve's did not leave anything out. As a college student studying abroad and trying to travel on a low budget, the book on Spain was perfect!

Worst: NONE!
Why: Anywhere that I went that was recommended in the book was great! And all of the recommendations were accurate. Rick Steves does not lead you astray!

Mary in Willow, AK USA 01/13/2008

Best: Casa Mila & Maritime Museum
Why: We loved looking through Casa Mila and the view from the roof. The Maritime Museum is something we did to kill time before our flight, but it ended up being very interesting.

Worst: Las Ramblas
Why: There wasn't much to see, granted we visted on December 23-24, so perhaps it's a slow time of year.

Karis in Cross Plains, WI USA 01/04/2008

Best: L'Alhambra
Why: just an incredible place but don't get the english audio guide. It reads from Washington Irving's Tales of L'Alhambra which spends way too much time describing what you're seeing (as a books should) rather than telling the history of the Alhambra.

Robert Perry in Hingham, MA USA 01/01/2008

Best: Salamanca and Madrid and Sevilla
Why: Salamanca is beautiful and clean and just the right scale for walking around. My son studied Spanish there for almost three months in a program, so he knew alot of people. The Convento de las Duenas had a beautiful courtyard and great little bakery. Madrid had beautiful, wide, clean avenues and The Prado--great Velasquez exhibit. The Thyssen was good, too. Sevilla had a fantastic, state of the art Flamenco museum and, of course, unforgettable Flamenco dancing. Concepcion Delgado gave us a thorough and entertaining tour of the cathedral and the Alcazar.

Worst: Sevilla
Why: Noisy, crowded, lots of construction. Lots of dog poop on the sidewalks.

Marie Lavendier in Unionville, Ct USA 12/14/2007

Best: Casa Toni
Why: You can't go wrong with all the big sights, Alhambra etc. But the sauteed mushrooms at this little out of the way place were fantastic. The tapas crawl was a ton of fun!

Worst: None
Why: We did rate the Royal Palace in Madrid as a '3 star' where the book had 2. We liked it better than the Prado (sorry, we're not great ART lovers plus we hit the Prado on free Sunday so it was quite crowded).

larry in richmond, va USA 11/05/2007

Best: Hotel Enfrente Arte, Ronda Spain
Why: Unique, quiet, relaxing hotel that provides ample opportunities for friendly gatherings playing pool, socializing over cold beer/wine (included with room), or "hiding out" on various terraces. Full breakfast includes omelet cooked as ordered. Ronda sights are several blocks away and uphill, but worth the walk.

Renee Jones in Clinton, Wa USA 10/18/2007

Best: Santiago
Why: A great walking town with lots of places within easy walking distance in which to eat, shop, visit. We were also lucky to see the Botafumeiro swung during a service. We took a delightful day trip to Cape Finisterre, and enjoyed a beautiful drive along scenic rugged coastline.

Worst: Yemas in Avila
Why: I thought they were gross.

Rebecca W. Sheppard in Fort Worth, Tx USA 10/15/2007

Best: Toledo
Why: Great old buildings and shops

Worst: Salamanca
Why: Not much to see

Donald Rosier in Arvada, CO USA 10/08/2007

Best: Self guided walk through the Barrio Santa Cruz
Why: It was very easy to follow and we found the area to be very beautiful and probably would not have found all of these lovely plazas and parks on our own.

We also thought the Flamenco dancing experiences in Seville extraordinary and paseos in the evening a delight!

Deborah Foley in New York, NY USA 10/05/2007

Best: Azziz Begdouri, guide of Tangers, Morocco
Why: Personable & knowledgeable, he gave us a great tour - out to the coast, in town, navigating the Kasbah, it could not have been better. He's worth every Euro!

Worst: Bus system
Why: Needs to be more strongly worded in the book, bus system not very reliable or convenient. Busses ran late, connections difficult due to numerous bus lines, bus stations confusing (where there is a station) Rent a car, you'll be better off!

Nick Warner in Palo Alto, CA USA 10/03/2007

Best: Concepcion Delgado's tours in Seville
Why: We took all three of her tours and they were all wonderful. She is an entertaining guide and we learned so much about Seville and the sights that we would never have known without her. She was wonderful and I would recommend her to anyone. She even helped us with reservations to a Flamenco show

Worst: The Alhambra in Granada
Why: I was just underwhelmed by it after all the other amazing sights we saw in Spain. The Alhambra just looked like it was falling apart. Even though the view of the city was amazing, the whole thing was sort of a letdown. We mainly went to Granada just to see it and were not very impressed.

Bethany in richmond, va USA 10/02/2007

Best: Aziz; tour of Tangier
Why: Aziz was wonderful! He made all of the reservtions for the boat and the day was seamless. He is loved by the locals and they welcome him. WE were exposed to so many aspects of the culture and he even took us for a typical meal at a friends house! WE cannot say enough about him- very friendly and thoughtful. If you are going to Tangier, give him a call..we are so glad we did.

Tiffany Harris in Birmingham, MI USA 09/25/2007

Best: Food in Barcelona!
Why: I was afraid that Barcelona would have nothing to offer but ham and meals served super late. Not true! Food, and good food, is available everywhere at any time of day! Tapas, quick sandwich shops, to go food--you can eat well and not too expensively at any time. I loved it! Vegetarians beware--ask many questions. There is meat and fish in everything.

Worst: The Ramblas in Barcelona
Why: Seedy, overly touristy and the only place I felt I might deal with pickpockets (which btw never materialized although we are very careful). Do a quick walk down most of the Ramblas, make a turn into the Gothic Quarter by Placa de Reial (skipping the last and grubby part of the Ramblas near the water) and spend your time there or strolling the Passage de Gracia. Beautiful.

Grace in Seattle, WA USA 09/24/2007

Best: Alcazar in Seville
Why: Your guidebook tour was right on the money. I would have liked to have read more about the gardens but the tour was great.

Neil Worden in Alexandria, VA USA 09/05/2007

Best: Fundacio Joan Miro
Why: I'm not sure it was the "best" but it was a delightful surprise. I didn't know much about Miro and I enjoyed the museum and the wonderful view of Barcelona.

Worst: Museo du Jambon
Why: Again, not really the worst but I decided to live like Rick in his show and try the ham before heading out to dinner. I tried Serrano, a middle-priced ham. It was so salty and dry that it literally ruined my appetite for dinner later. It was more like ham jerky than ham. But beer was relatively inexpensive and it is an experience to be there with ham hanging all around.

Lynn R in Morgantown , WV USA 08/12/2007

Best: Madrid Plaza Mayor location for all
Why: Stayed at Petiet Palace -Posada del Piene, loved the RS guides for all the main museums & palace, double decker bus tours

LYNN BURGIN in DALLAS, TX USA 08/05/2007

Best: Figueres and Cadaquez
Why: The Dali Museum and his home site were awesome, but I would state that the walk from the bus station to Port Lligat is about 4 km, NOT 1km! There is a mini-train that you can catch from Cadaquez that moves people about in this area...and we opted to hire a boat from Port Lligat to get back to Cadaquez, rather than walk back the 4km in the Spanish heat.

bj Kukawka in Agoura Hills, Ca USA 07/26/2007

Best: Toledo tour with JuanJo Espadas
Why: Wonderfully informative; information shared with great enthusiasm and obvious love for his city and country. Scheduled us on one day's notice for an afternoon tour, which he avoids in summer -- heat of the day. Said he couldn't turn down our request when we mentioned Rick Steves. At his leisurely pace, constantly seeking shade and cool buildings, we didn't even mind the heat.

Marcy Nicklas in Frederick, MD USA 07/23/2007

Best: Nerja
Why: It was the most relaxing and enjoyable part of our trip. Beautiful, friendly and a great value.

Worst: Granada
Why: Traffic was bad and finding anything was far more difficult than any other place we visited. The gypsies at the cathedral were totally obnoxious.

James in Baton Rouge, LA USA 07/16/2007

Best: day trips to Toledo and Segovia
Why: small medieval towns;nice to walk through;impressive churches;fast train to Toledo makes it so easy

ANDREW FORSTER in CORAL GABLES, FL USA 07/16/2007

Best: Recommended Guides: Concepcion in Seville, Margarita in Granada, Juanjoe in Toledo
Why: We used the guides that you recommended in your Spain guidebook. Concepcion in Seville & Margarita for a tour of the Alhambra in Granada were wonderful. Juanjoe in Toledo sent a "substitute guide" that was wonderful & we had a great tour of Toledo.

Karen Reeder in Dallas, TX USA 07/05/2007

Best: Day on Morocco
Why: We made a reservation for a private tour for our family with Aziz Begdouri as suggested in your Tangier, Morocco section of Spain book. After MANY, MANY confirmations for our "private tour", we rode the ferry to Tangier & were met by Aziz who informed us that another group would be joining us for our "private tour". As politely as we could, we explained that we had made arrangements for a "private tour" for our family not a group tour. I have all of our confirmations in writing where Aziz assures us that he only does "private tours". After our discussion, he reveals that he has made arrangements for the other family to go with another of his tour guides. This day ended up being our favorite day of our 2 week trip to Spain, Portugal & Morocco but it certainly ruffled our feathers. I guess you can't blame someone for trying to make a few extra dollars but it was certainly handled very unprofessionally in the way Aziz tried to make it seem that these were the arrangements that we had confirmed for many months. Fortunately I had printed out the confirmation emails from Aziz and had them with me, although in the end, I did not need to use them as proof of our "private tour" arrangement.

I would still recommend Aziz as a wonderful tour guide in Tangier but just be sure that Aziz understands the "private tour" arrangement if that is what your arrangement is.

Karen Reeder in Dallas, TX USA 07/05/2007

Best: The Alhambra
Why: spectacular views, gorgeous buildings and gardens. Though be very careful of the treacherous cobblestones on the hilly terrain! Bring bottled water as there are few places to purchase.

Wanda Mazurek in Oak Brook, Il USA 06/21/2007

Best: Toledo
Why: A beautiful city and good information on getting to the Hostal Cardenal, also good information on getting around the city

Marlene in Jupiter, Fl USA 06/17/2007

Best: The Barcelona Beach
Why: Our family thoroughly enjoyed the beach in Barcelona - very relaxing, great restaurants line up along waterfront - walk east of the beach to the big fish (strange looking design jutting out) I wouldn't have guessed to be a fish!). Less pricey restaurants than beach/seafood restaurants (our kids won't eat fish). Be warned if it bothers you: some young ladies do take off their tops at the beach so you or your kids will get an eyefull - hey we didn't care.

Worst: Las Ramblas
Why: Expected more. Just a big boulevard with lots of people and hustle/bustle. Interesting street performers by night and artists by day but just restaurants/bar/ice cream shops lining up and down street. Didn't get it! The top of the street is the place to go to people watch near the fountain - more relaxing w/someplace to sit down and enjoy the action.

Sandra Potter in Arlington, TX USA 06/16/2007

Worst: Tour of Alhambra -granada spain with CICERONE. Maria Angustias G. Valdecasas
Why: Our guide recommended by Rick Steves was disinterested and gave very boring private tour.we felt we were not important to her

Bernard Nash in Dix Hills, NY USA 06/12/2007

Best: Sagrada Familia in Barcelona; The Alhambra and Maria de La Canastera flamenco show in Granada; Alcazar, the Museo Flamenco and Los Gallos flamenco in Seville
Why: The Sagrada Familia is simply breathtaking. The audioguide is worth every Euro. The Alhambra was as wonderful as I had expected. The zambra flamenco at Maria de La Canastera was intimate and powerful. Seville in itself was the epitome of Spanish ambiance and culture. The Alcazar was almost as beautiful as the Alhambra...the gardens were lovely. Los Gallos gave me goosebumps and the Museo Flamenco was a pleasant surprise...very modern and fun.

Worst: The Prado in Madrid
Why: The Goya and Rembrandt sections were closed. The rest of the museum bored me...too much religious art. And after two weeks of visiting religious museums and cathedrals in Spain, I was over it.

Melissa in Glendale, CA USA 06/11/2007

Best: Seville: Concepción Delgado, Casa para la Memoria de Alandalus (Flamenco). Madrid: Prado. Barcelona: Gaudi, old town. Granada: Alhambra
Why: Tours by Concepcion are so good, makes you wish there was one in every town. You must see a flamnco show (take it from a guy whos hates any kind of dance) - the show in Casa para la Memoria de Alandalus is great, lasts about an hour, and features both music and dance. Prado itself is worth the trip to Spain - see Rick's "Mona winks" for details. Gaudi is one of the top architects ever - do not miss his Casa Mila and the block of Discord. Alhambra - take time to sit in one of the lovely courtyards of the Palace, and enjoy the water flowing peacefully from a little fountain.

Worst: Tangier tour
Why: You get about 45 minutes by bus, after that it is on foot. First half hour or so it resembles a tour, then you get a lunch (nothing to write home about unless you are crazy about cous-cous), and from then on, the next 3 hours is one sales pitch after another.

John Petrovic in Portage, MI USA 06/06/2007

Best: Tangier
Why: Because we had a wonderful tour guide named Aziz Begdouri! To be truthful, I didn't want to go to Tangier. But I'm so glad we did. We took Rick's advice and arranged a private tour using Aziz Begdouri or Aziz Tour. He was totally awesome! I contacted him before leaving home and he emailed me immediately with our itinerary for the "Grand Tour" which included the catamaran from Tarifa.

We were staying at the Marrriott Playa Andaluza and allowed ourselves an hour and forty five minutes to get there for a 9am departure. What we didn't expect was the traffic jam! We got to the ferry at 9:10 am and to our good fortune it hadn't left yet! Aziz gave me a confirmation # to give the ticket agent and then we had a nice 35 minute ride to Tangier. Aziz was waiting for us holding up a sign with our name on it just as we were getting off the pier. His driver had a van was waiting for us and then we were off on our adventure!

Aziz was born and raised in Tangier and has a wealth of information to share about his city. We toured the city for a little while in his van and stopped at various points of interest. My daughter and her friend rode the camels. We then went on a walking tour. Aziz definitely knows a lot of people. We'd always hear people saying their hellos to him. We felt safe and comfortable walking in the Medina and the Kasbah. Everyone was so nice. We saw so many thing all the while Aziz was answering our questions of which we had many, and telling us about the areas that we were in.

We were there celebrating our daughter's birthday and Aziz took us to a wonderful Moroccan restaurant. It had a 5 guys playing music a belly dancer and great food. The staff was extemely nice. My daughter, friend and I even got to play in the band! It was so much fun! Aziz surprised my daughter with a birthday cake that he had his wife order and bring to the restaurant. This is something that she will never forget. That was so thoughtful of him. After they sang happy birthday to her in Arabic we were off on some more sightseeing. When we decided that we should probably be getting back, Aziz waited with us at the ferry until we got on.

We did a lot of sightseeing and walking and were totally exhausted but we left with some wonderful memories of Tangier thanks to Aziz!

Linda in Healdsburg, ca USA 05/25/2007

Best: Self guided walking tour layout
Why: A good helpful progression past interesting sites and very helpful for getting familiar with the city.

Yvette in Silver Spring, MD USA 05/22/2007

Best: Alhambra, Grenada, Spain
Why: We made a reseravtion online and went straight to the head of the line to get our tickets. Thanks to Rick's guidebook, we knew exactly when to arrive and spent 5 hours touring this fabulous site. The audio guide is worth purchasing (3 euros). It was excellent.

Sue McCauley in Portland, OR USA 05/04/2007

Best: the tacky tourist tram in Toledo!
Why: This tram allowed us to get a look at Toledo in a fun and novel manner. We found the recorded historical information to be fascinating--so much so, that we rode the tram twice!

Worst: Julia Travel Tour to El Escorial
Why: This tour was very light on historical information, and we were rushed through both El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen without much time to explore.

Melissa in Hart, OR USA 05/01/2007

Best: Alhambra, Granada
Why: It's even more spectacular that you imagine. Buy your tickets online ahead of time and bring your print-out confirmation with you - it's worth it to plan ahead for this one.

Worst: Plaza Mayor, Madrid
Why: Lovely in the morning, but absolutely horrible in the afternoon. I have never been so aggressively solicited to eat at a restaurant before; it went beyond uncomfortable to very upsetting. If you want to actually enjoy the plaza, go in the morning and have a cup of coffee with some locals.

Katie in Belmont, MA USA 04/24/2007

Best: Toledo
Why: An amazing old city with so much to see! Plan to spend at least 2 nights there at the Hotel Santa Isabelle. And the little "train ride" leaving Plaza Zocodover that circles around the city isn't really "cheesey" but more relaxing and informative with very hard benches. And it doesn 't stop for photos. Click fast.

Worst: Catalun Museum of Modern Art, Barcelona
Why: Architect Richard Meier (Getty Center, LA fame) designed a magnificent architectural gem which has been filled with exhibits of "modern garbage piles". It was so horrible, I was so resentful after leaving the Museum and so very disappointed. What a waste of a great museum space! I'm sure there are those who will disagree violently with me and thus they have a special museum all to themselves.

Dan Stoddard in San Diego, CA USA 04/23/2007

Best: Seville- Tour with Concepcion Delgado
Why: She gave a perfect introduction to the city and it's history. At the end of the tour she invited anyone of us to call her (anytime..) if we had any questions, got lost, or had any problems while we were in Seville. Now if that isn't a great tour guide I don't know who is (A bonus- She's very beautiful! though unfortunately happily married: )

Mark in Shoreline, WA USA 04/18/2007

Best: Centro de Arte Reine Sofia
Why: Outstanding comtemporary art collection.

Tony Ambrose in Louisville, KY USA 04/07/2007

Best: The Thyssen
Why: Fantastic collection - I prefered it to the Prado

Worst: The TI's in both Barcelona and Madrid
Why: They offered contradictory info depending on to whom you spoke and which day you asked. Also, absolutely no room finding help.

BW in Federal Way, WA USA 03/31/2007

Best: It is all good.
Why: If someone is going really soon, like April, I'm not sure is the Prado is going to be back to normal. When I was there the whole middle was taken up with a special exhibition and many of the side rooms leading off from there were closed for renovation. Somehow the Prado was a bit of a disappointment to me, I don't think because of the closed off parts. I am not really sure why, maybe just to much of the same type of painting, and nothing else, lets say compared to the Met in NYC, or Philadelphia, etc. museums. Maybe I just expected too much since always hearing how fabulous it is, I don't know.

LL in Levittown, pa USA 03/29/2007

Best: Alhambra, Seville Bullfight museum, Ronda
Why: The Alhambra is just amazing - it's truly a wonder of the world. The Seville Bullfight museum that consisted of a 30 minute tour was interesting, short, and fun.

Ronda was beautiful. The paramor was nice and had great food (we stopped by). But Ronda is NOT an easy day trip between Seville and Granada. You need to take a bus to/from Seville. And the latest train from Ronda to Granada is at 5:15 pm - so you don't get a whole lot of time there for a day trip.

Jennifer in Philadelphia, PA USA 03/12/2007

Best: barcelona shopping tip
Why: I really liked the TI Picasso walking tour which included admission to the Picasso Museum. In the Picasso Museum gift shop I found my favorite souviner of the trip. On a low shelf they have a small box containing necklaces. They are a ceramic disk, about the size of a half dollar, on which a bull fighter and a bull are painted in rich colors. Each disk was a little bit different.They are on a wire necklace. Cost of this very cool necklace was a little over 5 Euros.

jmw USA 03/05/2007

Best: Nerja, Spain in February
Why: It is a lovely, small, quaint, relaxing town. It was a vacation from our vacation of sight seeing. We had an outstanding hotel (Tobosoapar-turis for a low internet price and dined at a reasonably priced excellent restaurant, Meson de Antonio. The Balcony of Europe was refreshing.

Jan Wishau in Columbia, MO USA 02/23/2007

Best: The concert hall in Barcelona
Why: It was so beautiful and unique. I would have loved to go to a concert there.

Julie in Los Alamos, NM USA 02/22/2007

Best: Tangier Morocco and Mr. Aziz
Why: Mr. Aziz was a wonderful guide. He took care of our family showing us the full spectrum of Tangier. Yes he was pricey but worth every euro!

Stephen in Lausanne, VD Switzerland 01/12/2007

Best: Stephen Drake-Jones walking tour in Madrid
Why: Stephen is a great story teller and also terrific at handling questions. We had the great pleasure of having his wife, Connie, join us on our tour. It was a wonderfull, fun evening. We felt as if we were with old friends. We also give Rick kudos for directing us to Tarifa rather than Algeciras. We loved the views of Africa and the town was very pleasant. We see that reviews of Gibraltar are mixed, but it was one of the highlights of our trip. Thank you, Rick, for recommending parking in La Linea and walking across the border and the public bus to Point Europa cost almost nothing and the views were spectacular! We also just loved the utterly creepy Valley of the Fallen. Saw it in a fog so dense we literally never saw the giant cross. The fog made Franco's sepulchre like something out of the Twilight Zone. I should stop already, but the aquaduct in Segovia is mid blowing. You have to see it to believe it.

Worst: None
Why: We called the book our Bible. I read it twice, cover to cover, before we left and we carried it everywhere. You encouraged two middle aged non-Spanish speakers to be much braver than we would ever have thought possible! We found that people were very tolerant of the few Spanish sentences I could cobble together. By the end of three weeks, we felt very confident in restuarants and stores, we could ask directions (though the book is so good we rarely needed to)and even exchange a few pleasantries. Thanks, Rick, for teaching a couple of old dogs some new tricks!

Mary O'Connell in Hingham , Ma USA 12/31/2006

Best: Barcelona--Hotel HCC Open
Why: Located in the Eixample on Diputacio, 100. It's a fair walk from the Rambles, but a short Metro ride. Almost new facility, very nice clean room and bath, free high speed internet. Pd 70 euros + IVA in Dec. 2006

Joe DeVita in Surprise, AZ USA 12/22/2006

Best: The Gaudi Temple of the Sacred Family, Barcelona
Why: amazing, inspiring, ahead of his time. loved the way he was inspired by nature in his work.

Worst: Arco in the White Hills
Why: You recommended parking in the lot at top of the hill, in the old city. There were maybe an inch or two of clearance on each side of the car at times - a bit unnerving!

Barak Gale in Index, WA USA 12/21/2006

Best: A Day in Tangier, Morocco
Why: We followed Rick's advice and hooked-up with Aziz Begdouri, a terrific guide. We had a wonderful day, topped off by a very interesting and tasty mid-day meal at a seedy-looking fish restaurant in the Casbah. The food was great and the locals were friendly, too. He also took us to some sweatshops where fabrics are loomed...very interesting...Caves of Hercules, fine hotels, and the rug bazaar, among other sights. A great guide and host!!

Worst: Ronda
Why: Cannot compare to quality hill towns in Italy. It's just a town on a cliff.

Craig Manning in Murrieta, CA USA 12/13/2006

Best: All of Spain!!!
Why: Barcelona with its Ramblas and Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church. Granada with the Alhambra and the Albayzin area. Nerja with the Casa Del Sol (great for a break).Ronda with its beautiful gorge and bullring. Arcos de la Frontera for experiencing the hill top towns. Sevilla with its wonderful guide, Concepcion and the not to be missed, Esperanza Macarena,in Basilica de la Macarena. Toledo the old capitol and home to Don Quixote. Madrid with the Royal Palace, Prado Museum and the Plaza de Toros. The coastal town of San Sebastian for relaxation and Basque food. The trip was easy to drive.

Jack & Sieni Page in Phoenix, Az USA 12/06/2006

Best: Alcazar (Sevilla) and Barcelona, Madrid museums
Why: Rick didn't make a strong recommendation to visit Sevilla's Alcazar in his book. I enjoyed a leisurely stroll throughout the gardens. It allowed me to finally relax and feel like I was on vacation. The decorative arts, architecture, and history of this building are worth a few hours of your day.

Also, don't miss the museums: Prado and the Reina Sofia in Madrid; and the Picasso and Fundació Joan Miró museums in Barcelona.

Worst: The Modern museum in Barcelona and La Ramblas
Why: I don't understand the curators point of view in the Modern Museum, Not for children. Mainly video of odd things. Very political. La Ramblas is overrated. Good for a stroll - then move on.

Lynne Forbes in Mission Viejo, CA USA 11/24/2006

Best: Toledo
Why: Just a great, fun, sight-packed town that's a joy to stroll and experience.

Worst: Royal Palace, Madrid
Why: After seeing Versailles and/or Schoenbrunn, how can you be impressed with this. It just doesn't compare.

Amy Battis in Beverly, MA USA 11/21/2006

Best: Santa Cruz neighborhood in Sevilla and Ronda/Whitewashed villages and Nerja (vs Malaga)
Why: We may have missed this absolutely quaint area of Sevilla if it wasn't for the book. Ronda and the whitewashed villages had a charm all their own. It was fun to get lost in their maze of narrow streets and admire the beautiful patios and window boxes. Nerja was a wonderfully relaxing small coastal town (compared to Malaga) with Frigiliana being our favorite whitewashed village.

Worst: Albayzin area in Granada
Why: In all of Spain, with it's many small side streets I never felt unsafe until we went to the Albayzin. The back alleys definitely felt like back alleys and I was uncomfortable even in the middle of the day. "La Alhambra" is the only reason that Granada was worth visiting.

Mark and Jill Caulfield in Chaska, MN USA 11/01/2006

Best: Alcazar in Sevilla--absolutely breath-taking, prettier than the Alhambra.
Why: The colors on the walls and tiles are still vivid--and every corner had something to marvel at. Less crowded--easier to slowly wander the buildings and the grounds.

Worst: Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid
Why: Admittedly, modern art leaves me cold, but I thought the only piece worth spending time on was the Guernica--which, while confusing, at least seemed to have something to say. understandbe

Michele Bell in Bellevue, WA USA 10/29/2006

Best: El Escorial
Why: a must see for those in the Madrid area......easy half of day trip to a sweet little village in the hills with an unbelievable palace and the burial crypt for the royalty is unbelievable.....also, the Prado: the paintings are spectacular and the layout of the museum very friendly to tourists

The Alhambra: an absolute must see in the Granada area...its magnificence cannot be put into words...the palace, the gardens, the vistas...all of it is spectacular...allocate at least 3 and more properly 4 hours to this site

mike schoenfeld in gold river, ca USA 10/29/2006

Best: Prado
Why: One of best museums in the world--you easily can spend a whole day there. In Spain most museums are open late into the evening almost every night, expect Sunday, making it more convienient for families and working people to attend.

Worst: None
Why: Sometimes places are closed or being renovated--Palau Guell in Barcelona for example--but the book cannot predict that.

Earl Miller in Kutztown, PA USA 10/29/2006

Best: Thyssen_Bornemisza Museo
Why: Fantastic collection, not as well known as the Prado but a world class collection. I am a painter so I have an good idea what I am looking at. It is on the joint admission deal with the Prado

Walter Lieberman in Modern Glass, WA USA 10/28/2006

Best: Tangier
Why: My wife and I went on a private tour with Aziz Begdouri which turned out to be one of the the best highlights of our trip. We were able to get a real feel for the people,customs,religion, history,sights,sounds and smells of Tangier thanks to Aziz. Aziz was very informative and eager to answer all of our questions concerning his country. We enjoyed avoiding all the large groups of tourists and instead were able to mix with the locals which is exactly what we wanted on the tour. We felt safe and comfortable during the entire 8 hours with Aziz and never felt pressured to buy anything. All of the Moroccan's we met were very polite and hospitable and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The tour was everything we expected and more which gave us a real feel for Tangier thanks to Aziz. We higly recommend a private tour with Aziz to fully appreciate the city with its rich culture and people... Next time Fez.

Raul in San Francisco, CA USA 10/26/2006

Best: The Alhambra in Granada, the Alcazar in Sevilla, and the Renfe trains
Why: The Moorish architecture and decorating was incredible and so very different from other parts of Europe. Truly a must see. Also Sevilla is a wonderful city to walk and Rick is right - it is ambiance. Also the trains were clean, efficent, and showed movies for the long rides.

Worst: Madrid
Why: While the Royal Palace, the Prado, the Renia Sofia and the bull fights are a must see the rest of the city is big, noisy and touristy. Probably my least favorite large European city.

Jackie Pflipsen in Sierra Vista, AZ USA 10/22/2006

Best: Prado Museum - Madrid
Why: Absolutely delightful! Enjoyed everything we saw.

Worst: Alhambra - Granada
Why: Not really worst...just the way the entry times are setup for the Nazaries Palace makes it hard for people doing daytrips to Granada. We were lucky to be able to make reservations for 12:30 pm, leaving from Sevilla by train (which takes almost 3 hours). Left at 8 AM, and we thought we had plenty of time, but were informed that there was railway contructions and they had to move us to a bus to the next train station. We made it to Alhambra in the nick of time. Thank god!! Great place to see...would have been sad to have missed my time.

DP in Marietta, GA USA 10/17/2006

Best: Los Gallos Flamenco
Why: It was every bit as goosebump producing as promised and one of the absolute highlights of our trip. It was a magical night.

Elizabeth Easterling in Tyler, TX USA 10/14/2006

Best: The countryside area known as the Ribeira Sacra
Why: This is a largely unspoilt piece of Galicia. It is mainly known in Spain for its wine and Romanesque churches. There are two rivers which form the backbone of this area, the Rios Sil and Miño. Both are very different in nature.

Worst: Vigo
Why: Many cruise ships dock here but the city itself has nothing to offer. If you do take a cruise to this city then get a tour out to somewhere like Santiago. Vigo is the largest city in Galicia and thus suffers like any other large over grown city in the world!

Joe in Eindhoven, Netherlands 10/14/2006

Worst: Seville card
Why: If you can do 4 museums in one day, it might be a good deal for you. But I only could see one museum a day, and one day cost 28 Euros, a 2-day pass is 32 Euros and a 3 day one is 36. The most expensive museum I went to was the Alcazar, and that was 7 Euros. And then I ended up buying it on the weekend, and Sun the Cathedral was free, so I went to the Cathedral that day and only used the card for the House of Pilate, which, I believe was 6 or 8 Euros for both floors. I didn't use the buses. Though I wish I used it to go to Carmona (sp?). Oh, the hospital of venerable invalid priests...I got that confused with the hospital of holy care (Hospital de la Santa Caridad). the venerable invalid priest musuem has a nice chapel, and a beautiful ceiling fresco in a side room, but the paintings surrounding the court yard and third rate. Has a nice fountain, though. It wasn't worth the price, which was 4.80, considering I wanted to go to a different place. Also, there is a major construction on the Ave. of the Constitution. Blah.

jacke pierce in houston, tx USA 10/04/2006

Worst: Picasso Museum
Why: He was nuts!!!

Robert Kwan in San Diego, CA USA 09/22/2006

Best: Concepcion Delgado in Sevilla, Bullfight in Madrid, Casa Batllo and Catalan Music Palace in Barcelona, FIRMM Whale-Watching Tour in Tarifa, Los Gallos Flamenco in Sevilla
Why: My 24 yr. old son and I went on all three of Concepcion's tours in Sevilla--the Cathedral, the Alcazar, and the City Walking Tour. She is very personable, full of interesting historical facts, and has understandable pride in her city. We loved all three tours and would highly recommend her. We were surprised at our reaction to the bullfight in Madrid--full of pageantry and almost ballet-like movement coupled with the violence of the killing of the bull. Very different, but one of our most memorable experiences in Spain. We loved everything about Barcelona, but the Modernist sites, especially Casa Batllo and the Catalan Music Palace, were our favorites. The FIRMM whale-watching tour from Tarifa was great---this outfit does research as well as giving tourists an incredible close-up look at whales in the Straits of Gibraltar. We followed two pods of pilot whales for an hour! Los Gallos Flamenco was wonderful--full of action and color.

Worst: Tangier
Why: We booked a private tour with Aziz Bedgouri about five months ahead. He was very prompt in replying and arranged everything including the ferry as planned, but when we arrived, a lot of people had been booked, so we were handed over to a partner who took us to the sights as planned, but also took us to several shops where we felt very pressured to buy something. We finished the last two hours with Aziz and he never put any pressure on us or took us to these places. His tour was very informative. I would stipulate that you want Aziz, and no one else, if you book. Aziz was very helpful in getting us back through customs and on the ferry.

Diann Danska in Benicia, CA USA 09/02/2006

Best: Flamenco at Los Gallos in Sevilla
Why: The flamenco dancers are so passionate in their dancing that it gives you shivers and goosebumps. It's a 2 hour performance (well worth the money!), and by the second hour, I found myself wanting to be a flamenco dancer. Try to go early and sit in the first row. It's pretty intense.

Christine Lee in Staten Island, NY USA 08/28/2006

Best: Hotel Convento in Arcos de la fontera
Why: very charming hotel and our adorable room had a terrace looking out to the magnificent and breathtaking view of the valley; it was amazingly beautiful. I highly recommend this hotel. The breakfast was delicious served by the proprietors; very friendly service, clean and great location. We loved it so much!

Marita Lo in Kirkland, WA USA 08/27/2006

Best: Tarifa
Why: Great walking town, food was fantastic and not that crowded (with tourists) yet.

Worst: Tour to Tangers
Why: The idea was good however the tour was all about taking us to the vendors

Dilly in SF, CA USA 08/20/2006

Best: nerja & tarifa
Why: great town, great water. loved the whalewatch espana tour.

Worst: Marbella
Why: Marbella is horrible. I think you should revise the paragraph on it, it was the worst 2 days of our trip. crowded, overpriced and dirty, and the people were less than friendly

Ryenne in NY, NY USA 08/17/2006

Best: Plaza Mayor in Salamanca - also strongly recommended by our daughter!
Why: Beautiful sights, great entertainment by Tunas, nice wine, good food, friendly locals.

Joe and Kathie Myers in Sylvania, OH USA 07/31/2006

Best: Toledo Cathedral
Why: Absolutely wonderful, though it is a little tricky finding the entrance.

Dale in Fairfield, OH USA 07/24/2006

Best: tours with Concepcion in Sevilla; Vejer (hill town) was absolutely delightful, and worth more than the small mention you gave it. On the other hand, that may be why it is so nice and untouristy.
Why: Concepcion did a great job at bringing the history to life. Our teenager (18) wanted to go on all her tours, which is a testament to how personable and entertaining she was

Julie Davies in Sacramento , CA USA 07/14/2006

Best: Self-Guided Walking Tour of Madrid
Why: Wonderful orientation to the city--we all enjoyed it--especially buying dulces from the nuns at the Monasterio del Corpus Christi.

Worst: Aero City/Barajas Airport
Why: Upon arrival in Madrid, I had reservations for the Aerocity Shuttle. After asking several people to point us in the direction of their booth in the terminal, all we were given was a phone number--which was not answered when we called. We ended up just taking a taxi to the hotel, which was fine, but just not what we had planned.

Lee in Washington, DC USA 07/12/2006

Best:
Why: Madrid-Overrated-Royal Palace and Retiro Park. Underrated-Botanical Garden, Naval Museum, Chapel de San Antonio de la Florida and Plaza de la Villa.

Toledo- Overrated-Santa Cruz Museum Underrated-Hospital Tavera(great!), San Roman, Santo Domingo el Antiguo,Mezquita Cristo de la Luz(beautiful garden and mirador)

Sevilla- Overrated-None!(it's all great) Underrated- Alcazar(it's three triangles for sure), Bellas Artes Museum(wonderful setting),Hospital of the Venerables, Hospital de la Charidad, Casa de Pilatos

Granada-Overrated-None Underrated-Palacio Dar-al-Horra

Barcelona- Overrated-none(Barcelona's great) Underrated- Casa Batllo(it can be toured now and is great- I've toured Casa Mila and this is even better), Hospital Sant Creu i San Pau( outstanding, a world heritage site and free!)

Matt Dangel in Columbus, Oh USA 07/10/2006

Best: Las Carboneras
Why: The flameco show was good and because of the small venue you could really see and hear the performers well.

Worst: Julia Travel
Why: I suggest you inform the readers that the tour to Toledo does not include a tour of The Cathedral, the main attraction. Why bother going to Toledo if you don't see The Cathedral?

Jose Calderon in Coconut Creek, FL USA 07/09/2006

Best: Self Guided Walk Tours for Madrid - worked well for us
Why: Clear and step by step

Dale Weeks in Tallahassee, Fl USA 07/09/2006

Best: Prada, Thyssen and Reina Sofia Museums in Madrid
Why: Fabulous art collections with great Picasso special exhibits.

Worst: El Escorial
Why: Big waste of time and money. Only the Cathedral and the Library were open.

Steve F. in Raleigh, NC USA 07/07/2006

Best: Paul McGrath' Day tour of White Hill Towns
Why: He knows his stuff...he is fun. The small group feels like a close family after the first 10 bumps. He is safe, considerate, and the tour is marvelous.

jeannie c scown USA 07/05/2006

Best: La Sagrada Familia
Why: It's changed a lot in the thirty years since I last saw it... Interesting tour. My husband & I enjoy the varied architecture of Barcelona as much as any European city

Sherry Cavanaugh in Clearwater, FL USA 06/27/2006

Best: Cafe Costa Vella
Why: The terrace garden is delightful. My favorite place in all of Santiago to enjoy a beverage and/or read a book.

Joseph Sargent in San Francisco, CA USA 06/16/2006

Best: Flamenco in Sevilla
Why: Great show with real talent and authenticity. We went to the one at the Plaza Santa Cruz.

John Wilde in Whitesboro , NY USA 06/16/2006

Best: Alhambra
Why: Great details for obtaining tickets, the layout, etc.

J. Boerger in Coppel, Tx USA 06/12/2006

Best: Tour in Seville, tour in Barcelona, Alhambra in Granada, Patio Festival in Cordoba
Why: In each of these places we booked tours with people recommended in Steve's book. The are wonderful. Conception in Seville, the TIs in Barcelona gave us a wonderful tour of Picasso's early life and Miguel Angel is a "do not miss." Miguel has lived his entire life in Granada and makes the Alhambra come alive

Worst: Dealing with Alba Spain Travel
Why: 1. They agreed to a specific price for a guide and then raised it when we were already in Spain. They offered to cancel the guide but it was too late for us to make other arrangement. 2. They booked a hotel for us in Barcelona that was supposed to be a 3star. When we got there it was awful. Called and they said we could try to find another hotel and they would try to cancel the room. The toilet seat was broken off the toilet, the shower head was broken off, etc. When I asked for one night refund (we were there two nights) they said they had to wait to see if the hotel gave them their money back. I booked with them not the hotel. There were other incidents but this gives you the picture.

Terri in Columbia, MD USA 06/06/2006

Best: Mezquita in Cordoba
Why: The original Moorish part of the building is outstanding. I loved the way Rick described the history of this mosque. It probably was not the most spectacular thing we saw, but the feeling there was something I can't describe. I took about 50 pictures, but they just can't do this place justice. Among the other top sites - the Alhambra, for obvious reasons, the Palace in Madrid and the Sagrada Familia.

Worst: Gibraltar and Costa del Sol
Why: Gibraltar - Save yourself the effort of getting to this mediocre tourist sight. There are far more interesting ways to spend your time in Spain. Same goes for the Costa del Sol - overbuilt, too many tourists.

Deirdre Logan in Vancouver, BC Canada 06/05/2006

Best: Prado
Why: The plethora of greatness. I downloaded Rick's guide to the collection and its conversational pithyness was a great boon to getting an overview of the collection.

Suzaan Boettger in NYC, NY USA 06/05/2006

Worst: Nouvel Hotel, Barcelona
Why: This is a 1-star hotel at best. My husband and I had a reservation for a week. Upon checking in and seeing our old, decrepit room, we went to the desk and inquired about hotel services. The answer: none, plus a 25 euro deposit for the TV remote, the TV did not work; the safe in our room was to cost 1.50 euros per day. Other: no room service, no internet. We walked up La Rambla and found a beautiful 5-star hotel who could accommodate us for the week. The pictures of Nouvel Hotel must have been taken 30 years ago. It was a very bad experience for our first time in Barcelona.

Cynthia Scott in Manhattan Beach, CA USA 06/04/2006

Best: Maria la Canastera zambra flamenco - Granada
Why: WOW! I found this performance to be really incredible and something I will remember forever! Being in this tiny cave on the top of a mountain, drinking wine, getting engrossed in the music, watching Gypsies dance with intensity I have never seen before...incredible...a true highlight of the trip.

Worst: The food
Why: Eating was an almost exclusively miserable experience. I'm a very picky eater who doesn't eat red meat, squid or blue cheese, and basically every dish in the whole country had at least one of those ingredients! I ended up at McDonalds way too many times. Very disappointing.

Julie Williams in Nashville, TN USA 06/01/2006

Best: Seville
Why: LOVED it and were there 4 nights. The medieval part of the city was quite fun for dining, sitting out in sidewalk cafes, fun shopping. The Alcazar is exquisite. People were very friendly even with our fractured Spanish.

M. L. Smith in Santa Rosa, CA USA 06/01/2006

Best: Hotel Europa(Madrid) and Hotel Amadeus(Sevilla)
Why: Both were very clean, with helpful staff, and in great locations. The Amadeus has two wonderful sitting areas, complete with bottles of (self-serve) wine, and a machine upstairs where you can get hot water for tea, coffee and hot chocolate.

Worst: Hostal Viena in Grenada
Why: The shower was about the worst design I have ever seen(it was supposed to be for sitting down, but there were no bars to grab onto to help you back up). It was incredibly noisy, and you could either have the airconditioner on full blast and freeze, or have it turned off and roast. No happy medium.

deborah Evenich in Petaluma, Ca USA 05/30/2006

Best: Flamenco at the Andalusian cultural center
Why: No hollywood performance, just earthy and moving dance, music and song.

Chris Stabler in Lancaster, PA USA 05/25/2006

Best: Tangiers Africa
Why: We used the guide named Aziz that was mentioned in the book and it was worth the money. Another couple was with us on the tour and we were in a private van guide spoke english and we went to many places that we would not have gone on our own. It was very safe being in a small group with a guide that kept any street merchants at bay.

Tom Shover in Chicago, IL USA 05/23/2006

Best: J&J Books and Coffee
Why: Because I was travelling alone and met fellow Americans to travel around Madrid and even do day trips with. There is also a secondhand bookstore attached where I could trade in my books and get a fresh stock.

kk in los angeles, ca USA 05/22/2006

Worst: Hotel Opera
Why: We stayed at this hotel in Madrid the first week in May. Although it was very conveniently located next to the Opera house and within walking distance of the Palace and old town sights it was so noisy we could not get any sleep. The hotel could not turn on the AC until June so the only air was to open the windows. All the windows open onto the busy street. Saturday night was the worst since people were out virtually all night long. Would never, ever stay there again nor would I every recommend it. Room was bare essentials, no frills which was not the issue. Sleeping was. Between the people, sirens and garbage cans we were beat by the third night!

Dian HOpkin USA 05/20/2006

Best: Besides Paul McGrath's day tours, the Plaza Mayor in Salamanca at night.
Why: When night fell and the lights came on, the Plaza was simply magical! It was an all-night party that I could have watched for hours.

Worst: La Linea to Gibraltar
Why: Rick did NOT recommend this, but maybe it would be good to put something in the book about NOT trying to go to La Linea by train and then walk across the border to Gibraltar. Why? The train doesn't go to La Linea even though the RENFE schedule makes it appear that it does. Instead, you get off at San Roque and then have a devil of a time to find and get to La Linea's bus station. Maybe you could get there by taking the train to Algeciras and then taking a bus to La Linea, but the train to San Roque is nearly impossible. We wound up taking a taxi from San Roque to La Linea, which was costly. The San Roque train station is 'way out in the boondocks.

Pat Fleury in Fort Worth, TX USA 05/19/2006

Worst: Los Gallos flamenco in Seville
Why: The performance itself was quite good and rousing and I commend the dancers/singers for putting on a good show. However, the waiters who seated patrons and served drinks were the rudest people I encountered during 2 weeks travel in Spain. During the show, the waiters were constantly talking with the bartender and rattling glasses. Since the seating area is very small, the noise was quite distracting and inconsiderate. Many patrons kept asking them to keep their voices down, but the waiters deliberately ignored them and one even flicked his hand in a rude and dismissive manner at the guests! A lot of people afterwards were commenting that the waiters ruined the flamenco experience.

I am extremely disappointed with the waiters' lack of courtesy to both the guests and the performers. I would urge you to pass on my criticisms to Los Gallos' management and to add a caveat to the Los Gallos entry that the performance may be marred by noise from the bar and the waiters.

Chris Shen in San Francisco, CA USA 05/16/2006

Worst: the daytrip to Tangier via Marruecotur tours in Tarifa
Why: We LOVE your guidebooks and consider them our bible when we travel to Europe once a year. We even have a code "Richard Stevens says....". Therefore, to save other readers time and grief, I would like to share our experience using Marruecotur tours to daytrip to Tangier from Tarifa. Even though your book says it is a shameless touristy thing to do, it is still suggested as a doable option. The tour was a shameless, contrived, hours-long sales-pitch and we felt like hostages. I cannot even begin to tell you how trapped and disappointed we were. You had suggested a private guide (and I am certain we would have gotten some pressure to "shop", which we understand is part of the price to pay for going there), but you need to ONLY recommend the private guide. Please, please rethink your recommendation of the tours. PS Tarifa was great!

April Brady in Memphis, TN USA 05/02/2006

Worst: Food in Barcelona
Why: We always go out of our way to eat the local food when we are visiting different countries but have to tell ya - um, our best meal was at Hard Rock Cafe! Ok, boring americans, but the problem was the portions. Even for my 2 kids! For the same price as a "fast food" gyro type place we ate at Hard Rock. Barcelona is expensive - just be prepared!

Meg TX USA 04/27/2006

Worst: Sitges, Spain
Why: It was like a sleazy smaller Miami Beach or Atlantic City on a holiday weekend. Dirty, smelly and overrun with motor vehicles and noisy people.

Liz and Bruce Robinson in Boulder, CO USA 04/27/2006

Best: Granada
Why: Granada is truly magical. The blending of Christian, Islam, Jew & Gypsy made for a fascinating environment and feel. To actually see the tombs of Fernando and Isabel in Capilla Real was mind blowing. Having learned about the Catholic Monarchs in history classes since 5th grade, to finally see in person where it all began was as thrilling as it gets. I really enjoyed your self-guided tour of the Albayzin right after sunset.

Worst: Costa del Sol
Why: We rented a car and spent a few hours visiting towns along the Costa del Sol. Everything seemed like a resort town and all you see are new condos and real estate billboards. Next time we'll just go to Hawaii for this.

Chris McClure in San Francisco, CA USA 04/26/2006

Best: Casa de Memoria flamenco in Sevilla
Why: A shorter (one hour, but great) show suited our children's attention span. Very intimate setting - covered patio, with three rows of chairs in three sides of a platform. Hearing the birds sing along with the music was nice.

Patrick Farrell in Baltimore, MD USA 04/21/2006

Best: The Cathedral in Sevilla during Santa Semana
Why: Incredible processions from the different churches ended up here every day (and night) this week.

Worst: Real Escuela Horse Show in Jerez
Why: Zzzzzzz.

Patrick Farrell in Baltimore, MD USA 04/21/2006

Best: The parks and gardens of Madrid
Why: Parque Buen Retiro is a wonderful place to people watch, and extremely pretty with many sights. Also, renting a small rowboat is cheap and tons of fun. The Botanical Gardens next to the Prado are incredible as well. A must to experience the outdoor beauty of Madrid.

Worst: Toledo
Why: Toledo has many important sights but it is MUCH TOO TOURISTY and was clogged with cars while we were there, It did not feel very authentic.

Brian Kozakowski in Cherry Hill, NJ USA 04/20/2006

Best: Picasso Museum/Barcelona
Why: Wonderful to experience the early works. Great for people who are not crazy about cubism.

Rick Fan in San Francisco, CA USA 04/19/2006

Best: Italica, Mesquita in Cordoba, cathedral in Toledo
Why: Each was so unique. Actually Semana Santa was also an interesting experience-definately an eye-opener.

Worst: Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art
Why: Only because we should have reserved tickets online an so missed the show-too many large tour buses. Perhaps a note to that effect in the book would be good.

Suzanne Lacey in Vista, CA USA 04/17/2006

Best: Nazare and Nerja
Why: Nazare- Fun town, try Hotel Del Mar be sure to get a view room we were in #302. Parking is do it yourself.

Nerja- Fun one day or over night stop. Lively shopping with reasonably priced hotels. We used it as a stop over between Gibraltar and Granada.

John in San Diego, Ca USA 04/16/2006

Best: Seville
Why: Numerous beautiful sights to see. Definately take a carriage ride through the park, especially if you have children. It would be a nice walk, or bike ride, as well.

Worst: Jerez
Why: It was dirty, we could not find parking anywhere. And in all of Spain the street signs were sparse. It was often difficult to figure out where we were.

D. Winter in 5033 Dupont Ave. S., Mpls., MN USA 04/11/2006

Best: El Escorial/Valley of the Fallen
Why: Palace was amazing, crowds were not a factor, and the public transportation to and from Madrid were affordable and easy to navigate. Self-guided tour was also very helpful.

David and Juliana Matsumoto in Seattle, WA USA 04/01/2006

Best: Tarifa
Why: The town was so small & mellow that it was great to go somewhere and actually relax and not have a million people & cars around. Thinking of even retiring there. A must stop!

Worst: Tangier, Morroco
Why: What a filthy place; go only if you want to say that you've been to Africa. I'm a very confident & secure person and I even felt scared of being left alone. If you go, take the tour. Do not go by yourself. You will get lost.

Richard in Pomona, CA USA 03/29/2006

Best: The Alhambra in Granada
Why: An amazing Moorish castle/city on the hill. It is definitely worth seeing the Islamic history of Spain and not just the European influence. Thank you for the tip to buy tickets before leaving - I bought tickets one month ahead of time, and all the morning time slots were already sold. Understanding the morning/afternoon sessions is very important. We met a family with some tickets for 12:30 and others a 2:30, and they all were not allowed in at the same time.

Worst: Museo El Greco
Why: Not worth the admission price, and not much new to see after having been to the Prado Museum.

Gretchen Gallucci in Worthington, OH USA 03/26/2006

Best: concepcion delgado of seville
Why: She was like "our new best friend in Seville"...her tours were excellent... humor-filled with great info on religion, history, art and culture..provided so much help with other things we were seeking.. she truly made our trip wonderful.. please continue to recommend her business.. she was helpful beyond words...

Jane Crone in Madison, WI USA 03/21/2006

Best: Tarifa, Spain
Why: A great place for a day trip to Tanger. A wonder city for walking. It is small, scenic and historic. It just feels right.

Worst: MarruecoturTravel Agency
Why: Although this place is conveniently located, I would not recommend it. I entered Marruecotur and asked a young man whom I believe to be Luis for a ticket to Tanger. He wrote up a ticket for me and was going to charge me 52 euros when I asked a question about the tour. He gave me a strange look, threw away the ticket that he had just written saying "oh, you wanted a tour" and then proceeded to sell me a ticket that included the tour for the same price. Later, it became apparent to me that he would have sold me passage only, because he would have made a greater profit. He seemed put out and very quickly gave me instructions in broken English which I could not understand and I left thinking my Rick Steves guide book would tell me what I needed to know.

Later in the day, I was reading my guide book (Page 493 under tour tips) and it says that you need to confirm where you will meet your guide. Since I didn't know the answer to this question, I went back to Marruecotur and asked another gentleman whom I believe was Jose, how I would know who my guide was. Like luis, he was very curt with me and seemed annoyed and acted like I was bothering him. After much more discussion than was necessary, he told me that I would be given a sticker and my guide would pick me out of the crowd based on the sticker I was wearing. I was treated so rudely, I had a black cloud hanging over my head until I left Tarifa.

You can also buy you tickets at the ferry terminal and I found the people there much friendlier and accommodating. While you are there you can orient yourself for the next day when you arrive to catch your boat.

Michael Roberts in Vancouver, WA USA 03/20/2006

Best: Hotel Cervantes
Why: Rooms were very clean and we had our own bathroom! Breakfast (and coffee) was wonderful. The staff was very helpful with taxis, train connections, and information. A slight walk through the narrow streets into a great shopping district.

Worst: Walking everywhere
Why: Not sure if it would be the worst for everyone but take comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk, walk, walk.

Melissa Garrone in Memphis, TN USA 03/20/2006

Best: Andalusian Minibus tour - Seville
Why: Paul McGrath did an excellant job touring us around the White Hill Villages! He only takes small groups, so we could go at our own pace.

Julie Joyce in Woodbury, MN USA 03/19/2006

Best: Sagrada Familia, Barcelona's Cathedral and The Shoe Museum! And much more!
Why: Absolutely spectacular. The vision and devotion Gaudi had was incredible! The Catherdral, the front facade was covered in scaffolding, otherwise gorgeous interior, and the view was amazing from the rooftop. The gentleman at The Shoe Museum was very engaging, even though he did not speak English, and I spoke minimal Spanish, it was fun!

Worst: The Chocolate Museum
Why: They would not serve us any hot chocolate, they shut at 15:00 (Sunday), and it was 14:30! Thankfully there were other better chocolaterias elsewhere!!!

ken in Concord, CA USA 03/08/2006

Best: Palacio Real
Why: Rick's guided tour was perfect. We didn't need the audio tour. He covered interesting facts and added great commentary!

Worst: Prado Museum
Why: While we appreciated the artwork, we thought the artwork was dark and heavy. We had our children with us, and they were quite disturbed by the "gory" images. I think that the Prado is more appropriate for adults.

Felicia Bloom in Merion, PA USA 03/04/2006

Best: The Prado - Madrid
Why: Better than the Louvre...and every other big shot museum in Europe. If you go to Madrid this is a don't miss!!

Lisa in Stewart, WI USA 02/26/2006

Best: Tours in Sevilla & Granada
Why: Steve's recommendations for group tour guides were great! Group guides were knowledgeable and inexpensive.

Worst: Tours in Madrid via Pullmantur
Why: Our travel agent set us up with Pullmantur in Madrid (via GoGo Worldwide Vacations). They were the worst! Hung up on me 5 times when I called for directions. Refused to honor our tour voucher to Escorial Valle. Private car never picked us up for prepaid ride from hotel to airport.

James Tatsuda in Glenview, IL USA 02/13/2006

Best: Segovia's Alcazar
Why: The ceilings in many of the rooms are amazing. There are outstanding views from the top of the tower (after a surprisingly challenging climb).

Stephen O. Addison, Jr. in Charlotte, NC USA 02/11/2006

Best: Royal Palace in Madrid
Why: Beautiful painted ceilings and crystal chandeliers. Digital photos (without flash) came out great.

Worst: Julia Tours in Madrid
Why: We went on an all-day guided tour to Toledo and saw several sights but not the most important one - the fabulous Toledo Cathedral! We were not given the opportunity to see it but they made sure we went to a big expensive gift shop.

Gale Sellers in Melbourne Beach, FL USA 02/03/2006

Best: Tarifa
Why: Great small town to base day trips from. We went to Morrocco and Gibraltar from here. We also were there during Santa Semana and sat at cafe that Rick reccommended and saw the processions go by us less than ten feet away.

John Holtz in Bellingham, WA USA 01/23/2006

Best: Ronda
Why: Gorgeous hill town with a lot of character, and once the busloads of obnoxious tourists from the Costa del Sol leave it is a quaint and charming town in which to wander and get lost.

Worst: Parking directions
Why: We drove all around Andalucia and never once easily found parking as per the directions in the guidebook. Best just to tell readers to find the nearest lot that is "Abierto 24 horas", dump the car and take a cab to their hotel. Street signs (if you can call them that) are hard to read and traffic is unnevering in most big cities. In smaller towns it's just nerve-wracking with the narrow streets.

Jody Brian in Ottawa, ON Canada 01/17/2006

Best: Prado
Why: Best Art Museum I have been in bar none

curtis baysinger in Nashville , TN USA 01/12/2006

Best: The Alhambra in Granada
Why: Absolutely stunning architecture.

Ruth in Victoria, BC Canada 01/06/2006