TOUR REVIEWS
Read what our clients say…
These are genuine, unedited reviews from people who have traveled with us on private food, wine, and cultural journeys across Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy. They come from couples, families, and small groups, from North America, Australia, the UK, and beyond, many of whom have traveled with us more than once. We have been designing and operating private tours since 1996. The reviews below reflect what that experience looks like in practice.
Christopher Chen from the USA
We had an unforgettable trip to Italy and the French Riviera thanks to Lydia and Ursula at Gourmand Breaks. From start to finish, everything was perfectly organized so we never had to worry about a single detail. Trains, drivers, hotels, and dinner reservations were all taken care of, and the daily schedule they provided made it so easy to know where to be and when. It allowed us to completely relax and focus on enjoying the trip.
What really set Gourmand Breaks apart was how they took an already great itinerary and made it feel completely tailored to us. Every experience felt thoughtfully chosen and high quality. We loved the private tours in Venice and Nice, the food tour in Bologna, and the intimate wine tastings in Valpolicella and Barolo, where we actually sat in the winemaker’s living room tasting his wines firsthand—a truly unique and personal experience.
Everything felt personal and stress-free from start to finish. The hotels were wonderful, the restaurant recommendations were spot on, and any question we had was immediately taken care of. It was clear that Gourmand Breaks genuinely cared about our experience. Because of that, our trip was seamless, memorable, and so much fun. We would recommend them without hesitation to anyone looking for a truly special, customized travel experience.
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Kathie & Wayne from the USA
We own a luxury, boutique wedding venue and I am a planner – so have very high expectations. When I came across Gourmand Breaks while planning our three weeks in Northern Spain and Southern France, I showed my husband a sample itinerary and he said, “let’s do it.” We are SO very happy that we did! The hotels were all superb and we chose to drive from location to location ourselves and then indulge with drivers for all of our wine tastings. From known to off the beaten path, the wineries were fantastic and we came home, yes, with cases of wine being shipped.
Food recommendations were terrific and they were able to secure a last minute reservation at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona – where Gourmand Breaks is located. That gave us the opportunity to have a personal mini walking tour with Ursula and Lydia who are as delightful in person as they are in their communications along the way.
Our trip was the perfect mixture of planned vs “on your own” with plenty of suggestions for the “on your own.” While all the guides were fantastic, when in Madrid, we had an art historian who walked us through the highlights of the Prado and explained masterpieces to us – giving me in particular a much better understanding of the art in two hours than in my art history class in college. We do not like bus tours – we love food, history, culture and wine (and not necessarily in that order). Gourmand Breaks delivered on all levels and with kindness and courtesy. We highly recommend them and are now thinking of ways to go back and use them again.
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Rachel from Australia
We had an exceptional experience with Gourmand Breaks and cannot recommend them highly enough. From the very beginning, everything was thoughtfully planned, seamlessly organised and deeply personal. Our itinerary through Spain and France was beautifully paced and rich with unforgettable moments; from extraordinary dining experiences and private winery visits to insightful local guides who brought each region to life.
This was one of the most memorable trips we’ve ever taken, and we are so grateful to Ursula, Lydia and the entire team for creating such a special experience. We wouldn’t hesitate to travel with Gourmand Breaks again and recommend them wholeheartedly to anyone looking for a truly exceptional European travel experience.
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Amy Gagnon from the USA
My husband and I booked a 2-week trip through Spain and Portugal with Gourmand Breaks and I cannot say enough good things about the entire experience. Ursula, Lydia and Smita were my main contacts throughout the process and they were very responsive to all questions. They will work with you to customize the trip to your interests. For us, we wanted to learn about history and architecture, but our primary focus was the food and wine. Gourmand Breaks planned the trip for us with these goals in mind.
When you get close to your trip, Gourmand Breaks will create a personalized website with your itinerary and suggestions for downtime activities. The website was particularly helpful for finding unique restaurants – we tried several and were not disappointed. In each city we had a private guide to walk us through the main attractions, with no waiting in lines, and we’d end each tour with a long lunch. The guides were all super personable, knowledgeable of their city history and overall great to hang out with for a few hours.
Overall, this experience changed my opinion on working with a travel company. In the past I’ve always booked all our travel myself, but going forward, I’ll always look to a company like Gourmand Breaks because this was by far the easiest and best trip we’ve ever taken.
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Judah Denburg from Canada
Just recently returned from a wonderful, bespoke private tour of France, from Paris to Marseille, and focussing on Provence. All was organized expertly and superbly by Gourmand Breaks. The itinerary was meticulous, our special cultural and personal requests attended to, and the options for dining fabulous. Our hotel in Bonnieux was well chosen—picturesque and with great service.
The organizing team led by Ursula was most responsive, and easy to access at all times. Caroline, our guide in parts of Provence, was one of the best we’ve ever had. All in all, a five star experience!
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Monty & Christine Botosan from the USA
Gourmand Breaks knocked it out of the park again! Our 2 week visit to Portugal was amazing. We visited Lisbon, Porto, the Douro valley, Alentejo and Setúbal regions. All meticulously orchestrated by Gourmand, including accommodations in unique historic wine hotels, daily wine paired lunches, visits to 14 wineries, wonderful guides to help explore the cities, countryside and historic sites and attend to every detail. We chose a combination of renting a car to travel area to area, then handing the driving responsibility over to attentive guides for our wine tasting and touring days. Every day Gourmand contacted us to inform us of the plan for the day and coordinate details.
The blend of attention to detail while ensuring we get to visit really special places with exposure to the history, food, wine and hospitality of the region leads to a truly stressless and wonderful experience. We are already planning our third trip with their help.
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Shannon & Glenna from the USA
We were super impressed with the personal service with Gourmand Breaks. A friend recommended them to us for our trip to Barcelona and Lisbon and lived up to every expectation. Lydia and Ursula were so helpful and were always there to communicate with us. It was like having our own personal assistance full time to ensure every min on our tours that gave us full enjoyment. Anything that needed correcting they were there, I would use them again in the future. I highly recommend it.
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Diane Rapaport from the USA
Traveled with a group of 4 throughout Portugal and Spain for 14 days orchestrated by Gourmand Breaks private tours. We cannot say enough about the quality of the guides, personal attention to detail in the planning, and excellent quality of hotels suggested by their agency. Communication was superb before and during our excursions. Unique hidden gems were a special treat. All our interactions were seamless and positive.
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Nanette Tool & Debra O Neal from the USA
Gourmand Breaks went above and beyond to create an individualized vacation for our two families. They were incredibly responsive throughout our vacation and made our travel stress free. Their professionalism was amazing and they confirmed they are one of the best at what they do. Thank you for making our vacation truly memorable.
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Elena & Scott from the USA
We had an absolutely incredible experience working with Gourmand Breaks for our trip to Spain & Portugal! From start to finish, the coordination, communication, and attention to detail were exceptional. Every part of the trip ran smoothly thanks to their thoughtful planning.
The wine tours they arranged were a true highlight — each one was unique, intimate, and memorable in its own way. We felt like we got to experience something truly special at every stop. The hotels were beautiful and perfectly located, and all our drivers were professional, punctual, and friendly.
We couldn’t have asked for a better travel experience. Highly recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Spain & Portugal or beyond!
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Kelly Moonah & Donna Murphy from the USA
Our recent trip to Florence and Tuscany, planned by Gourmand Breaks, was absolutely incredible—truly the perfect mother-daughter getaway! From the moment we arrived, everything was seamless, beautifully curated, and thoughtfully personalized.
A huge highlight of our experience was Marco, our local driver. Not only was he punctual and professional, but he also had the best local recommendations – restaurants, scenic routes, hidden gems – we felt like we had our own insider tour guide the whole time. Thanks to Marco, we experienced Tuscany like locals, not just tourists.
Gourmand Breaks made the entire planning process stress-free and tailored every detail to our tastes. If you’re dreaming of a delicious, luxurious, and memorable Italian escape, you’re in excellent hands with them. Highly recommend!
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Victoria Strombotne from the USA
We were thoroughly impressed with the service provided to us by Gourmand Breaks for our Spain and Portugal tour in May 2025. We have used small private group tour agencies before, but the level of detail and follow through we experienced with Gourmand Breaks amazed and delighted us. Ursula emailed us daily to get our feedback on our various tours, guides and drivers and to provide additional details for the next day’s events. Anything that wasn’t correct or up to par was immediately attended to. We requested 5 star hotels, and we were very satisfied with our lodgings. Restaurant meals that GB organized were always delicious and top notch. Recommendations for activities during “down time” were also very good. The guides were all passionate about their jobs and conveyed history and architectural information to us that made our tours a fantastic educational experience.
Overall, an extremely professional and involved agency that takes very good care of their customers. We recommend them highly.
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Robin Sapirstein from the USA
Ursula and her team are extremely professional and knowledgeable. Every detail was meticulously planned for our trip from Paris to Bordeaux wineries, Madrid and the Costa Brava. The services of drivers and tour guides were also terrific.
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Jeff Poll Group from the USA
Gourmand Breaks Tours is the most professional, attentive, and knowledgeable travel agency I have ever experienced. They responded in a timely manner to every request made, even on evenings, weekends and holidays. (Even after making my final payment). This agency offers truly bespoke tours. They listened to my requests and have the flexibility to adapt their tours on the fly. Their contacts with hotel venues, restaurants, tour guides and drivers are first rate.
I had bid the tour, and they were neither the cheapest nor most expensive, but in my view the quality/cost ratio was a fair value. I highly recommend them for tours in the regions they cover.
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Joan Detloff from the USA
Barry and I just finished a very memorable 10 day Italian trip designed by Gourmand Breaks. We were able to experience all the must see spots and more. The incredible details that were arranged made this trip so easy and worry-free that all we had to do was enjoy every minute. Thank you to everyone at Gourmand Breaks for an incredible trip.
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Rex Oxner from the USA
Our recent Italy tour, including Sicily, through Gourmand Breaks was the best organized, immersive and thorough of any that we have ever taken. We travel frequently and have been on many small group and some large group tours but based on our experience using Gourmand Breaks, their custom tour is far superior to any that we have experienced before. Their timeliness in meeting us in airports, hotels, tourist spots and anywhere else we wanted was flawless. Their drivers were always punctual, prepared and very knowledgeable about the areas we were visiting. The drivers’ ability to maneuver in the local traffic was unbelievable and they can find parking spots where there just aren’t any. Our drivers were so flexible in catering to our desires that we may never be able to go back to having to adhere to a set schedule on future trips.
The tour company’s selection of hotels and restaurants was always first class. Some were very unique in their quiet and remote locations and others were right in desirable downtown spots. We never had to haul luggage thanks to the convenient hotel selection, the helpful drivers and doormen at most hotels. We ate so many gourmet meals based on their recommendations that we are all seriously dieting now that we have returned home.
Ursula from Gourmand Breaks was always in contact with us during the trip and made adjustments based on traffic delays, the Pope’s funeral and other unpredictable events. She even arranged to comp us a lovely dinner at our hotel when we arrived late due to traffic. All in all, a great experience and we will not hesitate to use Gourmand Breaks in the future.
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Nancy Leong Group from the USA
We had a wonderful time travelling through Spain for 16 days with our family and friends, visiting Madrid, Toledo, Córdoba, Seville, Granada, Ronda, Barcelona and Girona. Our cooking class with Ana in Seville was so fun and delicious! We loved our guides, especially Enrique in Cordoba and Olga in Madrid. All the restaurants were great, we particularly liked Celler de Can Roca.
Having everything thoughtfully arranged, with seamless real time support for anything we needed, including any last minute requests, made a huge difference. Thank you Ursula & Lydia for all your hard work!
Randi Levine from the USA
My husband and I just returned from a 3 week tour of Spain organized by GB. I can not say enough about their professionalism and high standards. Working with them was a pleasure from the minute we started planning our custom itinerary. GB listened carefully to our requests, communicated their suggestions, and came through in every way. Not only did they plan a marvelous, unique itinerary, but they were with us throughout our journey. Every request and message was immediately answered.
The trip went like clockwork. Our private guides displayed an impressive depth of knowledge. We stayed in some amazing and distinct historic hotels we would never have found on our own. And we were taken to some impressive and interesting locations by competent drivers who knew the terrain like the back of their hand. GB is outstanding. You don’t have to be a gourmand to love Gourmand Breaks.
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Regina Roman from the USA
Last month, we traveled for two weeks in Spain, mostly through Andalusia, and the trip was perfectly planned and all we had hoped for thanks to Ursula and Gourmand Breaks. I was initially attracted by the Gourmand Breaks website and reviews, and its focus on food and wine, as well as cultural tours. I found one of the sample itineraries on their website and used that as a starting point. As an inveterate planner, I had lots of requests for personalization, and Ursula and Jessica were easy to work with and, equally important, after we spoke they understood our travel style and gave me a wealth of suggestions. They also did all the hard work – organizing the itinerary, providing hotel and restaurant recommendations and reservations, as requested, train tickets where rail travel was advisable, and a car and driver between stops where it made the most sense. I had the fun of being involved in the planning without any of the labor.
But it was when the trip started that I really appreciated the company. The hotels they suggested were lovely and unique with great locations in the 5 towns we visited. For example, since we were staying 5 days in Madrid, we requested an apartment rather than a hotel, and they really delivered. A lovely two bedroom around the corner from the Opera and the Royal Palace, close to lots of restaurants, the metro and markets.
The guides they arranged at every stop were charming and knowledgeable, and the drivers were exceptionally reliable, and friendly. The restaurant recommendations were spot on, and although I added a few ones of my own, they happily made the arrangements. Their communication throughout the trip was great, checking in on us and answering any questions promptly. They were even reachable on a state holiday and were able to book me a table when that seemed impossible at a very desirable restaurant that very evening. So I can heartily recommend Gourmand Breaks to help you plan and execute a relaxing Spanish holiday. I hope to be using them again myself for a trip to the Basque region in the near future.
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Kimberly Grant from the USA
My husband and I are in our 30s and had never used a luxury travel agency before. When I reached out to Ursula and her team, they were so communicative and flexible, taking our budget into account, etc. We ended up doing a 10-day wine-focused trip through Spain and Portugal, and it was truly an unforgettable experience. Ursula and her team are able to provide such curated experiences that we could have never imagined getting to be a part of.
In addition, having the service of an agency like this is so valuable. On our first day, Spain got a large amount of rain that resulting in flooding in many areas – Ursula immediately messaged us that our plans would need to be modified and that she would have a new plan (hotel, new city, new transportation, new winery) all figured out within a few hours. IT WAS SEAMLESS! To have that type of worry off of our shoulders was such a luxury! We extended our stay on both ends – starting in Barcelona and ending in Lisbon and even though we were technically on our own in both of those cities, Ursula and her team gave us so many valuable recommendations.
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Sean and Carolyn from the USA
If you are traveling to Portugal, you need Gourmand Breaks to plan your trip. My wife and I did and we can not be more pleased with the results. In advance of our October trip, Ursula very pleasantly (and patiently) worked through a customized itinerary for us. While in Portugal, the drivers and city and wine guides they connected us with were wonderful. As were the accommodations. Further, the wine tastings in the Douro (special shout-out to Helder at Wine & Soul) and Vinho Verde (shout-out to Leila and Joao at Sem Igual) were excellent. We have worked with very good trip planners on prior trips to Europe, but the daily communication we had from Urusla and Jessica (which included some last minute changes) while in Portugal was the best we have experienced.
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Gina & Kurt from the USA
Gourmand Breaks is absolutely wonderful. I cannot more strongly recommend hiring them to plan your trip, and my wife and I certainly will do so again. We hired Gourmand to plan our three-week honeymoon through Paris, Spain, and Portugal. They took into account all the details and experiences we wanted and created an itinerary that matched our vision perfectly.
We visited eight different locations. Every accommodation was top-notch, and all of our guides and chauffeurs were friendly, thoughtful, and a pleasure to be with. Our itinerary introduced us to hidden gems and experiences that we hadn’t known about, yet aligned exactly with our interests.
The Gourmand Breaks team was also a breeze to work with—they stayed on top of everything. If even the smallest detail wasn’t as expected or needed adjustment, they responded immediately, resolving any issue or making a requested change as if by magic. Finally, the value they offer for the price is unparalleled in our experience.
We still can’t believe how fortunate we were to have found Gourmand Breaks. We plan to use them again for all our European travel and will gladly take their recommendations if we travel outside their area of expertise.
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Cherene from Canada
Three Weeks in Italy! An Incredible Experience from Start to Finish! I cannot say enough good things about this tour company! From the moment we booked our trip, everything was handled with the utmost professionalism and care. The booking process was smooth, and the staff was always quick to respond to any questions we had. Our tour guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and truly passionate about the destination, which made the experience even more enjoyable. They took us to hidden gems we would have never found on our own, and the itinerary was the perfect mix of sightseeing and local food and wine experiences. All of our accommodations were outstanding! The transportation was comfortable, and everything ran on time.
What really stood out was the attention to detail – the little extras, like surprise local treats and personalized recommendations, made the trip feel special. We came away with wonderful memories and a deeper appreciation for the culture and history of Italy. I highly recommend Gourmand Breaks to anyone looking for an unforgettable travel experience!
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Kimberly & David from the USA
My wife and I have used Gourmand Breaks in the past and they were always exceptional on all levels. Our trip to Portugal was incredible and was even more spectacular. We have Ursula and the dedicated team to thank for a great trip. We had the luxury of visiting quite a few wine regions and some incredible wineries as well. They are truly professionals at their craft and we will definitely use them again.
The selections of hotels, Michelin star restaurants and travel recommendations were spot on. The drivers and staff were always communicating with us to make sure that we had everything that we needed every step of the trip. If you are planning to book a trip I would not hesitate and contact Gourmand Breaks for your next trip.
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Craig & Janette from New Zealand
Gourmand Breaks were fantastic to deal with, and as a consequence, our Europe trip (Italy, Spain & Portugal) ran like clockwork. Ursula and Caterina’s depth of knowledge of key locations, as well as their deep connections with guides, drivers, restaurants and activity operators, meant that our experience felt special throughout our time with them. It was clear that Ursula and Caterina were keeping an eye on the logistics throughout our journey, so if we needed to make any adjustments along the way, we were easily able to converse and make those arrangements. As a smaller company, Gourmand Breaks are able to provide a genuine personal service.
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Mark & Cindy from Canada
My wife and I had a phenomenal experience on our recent customized wine tour of northern Spain and Portugal. Ursula and Caterina planned, organized and created an amazing itinerary that exceeded our expectations in every way. All of the touring and travel arrangements were flawless. The guides and drivers were all friendly and knowledgeable, the wines and meals were outstanding. We learned an enormous amount about both countries, their wine and their food. We hope to schedule our next trip to Burgundy with them in the future. Added photo at Paella club.
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Lisa from the USA
The service and my Spain & France wine & cultural tour itinerary was excellent.The coastal tours in the Basque region included a trip to Biarritz across to France and the San Sebastian area and ending in Bilbao. The food (tapas, Pintxos) and the wine from white to red of the local wine to match with the foods were enjoyed very much. Overall, it was a memorable, educational and very enjoyable tour. My one regret was that it was not long enough.
The guides were very knowledgeable and attentive to your needs. The Rioja tour of wineries were covered from small family owned ones to the large corporate type and it covered the history of the area and how it is now and where it will be going. The small family owned wineries were very interesting from a woman owned to a new venture by obtaining old wineries.
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Cheryl & Brad from Canada
We enjoyed an incredible 3 week vacation in France, Portugal and Spain all planned with Gourmand Breaks. Ursula and Caterina, who own this travel agency, planned an amazing experience for us in every city and village that we had the pleasure to visit. Their knowledge of the incredible historical sites, delicious foods and wines and best hotels in every area we travelled to is exceptional. Every hotel they chose was perfectly located, every meal scrumptious and every transfer from city to city was perfectly planned. Both Ursula and Caterina were available to us throughout our trip and were always in touch checking on us. Their active support throughout our trip was very important and appreciated throughout our time overseas.
We highly, highly recommend traveling with Gourmand Breaks. Their attention to every detail and ongoing follow up during our trip was invaluable. We felt absolutely supported and knew that Ursula and Caterina were supporting our travel experience every step of the way. We will absolutely choose to travel with Gourmand Breaks when we visit Europe again. Thank you so much Ursula and Caterina for an amazing travel experience. We wish you both ongoing success with your incredible travel agency.
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Annette & Bill from the USA
We highly recommend Gourmand Breaks! They developed a personalized Italian itinerary for us and they did all the work…hotels, restaurants, tour guides, winery visits, and drivers were all arranged ahead of time and they were all top notch. They communicated with us each day to make sure everything was going smoothly and we were able to just enjoy the trip. It was a great mix of culture, wine, food and local culture…a trip we will always remember!
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Stephanie & AJ from the USA
I am a return client of Gourmand Breaks, recently returning from Spain in September 2023. The wine trip was last minute and Ursula and Caterina collaborated with me to make sure that I got the most from my experience and then some! The wineries and lunches were incredible and a Jamon tasting was one of the highlights. The drivers are professional and punctual and the accommodations are in excellent locations. Ursula and Caterina are available while in Europe and they even checked in to make sure everything was going smoothly. If you are looking for an amazing vacation that is hassle free, I highly recommend Gourmand Breaks and I’m looking forward to planning my next excursion with them.
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Paul & son Patrick from the UK
My son and I went on a 10 day wine tour starting in Porto following the Douro through Portugal and Spain to Rioja then via San Sebastian to Bordeaux organized by Ursula and Caterina at Gourmand Travel. They arranged transport, knowledgeable local tour guides, winery visits, hotels etc meeting and exceeding our every need, making this an exceptional travel experience for any lover of wine, fine food and luxury hotels. It was also great fun with the friendly drivers and guides.
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Rudi & Annette from Australia
We became aware of Gourmand Breaks through friends of ours who had used them previously and were very happy with them. We got in touch with Gourmand Breaks before the Pandemic and together we planned a lovely trip in France and Spain which was unfortunately cancelled due to the Pandemic.Fast forward 2023 we planned our trip to Italy, France and Spain “at the last minute” and enlisted Gourmand Breaks for help with places to visit and the transport to get there. We don’t drive in Europe so needed good private transfers and local transport to scenic places and restaurants. We don’t like bus tours and the constraints they bring.
The email communication with Gourmand Breaks was fantastic, and there was much backward and forward suggestions and alterations with our itinerary with them. We had definite ideas of our own but were open to suggestions for Spain in particular. It is useful to note that we prefer long stays of about 2 weeks in each location and use that as a base to explore. Which is where Gourmand Breaks comes to the fore. They suggest and organise interesting places and definitely not the tourist places which we prefer to avoid. We started in Bordeaux using Sarlat as our base for 2 weeks and saw some beautiful places which we would not have seen without a local English speaking guide / chauffeur. After Sarlat we were driven to Girona, a lovely town, but make sure to get accommodation in the old town only. From Girona we were taken to lovely villages like Besalu, the Costa Brava and a guided tour of Girona itself. Of course we chose plenty of free time to explore our base towns on foot.
In conclusion we can thoroughly recommend Gourmand Breaks for a great personalised itinerary with quality vehicles and personable English speaking drivers. Suggestions of restaurants, places to visit, any assistance during our stay were invaluable. GB is a small independent company with flexibility and personalised service. You’re always in communication with the same person and that’s so helpful particularly when we had questions before and during the trip. So in rounding it up, I’d have no hesitation in booking a highly personal itinerary of Spain and France with Gourmand Breaks.
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Ruth Hilliard from the USA
We just returned from an incredible private (2 couples) 12 day wine and foodie tour from Porto to Barcelona and it was really worth the 2 year delay from the start of planning to the actual trip. Ursula was very, very helpful and made it easy to add Salamanca, Bilbao and San Sebastian to the itinerary. We traveled from Porto to the Douro River Valley (Pinhao), on to Salamanca, Ribera del Duero region (Penafiel), San Sebastian and Bilbao, La Rioja region (Laguardia), Priorat and finally to Barcelona. At every step of the trip we had recommendations for places to eat, activities to enjoy and history of each area.
Ursula was always available when we had a question and was so flexible when we needed to make an unexpected change. Our guides were fantastic, our drivers were excellent and all had well maintained, comfortable minivans— in short, Ursula thought of everything.
Most importantly, the wineries we went to were all interesting – some we liked more than others but each had something special to see and taste. Our tour in Priorat was outstanding and was not to be forgotten. The hotels were usually the best available in each location, the meals and wine pairings were superb and we felt totally pampered.
We were so satisfied with our trip that we have recommended Ursula and Gourmand Breaks to multiple people in the past few weeks. We would travel again with Gourmand Breaks without question!
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Louise Campbell from the USA
I can only echo the comments from the previous reviewer. We started our planning toward a trip meant for 2020. One month after the other, we thought that we could just back things up a bit, but it was not to be. Jamaica was my main contact, and she kept me informed on the situation in Spain and Portugal. Finally, we were able to travel in May of 2022.
It is the very best trip we have ever had, and that is saying a lot, as we have been traveling the US and Europe for nearly 30 years. We started in Barcelona, one of our favorite cities (hoping to get back sometime so that we can stop by the office and say hello in person), and traveled through the Priorat region, staying at exquisite hotels and visiting several of the wineries. The visit to Clos Mogador and the jeep tour of the vineyards with Josep was especially memorable for the personalized experience of smelling the wild herbs and flowers in and around the vineyards and understanding their impact on wine flavor.
None of our tours were the typical ‘tourist’ experiences, rather, they were very highly personalized and were great learning experiences. Next was La Rioja, and our stay at Hospederia de Los Parajes in the medieval town of Laguardia. This is where we first experienced THE POWER OF URSULA. Let me explain. Gourmand Breaks knows your hosts personally. There is incredible power in these connections. I texted Ursula about a very small issue at the hotel, and 10 minutes later I had a return text that she had spoken with the hotel owner and straightened things out. In the Rioja region, we visited Finca Valpiedra, where we enjoyed a lovely and very private picnic lunch in the vineyard after our tour, and had our first experience with the wine cellars and tunnels common to this region when we were hosted by Elena at Casa Primicia.
In Portugal, our chauffeur and guide for the most part was Miguel. Our experience with him was first class all the way. Everyone we met in Portugal was so incredibly friendly, gracious, and hospitable. There were some last minute changes in our itinerary due to one or two of our original locations not meeting Ursula’s high standards. Our meal and tasting at Quinta Nova was outstanding – when we started asking about some of the wines during the meal, the servers began bringing more bottles for us to taste. (No, this was not usual – the other diners were watching us and later commented about our special treatment. Just call it the POWER OF URSULA.)
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Natasha & Rohan from Australia
If you want a holiday where all you have to worry about is where to eat, then Gourmand Breaks is for you! Ursula and the team were great in planning our trip and even when in Europe would reach out to make sure everything is running smoothly. When train drivers were on strike in France, Gourmand Breaks had already organised another train ride, that had limited seats, before we had even found out about the strike!
It was our honeymoon and everything was flexible and customisable, our focus was on wineries and the wineries selected were exactly what we were after. The local tour guides that were used were amazing, the one-on-one tours were intimate and it felt like you got to experience something else that you would not get on a group tour. Recommendations, and even help booking exclusive restaurants are part of the service, one of the highlights was the cooking class in Florence and the other meal and restaurant recommendations could not be faulted.
We have so many great memories from our time in Europe, and if we were to ever go back we would definitely use them again. Highly recommended! Thanks Ursula and the team at Gourmand Breaks.
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Judi & Rusty from the USA
For our milestone wedding anniversary in 2020, we booked an awesome trip again with Gourmand Breaks (our second), a luxury wine and food themed tour through Spain and Portugal. But alas, it was not meant to be in 2020. Jamaica and Ursula were so patient and flexible with our change in dates due to the pandemic. From initial inquiry throughout the actual travels, they were responsive, helpful, and just plain delightful. We did make some changes to the original suggested itinerary – they were very open to helping us make the best use of our time based on our interests.
The accommodations were exquisite. We stayed in charming villages that were quiet, peaceful, and complete with services, as well as in wonderful hotels in the city center. EVERY guide was out of this world, whether it was from the local wineries that we visited, or city guides and chauffeurs.
I just cannot recommend Gourmand Breaks enough. They are kind, responsive, thorough, and really make you feel pampered while visiting Europe! I’m already looking forward to the next trip I can plan with them!
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KIRBY & DANNE’ HOULE
Now that we have returned home and had a chance to reflect on our trip, we felt we had to let you know how happy we were with all aspects of your service. Both the Portugal and Spain itineraries organized by Gourmand Breaks (with the cruise inserted in the middle) can only be described as superb. From our email exchanges while planning the trip, you were somehow able to plan the perfect itinerary to suit us.
The days seemed to proceed effortlessly on our part and we had full opportunity to enjoy the daily planned activities, food and wine without any worries…The tour guides and drivers were knowledgeable, engaging and flexible to accommodate us.
Your knowledge of the areas we visited provided superior accommodation, excellent cuisine, intimate tours and access that we would not have been able to arrange on our own. In summary this was an outstanding trip and we give full credit to Gourmand Breaks for helping us experience Spain and Portugal. We now need to find some more locations to visit in the areas you service!
BRIAN & JOANNA MACDONALD+ GERRY SADVARI & ANNE MARIE BONKALO
Brian & Joanna MacDonald: We had an absolutely stress free experience on our tour. Based upon the way you had communicated with us in the months of preparation, we had confidence that everything would run smoothly, and in fact id did! We loved our guides, the accommodations you selected for us, and the tours we had. That you cared enough to meet with us during one of the tours said everything about how we were treated. Best wishes and thanks for what you did for us!
Gerry Sadvari & Anne Marie Bonkalo: We had a perfectly wonderful time in Spain thanks to you and your fabulous guides. The food, wine, cooking lessons and drives were all unforgettable. Every guide was kind,knowledgeable and patient. I cannot think of a single thing I would have changed to make it better. The (cooking) lesson and meal in Seville and Barcelona were highlights among a plethora of memorable occasions. Thank you once again.
We had a fabulous eleven days in Spain thanks to Gourmand Breaks. It was the trip of a lifetime for us. They did an amazing job putting together a perfect itinerary. We worked closely with Ursula, Joanne and their team for several months leading up to our departure. We had many questions and suggestions and she was always incredibly responsive to our emails and answered with great detail.
All of our private guides were excellent, engaging and knowledgeable, and all of the detailed planning made it a worry free trip. In addition it was very convenient to have the personalized itinerary that they created for us online accessible to us that had all the details of our trip and numerous restaurant suggestions in each town.
In addition, they were there for us if we needed anything throughout the trip. We had an unexpected train delay on a Sunday and Ursula was able to rearrange the timing for the guide meeting us so that we did not miss out on any of the sightseeing we had planned.
We had a truly unforgettable experience. And we hope to be able to plan another trip with Gourmand Breaks in the future.
Just wanted to thank you, and all at Gourmand Breaks, for our excellent vacation over the last two weeks. Every aspect of it was great; we only wish we had more time at each place to explore more.
Our accommodations were always well situated and nicely appointed. Our guides were always very knowledgeable and pleasant to work with. The itinerary was super – we so enjoyed the stops recommended and arranged by Gourmand Breaks; we were particularly delighted with the Iberico Ham farm visit and the fado performance because they were both unexpectedly (to us) delightful. Planned meals were always good; we certainly learned to love tapas, but also found the restaurants to be excellent.
I would highly recommend your agency to friends.
We truly enjoyed the entire experience. I feel like we barely scratched the surface, nor did we experience Port drinking fully. So this means we will need to go back to Portugal.
I want to thank you and Ursula for creating a most memorable holiday for us. The pace of it, the guides, the food, the wine, and the hotels were wonderful. The personalized attention in both planning and execution sets Gourmand Breaks apart. You create unforgettable experiences that many visitors do not have. The care in selecting a good Fado restaurant, for example, meant a great deal to us. And we enjoyed planning our independent days after the excellent grounding of our guides.
If you ever wonder if what you do makes a difference, please have no doubts. Thank you again!
After a reflective week or so, we´d like to share a few thoughts about our Gourmand Breaks journey through Spain. Top line: We loved it! Barcelona was a great place to begin. Our guide gave us a real understanding of Catalonia as well as a wonderful tour of the Sagrada Famillia – the first of many marvels we saw on our trip.
Granada was delightful. Our expert guide maneuvered us gracefully through the crowds and took us on a memorable and knowledgeable tour of the Alhambra – the second marvel of our trip. We loved the hotel in Seville. Our guide, Paloma, was terrific. Her tour of the cathedral was excellent and we had such a good time with her afterwards. We loved the flamenco show and the manager made us feel welcome when he sought us out at the end of the performance to thank us for coming. And, of course, the scent of orange blossoms lingers in our memory. Elena, our guide in Cordoba, was very good and clearly at home. Strolling through the old town with her made us feel like locals, as she knew many folks along the way. Her knowledge of the Mezquita was extraordinary and her commentary greatly enhanced our visit to this magnificent sight – the third marvel of our trip.
And then came Madrid. The many neighborhoods, museums, the vitality, Retiro Park and the oh-so-friendly people won us over. The Prado art collection was yet another marvel and Olga´s insight was impressive. We loved tapas-hopping with her afterwards and were particularly pleased with the places she picked. We loved our guide in Toledo. His English was excellent and he knew the city so well. After our tour, he took us to a small but terrific local restaurant where we had a lunch menu for twelve euros, including a glass of wine! Segovia was a great side trip, too. We arrived early enough to have a quick visit of the cathedral and to marvel at the Roman aqueduct. We wandered through the old town, visited the Alcazar and even went through a local history museum. But the highlight was lunch at José Maria where we had the famous ´cochinillo´ What a treat!
Then came San Sebastian. Wow! … a perfect ending. We loved the hotel and the view from our room was mesmerizing. Once again, our guide was delightful, helping us appreciate the city´s history and taking us to just the right places. Then we had a spectacular pinchos- hopping jaunt with her that was a lot of fun. Bilbao was another memorable day trip. A great driver in his very comfortable car took us to the market downtown and drove us around a bit before dropping us off at the museum. The building is fantastic – another marvel! And thanks again for our lunch at Nerua ¦ one of the best meals we had on the trip. The driver took us back to San Sebastian via the coast, stopping for a few minutes to let us have a look at the port in Getaria. It was a beautiful drive. We have to thank you.
From beginning to end, our journey was very well-paced, encompassing and exciting on so many levels. In general, we loved traveling by fast train – and getting a feel for the topography of Spain along the way. The car and driver parts of our journey were top-notch and so comfortable. The guides were spot-on. Thank you for all your efforts on our behalf.
BURNIE BRIDGE & JOHN SELBO
John and I will be returning home early tomorrow and before we leave I wanted to tell you how much we enjoyed the services that Gourmand Breaks provided throughout our trip. Each of the three guides were very good: knowledgeable, flexible, genuine and personable, each in her own way. They added so much to enrich our stay.
The lunch you arranged for us in Salamanca was very enjoyable. I finally had the clams I had been wanting to try and they were delicious. The winery tour and lunch yesterday were of course absolutely delightful and the setting could not have been more spectacular. It was perfect! We also loved the tapas, the museum visits, the art gallery stops, and the city tours along the way. The wheelchair service worked quite well for me; even when I didn’t need it, it was good to know it was available.
Ursula, thank you again for your care and kindness in assisting us with what has been a most enjoyable vacation. The Douro river valley is unbelievably beautiful and we are returning home with many lovely memories. I expect that there will be a next time! We are already thinking about where we might go.
CHRISTINE PARRIS & ALEX SZMAN
The holiday you arranged for us was absolutely fabulous – the guides were two very informative, interesting and entertaining ladies. Our chauffeur was always on time, the car spotless and he too was entertaining and full of information. The food and wine at both restaurants was beyond belief – we were very disappointed to not taste the last chicken dish at one because we had eaten too much of the preceding delicious dishes and wanted room for the scrumptious desert! We loved the terrace at Casamar, the innovative food, the well chosen wine and the service which could not be faulted – I also love telling people back home that we actually ate a Gin & Tonic for dessert!
The wonderful food tastings along our travels were also well chosen and a lot of fun – we especially loved the wonderful Scottish lady and her delicious cheeses! The hotel in the Costa Brava was ideally placed – the setting spectacular! and the lovely beach below which we took advantage of on our free day. We fell in love with Llafranc and would very much love to revisit that area again – we would love to have Gourmand Breaks arrange another holiday for us in the near future – and will certainly recommend you to anyone thinking of a gourmet food and wine experience in the areas you specialise in.
Once again, thank you so much for your prompt replies and attending to all my itinerary revisions.
JOHN & DEBORAH QUINNEY
Just a quick note to say thanks very much for organising another fantastic holiday for us in Spain & Portugal. We are very happy and have many new wonderful memories. It was also good to see Miguel again – he looked after us very well and added to our experience significantly.
Bye for now. If / when we are heading back this way we will be back in contact with you and Gourmand Breaks. Thanks again!
LORI BUTLER-OEGEMA
I have finally been able to sit down and catch my breath since we have been home. I wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time while were in Spain and Portugal. Everything that you planned for us was top notch and we could not have been happier.
All of your guides and drivers were everything that one would love to tour around with. It was so nice that you were checking in with us to see how we were making out and fixing anything that need to be taken care of. This was truly our most enjoyable vacation to date.
Thank you so much for putting this vacation together for us and letting us experience a truly remarkable time. I´m sure in the future we will be getting in touch with you to plan another vacation. Cheers!
CATH GLOVER & GERARD DYSON
Thank you for all your efforts in making our trip a memorable one. You have a great set up at your company and I feel as though I would always like to do trips in this way. We definitely wouldn´t have had as good a time without yourself and the guides along the way. It breaks up that alone time and they know all the secret places to visit with ease and the language barrier! It has been a wonderful mix of food, wine and history.
Would have no hesitation in recommending Gourmand Breaks to friends travelling in the future to Spain. Great memories and wonderful vacation.
MARGARET & PHIL ROETERDINK
Well, we´ve been back home now for about 2 weeks, and our Spain/Portugal trip is starting to seem like a bit of a dream. Firstly we would like to thank all the team at Gourmand Breaks for making this one of the best holidays we have had, and for all the care and attention you have all shown us prior, during and after our time away. We were extremely impressed with the warmth and knowledge of all of the guides and their willingness to share some of their own stories so that we almost felt like we were being shown around by friends. Also being taken to the little out-of-the-way places, which would not be covered in a group tour, made the whole experience more interesting and personal.
All of the hotels were of a very high standard, centrally located and with very helpful and friendly staff. It is hard to pick any one in particular but, Madrid was a great finishing touch to our trip. It was a pity we didn´t have better weather and a bit longer in Salamanca to make the best of the city, but, maybe another time.
The whole itinerary was excellent, well planned and thoughtfully put together. We had a marvellous introduction to Spain & Portugal and look forward to one day returning to see more of these fabulous countries.
We have, and will continue, to speak highly of the great times we have had on this holiday and we will take every opportunity to recommend Gourmand Breaks as an agency to assist in putting together a memorable holiday. Thank you once again for helping make this a memorable experience.
LACEY & JOEL CAMEY
We really enjoyed our trip to Spain. After experiencing Barcelona it was great to drive around wine country.
The rural hotels were cute and so comfortable and inviting. The Emporda and Penedes wines were lovely, everyone was so friendly at all the venues. A last minute change to one of the winery visits on one of the days was no problem and actually meant the day turned out to be about Cava – it was great!
Thanks again for your help planning this trip.
DEBORAH & JOHN QUINNEY
We were met by our driver Mario, who was on time and very helpful & friendly. The drive to Granada was comfortable and smooth. Mario looked after us well. When we got into our Hotel in Granada we loved it! Fantastic position close to the main street and square, plus a lovely view out to the Alhambra palace. I think I will always remember Granada and it will always remain one of my favourite places. The visit to the Alhambra was a highlight of course. Our guide Reyes was very good and we had a very memorable visit.
Then onto Barcelona. The trip was smooth, again with the assistance from Mario who was punctual and helpful as always. We loved our well located hotel in Barcelona too. Very good sightseeing walking tour, and what a wonderful visit to the Sagrada Familia. Another very very memorable experience, this time with guide Irma – who added a lot of interesting commentary and helped us get around quickly and easily (avoiding the queues and crowds). The Cooking Class and visit to the Boqueria was a lot of fun too.
Our hire car was delivered to our hotel on time. The in-car GPS in the BMW was quite easy to use and behaved itself (not sending us into tiny alleyways only fit for pedestrians and horses in historic villages). Historic Besalu was very good, and our tour of Girona with Anna was excellent. We really liked Girona … The meal at Divinum was incredible – we really enjoyed it – thank you so much for this!! Our countryside hotel was a charming establishment – and we grew to like it a lot. The staff were lovely and they made us very welcome. It was a good base to explore the area and we enjoyed our day trips to the wineries and picnics etc. We also loved Pals, Peratallada and Palau-Sator. Finally, onto another really good hotel and restaurant [Penedes Wine Region] – a good finish to our trip with some super wineries nearby. This was a very interesting hotel and we were sorry to leave after our short visit!
Thanks again, you managed to put this trip together so well. We saw and experienced so much in a fairly short timespan. Such great memories. Clearly, I am of the view that there is great benefit and value derived by having somebody like you and your team provide expert input and to coordinate the multiple service providers that are required to make such an itinerary really work.
MEI & STEPHEN CHENG
We enjoyed Portugal… the places, food/wine & people.. have been wonderful. Special mention of guide in Lisbon, Ana & chauffeurs Bruno, Jorge (George´s?) & Joaquim… all were very professional, informative & pleasant & it was lovely to be chauffeured around in Benz(s)… tres chic.
The prearranged dinners & the Fado dinner & lunch at Cascais were delicious. We so enjoyed having Miguel [chauffeur] with us for Douro & first day in Porto… he is amazing… so passionate & enthusiastic to show us his country. We loved the private wine tastings & lunch in Douro Valley & what a treat to stop & eat at that fabulous 1 Michelin star restaurant in that lovely hotel in Amarante.
Porto was so lovely too.. we loved the dinner you arranged & the last night went to a wonderful seafood restaurant that Miguel recommended. Likely that we will want to return to Portugal in the not too distant future. Will also happily refer your company to friends who are thinking of visiting Portugal or Spain & wish, like us, to have a private tour. So Joanne, thank you for arranging this wonderful trip… Gourmand Breaks has certainly exceeded our expectations & thank you for your personal attention.
WES ALBINGER & CHARLES PIERCE
We’ve been back for over a week now and have had time to reflect on our memorable sixteen-day trip to Portugal. Thank you!
We both appreciate the marvelous trip you put together, combining a wonderful itinerary with memorable events, great hotels, excellent guides and professional, courteous drivers.
And lastly, we thank you again for our impressive dinner at the Yeatman. We know we had the trip of a lifetime because of your efforts.
JOANN & DARRELL CLAY
Once again, as we travelled home, we were asking ourselves when we could return to Spain and Portugal … we had a wonderful trip, and your attention to detail and customer service was amazing. We did have the most wonderful food and wine experiences, and several times people we met were amazed at the charming places you were able to arrange for us. We followed many of your restaurant recommendations on our free days. We had a wonderful dinner in Lisbon.
Every guide we had was excellent and very attentive to the fact that Darrell was somewhat limited in his walking ability. We always feel like we have a very good history and culture introduction to each city. You did such an excellent job of choosing our wine experiences. We appreciate the contrasts from the very large scale to the small family run wineries and from very modern production to very traditional production.
KAREN & MARVIN SINGER
Our experience on our Gourmand Breaks trip to Spain and Portugal lived up to the rave reviews we had received from previous travelers with this company. Communication between Joanne, Ursula and the two of us was excellent before, during and after the trip. Information was clear and we were so impressed by the attention to every detail. The hotels were unique, well-situated and the service was impeccable. The personal guides were extremely knowledgeable and flexible. We enjoyed gourmet meals accompanied by outstanding regional wines. Gourmand Breaks will ensure that travelers benefit from a most special total cultural immersion.
KRISTI & ROB PECKHAM
Quick note to let you know that Kristi and I are now back home and to thank you for making our trip so memorable, perfectly planned and executed! You exceeded our expectations with an itinerary that matched exactly what we were looking for in experiencing local cuisine, wine, history and culture, while also allowing time for us to wander and explore on our own (armed with very helpful information the talented guides provided us with).
Sonia in Barcelona, Olga in Madrid, Maria Reyes in Granada, Paloma in Seville, Maria in Cordoba and Paula in Lisbon are all extremely knowledgeable, personally engaging, ´fantastic to be with´ people. Jose Antonio was remarkable as well – a true gentleman who made our journeys truly relaxing and informative. And Jorge´s insights in our drive to Sintra and Cascais were excellent. We could go on and on…
MARILYN & MICHAEL MUFSON
This is a thank you note, and love letter, to Gourmand Breaks for designing the 40th anniversary trip of our dreams. Our expectations were very high, but Madrid and Andalusia, and your caring attention to detail, exceeded them! As close to a perfect vacation as we´ve ever had together, and we´re talking 40 years!
First of all, we loved our guides – Olga, in Madrid: In addition to expertly guiding us through the magnificent El Prado Museum, she introduced us to sizzling prawns in garlic at Cervantes, which became our favorite tapas place! Paloma, in Seville, guided us through Barrio Santa Cruz, and the Reales Alcazares. We easily fell in love with Seville. In Cordoba, we were introduced to Marie Jose, whose passion for her city and its history was infectious. We spent hours with Marie. Obviously, we hated to say goodbye. While in Seville, Gourmand Breaks arranged for us to see a thrilling Flamenco show. The dancers, musicians and singers were truly artists. Not to be missed! We loved the all the hotels Gourmand Breaks selected for us. My favorite was in Granada. The room was stunning, but best of all was the lovely, private patio. Our first night, someone rang our bell at about 11. Enter a lovely young woman carrying a tray of delicious fruit. As if we weren´t already charmed out of our minds! Downstairs, next to the restaurant, was a beautiful courtyard where we enjoyed relaxing and people watching. We ordered simple appetizers but out of the blue were treated to a five course feast straight from heaven. The best paella we´ve ever tasted, served with such panache! The wait staff were heavenly, too.
And then there was the patio/balcony in Ronda with a magnificent view of the white houses on the cliffs on the other side of the gorge. Breathtaking! And in Seville, the courtyard outside of our room where we spent enchanted evenings lounging on couches, dining on tapas and inhaling the scent of orange trees. In addition to our superb hotel meal in Granada, our favorite restaurants (suggested by Gourmand), were Viridiana and Alabaster, both in Madrid, both unforgettable.
As a special treat, Gourmand arranged for us to see an opera, at Teatro Zarzuela, upon our return to Madrid. Not only were the lead performers exceptional, the staging was outstanding, with circus performers such as jugglers and a man on stilts, all in colorful costumes. Fortunately, a small screen at the top of the proscenium provided English translations! It was great fun to be in an audience of local people, many of whom had brought their children along. I´ve never been an opera buff, but this trip may have converted me!
Knowing that Ursula, Joanne and their team were looking after us was very reassuring. We knew that, were anything to go awry, they would see to it that things were set right again. We will be talking about our Spain trip for years to come, and plan to do it again with our grown children and their families! We eagerly look forward to another brilliant vacation with Gourmand Breaks
BRENDA & CHRIS WICKER
We are two very blessed people for having worked with you on this trip, and there is not a moment we would take back. Thank you very much for making this honeymoon/ anniversary more than memorable, and very special thanks to everyone we spent time with during our visit that made us feel like welcome family. To say that we will keep you in mind for our next vacation is an understatement.
CATH GLOVER & GERARD DYSON
I knew that booking our tour with Gourmand again would not disappoint! I was great to travel to Italy with you as well, you have so many fabulous places to visit and stay. We enjoyed our travels throughout the country. Being the foodies that we are, Modena and Bologna were just fabulous. We do love the smaller places where you can just wander and find some hidden gems. Our stand outs: Bologna B&B such a wonderful couple full of pride and wanting to please, Masi winery, our favourite wines, vineyard and story and Ca la Bionda, Borgo san Felice and our tours from there, cheese and balsamic tours, Antico and dinner meeting chef, driving up lake Garda and the lunch stop and views magnificent….
NANCY ANDERSON & CHARLIE SCHOLZ
You did an excellent job of finding the very best wineries with the most interesting philosophies of winemaking. Each one was unique and each one was impressive. The wines were all above average and most were top notch. We do so appreciate having these places chosen for us, as we would not have known where to start. Each region has its own charms, and we loved them all. We hope to experience more in coming years.
Without exception, the restaurants were excellent! The food was imaginative and well prepared and presented. The servers, and in some cases the chefs, were friendly and helpful. It was wonderful to be able to experience such good food in such delightful venues. On our own we ate at a couple of places I would highly recommend, though you already know about them as they were on your list.
Everything was beautiful (at the Priorat Hotel) including the views! The people were very welcoming, charming and helpful. Breakfast on the terrace was a delight each morning. I hope to return to this place as the area has much to be seen and experienced. [Penedes Hotel] A spectacular property! WOW! Too bad we did not get to stay longer! I really liked the whole Penedes area, and Vilafranca seemed like an interesting small town to visit.
We appreciated the little book with all the info, addresses, etc. But I must say it was difficult at times to find our way. The GPS gets you close, but maps would help. Indeed, I think we would not have done as well as we did without the research I did prior to the trip. I bought a Michelin map of Catalonia and I Googled directions from each site to the next and printed the maps. I do not know how others fare with this kind of itinerary, but for us, it was challenging. I am glad we did it, as it was a kind of learning experience, but perhaps I am just a bit too old for this much adventure. Nevertheless, we have stories to tell, and we had a wonderful time. I would do the whole trip again! It was great, and I am so glad we did it! Thanks so much for all you did for us. It was great to meet you!
JUDITH WOODFORD
My daughter and I have just spent a very memorable week being introduced to Catalan food and learning to cook this delicious regional cuisine. Every arrangement made by Gourmand Breaks was excellent, and totally lived up to the Company´s claims and our expectations. The luxury tour was of the highest quality in interest and of service throughout. From the friendliest chauffeur to the very knowledgeable (English speaking) tour guides at each location, and very comfortable accommodation we enjoyed an experience to treasure.
ANGELIQUE & MARK
We had a fabulous time! And couldn´t believe we got into Can Roca thanks to your connections, lunch was sublime.
Thank you again for arranging a wonderful trip!
BO & GAIL MATTHEWS
It was so good to meet with you and Ursula, and we appreciate the time and effort you put into arranging a tour for us. It certainly makes it easier for us to market your country and the many experiences it has to offer.
We loved Girona and our room in the hotel was so spacious and comfortable, and the staff very accomodating. The winery really is a beautiful place and the natural wine tasting was interesting and fun. Peratallada village was spectacular, and we really enjoyed the felling of stepping back into Medieval times, and also the fantastic authentic lunch we had here of Catalan cuisine.
BOB & DANA GOLDEN
We really enjoyed our customized wine tour with you…Thank you so much for all your assistance …. We appreciated your attention and great service…. We loved all the wineries that we visited in Priorat, Ribera del Duero and La Rioja, thank you once again!
BOBBI & CLIFFORD MALZMAN
We have just returned from a fantastic journey to Barcelona and the Priorat wine region. Joanne from Gourmand Breaks helped us to plan a variety of details. She arranged a fantastic driver and luxury car up to Priorat and her connections in the wineries are amazing. We were greeted by owners and wine makers and treated to vineyard tours and amazing wine tastings.
In Barcelona Joanne set us up with a wonderful, fun, intelligent guide on day 1 who gave us a comprehensive lay of the land before we were free for 3 days to amble about checking museums, monuments, restaurants and shopping off our list. Irma, our guide, took us through the unbelievable Sagrada Familia and explained the history and details of this not to believed Gaudi basilica.
Joanne secured our restaurant reservations and our trip went completely smoothly. I can´t wait to return to Barcelona, it is a fantastic destination. If you are planning a trip to Spain or Portugal I highly recommend Joanne and her company to make your arrangements.
CATHERINE BELL
Our tour guide was charming and ridiculously handsome! We visited a very modern and fascinating organic winery. We spent time wandering the cobbled streets of Pals, a rather perfectly restored medieval village which boasts some great eateries … If the door to the church is unlocked it is worth poking your nose inside, parts of it date back to the 10th century.
Stopped for a delicious lunch of local produce and a great Empordan wine from the Peralada winery not too far away. We really needed a walk to shake off some of the calories we had gained from the super lunch and moved on to Calella de Palafrugell for a wander along the front. A pretty, but rather sleepy little hollow (at this time of year) with old fishing boats pulled up on the sand and a few locals taking their afternoon stroll. On return to Girona we had time to explore the town´s exquisite cathedral and to wander the well preserved Jewish Quarter and museum. Crossing the river on one of the many foot bridges allows a view of the cathedral at dusk that I will always remember.
CATHY & LAURA GOULD
The tour Laura and I took in May this year with your company out of Barcelona and through the Girona area out to the Costa Brava Coast was a highlight of our trip … thank you.
And Cathy posted on our Facebook Page:
What an amazing day we had organised by Gourmand Breaks ! Thank you so much … it really was the highlight of our long weekend trip to Barcelona in May. Alex, the ever courteous, delightful driver picked us up from our apartment and whisked us north to the area around Girona and onto the Costa Brava coast for the afternoon. The day was full of Spanish delights, villages, food, wine, beaches, people and a little shopping ! Nothing was too much trouble and all with so much fun and laughter. Thank you all of you for a truly special day Laura and I shared … memories to last a lifetime.
CHAD & ALLISON LETSON
This was the best trip that either of us has ever been on. The quality of the accommodations, food, and sites was astounding. Every question that we had about the tour or what to expect was quickly answered by you. We never felt like we were alone or without help. I am still amazed that you were able to include all of our ideas and wishes into a cohesive vacation.
And a comment from Allison on our Facebook Page:
Just returned on Sunday from our two week customized Honeymoon in Spain! Could not have imagined a better Honeymoon! Thank you Gourmand Breaks for such great planning and our very knowledgeable tour guides. We felt like a King and Queen the whole two weeks!
CLAUDINE LANGAN & CHUCK RUBIN
Thank you very much for organizing our introductory trip to Spain! We would highly recommend your services to anyone who wants to hand over the planning of a trip to an expert with an eye for finding delicious and unusual things to see, do and taste.
The logistics were all extremely well organized and the choices of accommodation and restaurants were terrific. All the drivers were excellent and the cars comfortable. Our guide in Granada was terrific: pleasant, informative, and took her time and allowed us the time to take it all in. The two winery tours in Priorat were fantastic, each very different from the other but the personal touch of the first and the elegance of the second were terrific. The Iberico Ham production tour/tasting in Andalucia and the cooking class in Barcelona were highlights as well. Using Gourmand Breaks made it very easy for us to discover a country we had never been to. Thank you!
DEBBIE CAMBRIDGE
…. Wineries: Cordoniu, great tour. Costes de Siurana, stunning wines and setup. Delightful picnic at Terra Remoto. Abadia Retuerta, great tour in the jeep followed by a fantastic tasting menu…… The private guides of cities were excellent, private guides are the best way to enjoy the city. We loved the hotels, especially the castle, with stunning views, setting, room and restaurant.
ERIN & MICHAEL REININGER GROUP
We had an AMAZING trip and want to thank you for all your help. The hotels were fabulous, the excursions unforgettable, and the overall trip itinerary was fantastic. Thanks for bringing a personal touch to our trip. Your on call availability made our trip more comfortable and helped with any questions that arose. Thank you, thank you, thank you :) You are true professionals!
ESTHER SCHORR GROUP
From our Facebook Page:
Love. love loved the grape stomping day with you guys!!! What a lovely outing and of course, great wine! Thanks a bunch (Pardon the pun)
FLORRIE MCCALLUM
The trip itinerary has been superb. Carlos and Anna were very knowledgeable and the castle hotel was a great location. We had a wonderful dinner at Celler de Can Roca, lovely restaurant, people and fantastic food!!
GABRIELLE GUGLIOCCIELLO & MICHAEL CAMARRA
We had such a wonderful time! We learned a lot from Gemma and Edgar (who are excellent hosts!) and really enjoyed their guidance and knowledge, and yes – we were lucky enough to have the restaurant yesterday make us a plate from the mushrooms we collected! It was delicious, as was the rest of the restaurant´s menu.
We can´t thank you enough for planning such a thoughtful itinerary for us. We will definitely be recommending this to friends! (And we would love to try other options for tours through you on a future vacation.)
GWENN & PHIL WEISS
Thanks Yvonne and Gourmand Breaks team! Our gourmet tour of Barcelona was definitely the highlight of our European vacation.
JAMIE & WAYNE GAABO
Love you guys!!! We think about our trip back in June every day, our meal and El Celler de Can Roca, and we´re still cooking Tapas, Pintxos, and Paella. We´ve even found some of the Pares Balta wines locally… Our trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience… and we can´t wait to make it a twice-in-a-lifetime event. Thank you for the experience!
JANET & DOUG LUCKHURST
We had a wonderful time. You and the company organized everything so perfectly. We knew we were in good hands.
Thank you again for teaching us about the culture, architecture, art and people of Spain. We will relive our memories forever.
JOE & SUE KAZDA
Seville was our favorite city, much to do and lots of good places to eat, drink and be merry. Ham processing tour and port wine tasting were interesting and informative and a nice surprise for us….. cities, tours, Gourmand tour guides and people we met were fantastic. The settings were perfect for people watching too.
Everything has gone very smoothly. Thanks, your responsiveness is one reason why we like Gourmand so much.
JOHN & DEBORAH QUINNEY
Just a quick note to say thanks very much for organising another fantastic holiday for us in Spain & Portugal. We are very happy and have many new wonderful memories. It was also good to see Miguel again – he looked after us very well and added to our experience significantly.
Bye for now. If / when we are heading back this way we will be back in contact with you and Gourmand Breaks. Thanks again!
KELLY PARSONS GROUP
Jarrett, Jeff, Sunnyie, and I had a lovely time in Barcelona… the cooking class was most certainly a highlight of the trip for us. (We´ve already tried the recipes at home!) We also very much enjoyed our walking tour with Bego. She very easily made Catalonia come to life with great insight to the history of the community and modern day reflections on politics.
After our day we felt we better understood the local culture from many aspects, and we would do it all over again in a heartbeat! Thanks for setting up everything and hiring the best!
KIMBERLY NEWHART
Just wanted to thank you for putting together a very lovely trip. We enjoyed the wineries and hotels. All was great. Peter was a wonderful driver for us too. He was so very nice and helpful. …….We had a fabulous time with them and if we would change something it would be to spend more time at their place. We had such a wonderful time!
LARA & BRETT SILVERMAN
Thanks again for putting together such a wonderful tour for us. It was so spectacular and memorable!!
We truly enjoyed our trip with Gourmand Breaks. Your company put us in contact with artisans that we never would have found otherwise and allowed for a smooth (and packed!) honeymoon adventure.
We learned a lot about Spanish wine, cheese, olive oil, grain and honey, and now bring that knowledge back with us and into our cooking. It was a hands-on experience that we will never forget.
We have so many fond memories of our honeymoon trip with you through Catalonia, and we recommend your services whenever we can. Thank you!!!
MARY VITELLA & DAVID SEAGO
We are now home after a fantastic vacation. Our dinner at El Club Allard was very memorable as our first course was comprised of a business card with their name embossed on it that was actually made of potato which we dipped into a very sweet onion custard. Very interesting…
Everything along the way was always on schedule and all of the hotels and guides were lovely.
MIKE & ANNE ROSENTHAL
We recently had the fortune of utilizing Gourmand Breaks as our travel planner for a 26-day vacation in Portugal and Spain.
We were so impressed with the individual planning and flexibility that they exhibited and their patience in working with us over a 6-year period. Due to a number of health issues the actual trip was continuously postponed, and they never lost interest in working with us.
On several occasions even during the actual vacation modifications were required and were dealt with seamlessly without any inconveniences. The drivers, guides, selected hotels, tours and food were all of the highest standards and the ease of completing this complicated vacation to 14 different locations was extraordinary. Last minute add-ons to popular locations were dealt with promptly and efficiently.
ROZ ROSS
Such great experiences with you guys …. We loved our visits in Lisbon, Granada, Seville and Barcelona. The guides were great and explained all the historical and foody aspects of all the cities we visited.
Lisbon was a blast with some great food and wine tastings. Barcelona was, well, buzzing and the food ….. divine!
The Alhambra is well worth a visit and even though it´s hot in Southern Spain in Summer it´s great sightseeing even though on a slower pace!
SARAH GARNER AND JANE HARDIN
We thank you for all the excellent logistics, transportation, accommodations and planning.
We enjoyed San Sebastian so much! We had a remarkable time in Spain, and loved the diversity of the tour and professionalism of everyone we met. Thanks a million!
and, on our Facebook Page:
Just back from an awesome, CUSTOM tour in Barcelona, Girona, San Sebastian and Bilbao. An outstanding itinerary that really fit our travel needs! If Spain or Portugal are your destinations Gourmand Breaks are the folks to do it for you.
SCOTT MURRAY
The itineraries were great and the guides so friendly. Catalonia is such a fantastic area, so much to see! The countryside is wonderful and we really enjoyed the winery visits. Girona and Besalu was a great tour and such nice places, we got some great old style photos of the 2, as well as of the Medieval villages and beautiful Calella de Palafrugell. Can Roca was an experience in its self ……. Amazing! Thank you so much for your assistance and advice planning our trips.
KRISTIE SHAH & FAMILY
Thank you for putting together a wonderful trip for me and my family. It was a great experience learning about all the food, culture and history of Spain. I do believe my mom was able to purchase all the things she needed to make a paella at home. Thanks once again!
SHERYL KOTZER & TERRI MACLEAN
We just landed in Toronto and are already missing Spain and Portugal. What a wonderful experience, we can’t thank you enough for making everything so perfect for us !! We’re already talking about a repeat performance !!!!! Thank you again !!! Sheryl.
Just wanted to add my thanks to Sheryl’s note. What an amazing time we had! All of the guides and drivers were wonderful as were all of the hotels and restaurants. I have only one thing I would have changed…I would have loved to stay longer at the Yeatman! Fantastic!!! Terri.
SUE STEIN & DEBRA SELL
We are back in the Bay area, almost adjusted to the jet lag and time change and still remembering our great time in Barcelona and the Costa Brava. The holiday was much too short and we want to return to spend more time in each place.
Both Sonia and Esther were amazing people and guides. (Esther is officially the best driver in the world.) (Sonia was the perfect guide to the Sagrada Familia.) Mas Pou was fantastic and I would definitely return there. We’ve been spoiled by being in the area during the winter and the peace and quiet. We enjoyed that so much.
Our only regret was that after a “snack” at La Pineda we then had an 8-course lunch. We just couldn’t eat all the amazing food.
Thank you for another wonderful trip!
LES KORSH & TAMI SEGAL
Our trip was fabulous and you had everything lined up perfectly with the guides and restaurant recommendations. Our highlight was the winery! I think we could have stayed there all day. I told my husband I felt like we were on the reality show Bachelor and I had this incredible date with my husband.
Thank you for being so patient with us. We will be forwarding on your contact when our friends wish to travel to Spain.
DREXLER FAMILY
We loved our walking tour of Madrid and the tapas was amazing. We enjoyed our day in old Toledo. Barcelona was fantastic and, our guide took us to some great spots that we would never have found on our own. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit to the Perelada winery and tasting the wines and the guided visit in Girona was so very interesting. Our chauffeur throughout was excellent.
TRACY & ANDY SIKLOS AND LAURIE & GEORGE SCHNARR
Everything was fabulous, we were so well taken care of and it was such a luxury to have everything arranged. The guides were extremely knowledgeable and invaluable in taking us around and orienting us to the area. The restaurant suggestions and hotel bookings made for such a memorable trip as we were really able to experience the area as an insider, not just a tourist.
Would recommend your company to our friends. Thank you again for everything you´ve done, your customer service is very high and we really enjoyed working with you and meeting you!
XING GROUP
Thank you so much for the wonderful tour! We really had a great time and everybody was very happy! The guides were also very professional and extremely friendly. The combination of sightseeing and food was absolutely perfect!
ZENNI & HARRISON FAMILIES
I cannot tell you how much the Zennis and Harrisons are missing our time in Spain and have been reminiscing about the trip daily this past week! I can honestly say that we all feel that our trip to Spain was the best vacation we have ever taken. You and your team’s attention to detail was amazing. From the moment we started planning the trip together, I knew choosing Gourmand Breaks was the best decision for our group. That decision was reinforced daily on the trip. The transportation, accommodations, guides and tours were all top notch, but the shining star of the trip in my opinion was the food! The unique restaurants, wine tastings and market visits were my favorite times. Our lives are so busy as a family, and mealtime is some of the only times we are all actually together in the same room. The meals on our trip were my favorite time because it allowed us all to relax and fellowship together. I have recommended your business to several friends and I long for the time when we can plan another trip together!
SONIA & VINCE MASCOLO
After having a wonderful experience touring Spain with Gourmand Breaks in 2016, we decided to take the plunge of travelling to Europe from Australia with our 8 month old daughter – and we never thought twice about once again reaching out to Ursula and Jamaica at Gourmand Breaks to help us out.
Thankfully for us, Gourmand Breaks had since added Italy to their tour destinations. They gave us an idea of the areas they travel to and what a possible itinerary would look like. As always they then customised it for us based on our requirements. We began in Barcelona. In 2011, we had spent three days in Barcelona, and had left quite underwhelmed. Once we returned with Gourmand Breaks, we quickly realised how much the city had to offer. With our lovely guide, we had a wonderful experience in Barcelona – definitely highlighted by our amazing private guided tour of Sagradia Familia.
We then rejoined Gourmand Breaks in Northern Italy, travelling from Verona and ending in Bologna. With Ursula and Jamaica knowing the foodies that we are, and catering for our daughter as well, we had a truly life changing experience – who knew travelling with an 8 month old could be such an experience! Our experiences were highlighted with an amazing lunch and tour at a culatello farm in Emiglia Romagna, near Parma; spending hours in the car with our knowledgeable and amazing driver Giuseppe across the countryside of Piedmont and Emiglia Romagna; more amazing lunches in Alba (where we managed to crash a wedding :)), Positano and Naples; as well as an astonishing tour of the hidden beauty and idiosyncrasies of Naples with our amazing tour guide. We could go on and on – but we were asked to keep this “short and sweet”.
Essentially, these ladies are worth every dollar. You simply cannot have the same experience if you try to do it yourself or use a generic tour company. They take you to all the hidden gems where often locals will remark “how did you find this place?” And everything is made so easy, which is saying a lot when travelling on the other side of the world with a baby. If you are thinking of booking with Gourmand Breaks, do it!! You won’t regret it – take it from us, we’ve done it twice and we will do it again!!