Northern Spain Reviews

Thank you Hannah at Global Journeys, everything was so well organised for us and hassle free. Insight Tour was fantastic, we had the best tour director in Philippe and a confident and safe driver. Loved all the places we visited, especially meeting the pilgrims in Santiago de Compostela at the end of their trek. Montserrat was very special and we had ...read more a brilliant day there. Great group of people on the tour.

This tour should have been a most enjoyable tour, but spoiled by a tour guide who didn’t really care about the people under his care and guidance. The journey from Madrid to Santiago de Compostela took about 6 to 7 hours. It was absolutely boring! Apart from a short perfunctory remark for about 10 minutes, our so-called “Tour Guide” did absolutely ...read more nothing to alleviate the boredom. We were hoping for some dissertation on the history, culture and politics on Spain, or at the very least a video or even some music to kill the boredom. But nothing came! The same thing occurred on the long trip from Pamplona to Barcelona in the return leg! It was boredom personified. The next startling news was that several optional tours offered in the tour were to be cancelled or withdrawn due the small numbers of 12 people in the tour! This was most disappointing because some of us had planned to go on to these optional tours offered in the itinerary.

The worst was to come. Due to the cancelled optional tour at Barcelona, the tour guide unilaterally and without consultation, announced that he wanted to reschedule the farewell dinner from the last day to the 2nd last day and from a dinner to a farewell LUNCH. This was most unconventional as a farewell dinner are normally conducted on the last day! However, before we had a chance to comprehend the purpose and significance of this change, the tour guide made another unilateral announcement : he decided that the farewell dinner was to be rescheduled to the 2nd last night. This means that instead of finishing the tour late on the last light, it will now finish early midday after our morning tour of Barcelona! No doubt, this allows the driver and the tour guide to have the night free on the last day of the tour.

We find this unilateral rescheduling of Insight Vacation ‘s advertised itinerary is tantamount to a breach of contract. Also, all the guiding were given by local guides with the exception the one at Pamplona where Rory took charge. Because of the huge crowd at this Bull run, our tour bus had to be parked a long way from the city centre. We had to fight our way through the huge crowds. For some inexplicable reason, Rory did not used the radios issued. As we returned to our tour bus, Rory failed to check the numbers and he would have left two members of our group if weren’t for the fact that some of us had to inform Rory that he had left these two members behind. This incident had instilled fear and doubt in some of us on his ability as a tour guide.

Northern Spain was very different from the South of Spain. A bit wetter and greener. Places visited were excellent with many unexpected pleasures. Timing between stops and lunch breaks were a bit erratic as there were 2 coaches following each other and tried to stay at least 30 mins apart. Highlight being Santiago and San Sebastian. But the coach ...read more timing didn't stop it being a great tour. And as usual Global Journeys (Yvonne) was very easy to book through.

Good bunch of friendly people to travel with. Tour guide was very professional and friendly. Enjoyed the trip immensely. The scenery was beautiful, excursions were worthwhile.