For the absolutely least expensive trips to Spain available right this moment, you have a lot to choose from. Single city tours to Barcelona or Madrid ranging from only $114 per day for air and land to 16-day fully-escorted vacation packages that take you through the entire country to early fall trips to the still warm Marbella -- all are available for slightly more than a song and a dance.
Budget tour provider Cosmos Tours (tel. 800/276-1241; www.cosmos.com) has a 16-day Grand Tour of Spain that includes air and hotel starting at $2,055 with air and $1,360 for the land-only version. That comes to $128 a day for the air trip and $86 per day for the land-only package. The trip includes airfare out of New York, entrance fees to all major sites including La Mancha, local tour guides, a touring guide for the duration of your trip, touring in an air-conditioned motor coach, tourist class hotels in all cities, as well as fourteen breakfasts and eight dinners. Cities included on the tour are Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Pamplona, Seville, Granada, Salamanca, Bilboa and Cordoba.
Gate One Travel (tel. 800/682-3333; www.gateonetravel.com) has a seven-day combination trip covering Madrid and Barcelona and starting at $799 for air and accommodations with departures in November and December 2006. The package includes flights from New York to Madrid, intra-country air travel from Madrid to Barcelona, and the flight back to the United States from Barcelona. It also includes two nights in Madrid, three nights in Barcelona, daily breakfast, all hotel taxes and service charges, and airline fuel taxes. Airport security fees and departure taxes are not included. The hotels are both budget class, which for Spain means comfortable, very clean, and modern properties with good-sized rooms in centrally located business and retail districts. Sightseeing excursions can be arranged through Gate One in and around each city for additional fees. A half-day tour of Barcelona costs $45. This trip comes to approximately $114 per day.
For walkers on a keep your shoestrings tied budget, Gap Adventures (tel. 800/708-7761; www.gapadventures.com) has a special eight-day "Catalonian Walking Adventure" starting at $820 for the land-only trip. There are seven spots available on this trip departing on September 30, 2006. Starting in Barcelona and labeled active, meaning some physical exertion and hiking, this trip explores the culture and physical beauty of Catalonia with walks through medieval villages, the Garrotxa National Park, and the Nuria Valley, a scenic, rustic, region known for its thick woods and cliffs. Accommodations are in "simple hotels" with two nights in open-roomed, shared, mountain cabins where trekkers and hikers sleep. Transportation includes trips on local buses, trains, and of course walking. As you can probably tell, this GAP Adventure immerses you very quickly on intimate terms with the local culture and people. No meals are included, so it's suggested you bring about $250 for food. A similar trip from GAP explores the region via bicycle starting at $915 for the package.
For travel after the first of the year, Go Today (tel. 800/227-3235; www.go-today.com) has a Spain fly and drive seven-day package that includes rental car and airfare out of New York, Boston or Philadelphia starting at $649 for travel from January 4 to March 7, 2007. You have to book this trip by August 24, 2006 to lock in these low prices. The car at this price is a two-door compact rental car. Gas mileage is unlimited. With a week's time, you can go just about anywhere from your starting and return point of Madrid. Finding an inexpensive hotel in Spain shouldn't be too hard. There are a host of European-based hotel discounters online offering deals to Spain hotels. One of them, All Hotels (www.all-hotels.com/spain_hotels.htm), had a first-class hotel in Valencia starting at $55 per night. Also, the American-based provider Lowest Travel (tel. 800/638-7952; www.lowestravel.com) has seaside rooms in Marbella starting at approximately $70 per night. To keep costs even lower, you can always check out the listings at Hostels.com (www.hostels.com/en/index.html). They have extensive listings and descriptions for Spanish hostels located throughout the country.
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