July 16, 2004 -- There's still time to find affordable packages to Spain that allow you to travel before summer ends. Plus, there's plenty of time to plan for a quick Thanksgiving getaway.
Petrabax (800/265-4842; www.petrabaxusa.com) has a "Spain Fiesta" package that takes you to Madrid, Merida, Cordoba, Seville and the Costa del Sol. The combo includes six nights in tourist- or first-class hotels, daily breakfast, two lunches and one dinner. Through the itinerary you are on an air-conditioned motor coach with a tour director who speaks English. You also get escorted sightseeing with local guides in Madrid, Cordoba, Seville and Granada. That's a lot of Spain, and the land-only cost per person ranges from $810 for tourist class hotels to $905 for first class hotelse, depending on departure date. Looking at departures out of New York, for example, the combined air and land prices begin at $1,448 and rise to $1,785. Departures include July 22 & 29; August 5, 12, 19 & 26; September 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30; and October 7, 14, 21 & 28.
Petrabax also has a 10-day/eight-night "Southern Landscapes" tour that also takes you to Madrid, Cordoba, Seville and Granada, adding on Ronda, from $999 plus airfare. Even more comprehensive is the 12-day/10-night "Northern Spain" itinerary that starts from $1,395 without airfare. This tour includes visits to Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebastian, Santander, Oviedo, Lugo, La Coruna, Santiago, Vigo and Salamanca.
The Internet-only discounter, OffPeakTraveler (www.offpeaktraveler.com), has a doozy of an offer for selected departures in July and August to Barcelona. Packages start from only $699 for seven nights and include roundtrip airfare out of New York City, your choice of three different tourist-class hotels and morning meals. Taxes and fees add another $99. For more specific information, read the details page at www.offpeaktraveler.com/action/offer?OFFER_ID=860555.
Gate 1 Travel has some ideas on Iberian travel and has come up with two Thanksgiving packages, one featuring Barcelona, the other the Costa del Sol. The Barcelona deal starts from $499 for departures out of New York City, a few dollars off the regular price, and departs November 24, 2004 for Spain. Other gateways across the US are available. The package includes roundtrip airfare and four nights in the first class Icaria Hotel, plus daily breakfast. There are optional half-day and full day tours of the city or to Montserrat, as well as optional dinner and flamenco show. You pay your own airport/hotel/airport transfers and everything else beyond the basic package.
The same kind of deal is offered to the Costa del Sol, where you would stay in the Alay Hotel in Banalmadena for the price of $499 out of New York, also departing on November 24, 2004. This package also includes the airfare and four nights of lodging, as well as daily breakfast. There is an optional full day tour to Granada with lunch for $109, or a half day countryside tour of Andalucia for $30. Contact Gate 1 Travel at www.gate1travel.com or at 800/682-3333.