28 Oct Douglas Bartlett, Belfast, N.Ireland. Summer 2018
“If you are searching for the best tour company in Spain then‘Just Explore’ is it. I opted to spend a week on a small group tour visiting Andalusia. I hoped to gather a flavour of a country I had only visited briefly once before. From the initial contact with Rosa Lara, the Managing Director of ‘Just Explore’, I was treated to a level of attention to detail that no other company could possibly match. Her deep knowledge of her country allows her to offer tour suggestions that can cater for the very specific interests of each individual.
From the beginning our guides took us deep into the vibrant culture, of Andalusia, past and present. Each hand picked guide presented his or her own area of ‘specialism’. With their different anecdotes and examples, each brought Spain’s history alive and with a very personal passion, openness and honesty, also gave us insights into modern Spanish life.
The food, wine, history, music, dance, architecture and traditions of Spain were set before us. We stayed in top quality boutique hotels which were all a stroll from the town centre, making visiting very pleasant, easy and convenient. Our transfers were seamlessly done with drivers who were guides themselves, making the journey even more interesting. While our visits took in the classic venues on the Golden Triangle of Malaga, Granada, Cordoba, and Seville, Rosa herself took us sightseeing off the beaten track. With her we saw the ancient and unique wine production methods used in her home town, and also enjoyed the hidden rooftop splendour of a cocktail bar with a pool. Our table overlooked Seville Cathedral.
I found the experience astonishingly well put together. Rosa was sensitive and responsive to each individual at each point on the tour creating an atmosphere that left us relaxed and at ease with each other – all the more amazing, since she was in final stages of her wedding plans!
In short the trip was exceptionally well organised. It presented to us, what seemed to be the very ‘soul’ of the country we were visiting. I have no doubt that it was the unique qualities of this particular tour company, ‘Just Explore’which is responsible for it all. I have heard that flamenco dancer Sara Baras is in concert in Cordoba in late November. Who could get me tickets ….?
Just excellent, just perfect, ‘Just Explore.’
Douglas Bartlett
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Summer 2018
