Spain & Portugal
Reviews
My trip to Spain was amazing. Our TM Elio & our local guides were very knowledgeable and provided a lot of background & history I hadn't known before. I love that we were at the sites early, so we had a chance to see everything before the crowds arrived. And Spain is crowded at this holiday. Our driver was always on time & was super helpful. The hotels were lovely and I loved the food.
Jaquelyn O.My trip was wonderful!! Thank you so much for arranging everything for my whole group. Our tour guide, Javier, was phenomenal. He went over and above to make sure we were taken care of, from beginning to end. I give him so much credit. Thank you to Gate 1Travel, you are awesome :)
Anna G.This was my first Gate1 tour and my first river cruise. It was wonderful. Special kudos to Eva and Nial who both made the trip run seamlessly. Also thank you to the chefs and wait staff who made mealtimes special. Thank you to the captain for being welcoming to guests and for providing safe travels. Also enjoyed the bar staff who interacted with all of us, the lobby staff were always available to assist or answer questions, and the housekeeping staff did an excellent job making up the room each day and keeping the ship extremely clean. Thank you to all as they truly are the ones who made the trip so successful.
Grace L.My trip was wonderful. I especially liked the smaller ship where it was easier to meet people and get to know the staff. The scenery was very nice and the atmosphere on the ship was laid back. It was relaxing. The food was delicious and well prepared. The meat is so tender you could cut it with a fork. I enjoyed the presentation of the appetizers, entrees, and desserts. I liked seeing the countryside as I traveled to the different excursions. It showed me the picture of Portugal as a country that I wanted to know Overall, I enjoyed the sights and have recommended Gate 1 to my family and friends for a Douro River cruise.
Elaine G.Fabulous. Our guide, Claudia, was the best. Our driver, Patricia, was over the top. We learned so much history about Portugal and experienced so much culture with your tour. Thank you Gate 1
Carol K.I am writing to express my deepest appreciation for the outstanding work of our tour manager, Sonia. She has been an exceptional presence throughout our journey professionally, organized, and genuinely caring in every moment. From the very beginning, Sonia made us feel welcomed, supported, and excited for what was ahead. Her communication was always clear, her planning flawless, and her ability to handle every detail with calm confidence was truly admirable. She anticipated needs we didn't even know we had, ensuring that every stop, every transition, and every experience felt smooth and enjoyable. What makes Sonia truly special is her warmth. She brought joy to the trip-not just by guiding us, but by being part of the group. Her positive energy, patience, and generosity of spirit lifted everyone's mood and made us feel connected, safe, and valued. She treated every member of the group with kindness and respect, and her passion for what she does shined in every interaction. Because of Sonia, this tour was not just a trip-it was a beautiful, memorable experience that we will treasure. Her dedication and professionalism make her an extraordinary asset, and we are grateful beyond words for the care she put into making our journey
Olga K.Estefi was excellent!! She was knowledgeable, friendly, great energy, very caring and did a really great job keeping the group together, informed and on time. BRAVO!! Really enjoyed getting to know her and would definitely prioritize a tour with her again.
Jodi M.No complaints, excellent trip for us and our group of friends. We were impressed from airport pick up, accommodations, our guide Odete and driver to airport drop off. Top notch from beginning to end. We can't wait until out next travel with Gate 1.
David Y.This was our first Gate 1 trip, and we were thoroughly pleased with the quality and staff. We want to pass along how great our cruise director Carmen was. We have done many trips and have had many directors along the way. Carmen was outstanding and a credit to the quality of your tour, based on our experience we will look to Gate 1 for a future trip.
Theodore O.Our tour of Spain was great! Magnificent sights like the Prado, the Grand Mosque and Cathedral, the Alhambra, Sacra FamÃlia, the Valencia Science Center, and many more, were feasts for the eye and improved our understanding of the history and culture of Spain! Our tour guide Alina was excellent! Also, there are no problems with the flights! (Sure, glad you gave us extended layovers between transfers! We needed the extra time!)
Thomas A.We loved our Douro River Cruise from start to finish - even on rainy days! The ship was truly a home away from home, with much better service. Our tour director, Gisella, was wonderful - friendly, approachable and incredibly organized. We really enjoyed getting to know her. Entertainment director, Eva, was fun and a perfect fit in her role. The food was amazing! I can't recall how many times we said that the meals were incredible.
Amanda H.I wanted to comment about our tour manager (Adrianna) and driver (Antonio). They are both top notch! Everyone on the trip thoroughly enjoyed the tour and Adrianna really added a special touch. She and Antonio were always in synch on the plans and kept us on schedule 100% of the time. Very impressed with both of them, especially Adrianna as she had a lot on her plate. Thanks!
Jane T.Our guide was Rui. Rui was everything and more that a traveler could ever ask for. He was just the right mix of professionalism, humor, and passion about the history of his Country. He was an absolute delight to be with us and made our trip comfortable and enjoyable every day.
Pamela R.Would like to give my highest praise to our Lisbon Portugal and Spain tour director Eva. Eva was the best tour director we have had from all of our Gate1 tours. I can't say enough about the way she conducted our tour. Thanks Gate1 for assigning such a wonderful person as our tour director.
Eddie S.I wanted to give some additional feedback on my Spain trip. Our Tour Manager, Rolando, was so great! He was knowledgeable, professional, caring and very organized. He kept us all on task for a seamless, enjoyable tour. I really appreciated how much he was watching out for our safety. And all of this could have been overlooked because he did it so well others might not have noticed how much he was doing behind the scenes. He really made the trip for us and I'm so glad he was our Tour Manager!
Carol H.I wanted to let you know that the trip to Spain was well organized by Gate1. Raquel, tour manager, Paloma, local tour guide and the bus driver, Chimo are dedicated and appreciated for making this trip enjoyable. To add, Raquel is considerate, kind with a loving heart I'm grateful to Raquel than words can express. Thank you Gate1 for a wonderful and fun time!!
Maureen H.I can't say enough about our trip guide, Pedro He was incredible, and kept all travelers punctual. His information he shared was so detailed and so real. This made the trip one of the best we had on Gate 1 tours. You should highly value his worth to the entire team at Gate 1. Another person worth noting was our initial driver, Pedro. He took great care of all of us.
Richard L.It was wonderful. So nice to stay in the same hotel for the entire time. Basque cooking is delicious and Santandar was beautiful beyond my wildest dreams. The Guggenheim is an experience unto itself.
Arlene R.I wanted to compliment Rui and Nuno (tour driver). Rui was exceptional. His mastery of the history of Portugal was superb. He was able to answer our questions and taught us some of the language in a fun way. He was very engaging and knew when we needed to nap on the bus. He managed our group, so we all felt like family traveling together. He kept us on time in a gentle way. I would travel again with him absolutely. Nuno, our driver was the picture of professionalism, we had rain the entire trip, but his driving ability made me always feel safe. He dressed professionally and was concerned about our safety on and off the bus. All in all, this was the best trip I could have imagined for my first trip with Gate 1 and my first trip to Europe.
LeeAnn T.I have been on 3 previous Gate1 tours & the Tour Managers have been excellent. However, I cannot say enough good things about our recent Tour Manager, Blanca. She was exceptional-outstanding! She was very professional, but friendly and easily accessible. She was thoughtful and very pleasant and worked very hard. She was the perfect hostess. She went out of her way for everyone. Kudos for having such a great person on your staff!
Eve S.Marcel, the tour guide was a wonderful guide, always pleasant, helpful, informative, and gracious. I cannot recommend him enough. The bus driver also was so courteous and an excellent driver. The tour was marvelous - I highly recommend the tour to get a taste of the southern part of Spain. Thank you for providing such excellent service.
Diane W.This is our first trip with Gate1 and I think our Tour Manager Marcela made it special. Evidently he made a lot of preparations behind the scene to make our trip run smoothly. We enjoyed his well timed stories and his knowledge.
Sasie F.The trip was outstanding ! The tour director, Francisco, was among the very best in our 9 Gate 1 trips. All our guides have been good but Francisco was absolutely superb. The trip was paced well and the extra side trips we took were all excellent as well. Gate 1 never disappoints !
Lawrence B.It was wonderful. Our tour guide Patricia was amazing. She was organized and prepared, a wealth of knowledge. She was so friendly and available to us at all times. All the staff on the Douro Cruiser were awesome. So friendly, kind and helpful. The food was delicious and our cabin was perfectly cleaned by Liliana. We had a waitperson in the dining room who made us feel like family, her name was Elsa. We had a member in our party with food allergies and Elsa worked diligently to make sure her food needs were met. I greatly appreciate the cooks who assisted with the special food preparation. Eva our activities director always had a fun activity planned. And I participated in many of the activities. The captain Fernando and his staff were experienced and I felt very safe with their navigator of the ship. Danny the bartender always made sure we were served the tastiest beverages and Ariel did the same at meals. Gate One has the best teams in the world. Everyone on the ship made sure I was well taken care of and enjoying myself. I cannot praise the entire staff enough and I know there were many crew members working hard to allow me this awesome experience. I would name all 35 in this email if I could. I also loved the excursions and the local guides and drivers. Thank you Gate One for another exciting adventure! Can't wait for my next one!
Mary R.Our Azores trip was great. Weather fabulous, staff at hotel over the top. Location of hotel so central and convenient. The room was clean, very large with good amenities. The island was just as magical as I remembered it to be. Lush green. The flight with SATA was good, basic but satisfactory. Would highly recommend this trip to anyone. Value for dollar a bonus
Virginia V.Our Trip was Fabulous. !Our Leader Vera was the best ! She was well informed, kept the group together , and on time and kept us full of information. She also was very kind and personable. We hope are next trip will be with her!! She is the best , Aldo bus driver was great and local tour guide Andres.
Jeannie T.The trip was wonderful. Busy everyday. Lorena, our tour manager has a great personality. She attended to everyone's need and made certain we were all enjoying the trip.
Maureen M.Our trip was fabulous! We wined and dined our way through Portugal with a wonderful guide, Aldo. The history and culture of the country was well represented in the tour. We will be looking for more Gate 1 trips in the future. Everything was top notch.
Mary R.My husband and I really enjoyed our trip. It's a beautiful country and a place my husband has always wanted to go. Our tour guide America was amazing. We can't say enough about him. His knowledge, friendliness, sense of humor and commitment to his job was more than impressive. We heard many people in our group talking about how wonderful Gate 1 is and how many trips they've taken through Gate 1, which really impressed us. Hoping to go to Switzerland with Gate 1 next year. Thank you for helping us book our trip and for making everything run so smoothly.
Laura H.Our trip was excellent. I think Gate1 has a winning formula with their "Stay and Explore" tours. Looking forward to seeing what other locations are offered.
Carol B.Overall an excellent tour. We really saw so many interesting sights! Beautiful hotels with lovely breakfasts. We can't say enough great things about our wonderful tour guide, Telma!
June J.Our guides Gonzalo (Gon) and Irene were fabulous and the entire itinerary was wonderful - hotels, meals, hikes, extra activities..A small hiking group gives us the chance to feel really immersed in the places we are visiting. This is our 4th Gate1 trip and each time, we do say it is our favorite. They have all been home runs!
Dorothy B.AMAZING trip in beautiful Portugal! Beautiful country, beautiful weather, beautiful food and traveling companions! Most of all....AMAZING ALEX, our guide and manager! He made everything possible and perfect as we traveled the country!!! Thank you! Have a great day and be blessed!
Susan G.Recently completed your Crown of Spain tour. Excellent! I can't praise your tour manager, Vera Alvarez enough!! She was absolutely magnificent. She was super friendly, knowledgeable, competent and managed to treat all of us like family. We all got the impression that she genuinely cared about us and went out of her way to keep us happy. She is a credit to your organization. Portugal is on my radar in the future. If you could guarantee that she would be managing that tour or any other outside of Spain, I would sign up for it tomorrow! Thank you.
Paul D.Our 9 Day Taste of Southern Spain trip was fabulous! Every part of the trip from start to finish was smooth, well coordinated and fun. Our guide Raquel was so personable and quirky funny. Marbella is a great location for a stay and explore as it has so many interesting towns with both the mountains and the oceans. This was our first "stay and explore" trip and we loved not having to move hotels every two days. It's a great option. We are ready to go again and, as always, Gate 1 does not disappoint.
Carol B.The Douro River Cruise proved to be an exceptional journey. The thoughtfully arranged excursions offered a perfect balance of culture and leisure. Special praise goes to our guide, Dejan, whose engaging commentary and warm personality made every moment richer. His ability to combine entertainment with valuable insights ensured we could also appreciate each destination independently. An unforgettable experience. Entertainment Host Eva was very good.
Jayant S.Eva, our tour host was the best guide I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I cried when we said goodbye on our last day. Her communication skills, sense of humor, warmth, and knowledge are outstanding!! I hope to find her on a future booking
Kim L.This was my first experience with an organized tour, and I have to say it was everything I hoped for and more. The hotels were all very nice, and the itinerary was excellent. I found Portugal and its people really lovely and am very glad I chose this destination. But the factor that really elevated this experience was our wonderful guide Rui. He was extremely knowledgeable and did an outstanding job of bringing Portugal's history to life. While delivering tons of information on the history of the country, he made it entertaining and memorable. On our last day, Rui arranged a brief, impromptu concert from a fabulous singer at the Opera Cafe. It was so moving, I know I will never forget it. Our driver, Mario, was also excellent and helped make the trip fun and easy. Because this was such a positive experience, I expect I will book another trip with Gate1 for new year. I only hope the next guide will be as good as Rui was, he will be a hard act to follow.
Emily H.I recently returned from the "Crown of Spain" tour. This was my eighth Gate One trip. I have to let you know that our tour manager, Lorena, was absolutely fantastic. She's the best I've ever experienced with Gate One, or any other company. She created a very positive group atmosphere that enhanced our overall experience. The maps and leisure time suggestions she provided for each city we visited were very helpful. She kept us on time and organized. Her anecdotes kept us entertained. She's a real gem!
Jeanne K.I recently returned from the 13 days Douro River cruise that took place rom August 30 2025. I would like to take a moment to recognize our tour director, Patricia for providing an exceptional experience. From the start, she demonstrated professionalism, deep knowledge of the destinations, and genuine care for every traveler in our group. She went above and beyond to ensure that everyone felt comfortable, informed, and well taken care of. What impressed me most was that Patricia handled unexpected schedule changes smoothly," "how clearly She explained the history and culture at each stop," and the kindness and patience shown to every member of the group Because of Patricia , this tour exceeded my expectations, and I truly believe She deserves recognition for their outstanding service. Thank you for organizing such a memorable trip, and please be sure to share my appreciation with Patricia and her management team.
Aleksandr K.Our guide, Americo, was amazing. He was very knowledgeable and extremely kind and caring. He made sure each person on the tour was safe, happy, satisfied, and well taken care. of. He helped with transfers, food, buying souvenirs, etc. Besides being very experienced, he was genuinely a wonderful person.
Arlene G.We all agreed that our tour manager, LISA, was AMAZING--organized, knowledgeable, caring and fun. She made sure every aspect of this journey was perfectly planned, that everyone was safe, aware of the nuances of each city, we understood the schedule and made the most of our experience. She is a great leader and we loved every moment shared. She truly made the journey special and we look forward to another Gate 1 Tour because of her. Hope we meet again some day.
Sonia P.The professionalism, knowledge, and ability to connect with people were truly outstanding. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted by an enthusiastic and vibrant guide whose love for her work shone through in every interaction. Her passion brought Portugal's history and culture to life, turning each stop on the itinerary into a rich and memorable experience. Every part of the journey was enlivened with fascinating historical context and engaging storytelling that made the cities and landscapes even more meaningful. Exploring Porto, the Algarve, and Lisbon was not just sightseeing--it was an immersion into Portugal's rich tapestry of medieval architecture, vibrant traditions, warm people, and unforgettable cuisine. This was more than a trip; it was a truly enriching experience that deepened my appreciation for Portugal and left me with lasting memories.
Arlene K.Just wanted to say that I have been on every continent and the Azores is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen ! So very glad you added this to your itineraries or I may not have thought of it. Gate 1 was top notch as usual !
Adrienne D.Catia is an exceptional tour manager with over 10 years experience! As seasoned travelers for many years, we have encountered large and small group dynamics and the challenges that come with international travel. With her grace, and strong communication skills including English, Portugese and Spanish, Catia ensured our comfort, safety, and health throughout. This made everyone feel cared for and well to enjoy the excursions and sites. We had no issues at all for the entire group! In fact, new friendships were made because she fostered an environment for the travelers to interact during meals. We are planning our next Gate1 trip! Thanks Catia for being phenomenal and we made some beautiful memories!
Stephen C.Our tour guide, Daniel, on our Spain trip was the best guide we have ever had. Daniel went over the top to personally ask what everyone's interests were, what we wanted to do in our free time and would share great ideas of things to do and even help you find tickets, etc. He went out of his way in every thought and action. When he called us his "family", that is exactly what it felt like, being cared for, taken care of and always having all of our best interests in mind. As a Gate1 repeat fan, it was wonderful to have also have a guide tell us how much he cared for Gate1 and really enjoyed working with the company, says much about why we love Gate1. The last note about the amazing Daniel is that he shared Spanish life and facts, some personal travel stories, etc, so we had a better understanding of the Spanish culture (it that not why we travel?), and appreciated hearing about daily life, with no politics! All delivered with wit & humor.
Mary W.Without a doubt, the key highlight of our trip was our amazing tour guide Pablo. From the moment we met, Pablo he went above and beyond to make sure every detail was taken care of and that we had an authentic, enriching, memorable, experience. Not only was Pablo knowledgeable about Spanish history, culture, agriculture, and local traditions, but he also had a unique way of bringing the history to life. For example, his teaching experience using hard copy maps to demonstrate where we were in the region helped us visualize and appreciate the uniqueness of the area and where we were traveling to. Whether we were wandering through the Alhambra in Granada, sampling tapas in Seville, lunching in Valencia, or admiring the cityscape on a roof top in Barcelona, Pablo's passion and insight made every stop meaningful. What truly set Pablo apart was the personal touch - recommending off-the-beaten-path spots, helping us navigate local customs with ease, and gifting us with memorabilia from the region that we'll never forget. Pablo was always attentive, professional, patient, and genuinely kind. The characteristic that makes Pablo unique is he never stopped caring. When I arrived home I received a text from him asking if we arrived safely. If you're planning a trip to Spain and want a guide who will turn your vacation into a once-in-a-lifetime experience, look no further than Pablo. We can't thank him enough and hope to return someday for another unforgettable adventure!
Marla T.Our trip was excellent and we will have those memories for a lifetime (including my teenage daughters who joined us). We cannot say enough good things about our guide, Rui. We intend to travel again with Gate 1, but admit it will be difficult for our next guide to compare to Rui. Besides being knowledgeable, helpful, enduringly happy, and witty/funny, Rui is clearly such a genuinely sincere, kind, and caring human being. One couple on our tour who had been on more than a dozen Gate 1 trips even said that he was the best guide they had ever had. Our bus driver for the majority of our trip, Pablo, was also so excellent. In the many days with him, we never ever felt unsafe -- he was always in full control of the bus and where we were going, all the while maintaining an immaculate environment. He was also very nice. His hard work and long hours keeping the bus clean after a long driving day, did not go unnoticed. Again, it is hard to imagine taking another trip without the Riu/Pablo pairing. We truly felt like a "Gate 1 Family", as Rui would address us. Thank you.
Kevin O.I would like to let Gate1 know how outstanding your guide, Catia was. She went beyond being the perfect guide. Her knowledge of Portugal, was amazing, her kindness and making the group feel like "family" is what will always remember about this tour.
Emily S.We had a wonderful trip with Daniel in Portugal & Spain. Daniel was a delight start to finish. We recommend Gate 1 to all our friends and will continue to travel with your company.
Grace J.


