Albarino Wine Tour Of The Rias Baixas - Santiago De Compostela, Spain

- This letter is in regards to the Celtic Galicia Wine Tour I recently took in Galicia, Spain. I discovered this tour through a brief mention in Wine from Spain news magazine this spring. This was my third tour in Spain. I chose it primarily because I love Spain's diversity and I have long been a fan of Spanish wines.

Following is a brief comment of the various categories by which I rate the tours I have taken (30+ throughout Europe, and parts of Asia, Africa and the Americas):

* Sites visited - A wonderful mix of what I expected and never expected in Spain. Cathedrals, monasteries, large and small cities, villages, wonderful scenery of all types, a river trip. Museums covered art, fishing, ancient and more recent culture. And then there were Celtic forts and thatched houses, Celtic and Roman archaeology sites. So many tapas stops to watch the people fish or clam, or listen to local music, or just enjoy. We traveled the more scenic routes instead of major highways. We visited small family wineries and small to large commercial concerns. This was the real thing, not just tourist rooms and sales shops. The winery personnel were friendly and informative.

* Accommodations - Each place had its own distinctive quality. There were a few excellent hotels in the large cities, but most were through the Rural Tourism effort. These were the B&Bs or restored Manors. The owners were obviously so delighted and treated us as guests. Each was lovely - one with the 1800's family coat of arms proudly displayed, another atop a mountain with an unbelievable view, another with beautiful needlework of several generations. Many had beautiful antiques. One I thought a small palace, but it was a fortified manor. Each was so special, I can not say for sure which stands out the most.

* Food / Wine - No mystery meat and canned veggies here. It was all high quality and huge quantities, which I now understand is the Galician way. I found myself eating things I thought I didn't like, and others I never heard of - razor clams and barnacles!!! After the first few days, I tried anything they set before me. The home cooked meals at the manors were superb. The restaurants were great - real local people, not tourist stops. At one, we met some Americans visiting their Galician relatives; this was where they were taken to show off the local cuisine. Then there was a local pub in the mountains were the pipers and other musicians gathered. The meal was wonderful, but topped by the improvised performance they gave us. Throughout Galicia, the seafood was so fresh and quite different than anything I've had before. I'm not quite sure what all the meats are some like: veal, baby goat, prime grade beef etc.., I'll vouch for their tastiness and preparation.

* Personnel (professionalism, friendliness, courtesy, knowledge) - Far from just reading out of tour guides, Sean O'Rourke has immersed himself in his adopted country and truly wants you to understand and enjoy its culture. He is well versed in the various topics covered on the tour such as Celtic forts and music, the religious pilgrimage in Santiago, Galician- Roman- Celtic history, etc. Marcos Garcia, a native of the land is Sean's business partner & bus operator, he has an impressive knowledge especially in the areas of wine making, archaeology and ancient history. The tour was very well run, but they remained flexible so that we could stay longer in a particular village we loved or skip the beach when it was too cloudy. They were particularly considerate of any special needs. I myself needed a little help climbing due to a back injury. The people at the manors and B&Bs treated us as friends. We met their families and neighbors, and played with their pets. It was mutually enjoyable.

* Overall Value/Price - A bit more than the average, but that's more than made up by the personalized service, and quantity and quality of everything included - as 28 meals in 12 days. This is a FIND.

In summary, this tour is the unqualified best I have ever experienced in any category. This is the first time I have returned from a tour with the feeling that I truly experienced the culture and ambiance of the country. It is a Gastronomic & Spirit Adventure. I will travel with EuroAdventures Vacations again as they add new tours, and have recommended them very highly to several friends. I very much encourage you to support their efforts as EuroAdventures Vacations very much promotes the Food, Wine and Culture of CELTIC GALICIA, Spain.

Yours truly,

Peggy Pucek
New York, NY, United States