It depends on when you are going and how flexible the itinerary can be. For trips in high season, the more notice the better. For a low-stress planning process, 4-6 months is ideal.

For 7-days travel coaching, the sooner we start the better. Remember because this is a very customized service, we only accept a limited number of coaching clients at one time. However, if we are unable to provide coaching services during the week you’d like them, you’ll have first dibs on the next available coaching week.

We offer 3 services: 1-hour consultation, 7-days travel coaching and Premium Travel Plan.[/toggle_item]

You will be able to pay using PayPal or with credit card.

It’s not a problem. PayPal lets you make payments with your credit/debit card, even if you don’t have a PayPal account.

PayPal is one of the most secure systems for online payment. Check the PayPal security terms and conditions.

Yes! With Spain at Your Pace you’ll have a 100% warranty. Upon your return from Spain, if you decide that our service wasn’t satisfactory, we’ll refund 100% of your money. This includes our fees for coaching or planning your itinerary. It does not include bookings, flights, rental cars or other traveling expenses.

Change is part of travel, so don’t worry. We’ll work together until you have a perfect itinerary.

Again, you’ll have a 100% warranty. If you decide that your travel plan wasn’t satisfactory, we’ll refund your money.

This includes our fees for coaching or planning your itinerary. It does not include bookings, flights, rental cars or other traveling expenses.

Not at all. We didn’t think about including this question on the FAQ’s page until the past several months when we started to encounter it. So, relax and enjoy the process as we plan your visit to Spain. The Spanish economy was a bit of stress during the financial crisis and unfortunately, nowadays, bad things can happen all around the world, but in Spain, people are nice, very hospitable and willing to help. Cities are nice and clean. You’ll love it here!

Most people in the cities of Spain can speak English, at least to give tips or instructions about how to get from one place to another. In little villages, however, it will probably be more difficult to find English speakers. But they will make an effort to help and make your trip easier and enjoyable.

During the last couple of years, Catalonia has been through some political changes and revindications. However, don’t be afraid because of this. People in the streets are happy and relaxed. Everyone in Catalonia (Barcelona’s home region) speaks perfect Spanish. People are Catalan and Spanish bilingual. If you have learned a few words in Spanish (“hola, buenos días, adiós…”), simply try to do the same with Catalan. People will be even more sympathetic if you can say “good morning” in Catalan.

To summarize, we’d say the difference is the business model.

Travel agents receive commissions for the services they book on your behalf: hotels, cruises, flights, tours and so forth. From a business perspective, they must spend their time booking things for which they’ll receive commissions.

As travel consultants, we charge for our time. We accept no commission from anyone. Therefore, our time and effort are of direct benefit to you:

• We spend time with you up front, as we work through the ideal overall itinerary, flow and balance.
• We’ll describe the options for getting from point A to point B within Spain, so that we can determine which choice is best for you.
• We can recommend restaurants and cafes that will match your tastes and budget.
• We are not limited to a hotel inventory, so we can recommend any hotel, B&B or other accommodation that fits your needs best.
• We use small local guides, blogs and services (which do not offer commissions).
• While we’re working together, we’ll be available to answer any questions you have. Ask us about the surrounding culture, mobile devices, how to obtain money and travel insurance, and we’ll have an answer for you. (We’ll even help with your Spanish or Catalan!)

Basically, it means we can get to know you as a client. We’ll envision the kind of Spain you describe, and then we’ll set up the itinerary that takes you there. You might call it “custom travel design.” Spain is a country with spectacular scenery and culture; of luscious food and gracious people. It’s our role, as travel consultants, to help you experience everything this beautiful land has to offer

The return on your investment is in time saved during the planning process:

To organize a trip to Spain with the level of organization and detail provided by Spain at Your Pace would take the average traveler about eight hours per travel day. So, a 10-day trip would take about 80 hours for an average person to plan (including Internet and guidebook research, time spent on the phone to Spain and double-checking everything).

Contrastingly, with Spain at Your Pace you can plan on two to three hours spent via phone or email. For a 10-day trip, that’s about 77 hours of time saved. It’s true that “time is money,” so spend it wisely. Ours is the service for people who want to see, touch and savor Spain!

1. We are Spaniards with 15 years’ experience in Barcelona, one of the world’s most touristic cities.
2. We have been tour guides in Barcelona.
3. We have travelled extensively in Spain. Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Seville, Cordoba and San Sebastian are among our favorites cities.
4. We have also travelled to Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, the UK, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Poland, the USA, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore… The benefits to you are that we know what it’s like to feel like a foreigner. We can offer tips about travel insurance, luggage, cell-phone usage and language . . . all from an expert traveller’s perspective.
5. Obviously, we speak perfect Spanish and Catalan. The benefit is that, while we work on your trip, we do our research in Spanish. So, we can access many more reviews, perspectives and other kinds of information that you can’t access if you only speak English.
6. We have lived in France, Holland, Asia and Oceania. We speak fluent English, French and have a basic knowledge of Dutch, both of which come in handy in our research. It also means there is no miscommunication when we make reservations or bookings, and that we have relationships with guides and service providers.
7. We also have university degrees in business and marketing, and we’ve worked for successful Spanish corporations. We have the ability to manage projects, handle budgets and focus on our clients’ needs.
8. We work on a fee basis–not commission. After all, a considerable part of planning your trip involves spending time on things that don’t involve commissions, such as transportation, food, festivals, and the overall flow and balance of your itinerary. Therefore, we won’t recommend hotels, activities or guides based on who might offer commissions. Instead, we’ll recommend only what will help you get the most out of your time and budget.