Kimkim Trip Reviews for Spain

Sasha was very knowledgeable, and we learned a lot. We were especially interested in the Jewish history, and she did not disappoint.

Juan was terrific, one of the great guides in our history of guides. Smart and funny.

The sunset cruise was fantastic. The captain and his wife made everyone feel welcome and cared for, and it was beautiful and even exciting, bouncing on the waves. Definitely would recommend it.

Susanna is an excellent guide. Totally open to questions, very generous with her time and expertise. She's wonderful, pure and simple!

The staff was welcoming and helpful. They had amazing smiles. Everytime we went out, we were offered water bottles- a nice perk. The room was tiny, but the shower luxurious. Easy walking distance to everything. They didn't point out that the building housed Picasso's first studio!

Lovely room with plenty of space. Perfect location. Charming staff. Great breakfast. Nice restaurant for dinner. Lovely public spaces.

Van ride to the winery; boat ride back. Winery was lovely. Lunch was some ham and bread with tomato... While it was tasty, it felt like a snack, not a meal. The boat ride back was rougher than expected. We had to hold on for dear life. (Was surprised putting on life jackets wasn't advised or offered). Two of the other guests were ill.

This was cancelled. No replacement or refund was offered

Our guide was delightful! We truly learned more about Catalon. The two tapas restaurants were both fun and delicious. The flamenco, which I wish I could rate separately, was disappointing. I expected gorgeous women in flamboyant red dresses and lively music. Instead, it was moaning men and two angry women stomping their feet.

This experience was perfect, starting with the market, actually preparing the feast, and the best of all, eating the feast!!!

Getting on the boat was a challenge, despite having the reservation number, they told us this was from a "fake website" and were simply unpleasant. Ultimately, they found our names on their list. Very frustrating and unnecessary rudeness. The boat itself was ok- a bit crowded. The fish were not particularly extraordinary. The beach was nice enough, but there was no where to escape the sun. No shade anywhere. Although the instructions said to bring money for drinks or food- there was no where to purchase anything. There is a restaurant there, but it was not yet open for the season. They said it opens in June.

The guide, while clearly bright, was not as upbeat or cheerful as one might expect. She also, sadly, had bad breath and kept standing so close that it was actually nauseating. :(

Tossa de Mar is a lovely little town. We happened upon several great hikes.

This was the worst hotel of our entire trip. First they gave us a room where we would have to go up about 10 steps just to get to the bathroom at night. As that didn't work for us, they offered us the room next door and told us to go on out and tour the city. When we came back they had only a really inferior room with lights that were shining on my wife all night because the cover was gone. They offered to put a towel over the light but never did. Then it got worse. We felt the problem was with the people at the reception who just didn't care.

This was the very best hotel out of all the amazing hotels we stayed in. They should have five stars instead of only three. When we got there our guide was already waiting. They put us at ease right away and before we knew it, the luggage was in our room. We actually checked in after our tour. In addition to the great breakfasts they had a snack late in the afternoon which was our dinner on two occasions. Everybody was very welcoming from the people who were in charge of the food to the guy who arranged for our taxis. They also gave us great tips for where to eat.

Just absolutely excellent in every respect, especially the person who led the group.

A wonderful experience led by the top employee.

There were lots of birds to see. However, the mosquitos were the thickest we have ever experienced and the guide, although very good with the birds, did not do the cultural things we were supposed to do.

The guitarist was terrific. Her facial expressions alone were worth the cost of this trip.

A real highlight of the entire trip.

It's actually not so difficult but it was a lot of fun to do this and then pick them up 48 hours later.

These gypsies actually live in the caves and they are excellent dancers. It's a lot of fun.

It was a very worthwhile experience, with a good guide and an amazing place. You get so much more out of a private tour like this than we could have gotten on our own. The only thing is that she didn't want to go to the Jewish areas which happened to be very interesting for us. We ended up seeing it on our own later. She could have used the last half hour to wander the streets of the Jewish area but instead she left us in the Alhambra which was also worthwhile to see on our own after the tour. She should have gone to the scheduled Jewish area before the Alhambra instead of cutting the tour short by a half hour.

The same guy as the day before. An amazing experience. Very glad we went to these two cities where most don't get to.

Very fun guy. He went all out to make us feel at home in his city.

A lot of fun, although the scents were a bit overblown. Definitely worthwhile.

This was an amazing experience from an excellent and very personable guide who did everything he could possibly do for us. Very worthwhile.

Unfortunately we didn't get to go. We had just parked the car which was not an easy accomplishment and she said to us, are you ready to take your car? We waited an hour for a taxi that never showed up.

Acta Splendid was in a good location near to the major subway lines. The hotel was clean, the staff was very attentive, and I enjoyed the free pastries and espresso in the lounge :)

This hotel is near to the center of Madrid and has easy access to many of the best neighborhoods, sights, and eateries! The rooftop space gave me some of the best views I had of Madrid.

Spacious and well-equipped room that was centrally located but quiet. Helpful staff.

A beautiful setting but the amenities (like the spa) were lacking. The breakfast buffet was awesome.

Great location and the hotel had real character. The room was small compared to the other hotels we stayed at on this trip but surprisingly quiet given it was located on a busy pedestrian street.

Best hotel ever! From the bell man coming to help us navigate construction around the hotel to the enthusiastic staff every single interaction was positive. Great location on pedestrian square within easy walking distance to all the sites. We had an amazing room.

Great airport hotel.

Friendly driver with reasonable knowledge of city and its history. We really got around and covered much more of the city than had it been a walking tour.

Day was amazing! Mostly because of Paollo the guide. As a Sinatra local, he knew all of the best places to see and visit. Took us to a few Lisbon locations we had not seen on Tuktuk tour that enhanced our understanding of the history and culture. Beautiful scenery. Unique lunch experience. It’s hard to believe how many towns and views we saw over the course of the day.

A great tour of the obvious sites and tourist attractions. Friendly and knowledgeable guide.

An incredible day. A smooth and enjoyable drive from Porto with a friendly and enjoyable guide. The boat ride was nice but not incredible as the hour length only allowed for a short trip around the bend. Wineries and tastings were terrific and we ended up buying a few bottles of our favourites. We had not booked a lunch in advance and guide Joao made us a reservation at Aneto which was the perfect stop and lunch spot for us.

A great way to see the city. E-bikes made for effortless travel to sites beyond what we would have walked. Seville is very bike friendly and the guide was friendly and attentive. Had been told on itinerary that tour was 3 hours but guide adamant it was only 2.5 and ended early.

This was the only activity on the trip that we didn’t enjoy. For no reason other than it wasn’t a genre of music we enjoyed (had little knowledge leading up to experience). Was too mournful and intimate for us but there’s seem to genuinely enjoy the experience.

The staff were very friendly and helpful. The hotel was very cozy and had beautiful views from the terrace.

Hotel Regina was very well located, clean, comfortable and the staff were friendly and helpful.

Guide was great, El Born was lovely, tapas were yummy. Flamenco dancing was not too impressive though the venue was. Set in an old castle.

Our tour guide, Rory, shared a lot of info on Catalan history that we would not have otherwise been aware of. We covered lots of ground and sites within the Gothic Quarter, El Born, Ciutadella Park, and the waterfront, Cycling was difficult, however, due to the large number of tourists always present in Barcelona. E-bikes we’re not necessary since there were not many chances to actually cycle much. The bikes definitely did enable us to cover more sites than being on foot though. One disappointment with this tour was that we ended at a tapas resto that was not El 4 Gats, as specified. The food and wine was very good where the tour ended, but we had to go to El 4 Gats on our own after because this was somewhere we specifically wanted to experience. I will add that our tour guide, Rory, was very helpful during the tapas part of the tour in giving all participants tips on restaurants, etc, for the rest of our trips. He even wrote them down on a little card for each group:)

This was a great experience. Guides were knowledgeable, enthusiastic and funny. The market visit was at a smaller market, not Mercat Central, which was okay. In the kitchen after we were all put to work with different tasks to make a traditional Venetian paella, and we had fun with others in the group. It’s the first time I’ve geared tomatoes! This is definitely an experience we can bring home with us to share:)

We loved this visit to Mas Oller winery. A beautiful place just to walk around. Our winery tour was really interesting with an explanation of the process from vine to bottle, and challenges they’re experiencing due to warmer summers. The tasting itself was longer than expected (which was fine!) with generous samples of each wine ( if I recall it was 5 in total). One of our party decided not to finish all their samples because somebody had to drive after! We had fun with some other people on the tour as well.

Unfortunately we didn’t do this activity. The hour long drive to catch the boat, and again at the end of the day, combined with an early start, was more than we felt we were up to in the moment. We had been quite busy and we were enjoying this relaxing part of the trip in the Costa Brava One of our party also hadn’t been feeling 100% just previously and we were taking it slowly. We know we missed a beautiful tour and hope to return and try it again!

This proved to be a great, “ chill” activity for the last day of our trip. It was good to walk along The Ramblas on a Thursday morning, as our previous visit there was on a Saturday afternoon ( not recommended!) The guided tour of the Boquera Market, again in the morning, was enjoyable. Our guide explained about different Hans and traditional desserts, suggested where to buy cheese and olive oils…. For the cooking part, we made a seafood paella. We had already made paella in Valencia, but this was a different kind and so the process wasn’t the same. We took away some additional recipes to try at home. The location of the cooking class was in a lovely Barcelona flat above a busy square.

A great location in Madrid and walking distance to art museums, shopping and El Retiro Park. We enjoyed the hotel's artistic ambience, our quiet and spacious room and the professional and attentive staff. The breakfast room was bright and spacious, with an extensive selection and a barista who makes excellent coffee. Special thanks to Ruben at the concierge desk. Be sure to reserve at Angelita, a short walk away. Thank you 7 Islas!

The cab driver dropped us off beside an orange tree and we walked 5 minutes through the narrow cobbled roads to the hotel and it was a wonderful introduction to the ancient neighbourhood. We were greeted with cold drinks and treats and escorted to our light and airy room. All staff were helpful and pleasant. The rooftop view is outstanding and breathtaking by night with a view of the Mesquita. We discovered Bar La Cavea and visited the Museo Arqueologico -- a good place to being your Cordoba experience. Walk the Puente Romano in the evening, visit the Jewish Quarter and the Mesquita, roam the winding passages -- all within walking distance from Madinat. We really enjoyed our 2 night stay.

Very attentive concierge staff who deals with a considerable number of travelers but the hotel never feels crowded. A spacious, comfortable lobby area for arriving and departing and a pleasant breakfast area with a varied buffet selection. Our room was clean, quiet and had a coffee pod machine. The hotel bar is open for your late afternoon drink when other establishments are closed for the mid day break. Close walking distance to Alameda de Hercules Plaza , the Hop On, Hop Off Buses, shopping and Setas de Seville (do use your ticket to see by day and by night). Special thanks to Raul.

The view from our Junior Suite was magnificent and we just spent time taking in the beautiful view of the valley and gorge. The 2nd level suite was luxuriously spacious but be aware that the bedroom is in the loft and the washroom is downstairs. The decor speaks of another decade but you are in the old town, so enjoy. Beautiful views from the restaurant (make reservations) and the breakfast room. Walk through the old town and into the gorge before the tours arrive -- so lush after the rainfall with beautiful views and so much birdsong. Be warned -- its a good workout walking back up the pathway. The hotel booked our cab for Cortijo Los Aguilares, a local winery. Highly recommend!

A quiet enclave in an elegant historic building. We were welcomed with a bottle of Cava and appreciated the complimentary tapas from 4:30 to 6 pm in the central courtyard--a nice touch for tired tourists. A simple buffet breakfast with seating in the covered courtyard and some seating in the buffet room. If your room overlooks the courtyard, you do have wooden shutters but you might hear guests returning from their evening and talking loudly in this area. Walking distance to Alhambra and be sure to participate in the River Darro evening stroll where you can view Alhambra towering overhead. Make reservations for La Tabernilla del Darro.

THIS WAS OUR ONLY DISAPPOINTMENT OF OUR STAY. TOTALLY ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN ANYWHERE ELSE WE STAYED. MUCH LOWER CLASS. THE STAFF WAS NOT TERRIBLY FRIENDLY AND SOME DIDN'T SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH. THE HOTEL IS DARK AND DREARY. IT IS ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT TO GET READY IN THE BATHROOMS AND APPLY MAKE UP AS THE LIGHTING IS TERRIBLE. THE LIGHTING IS TERRIBLE THROUGHOUT THE HOTEL. THE ELEVATORS SEEMED TO BE IN POOR CONDITION. THE BREAKFAST WAS LIMITED WITH STALE PASTRIES AND FEW CHOICES. THE AREA THE HOTEL WAS LOCATED WAS NOT THE SAFEST FEELING. I"M GLAD WE ONLY HAD 2 NIGHTS THERE, BUT REGRET THAT WE WERE BOOKED HERE AT ALL. IT WAS A REAL DISAPPOINTMENT AND I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND KIMKIM PLACE THEIR CLIENTS IN THIS HOTEL IN THE FUTURE. MUCH LOWER CLASS THAN THE H10'S OR PARADORE DE AIGLUBAVA.

I HAD LOW EXPECTATIONS BECAUSE I HAD TOLD MARINA WE COULD SAVE $$ ON THE AIRPORT HOTEL NIGHT, BUT THIS HOTEL EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS. IT WAS LOVELY. LIGHT AND BRIGHT WITH A VERY HELPFUL, FRIENDLY STAFF. BREAKFAST WAS FRESH AND DELICIOUS. ROOMS WERE BRIGHT, CLEAN, AND COMFORTABLE. WOULD RECOMMEND. THE LOCATION WAS A BIT SKETCHY BUT WE DIDN'T LEAVE THE HOTEL ONCE WE CHECKED IN AND FELT SAFE AND FINE THERE.

JAVIER WAS GREAT. ENJOYED HIS TOUR. MAYBE WE COULD HAVE SEEN EVEN MORE IF WE HAD GOTTEN ON THE METRO AND VISITED MORE AREAS THAN JUST WHAT WAS WALKABLE

THIS WAS A HIGHLIGHT. FULL OF FUN, LAUGHTER, GREAT FOOD AND BEVERAGES! HIGHLY RECOMMEND. BUT.....BE SURE TO TELL YOUR CLIENTS THE PROPER START TIME! WE WERE TOLD 6PM AND WERE THERE PROMPTLY AT 6 AND NO ONE WAS THERE. TURNS OUT, IT DOESN'T START UNTIL 6:30.

GREAT EXPERIENCE

ALHAMBRA WAS VERY CROWDED AND HARD TO GET A LOT OUT OF A GROUP TOUR. ANTONIO WAS THE GUIDE AND WAS VERY INFORMATIVE, BUT IT WAS HARD TO KEEP UP WITH HIM AND ALL HIS KNOWLEDGE IN THE GROUP SETTING. WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER TO HAVE HAD A PRIVATE TOUR.

ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP. SARA WAS GREAT! ESTATE WAS BEAUTIFUL. REALLY ENJOYED THE TOUR AND TASTING

GREAT SHOW. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO INTRODUCTION AS TO WHAT WE WERE ABOUT TO SEE. AND NO EXPLANATION. WE ENJOYED IT BUT WOULD HAVE LIKED SOME EXPLANATION. WE ALSO THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE A LARGE, STAGE PRODUCTION. HAD NO IDEA IT WAS A VERY SMALL INTIMATE AFFAIR WITH 3 DANCERS AND TWO SINGERS.

HELENA WAS VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND HAD LOTS OF INFORMATION TO SHARE. SHE DIDN'T PICK UP ON OUR QUEUS THAT WE WERE TIRED AND NEEDED A BREAK, OR TO EVEN CUT THE TOUR A BIT SHORT. `

ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT OF THE TRIP!! WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING! LOVED IT!!

THIS WAS FINE BUT NOT GREAT. THE AREA WHERE YOU START THE TOUR WAS A BIT DINGY AND CROWDED. THE STAFF ON THE BOAT DID A GREAT JOB. IT'S NOT A HIGH CLASS EXPERIENCE. THERE WERE LOTS OF YOUNG KIDS ON BOARD. THE FOOD SERVED WAS FINE. NOTHING GREAT.

WE ARRANGED THIS FOR OURSELVES AND THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THE DAY

This was a multilingual tour group which made communication with all participants a bit more difficult. Aleix is an excellent driver as he reminded us several times. He was amicable and entertaining, not very informative about the areas we visited. Girona felt rushed with 1/2 hour of free time to try and find our way back to anything we wished to visit. Including entrance to the cathedral would have been nice. Costa Brava is a beautiful area, better reserved for folks who would like to spend a day at the beach.

I really had fun with this activity. The market tour was brief, but informative. Class participation was just right. We enjoyed meeting new people and getting tips on how to make our meal. Enjoying the meal was the best part. Would do again

Great location

The view from the room directly over the canyon is spectacular! Can’t imagine beating this view. Loved the room decor. This hotel is memorable!!

Enjoyed the tapas and especially the last restaurant. Good food, wine & Cava Appreciated the very small group

Loved it!! The type of boat used & the guides were fun!

Loved the venue & the dancers! Felt like a more intimate experience than a larger show seen in the past.

Great venue in the market. Food was excellent. Very good chef & assistant

What an interesting place to visit. As a Canadian, we have no true concept of the layers and centuries of history. Our guide was superb.

We were wonderfully comfortable here and especially appreciated the restaurant. Besides great food that was conveniently collocated, we had the most amazing and considerate service from the restaurant staff. I especially want to commend Gustavo, Xabi, and the man who sold the coffee. Gustavo actually assisted me in tracking down more information about my long-lost Basque grandfather than I would have otherwise. Gustavo advised me that besides visiting the church in Huarte where my grandfather was baptized, I could also go to the Ayuntamiento in Huarte for his birth certificate and other vital information. I am so grateful he took the trouble to explain this to me (in the middle of working hard to make and serve food) as the focus of the trip was to learn as much about my grandfather as I could. Without Gustavo’s guidance, the most important part of my trip would have been much less productive. I will be forever grateful to him. Xabi was a joy to talk to as he not only served us cheerfully and enthusiastically, but also took great interest in our trip, as it was centered on visiting my grandfather’s homeland. Xabi’s interest enriched that experience, and I will remember him fondly always. The gentleman who staffed the coffee bar was so kind and considerate. I didn’t catch his name, but he had dark hair and was of medium height. He treated me like royalty when I told him my grandfather was a Basque. He truly made me feel personally connected to my Basque heritage from which I had been alienated my whole life due to my grandfather’s abandonment of his family and the resultant lack of information about him.

Hotel is in a great location, within reasonable walking distance of many plazas, Real Palace and many sights. Just a block off of Plaza Mayor which has an abundance of bars and restaurants. Per reports, it is the oldest hotel in Spain. It has some dated features, but comfortable beds and rooms.

Great old piece of history, used to be a prominent resident's home.

This was a clean and modern hotel. Not as close to some of the attractions as I would have liked, but was close to shops and restaurants.

Very quaint old hotel.

This was the worst hotel I have stayed in to my memory. The rooms noted that they were air conditioned and soundproofed. Also, no minibar as was noted in our booking info. However, upon our arrival, we found the rooms were not air conditioned. The front desk told us the air conditioning would not be turned on until the end of the month of April. (However, the front desk area and breakfast area were definitely air conditioned.) Consequently, we had to open the patio windows to be able to withstand the night in the room. With the windows open, the SUPER SUPER loud street noise was unbearable with people screaming at all hours of the night and city trash, recycle and street cleaning occurring every night. Also, the room patio was shared with another room, so the security with the patio doors open was minimal. Additionally, we were traveling with another couple and we were not able to get rooms near each other. We would rate this hotel with a 1 star. Also, you should be prepared to pay a per person, per night city tax at check in which was about 75Euros for 4 people for 4 nights.

Miguel was great. He took us on a side trip to see Sentenil de las Bodegas which was an interesting town built into rock overhangs--sort of cave like. Then, he proceeded on to Ronda. During lunch, a traveling companion suffered a choking incident. He promptly took us to the hospital and assisted with translation as needed. After all was well again, he continued with the remainder of the trip without cutting anything short. That caused him to have a longer day than anticipated.

This was super fun. The staff at the Paella Club were very engaging. The meal was fun to cook and share amongst all the other participants. Plenty of Spanish cava and wine was poured throughout the evening.

I wish these self guided tours included maps and some information about the tickets that may be wanted since many attractions in Spain have limited ticket availability

This trip had a couple of issues. First, there is never enough time to really explore the old towns and feed yourself. The winey tour part of the trip was quite a bust. The bus drove us to the winery usually used and it was closed. We had to spend another hour driving to a different winery where the wine expert did not speak English and the tour guide did not have enough skill to translate the information into English for us. A couple on the tour who spoke Spanish did some translating for the group.

Private guide was great and gave us great history information.

Jennifer, our guide, did an amazing job. She provided us with so much history and cultural information to make the visit extra memorable. She also spend more time with us than specified in the trip details. She never rushed us.

Marcell was amazing at discussing the food and drink during the tapas part of the tour. We sort of ran out of time and had to ride a taxi up to the Flamenco show. The Flamenco part of the visit was in a unique cave dwelling, but it was a little cramped.

Barbara did an excellent job of providing lots of information about the old part of Seville, including some anecdotal tidbits about the various changes as power changed between the romans, moors, jews and spaniards.

The ebike, cable car and boat rides were all very pleasant. I with there had been more time to be able to explore Monjuic though. That part of the trip was very rushed and we didn't even have enough time to go in the castle.

Jorge was a terrific guide who tried to keep the group engaged by posing questions and pointing out many of the subtle architectural features of both the park and cathedral. The cathedral was not at all what I was expecting. It was such a mix of styles and architectural novelty.

Lucas was very good at providing information, but the time at Monserrat was too short to see everything desired. Need at least another hour or 2 at the monastery.

Hotel needs updating, peeling wallpaper, safe didn’t work, slippery shower. Location not the best, homeless and soup kitchen across the street. Fabulous breakfast though!

Very eco friendly hotel, no daily housekeeping and not enough towels, had to ask at front desk for ice. Good breakfast buffet. Neighborhood okay, seemed a little creepy at night.

Nice tapas tour, didn’t know there was another part of the tour with more tapas and a rooftop experience- could have been explained up front, and leader did not go with us to flamenco just gave directions

Great guide, much knowledge and willing to adapt to our needs. Didn’t get to Retiro Park. .

Great guide, a little too much architecture in a little less market. I would’ve liked more marketing and shopping and a little bit less architecture.

Very weird Gaudi house, wasn’t exactly sure what to expect, but got a tour with a tablet of the house and then the outside rooftop music, singer and band were fantastic.

The front door is hard to locate because of construction and a lot of parked vans (deliveries and trailers for the theater people), but it is there. Check in was a breeze. You get emailed a code to get in the door the day before. The location is awesome. Close to Metro. You are equidistant to Plaza del Sol or Retiro Park, both just a 12 minute walk away. The area is very walkable also with lots to eat and places to get supplies.' We had a two bedroom and two bath apartment, with two twin beds in each room. There was a dining room, living room and balcony. A fully equipped kitchen (fridge, microwave, coffee, stove, oven, dishwasher, kitchen tools, utensils and plates). A washing machine (I think it was a washer/dryer combo, but there was a big rack to dry clothes). There was detergent provided. There is an elevator. Place has a lot of charm. My family of four can stay here easily for a long time.

We had a family room, so there were four twin beds in the room. With all the beds set up, it was not very big, but still very functional. The room is tasteful, modern, and comfortable. There is no empty fridge as it has a lot of drinks in it already. Coffee and snacks cost money. Restaurant and Bar in the hotel, La Esquina, was actually quite nice for a meal or a nightcap. You get 15% off as a hotel guest. Yes, there was construction when we were there, but it didn't really affect us negatively. Extra noise and dust were not noticeable. There is housekeeping everyday to clean the room and replenish towels. Staff is very friendly.

Tour guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and had interesting historical facts. Tuk-Tuk was actually quite comfortable. They provide blankets. The major theme of the tour is a route centered on the old city gates and the old city walls. It doesn't actually go into the Plazas (Mayor and Sol). You see a lot of Madrid on it but you do lose a sense of where you are as you go up and down side streets. There is a see through roof on the tuk-tuk which sort of separates you from the outside, forcing you to tilt your head to see the things above you. You also can't really take photos through the roof. Tuk-Tuk tour has a few stops for you to explore on foot. It stops at the Temple of Debod (old Egyptian temple), and at the old wall and new walls of Madrid.

Skipping the line was amazing, but because the king was actually going the day before and the day of, there were a lot of people (making up for early closure the previous day). It has very beautiful rooms and neat things to see. But it is so crowded you wouldn't get a chance to take your time in each room. You also get no sense of the life of the palace. It is just really a collection of a few rooms for you to see and a few items. Given this, the pace was perfect at about 2 hours. The guide gave a real effort to interact with the kids which I appreciate, but my kids were too small to pay attention. That is fine. The tour guide told decent stories and made good enough explanations and answered questions from the adults. He was a good tour guide. What made this family friendly was no line, the pace was quicker, and the tour guide acknowledged the kid. That was it.

The site is beautiful. Riding a cable car is always fun for kids (though there are cable cars within the city of Barcelona which are closer). There was no time to actually explore the mountain peak as we spent the majority of the "free time" waiting to get into the basilica. Likewise, there is no time for the museums either. After the basilica, you hang out and take a few pictures and time is up. The basilica itself was super beautiful on the inside. We did not get to see the boys choir as our time slot to get into the basilica just missed out on that. It would had been nice. We probably missed it because the bus was late. Lunch was actually very very good. There was tapas and roast meat and wine. Very hearty. You work an appetite walking around.

Casa Batllo is amazing for kids. They get an tablet to interact with the house and the guide does a good job incorporating the tablet so the kids feel very involved. This allows the guide to focus on the adults and actually give them a tour. Casa Batllo is such a fun house. You really get to see how the family lived. The installed artwork like the Mind of Gaudi immersion room and the Chain Links though not original did add a lot of visual value. You don't mind seeing them. Even the paid photography is of you on the actual balcony which is really cool. It isn't just a some green screen. Sagrada Familia is amazing. It really is not to be missed. The tour guide did a great job giving the children a scavenger hunt to keep them engaged. Skipping the line with the tour guide for both sites was worth it. The tour guide was very well prepared. She had workbooks, photos, and other reference material to show the kids. She also did a bonus stop at Casa Mila on the way to the Metro station to give us some more context about Gaudi's work. Our tour guide took us to lunch only to find out that we didn't book the tour with lunch. I rather she just owned up to it and said she a mistake about it so I didn't have to eat at the restaurant she chose.