Multiple suggestions related to spain

[Edmontontraveller]

We were in Spain for a few days and enjoyed the following:

 

1-Hotel Sants near the Sants station is ideal if you like taking the train and being away from the activity level of Las Ramlas. It's affordable as well and I found the staff super-caring when we had an injury and medical need. They helped us co-ordinate medical care and were fully bilingual. It could not have been better.

2-We took a tour through Amigo tours and it was a disaster. The guide did not speak English fluently and caused some confusion someone was left behind. Multiple people complained about the quality of English throughout. The agency was entirely unreceptive to feedback and conversation. I have had dozens of tours over the years - this was the worst by far.

3-We had a very nice experience with Barcelona Guide when we went to Monserrat.

 

We then booked a ship tour for Toulon and then we went with Steven Huley's private shore trips (travel by friends) and it was a wonderful experience in Monaco. The guilde hadn't been given all the details of our trip and so we had to cue him live about the things we had very much wanted to see but it was just lovely. I couldn't recommend it enough. Then we went with Italy cruises private tours for Florence. They do themselves a disservice by having you co-ordinate your own tickets which is tricky but it really worked out well with Daniella helping me with complicated steps. Ricardo was an exceptional guide and our best guide thus far. We went with Italy Tours for Rome and also for Pompeli. They were a bit disorganized with some of the details in arranging for the Rome trip but it was generally a success. They took care of all tickets and all details. The driver had a very soft voice and would have benefited from a microphone. That's a pretty picky point though - it went so very well. Taormina we did a do-it yourself day and did the hop on. That only worked for getting in as they never showed up after that. We had to cab it back. They also fail to tell you certain things when you book - that they can ask you to get off to make room at any time and they can also not have enough seats to accommodate you. I learned that after I paid and was given the brochure and it was different than what I was told orally. It was frustrating and a disappointment to be left high and dry. They are small enough to be able to get up to Castlemola so that is a highlight. Perhaps on a less busy port day that could have worked out but it didn't work out for us. I see people have either a very positive or a very negative experience so perhaps they struggle on those days that are too busy. There are two hop ones and we went with SAT Taormina.