Before You Depart

Splendid Spain

The Plaza de España in Seville, Spain, highlights its grand Renaissance/Neo-Moorish architecture with a central building adorned with arches and towers. A canal with bridges and vibrant flower beds lies in the foreground, under a bright blue sky – a must-see on the best of Spain tour.

BOOKING YOUR OWN FLIGHTS

Booking your own flights has advantages like flying from your home airport, choosing your own seats, upgrading your seats, and using and collecting airline miles. Tour-only travelers are responsible for arranging their entry and exit flights, as well as their arrival and departure transfers. Unused land services including those caused by air schedule changes and delays are non-refundable and smarTours cannot be held responsible.

When booking your flights, please note that our tour starts in Madrid and ends in Barcelona. We recommend that you:

  • Fly into Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD)
  • Fly out of Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN)

BOOKING YOUR OWN TRANSFERS

Taxis are a reliable way to get to/from the airport in Spain. There are also several modes of public transportation available. In Madrid, the airport is connected to the city’s metro system. Line 8 (Pink Line) runes from the airport to Nuevos Ministerios station in the city center. From there you can transfer to the other metro lines or use other modes of transportation to reach the hotel. In Barcelona, the Airport Shuttle Bus (Aerobus) operates between various locations in the city and Barcelona’s Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport.

TOUR MEETING POINT

When and where you’ll meet the rest of the group depends on if you purchased our air-inclusive package with group flights from/returning to the U.S. or our tour-only package.

  • smarTours Group Air Travelers: Upon arrival in destination, please proceed through customs and immigration. Our Tour Director will be waiting for you at the airport upon arrival in the arrivals area near the point you clear customs with a smarTours sign.
  • smarTours Tour-Only Travelers: We recommend you arrive around 4 PM to settle in before joining the welcome orientation and dinner on Day 1. Hotel check-in is generally not before 4 PM.

TOUR ENDING POINT

The final end point for your tour depends on if you purchased our air-inclusive package with group flights from/returning to the U.S. or our tour-only package.

  • smarTours Group Air Travelers: On our last day, we’ll transfer to the airport for our return flight to the U.S.
  • smarTours Tour-Only Travelers: The tour ends after breakfast on the last day. Generally, hotel check-out is prior to 12 PM (noon).

PASSPORT AND VISA INFORMATION

Travelers must be in possession of a passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel. A visa is not required for U.S. passport holders. Effective for travel in 2025, all visitors who do not require a visa to enter Europe will be required to apply for an ETIAS visa waiver. The application must be completed online and there is a small fee. Once approved, an ETIAS can be used for 3 years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Before your trip, review travel requirements and restrictions by country including passport and visa requirements. You can also learn more about passport and visa services. Please remember that it is your responsibility to obtain the necessary travel documents before the trip.

TICKETS AND FINAL DOCUMENTS

Final instructions, documents, and travel tips will be emailed to you 10–14 days before the scheduled start of your tour. If you have not received your final documents, please check your spam folder or contact smarTours.

HEALTH REQUIREMENTS

Immunizations are not currently required, however, you may wish to consult your personal physician or local health authorities for their suggestions. The CDC recommends you stay up to date on routine vaccinations, and consult your physician at least one month prior to travel. Learn more about the CDC’s destination-specific recommendations.

CLIMATE

Expect daytime high temperatures in the 60s to 70s in April and October, 70s to 80s in May and September, and 80s to 90s in June.

CREDIT CARDS AND LOCAL CURRENCY

The official currency in Spain is the Euro (€). Hotels and some stores accept major credit cards. However, for “street shopping” you will need local currency. You can either exchange U.S. dollars into local currency in advance of your trip or use your debit card to withdraw local currency from an ATM. It is recommended that you bring along cash in small denominations.

Electricity

Spain operates on 230 volts/50 Hz and uses plug types C, and F. Learn more about plug types, adapters, and converters.

BAGGAGE

Each passenger may bring one piece of checked-in luggage and one carry-on piece. Please check with the airline for the maximum weight and size for luggage. We recommend that you do not over-pack and that you take a variety of separates with climate and comfort in mind.