PORTUGAL & SPAIN
Oct 25 – Nov 8, 2024
PRICE
$4,000
DURATION
15 DAYS / 14 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
8 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
MODERATE
WEATHER
Fall-like, 60F-70F
TOUR OVERVIEW
Experience the fairytale village of Sintra in Spain. Ride the yellow tram in Lisbon. Medieval walled city of Evora. The Moorish royal palace, Alcazar in Seville. The famed Alhambra in Granada. See the amazing red and white arches of the Great Mosque/Cathedral in Cordoba. Stroll amongst the very narrow roads of Toledo. See the aqueduct in Segovia. Visit the world famous museums in Madrid. Be inspired by Gaudi influenced Barcelona, including the Sagrada Familia.
TOUR LEADER
Terry Giansanti
TOUR PRICE
$4,000
SOLD OUT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
DAY 1 • • •
Arrival in Lisbon and have an orientation tour of the city today, including the Belem Tour, Discoveries Monument, and the Jeronimos Monastery. Have a group welcome dinner. Stay in Lisbon for 3 nights.
DAY 2 • • •
Take an excursion to the fairytale village of Sintra, once a favored royal summer retreat and a UNESCO world heritage site. Visit the palatial estates of Quinta da Regaleira, with its magical romantic gardens, inverted towers and tunnels, and much more.
DAY 3 • • •
Take a yellow tram tour in the morning then walk around central Lisbon near the port. Visit the Gulbenkian Museum, and have free time in Lisbon to do whatever you desire.
DAY 4 • • •
Drive to Seville via Evora, where we visit the medieval, walled city with its tapestries in the Chapel of Bones, the Cathedral of St. Mary, and the Roman temple of Diana. Continue on to Seville and settle into our hotel. Stay in Seville for 2 nights.
DAY 5 • • •
Take a grand tour of Seville. Tour through the city’s historic heart including the iconic Plaza de España and Maria Luisa Park. Visit the Alcázar of Seville – the Moorish royal palace with fountain-filled gardens, ornate arches and 16th century tiles. Also, go into Seville’s grand cathedral.
DAY 6 • • •
Move on to Granada. Visit the famed Alhambra, built as a “Paradise on Earth” by the Moorish caliphs who ruled in the 13th century. Enjoy a stroll through the Generalife and get lost in the Albayzin to discover Moorish gems. Overnight in Granada.
DAY 7 • • •
Depart for Cordoba in the morning. Visit the Great Cathedral and Mosque, plus the beautiful candy-striped La Mezquita and the cobblestoned streets of Juderia. Overnight in Cordoba.
DAY 8 • • •
Drive to Toledo, stopping by Consuegra to visit the windmills of the Spanish plain. Visit the Cathedral of Toledo and drive around its skyline in the evening. Overnight in Toledo.
DAY 9 • • •
Transfer to Madrid. Grand tour of Madrid starting at Plaza Mayor, then onwards to Mercado San Miguel, Almudena Cathedral, and Palacio Real. Stay in Madrid for 3 nights.
DAY 10 • • •
Take a day trip to Segovia to visit the famous Alcazar and Aqueduct. Drop off our van in the afternoon.
DAY 11 • • •
Today is our museum day! Visit the Prado and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, along with some relaxation at Buen Retiro Park.
DAY 12 • • •
Depart for Barcelona in the morning by train. Afternoon relaxing walk amongst the waterfront and the port. Stay in Barcelona for 3 nights.
DAY 13 • • •
Visit Sagrada Familia in the morning. After lunch, explore the old parts of the city: the Barri Gotic and El Born.
DAY 14 • • •
Go to Parc Guell. Afternoon free time to do what you desire. Group farewell dinner at a deaf-owned restaurant.
DAY 15 • • •
Transfer to Barcelona airport for your flight back home.
- 14 nights in 3-star accommodations.
- 16 meals: Breakfast (14), Dinner (2)
- Services of a deaf Tour Leader on call 24 hours a day.
- Services of local deaf and/or hearing guides.
- All transportation expenses.
- All admission fees for attractions and museums mentioned in the itinerary.
- Most tips, except for your Tour Leader.
- Informative travel preparation packet.
- Pre-tour and/or post-tour itinerary consultation.
- $100 discount per person on your next regular tour.
- Domestic and/or international airfares.
- All other meals not mentioned in the itinerary and personal expenses.
- Travel Insurance.
- Any COVID-19 related tests.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MoreTOUR LEADER
Terry Giansanti
TOUR PRICE
$4,000
SOLD OUT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MorePRICE
$4,000
DURATION
15 DAYS / 14 NIGHTS
GROUP MAX
8 PEOPLE
PHYSICAL
MODERATE
WEATHER
Fall-like, 60F-70F
GALLERY
Got a Question?
First, please scroll through our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions or need help with a specific topic, feel free to contact us! Thank you.
RESERVATION
Spots are based on a first come, first serve basis. A $500 deposit per person is required to reserve your space and can be paid with a debit or credit card. Alternative payment options include personal check or wire transfer. After registration, you will receive an automatic email response with further instructions. Full payment is due 90 days before the start of your tour.
Absolutely yes! You can contact us by clicking this link and fill out the form and we will get back to you. Above all, we want to make your tour a memorable one for your group.
HOT is proud of the three distinct reasons that allow it to be different from other tour companies: they use sign language exclusively, travel in small groups which provide an intimate experience while also having more flexibility on their schedule, and spend time visiting places they love versus wasting time at places where there wasn’t much interest..
Generally, all tours will provide accommodations in double rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast, transportation expenses including lunch and dinner (depending on the itinerary), museum entrance fees along with a $100 credit towards your next full tour. In addition we provide you with information about each specific tour so that you can be fully aware of what is included.
We will be happy to assist you with a custom-designed tour, tailored towards your preferences. If not, stay up to date by joining our mailing list in order for us to provide you with any future tours that we may have availability for.
Did you know that we have travel consultants who can assist you? You can go to our Travel Consulting page for more information. The best way to accomplish this would be to seek out friends and/or family members (usually in order of 6 people) so they will lower the costs significantly, or advertise open spots on your tour publicly. We also have discounts, and some other advantages! What’s more- we are able to lower the level of accommodations as well as remove extras all together which make it feasible for a low cost.
It is often easier for us to permit single travelers when it comes time to sign up for our tours. If you are unable to find a partner and need assistance, please contact us as we may have singles available on the list- pending your approval first. There are some tours that allow exceptions for those seeking not only with partners but also without them too!
If somebody backs out, please register on our wait list or contact us directly so that we can put you on the wait list for a similar tour. We will also keep your name up to date with our latest tours and alerts about similar upcoming trips in order to give you a chance at joining them.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Hands On Travel recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. To learn more about how to help protect you and your trip investment, visit the following link: TRAVEL PROTECTION
Don’t hesitate. We will stay in touch with you from the date of deposit until your arrival at the starting point of your tour, to make sure that all is well before departure. You can contact us via phone or e-mail any time for questions and we will remain in communication throughout your trip!
BILLING
No, we do not charge any extra fees or fuel surcharges. The listed price is the price you pay. Including tax.
You can find this under our Terms & Conditions. If you find it necessary to cancel your confirmed tour reservation, you must notify HOT about it by e-mail. You may transfer your space to another suitable person or request us to seek replacements. If your replacement is found, HOT will, at its discretion depending on the time frame, refund your deposits/payments or apply it towards a future Hands on Travel tour that is to be taken no more than 3 years after the dates of the original tour. If your replacement is not found, the cancellation of your reservation will become effective and the following charges will apply: (a) if cancelled more than 90 days before the first day of the tour, all installment or additional payments will be refunded to you minus the non-refundable deposit of US $500 per person and any non-refundable payments that HOT has made to suppliers. (b) if cancelled less than 90 days before the first day of the tour, no refunds will be made.
Since tour prices are quoted as a package, no partial refunds can be made for the unused portion of any tour including lodging, meals, or any other items that are included in the tour price. This does not apply to those who wish to participate in only a portion of a tour. In this case, we can pro-rate costs for the unused days.
After registration, you will receive an automatic email reply with further instructions. A $500 per person booking deposit is required to reserve your spot on the trip and can be paid by personal check, credit card and/or wire transfer. Full payment is due no less than 90 days before the start of the trip.
If you need to cancel or postpone your trip 3 or more months before the start, all monies paid will be refunded minus the $500 non-refundable deposit. You can also transfer the entire amount of your deposit to be used for a later trip if we are able to find replacements.
DURING THE TOUR
Big coach buses separate us from local people. We fail to experience or understand the “hands on” lives of locals.
We started out as a walking tour company. Walking offers close-up experiences with local people and hidden gems to discover.
It’s much easier to communicate full to everyone in semi-circle and make sign language 100% accessible. No more missing what is being said.
We’d be able to dine in smaller, cozier and unique restaurants that would offer a local culinary experience unlike large, tourist-oriented restaurants. And, we’d be able to stay at smaller accommodations in prime locations unlike large chain hotels outside the city limits.
We strive to include local guides for certain days to promote maximum cultural experience as well as exchange deaf-related insights.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
