Individual Clients

Customized tours are our specialty!  We design memorable trips and always strive to exceed your expectations no matter what you do. Our expert knowledge and extensive contacts allow us to create the perfect itinerary for individuals and groups traveling anywhere on the Iberian Peninsula.

Special Interest Trips

Art

For over 30 years we have been organizing exclusive tours for trustees and collectors from the most prestigious art museums (see our list of clients). We arrange visits with an art historian to study the great masterpieces, private artist studios to meet our favourite local artist and tours of the best collections, both public and private, around Spain and Portugal.

Contemporary art

Spain and Portugal have seen a boom in creativity over the past thirty years.  Valesa arranged the VIP services for the inauguration of the Guggenheim-Bilbao Museum in 1997 and we continue to work with top institutions and art enthusiasts to see the latest and greatest works. Our first-hand knowledge of new art spaces and collections, contacts with top art experts make Valesa Cultural your best source for planning this trip.

Architecture

Discover the exotic mix of architecture in Spain and Portugal. Here you will find Roman foundations, early Islamic influences, European trends, dreamlike Modernism, and striking contemporary design…..all in the same area. Our architecture experts and special lecturers show you the most interesting new and old buildings, including some behind-the-scenes visits, and will teach you about restoration techniques and different schools/styles of architecture throughout.

Gastronomy

We create gourmet tours in both countries, whether you prefer hands-on cooking classes or tastings at our best restaurants.  Learn to cook our most loved regional dishes in the luxury of a chef’s private home, enjoy a wine tasting (or learn to mix your own wine!) of Spanish or Portuguese wines, sample our best olive oil and ham, visit our best markets and don’t miss our tapas tours!

Wine

One of the world’s top wine producers, Spain has the largest amount of land dedicated to vineyards of any country in the world. Spanish wines are exciting for their different regional varieties and Portugal is renowned for its Port wines and excellent table wines. We arrange private wine tours in both countries, including tastings with experts and visits to private wine cellars for groups.

Gardens

Spain and Portugal are excellent destinations for garden visits. We organize tours for private garden groups and/or horticulture magazines to visit public and private gardens with our local experts (see our list of clients). Valesa has private access to gardens normally not open to the public and so we can create itineraries with a great variety of gardens with Roman, Moorish and Renaissance influences. These are trips that attract either garden enthusiasts or simply people who love seeing private homes and gardens and meeting their owners.

The islands

Whether it be the produce market in Funchal (Madeira), or a view of the moon like terrain on the Teide mountain (Tenerife), or a visit to the monastery where Chopin lived (Mallorca), Valesa can create exclusive experiences at our favorite places on the islands in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. We arrange shore excursions and extended stays in all the islands of Spain and Portugal.

Family tours

Spark your children’s imagination with a rewarding trip to Portugal and Spain. Some of our favorite things for kids include: learning Spanish, riding horses, walking in the Pyrenees, learning about crafts such as sword-making in Toledo or cheese making in Portugal. These activities along with special guides who can bring history to life for children are all included in our approach for our youngest clients.

Archaeology

American Museum of Natural History, Leakey Foundation, American Institute of Archaeology….these are among our many clients who come to Spain and Portugal to visit prehistoric caves and archaeological sites (including the site where remains of Europe’s first man were found) and Roman ruins around the peninsula.

Unesco sites

A testament to Spain and Portugal’s rich monumental heritage, Spain has 35 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list and Portugal has 12.  Ask us for the most emblematic sites in your destination, or better yet a tour of our favorite sites in either country.