Cork is an incredibly valuable commodity for Portugal. About 50% of cork worldwide is grown dating back to use by the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Babylonians, Assyrians, Phoenicians and Persians. The highest quality cork comes from the cork oak tree,…

Thank you Verónica for making this such a wonderful and memorable trip for us.  Your care, knowledge and attention made us feel so welcome on our first trip to Portugal (and Audrey’s first trip to Europe!).  Your friends,  Hans, Jennifer…

Check out photos from our latest FAM TRIP for 10 luxury advisors in March.  A journey from Madrid, through Segovia and Burgos to Rioja wine country and finally the Basque Country.  History buffs and Food/Wine travelers will love this great…

Hi Jennifer,  I just heard from Mr. Adams…he raved about how fantastic all the arrangements for the transfers and tours were with Valesa!  Everyone in his group commented on how great their guide was!  (and she bought them treats at…

This month, the spotlight is on our wonderful coworker Nuria! Working at Valesa for several years as Groups reservations & Operations Manager, Nuria is a jack of ALL trades: she studied law, had her own law firm, worked in different…

Basque cuisine is world-renowned,  from the elaborate pintxos (tapas, pronounced pinchos) to the greatest number of Michelin-starred restaurants. Every foodie has this small region in northern Spain on their bucket list, but what makes their gastronomy so special? The answer…

Codfish is the symbol of Portuguese cuisine. It is found on every family’s table and is served in every restaurant. Cod is not native to Portuguese waters, however, so how did it become so important here?    The Portuguese began consuming…

Priorat is a small but significant wine-producing region in Spain located just southwest of Barcelona. Its dramatic landscape full of steep hills, scenic villages and ancient monasteries indicate just how unique these wines are. Along the winding roads there are…

If you’re thinking of flying direct from the US to Morocco, several cities such as Miami (MIA), New York City (JFK) and Washington (IAD) offer non-stop service to Casablanca. Royal Air Maroc is currently the only airline flying year-round between…