Of the seven Canary Islands, Lanzarote is one of the most popular and unique. The island is located off the coast of Northern Africa and has a warm and sunny climate year-round. Full of outstanding natural and cultural attractions, this…

Castile and León is an autonomous region in Spain located between Madrid and the northern coastline. Many historical landmarks can be found there, in big cities, quaint towns and the countryside. Visitors can take in stunning beauty as well as…

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…