A Week of Art, Food, and Culture in Madrid

March 15-22, 2023

The price of the trip to Madrid is $4798, based on single occupancy. There are no single supplements to pay.

Here’s what’s included:

- Six nights in the 4-star Hotel Vincci Soho (or a similar hotel) in Madrid.
- Splendid breakfast buffet every morning, including eggs, meats, cheeses, fruits, pastries, yogurts and an array of breads and fresh-squeezed juices (try the orange-strawberry); you can even have dessert with breakfast—there are churros and chocolate sauce!
- Wine socials every evening with the trip leaders.
- Entrance fees for all group activities listed.
- Transit pass for Madrid’s Metro.
- City map of Madrid.
- Restaurant and dining recommendations.

What’s not included: lunches and dinners, transport to and from the airport, tickets to museums and attractions not specifically mentioned as included in the itinerary, your flight to Spain and back home, and anything else not listed under “What’s included.”

Have Some Questions?
First, be sure to read all the Frequently Asked Questions and Terms and Conditions. If you have more questions, contact:
Gina Stewart
CLICK HERE TO EMAIL
336-817-2984

She’s always happy to talk with you about the trip.

You can reserve your place on the trip with a $600 deposit, payable via check or PayPal. Please email Gina HERE for instructions.

 What about Covid?
Right now (July 2023) there are no travel restrictions related to Covid-19. We strongly recommend that travelers be fully vaccinated and wear a mask on crowded public transit (planes, metro).

Your deposit holds your space for the trip. If we have any indication that it’s not reasonable to travel to Spain next March, we won’t request your final payment, and we’ll refund your deposit in full.

Ready to pack your bags? Click here to register.

Q. Who should come on this trip? Do I need to speak Spanish?
This is the perfect trip to take by yourself; you’ll make new friends and will always have people to do things with if you like. Or come with a friend or spouse or partner. This is a great trip for mothers and daughters come together, or for high school or college friends to have a mini-reunion. You can spend time with each other and also have time to pursue your separate interests. The trip is perfect for any small group that wants to travel together but doesn’t want the hassle of planning it all in advance.

Q. Do I need to speak Spanish?

You don’t need to speak Spanish, as nearly all restaurants and museums have English-speaking staff. It’s great to learn a few key phrases as part of the experience, but don’t think you should stay home if you don’t speak Spanish.

Q. Do I have to pay a single supplement?
No. This trip is priced based on each person having his or her own hotel room.

Q. I’m coming with a spouse or partner and we want to share a room. Do we both have to pay the full rate?
For people who share a room, we offer a discount of $150 each. We’ve priced the trip primarily for people to have their own rooms, because Spanish hotel rooms just aren’t as large as those in the U.S. But of course you can share a room if you prefer.

Q. How many people will be on the trip?
The maximum number of trip participants is 18, so you won’t feel like you’re part of a huge group. There’s a 12-participant minimum group size, so please don’t buy your plane tickets until we confirm to you that we have reached the minimum group size.

Q. Why do you call this a “trip” and not a “tour”?
We’ve included the things we like best about group travel, such as the convenience of having someone plan daily itineraries, but there are lots of things we dislike about tours, so here’s how this trip is different:
- You’ll never be herded onto a big tour bus with a lot of strangers.
- You won’t follow a tour guide, trying to keep up through crowded museums.
- You won’t be seated at long tables for big group meals at “We accept bus tours” restaurants. Instead, we’ll suggest authentic places for you to eat in small groups.
- You won’t have early morning calls to leave the hotel.
- You only unpack and pack once. We’ll venture outside of Madrid one day, but most of our focus is on the city itself.

Q. Tell me about the trip leaders.
Gina Stewart has been organizing informal groups of travelers for years, from graduate school friend reunions to 10-12 adventures trips per year with her women’s outdoor adventure group the Bold Betties, where Gina serves as an Alpha Bettie. Gina loves people, food, art, history, and architecture, and can’t think of a better way to spend an evening than sipping wine in grand European squares. Gina is registered US Patent Agent and when she is not travelling, she consults with corporate clients on their intellectual property strategies.

DeAnne Dotson has traveled the world, mostly solo. DeAnne has also organized groups of volunteers to put on major festivals or furnish apartments for refugee families. DeAnne also excels at problem-solving, such as when a client was injured during a flight; DeAnne arranged for transportation of the clients’ suitcases to the hotel and also helped with transportation from the hospital emergency room to the hotel. That particular client still enjoyed the trip, despite having a few stitches and being sore! DeAnne loves to share her experiences—so if you are thinking about a future solo trip, DeAnne has likely been there and can give pointers for future travel.

Q. What’s the best way to fly to Madrid?
We recommend an overnight flight from a major airport. Since we live in North Carolina, we often take the American Airlines overnight flight from Charlotte to Madrid.

Q. What is the Hotel Vincci Soho like?
The hotel has an utterly charming circus theme, complete with carousel horses and a giraffe! The bar was once a carousel. The hotel keeps cold flavored waters in the lobby just as you pass through the front door; the lemon mint is our favorite! There are expansive lobby areas to chat with your fellow travelers, and an amazing breakfast buffet. The hotel has an excellent restaurant that includes a beautiful courtyard. The rooms are well-appointed with plush bathrobes, a hairdryer, an iron and ironing board (though we personally are stretch knit afficionados) and a small refrigerator. We are in the heart of the Las Lettres neighborhood with lots of shops and tapas restaurants. There are two lovely plazas 1-2 blocks from the hotel with a variety of restaurants.

Q. Is there internet access at the hotel?
Yes, free wifi comes with your room. 

Q. What will the weather be like?
It’s impossible to predict any weather accurately these days, but generally late March in Madrid is terrific for walking around – cool and sunny during the day (highs in the high 50s), cooler at night. Rain is always a possibility, of course. 

Q. What to wear?
Wear what’s most comfortable and pack layers. Jeans are acceptable almost anywhere, except for the very nicest restaurants. It’s considered polite to cover your shoulders in many churches, but you probably won’t be going sleeveless in March.

Don’t forget your raincoat or umbrella, just in case. You’ll need a warm jacket and maybe a scarf for evening. Most important: comfortable walking shoes.

Q. Why aren’t lunches and dinners included in the price?

Restaurants that accept tour groups are the last places we want to eat and there are just so many delicious choices for meals in Madrid that we want everyone to be free to eat where and when they want. One day you might eat a sandwich for lunch, sitting out on a plaza; or you might choose to browse the local food markets. 

Alternatively, we often make lunch the biggest meal of the day, maybe even eating at a restaurant that would be too pricey at night. You’ll choose where you eat, with whom, and how much you want to spend.

Q. Is it safe to walk around by myself at night?

Yes. As in any city, it makes sense to be aware of your surroundings after dark. But in Madrid it’s usually quite safe to be out on your own or with a friend in the evenings. 

The most prevalent crime is pickpocketing, which mostly happens in areas where there are crowds of tourists. Pickpockets are wily, so we recommend that you leave most of your money, credit cards, and passport in the safe in your room, taking with you only what you need for the day. A handbag that you can sling over your shoulder and tuck high under your arm (with a good zipper) works better than bags with long straps that dangle below your waist. And never sling your handbag over the back of a chair; that creates a very tempting target.

Q. Do you require us to buy travel insurance?

We very strongly recommend it. Reasons for cancelling a trip can happen suddenly. Please read the Terms and Conditions carefully to see our cancellation policy. Also be aware that trip insurance companies are very strict about what they will and won’t reimburse you for, so read their policies closely as well. 

You’ll want to be insured for both trip cancellation and medical treatment and evacuation. Many insurers require you to enroll as soon as you pay your deposit, so don’t wait. There are many websites which offer comparison information about trip insurance.

Note that if you are on Medicare, it does not cover services outside of the United States, so you definitely will need medical coverage.

Q. Some friends are going to be in Madrid while I’m there. Can they come along with us?
Because we want to keep our groups small, we can’t invite your friends to come with us on our daily excursions. But you can bring them to our evening get-togethers. Please give us a day’s notice, and there’s a €20 per person charge for the wine and snacks.

Q. When do I need to sign up by?
The sooner you put down your deposit, the better. We limit the size of the group to 18, so it’s best to reserve as soon as you think you’d like to come.

Q. If I want to stay longer than six days, can you arrange that?

Yes. We can arrange for you to stay on at the hotel at your own cost, although our trip will be over. If you’d like to arrive early, we can also make those reservations for you. We may not be there to greet you if you come early, but it’s okay if you want a day or two on your own before the official trip starts.

Please read this information carefully, as payment of a deposit represents your acceptance of the following Terms and Conditions.

Trip Price
Trip price includes hotel accommodations on a single occupancy basis, breakfast at the hotel, daily transportation as mentioned in the itinerary, entrance fees to museums if with the group as listed in the itinerary, tasting events, evening socials to discuss the next day’s activities, and the services of the trip leaders as outlined in the trip description. We offer a $150 per person discount for double occupany.

Not included in the trip price are entrance fees to museums and other attractions not expressly listed as included in the trip description; taxis or other forms of city transportation not listed in the trip description; airfare and airline baggage fees; lunches and dinners; hotel, restaurant or airport tips; costs of passports and visas; personal expenses such as beverages, laundry or room service; internet/wifi except as established in the trip description; airport transfers; or any other services not specified in the trip description.

Please note that we cannot guarantee any special requests for hotel rooms.

Registration and Payment

The payment of a $600 deposit confirms your reservation. You can pay the deposit by check or PayPal, please email Gina HERE for instructions.

Your deposit is refundable for two weeks from the date it is received by The Flying Squirrel, if your deposit is received by November 15, 2023. Deposits made after November 15, 2023 are completely nonrefundable. Two weeks after the receipt of the deposit by The Flying Squirrel, deposits are not refundable for any reason and will be forfeited if you cancel your trip reservation. Cancellations must be in writing by either letter to The Flying Squirrel or send an email HERE. Cancellations become effective on the date they are received by The Flying Squirrel.

Once your reservation deposit has been paid, you will receive a confirmation email and further information to help you plan your trip.

We reserve the right to cancel any reservations that are not paid in full at any time after the final payment is due. If you make your reservation after the final payment due date, payment in full will be required immediately.

If we cancel the trip, you will receive a full refund.

Full final payment is due December 1, 2023.

Cancellations and Refunds

For any cancellations made before December 1, 2023, you will forfeit your deposit but will be refunded any other payments you have made. If you must cancel your trip, the effective date of cancellation will be upon our receipt of your notification, which must be made in writing either by email or letter. No refunds are possible after December 1, 2023.

We strongly recommend that you purchase trip cancellation insurance when you pay your deposit for this trip. We are happy to provide a paid receipt and letter to your travel insurance company if you have to cancel. Alternately, you could send a friend on the trip in your place.

Changes to Your Reservation
If you would like to stay on for longer than the official days of the trip, we will make reservations for you at the hotel (subject to availability, of course). We will not charge you for any changes to your reservation outside of 90 days before the trip start date. From 30 – 89 days before the trip start date, if you make any changes to your reservation, a $100 per person administrative fee will apply. Changes are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.

Travel Documents
You are responsible for securing your own passport, valid for at least six months after the completion of your trip.

Health and Medical Issues
We welcome all travelers, but you must be in good health to participate in our trips. Our trips require a reasonable amount of walking, possibly several hours a day, uphill or on uneven streets, or streets without curb cuts. You must be able to climb stairs and board trains & buses on your own. We regret that we cannot provide individual assistance if you require the use of a wheelchair or have other personal needs; in such cases you must be accompanied by a companion who will assist you.

If you are unable to navigate this amount of walking, you will not be able to participate fully in the trip, and we suggest you choose another type of trip. We cannot provide individual alternatives to the planned group activities. If your fitness level does not allow you to keep up with the group and/or travel on public transportation, you will be responsible for planning your own activities and for any additional costs incurred (for instance, but not limited to, personal taxis, train tickets, and entrance fees).

Trip Insurance
We strongly recommend that you purchase both trip cancellation insurance and traveler’s medical and evacuation insurance for your trip. Should you have to cancel your trip after you have paid in full, we cannot offer refunds other than specified above, because we will have already paid the costs of your trip to our vendors.

Arrival and Departure Dates
It is your responsibility to make sure you arrive by the specified trip start date. We cannot refund part of your trip if you arrive late or leave early

Responsibility

The liability of The Flying Squirrel, Gina Stewart, and DeAnne Dotson, individually or jointly (referred to hereafter as Trip Planners), is strictly limited. In no event will the Trip Planners be liable for amounts in excess of the amounts payable to the Trip Planners in accordance with the terms hereunder, nor will Trip Planners be liable for any consequential indirect or incidental damages arising from this agreement. Trip Planners purchase accommodations, transportation, and other services from independent suppliers not under our control. We serve only as coordinator for these suppliers in securing trip arrangements, and therefore will not accept responsibility and/or liability for wrongful, negligent or arbitrary acts or omissions of these independent contractors, their employees, agents, or representatives.

Trip Planners are not liable for injury, damage, loss, accident, or delay that may be caused by events not within our control, including but not limited to, without limitation, acts of terrorism, war, strikes, defects of any vehicle, adverse weather conditions, natural disasters, or the negligence or default of any third party.

Trip Planners reserve the right to correct errors in advertised prices. We reserve the right to cancel an advertised trip, decline to accept a reservation, or remove a person from a trip if it is determined by us to be in the best interests of the health, safety, or general well-being of other trip participants. We will make every effort to conduct our trip as planned, but we reserve the right to make itinerary and other changes as necessary. If unforeseen circumstances require us to change a hotel, we will make every effort to select alternative accommodations of the same quality. The forgoing terms and conditions and all aspects of the relationship between Trip Planners and you shall be governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina.