Dear Fellow Traveler,

Jeannie Ralston previously shared her Spain stories in a newsletter (and in this article) now let me tell you mine.

I was 16 the first time I went to Spain. My parents sent me to live with a local family as part of a Lion’s Cub International Youth Exchange program. My family paid for the plane ticket, and my host family took me in for my whole summer vacation.

What part of Spain? Mallorca.

That’s like saying your were an exchange student in the U. S. and you spent your whole time in Hawaii.

My next stay in Spain I was the producer of the syndicated TV series “Travel & Adventure.” I had 3 crews and 3 correspondents. Our job was to land in a city, find the fun things to do, and shoot a half-hour show about it. We covered Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, and Sevilla.

The last time I was there was in 1992, the week before Barcelona hosted the summer Olympics. I shot a fitness infomercial with Caitlin (then Bruce) Jenner and it was Kris Jenner’s TV debut.

So it’s been a long time since I’ve been back to Spain, but the music, the flavors, the sensations of Spain never left me.

The family I’d lived with in Mallorca didn’t speak a word of English, so by the time I said my goodbyes in late August I was quite fluent. When I shot the travel show I had to use my language skills to get us into nightclubs with swimming pools (as seen in the photo above) and artsy private homes and other places where they normally didn’t want cameras. To shoot the fitness infomercial I had to persuade the head of the Velodrome (where they hosted the bicycle races) that we should be allowed to shoot there for 2 days without paying a location fee, when corporate sponsors had paid millions of dollars to have their logos on by the track. That took some mad language skills and a lot of chutzpah.

To me, Spain is just exotic enough to show travelers its wild side, yet familiar enough to feel comfortable to visitors from the US and Canada, where gothic buildings dot old university campuses and tapas bars have proliferated. With its location in southernmost Europe, we can expect mild days and cool evenings and if we’re lucky, very little (if any) rain.

Spain is not a monoculture like Japan, where you travel outside of the capital and you’ll have to search for English speakers or signs or places that take credit cards. It’s also not a 12-14 hour flight away, like Vietnam or South Africa.

Spain has been invaded and conquered and the invaders and conquerers have left their mark: on the architecture, the food, the music, the art. The Spaniards have preserved their history while embracing modern music, fashion and food. It’s not exactly a melting pot: more like a paella with fresh, delicious accents on an aromatic bed of history. Did that sound like ai? It was my own tortured analogy, sorry! And PS I love paella. My favorite national dish!

Jeannie Ralston spent a long time trying to get a Spain trip on our schedule. But we had to make sure it was the RIGHT trip.

Barcelona is one of the most-visited cities on earth. Gaudí’s spires alone are worth seeing. But come summer, everyone else has the same idea. So it was important to us that we find the best time to go.

We chose to go in March, when the city is still vibrant, just without the crowds.

Then we head south, to Sevilla and Córdoba in early spring…warm, not hot — orange blossoms, courtyards, long outdoor lunches, no wilting required.

We also wanted the trip to be women-focused—like so many of our trips are. Happily, we found a woman-owned company in Spain to help us with the logistics and to introduce us to local women through out our trip.

Here are some highlights of our carefully curated visit to three remarkable Spanish cities.

●      Gaudí’s Sagrada Família and the mosaic-covered wonderland of Park Güell. The last time I was here it was unfinished! Can’t wait to see what they’ve done with the place. :)

●      The Gothic Quarter’s medieval alleyways. As intriguing as the back alleys of Marrakech.

●      The city’s overlooked history: the women who shaped its art and politics. Can’t wait to dive into this with our local guides.

●      Catalan food — bread rubbed with tomato, calçots off the flame, bombas fresh from the fryer. And that hot chocolate you stick a spoon into and the spoon stands up straight!

●      Courtyards dripping in tile and orange trees

●      A hands-on paella cooking class

●      Painting your own azulejo tile

●      Learning Sevillanas, the region’s centuries-old women’s dance

●      A flamenco show that’ll get in your bones

●      Three civilizations — Islamic, Jewish, Christian — layered into one city

●      The Mezquita, one of the most extraordinary buildings in the world

●      A slower pace that rewards lingering

If you’re still wondering if this trip is for you, you’re welcome to book a call with me. I’ll be happy to answer any questions about the trip, the itinerary, or—if it’s the first NextTribe trip you’re considering—what our trips are like.

📅 March 1–8, 2027 · 7 nights

👟 Activity Level 3 — walking, cobblestones, comfortable shoes required

👯 12–14 travelers, small by design

💵 Starting at $5,599 · $500 deposit · easy, interest-free payment plans

🙋 Solo travelers welcome — and encouraged. Most of the group is flying solo too.

Barcelona, Seville and Cordoba are waiting for you.

So, what are you waiting for?

🔥 Here is your

$4,699 doubles (2 double rooms left!)

$5,999 singles (1 single room left!)

If you’re interested, don’t hesitate! Save your spot today for $500!

Jeannie Edmunds, Chief Operating Officer