Tag: Spain

Rabbie’s kicks off first tours on the European continent

Edinburgh coach tour operator officially adds Europe tours to its portfolio

Small group tour operator Rabbie’s (www.rabbies.com) has ramped up its operations with the official launch of its coach tours in Europe.

Today, the first tours have departed on the continent marking the momentous occasion for the Scottish company. The first tours to set off are the six-day South of Spain & Treasures of Andalucía from Madrid and the six-day Cinque Terre, Florence & the Flavours of Tuscany from Milan.

Rabbie’s will operate 20 new itineraries in Europe this year, each six or 13 days in duration, taking guests across Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland.

Similar to the company’s popular UK trips, guests travelling on Rabbie’s European tours will travel in comfortable mini-coaches, with a maximum group size of just 16, allowing them to reach less-touristed destinations.

Each tour includes the expert services of a driver and English-speaking guide, providing insider local knowledge and entertainment along the way.

Tours available include:

South of Spain & the Treasures of Andalucía

This six-day tour travels from Madrid to Lisbon, taking in Spain’s former capital Toledo, Córdoba, Granada including Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada National Park, dramatic Ronda, Seville and the charming Algarve town of Tavira en route.

Travellers will visit a Spanish olive oil production site for a lesson in olive oil-making, be entranced by the ornamentation of the Alhambra Palace and delve into the rugged landscapes of the Cumbres Verdes mountains on the forefront of the Sierra Nevada. Stroll the city walls and picturesque plazas of cliff-top Ronda and join a half-day tour to Jerez de la Frontera – the heartland of sherry and Spanish brandy. Prices start from €1,185 per person based on 4 July 2022 departure.

Cinque Terre, Florence & the Flavours of Tuscany

Over six-days, this tour takes guests on a journey exploring renaissance art, quaint coastal villages and world-famous wines.

Holidaymakers will travel from Milan to Rome by way of Parma, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Florence, Siena and Montepulciano. Uncover the terraced cliffs and clear deep blue water of the Cinque Terre, admire the famed leaning tower in Pisa before wandering the cobbled streets and picturesque piazzas of Lucca.

Marvel at the finest collection of Italian Renaissance art and architecture in Florence before journeying to the stunning hill town of San Gimignano and the Tuscan hills of Va d’Orcia. Prices start from €1,519 per person based on 1 August 2022 departure.

Rabbie’s European tour prices include transport in an air conditioned mini-coach with a local driver, the stories and services of an English-speaking guide, accommodation in 3-4 star hotels with continental breakfast and selected excursions.

For more information and to book, please visit www.rabbies.com

Travellers from Spain face quarantine

If you arrive in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland from Spain you will now need to self-isolate.

Spain will be removed from the list of countries exempt from quarantine requirements due to an increased number of cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the last few days.

The decision, also made by the devolved administrations in Northern Ireland and Wales as well as the UK Government, has been made to reduce the risk of the transmission of the virus by those travelling from Spain and arriving in Scotland.

The public health measures came into effect from midnight and will mean those arriving in Scotland from Spain will now be required to quarantine for 14 days.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “The decision to exempt Spain earlier this week, was taken when the data showed there was an improvement in the spread of the virus. But clearly the latest data has given us cause for concern to overturn that decision.

“We appreciate that this will be disappointing. However, we have always been clear we are closely monitoring the pandemic situation in all countries and that we may require to remove a country from the list of places exempt from quarantine requirements should the virus show a resurgence.

“It is still active and it is still deadly. Supressing the virus, preventing it from being transmitted and protecting public health is our priority.”

The FCO is advising against all but essential travel to mainland Spain – this does not cover the Canary Islands or the Balearic Islands because travel advice is based on the risk to the individual traveller and COVID-19 infection rates are lower there than mainland Spain.

A UK government spokesperson said: “The Joint Biosecurity Centre together with Public Health England have updated their coronavirus assessments of Spain based on the latest data. As a result, Spain has been removed from the lists of countries from which passengers arriving in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are exempted from the need to self-isolate.

“Protecting public health is our absolute priority and we have taken this decision to limit any potential spread to the UK.

“We’ve always been clear that we would act immediately to remove a country where necessary. Both our list of quarantine exemptions and the FCO travel advice are being updated to reflect these latest risk assessments.”

Y Viva Espana!

Border health measures requiring people to quarantine for 14 days on arrival into Scotland are being lifted for those arriving from Spain.

The decision, which has been taken following a thorough review of infection prevalence rates, means that mainland Spain and the Spanish islands will be added later this week to the list of destinations exempt from the two-week quarantine rule.

All international travellers arriving into Scotland, apart from a very limited number of exemptions, must complete a passenger locator form and provide evidence that they have done so on arrival in the UK if requested to do so by a Border Force official.

Individuals who do not complete the form and present it when asked on arrival may be fined £60. A fine which could be doubled for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £480.

Since Friday 10 July, passengers arriving in Scotland from 57 overseas destinations and 14 UK overseas territories that reported similar or lower levels of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection than Scotland were no longer required to self-isolate.

Exemptions from the self-isolation requirement are kept under regular review and any increase in the prevalence of the virus could result in the requirements being put back in place.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Following this latest review and having carefully considered the potential public health impact of changing the country exemptions for quarantine, we are able to lift that requirement for those travelling from Spain.

“We are continuously keeping other countries under review and where there is clear evidence that it is safe to do so, we will add further countries

“Clearly the virus has not gone away. It is still active and it is still deadly. With the quarantine restrictions being lifted from these countries this means we have to be even more careful about what we are doing.

“Anyone travelling should follow public health advice at all times including wearing face coverings, avoiding crowded places, washing hands and surfaces, staying two metres apart and self-isolating if they get symptoms and immediately registering for a test.”

The big December freeze set to spur over 420,000 Scots to book a holiday this week

    • Spain tops the list for holiday makers in Scotland in 2018, but the USA is a close second with one in seven Scots looking to go stateside for their 2018 ‘vacay’
    • The younger generation are set to enjoy trips around Europe next year with Spain and Italy top of the holiday wish list
    • Almost half (43 per cent) of holidaymakers see ATOL protection as a ‘holiday essential’. The Civil Aviation Authority is committed to educating consumers on the importance of the scheme across this busy booking period

New research by ATOL, the holiday protection scheme, has found that over 420,000 Scots are set to book their holiday this week, as December’s snowy weather accelerates the holiday booking period. Continue reading The big December freeze set to spur over 420,000 Scots to book a holiday this week