WHY CHOOSE GOURMAND BREAKS FOR YOUR TRAVELS?

‘’Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.’’ – Seneca

Established in 1996, we are a specialist Incoming Spanish Tour Operator proud to offer you custom built travel itineraries, top notch service and unique experiences in Spain, Portugal, France and Italy, where all details are important. Our field of expertise is in the wine, food, culture, history, art and gourmet travel for discerning voyagers, seeking authenticity at their destinations. We cater for those who seek to go beyond the clichés and discover the heart and soul of both historic and contemporary Spain, Portugal, France and Italy. We love our area, we love to travel and we want to share our passions with you!

We are a boutique tour operator, “small enough” to provide our clients with personal attention and top quality service, at a reasonable price. Every detail is designed to meet the highest level of attention and professional service. We are not a big company and neither do we wish to be. Our clients are individuals, small private groups, wine and gourmet clubs from English speaking countries, foodservice professionals requiring specific wine or food tours and similar.

On our website you will find many sample itineraries, ranging from just a few days to three weeks and more, to give you an idea of what we do, so you can decide whether this is the kind of travel you would like to experience. Then, from the moment we receive your enquiry, we carefully listen to your preferences and passionately dedicate time and hard work to craft an unforgettable journey for you. Here’s what we offer you:

OUR EXPERTISE
‘’We know “special”. We know “unique”. We just need to know what’s special and unique… to you’’

At Gourmand Breaks, we are passionate travel experts with more than 20 years’ experience under our belts and we care deeply about our clients. We are a small company and we choose to keep it that way; we limit quantity to ensure quality. We choose to concentrate only on Spain, Portugal, France & Italy and offer only full private trips we build entirely ourselves: we do not resell other companies itineraries, it is a very personal project, based on a close relationship with our clients, and to put it simply; a work of love.

We feel so lucky with what we do for a living! Choosing this project allows us to fulfil our passion and extensively travel all around Spain, Portugal, Italy and France, with an added thrill of always being alert to find those ultimate travel experiences our clients relish. Now, after so many years in business, we feel we know the ‘ins and outs’ of each and every one of our destinations well and we are able to offer our clients an insight and level of service that few can match. We have lived and “breathed” the places we include in our routes, so we know how to design your itinerary to make the most of your time there, experiencing the places that best fit your interests and avoiding tourist traps and run of the mill experiences.

OUR PEOPLE
‘’The great difference between voyages rests not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them. ’’ – Amelia E. Barr

When you travel what really counts and what makes a difference are the people you encounter, and the genuine experiences you share with them. We aim for you to experience the places we take you to as a welcomed guest, not a tourist, and we are very proud of the warm welcome you’ll receive from our people.

With us you enter doors closed to the public and gain insider access. Over these 20 years in business we have created a valuable network of providers, many of them good friends by now. During your tour with us, you will meet a whole range of fascinating local people who share your passions – sophisticated worldly wine experts, low-key artisan cheese makers, successful, but humble traditional winery owners, charming hoteliers, temperamental Flamenco dancers and nostalgic Fado singers, big-hearted olive oil makers, artsy bohemian locals, reputed art history buffs, young and passionate chefs or local nobles, sharing nostalgic stories from the past.

This, together with a team of carefully selected best in the trade guides and chauffeurs, guarantees you the best in expert knowledge and insider information, wherever you’re heading with us. And we’re always on the go, checking places and nurturing the special relationships we have with people all over Spain, Portugal, Italy and France.

OUR SERVICE – DEDICATION & INSPIRATION
‘’Travel is very subjective. What one person loves, another loathes ’’ – Robin Leach

The key ingredient to plan a perfect trip, aside from solid knowledge and experience, is TIME. We dedicate a lot of time to design a trip that will fulfil your expectations. With us, you are liberated from the drudgery of complex travel research, with many, many options and endless online opinions from people with very different criteria than yours. With us, you do not have to worry about the complex planning, tricky logistics and stress about disappointing your travel companions. After all, your vacation and holiday time is so valuable and you do not cross the ocean for a mediocre experience!

No two tours are the same because no two people are identical – we listen to your needs and deeply respect your preferences. Then, we use our expertise and creativity to inspire you with an itinerary based on your interests, not our convenience. We want your tour with us to be inspirational for you and to create unique, life long memories. It is all handcrafted for you and to your liking only!

Our website is here to inspire you. The itineraries, though “ready to wear”, are simply examples of the types of trips we do, so have a read, browse by destination, type of experience or by your specific time frame and let your wanderlust guide you through our site. And then, when you have an idea of what you’re looking for, be it vague or intricately specific, get in touch. We’ll do the rest.

JUST FOR YOU
‘’We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfilment.’’ – Hilaire Belloc

We pride ourselves in going a step further than the rest to make sure your trip is memorable for all the right reasons. The planning process should be the start of a fantastic holiday, not the reason you’re going to need one, so we are delighted to include some little extras to make your trip with Gourmand Breaks even more special. For example, prior to your tour, we will prepare for you your very own Personal Travel Website, with all your tour details and all the local info – no need to browse the net further. And we have more surprises up our sleeves. Trust us – we’ve done this before!

Wherever and whenever you want to go, whatever you want to see and do, we’re here to put your Perfect Trip together!
Need Help?