The best of
Andalucía
In 10 days
This Rick Steves Andalucía tour didn’t just show us Spain—it showed us a whole new way to travel.
The Trip
300 Miles
10
days
5
cities
countless wow's!
¡bienvenidos! ¡hola!
We landed in Spain 28 hours late, rerouted through Switzerland, jet-lagged, and laughing at how our “perfect plan” had already imploded. Instead of panicking, Jim and I clinked wine glasses over a fondue dinner in Geneva and said, “Well… this must be the Rick Steves travel gods warming us up.”
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That moment set the tone for our Andalucía adventure—our third Rick Steves tour and the trip that launched our new life of freedom. We are Maureen and Jim Richardson from Salt Lake City, Utah. For the first time in our adult lives, we weren’t constrained by work schedules. We could go anywhere, anytime. So we chose Andalucía, the soul of Spain: sunshine, tapas, whitewashed towns, Moorish history, and a rhythm of life that invites you to slow down and actually be there.
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Rick Steves always says travel light, roll with it, and learn a few language basics. On day one, we accidentally tested all three—and passed with flying colors.​​
​I’ve always kept travel journals, but on this trip I elevated them with watercolor sketches that I added to this scrapbook. My sketches aren’t perfect, but they add another layer to the story my photos already tell. I hope you enjoy my travel journal entries that highlight our favorite moments.
This scrapbook tells the story of how a Rick Steves tour didn’t just show us Andalucía—it taught us how to travel with curiosity, kindness, and joy. We didn’t just visit Spain. We truly experienced it.
