Sunday, January 20, 2019

Donkey Tours rates a huge "hoofs up" for unique European experience


Donkey Tours of Barcelona boasts one of the most engaging guides two veteran travelers have experienced in decades
of globe trotting.  Here, Greek born Eteoklis Nikolaou takes tourists through Barcelona's landmarks and hidden wonders.

DONKEY TOURS OFFERS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL LOOK AT HIDDEN BARCELONA COMPLETE WITH HISTORY LESSONS



Barcelona's Palau de la Musica Catalonia makes an impression.
Donkey Tour guides take you there and give you a history lesson.
STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER

WE HAD BEEN  to Barcelona a dozen times before we hitched ourselves up with Donkey Tours.
What a find! If you are looking for an unusual way to spend a morning or afternoon and learn something new about this fascinating Catalan city, you'll be delighted with the spirit and intellect of the ambitious Donkey Tours.
My internet guru and partner Bruce Keller, also the talented photographer for our globe-trotting columns, deserves bounteous thanks for finding Donkey Tours. I'd asked him to line up a half-day outing on our last day of a recent week in Barcelona, a city we thought we knew quite well.  He came up with Donkey
Tours, which operates only out of Barcelona but is hoping to expand to other cities in southern Europe.

THE TOUR is free,  but a generous tip is appreciated.  We tipped the equivalent of what we would have paid for a much less interesting tour.  The well traveled tourist, or even the neophyte, should know to tip well for such a splendid operation. Our able Greek born guide entertained Aussies, Dutch, Germans, Italians,
Africans, Brits and the two of us Yanks with humor, patience, enthusiasm and intelligence.
  Eteoklis Nicolau met us in a well known square,
introducing us to the first of many wonders:
a Picasso mural on a onetime architecture school.



Above left:  Looking for fabulous fruit for a meal,   
           or breakfast in in your digs, Donkey Tours guides
            you to the finest outdoor markets in Barcelona.


Barcelona's revered College of Architects boasts a unique mural drawn by
Pablo Picasso during his years of artistic growth in a favorite city.





BEST BET and NEXT UP:  For theater in the grand tradition of 
old-fashioned comedy, point your laughing shoes to North Coast
Repertory Theatre for "Moon Over Buffalo." The new production
is expertly rendered by regular guest director Matthew Wiener, longtime

colleague of  the Rep's versatile and talented artistic director,
David Ellenstein. The show offers fabulous timing by a seasoned cast of 
theater pros.Book tickets to this delightful ode to a life in the theater,
at northcoastrep.org. Then tune in and turn on to Toledo,
as we visit this glorious ancient city in Spain. Remember to
learn, laugh and explore as we bring you a column each Friday,
with a novel take on travel, the arts, family, and  nature.
--At right, the company of "Moon Over Buffalo,'' in
which a befuddled repertory actor enters Noel Coward's
"Private Lives" as Cyrano de Bergerac. 
We spent a lively day with Theo, who took time to answer myriad questions, shared computer images and even escorted folks from our group of 25 to specific
specialty pastry shops and restaurants. We had a lovely tea and time for individual chat during
coffee break at tour midpoint, then
walked by a building most people
would have bypassed. 
WE FOLLOWED  Theo  down a marble stairway in an old law school, to discover a beautiful
basement of Roman arches and a
lovely little fountain.  Another
delightful surprise with Donkey
Tours, whose guides are all multi-
lingual and well educated. Bravo!
www.donkeytours.es


                                                              

5 comments:

  1. Wow what a find! Will definitely "saddle up" with Donkey Tours. We visit Barcelona often and enjoy these walking tours so much!

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  2. We love Barcelona and are always looking for something new. Will try Donkey Tours next time and hope we get Theo!

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  3. Great tip. Will follow through next month!

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  4. Finally going to Barcelona. So happy to have this insight.

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  5. A good tour guide does not settle and instead remains willing to learn to improve and fine-tune delivery of services.Wine Tours

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