Portugal

eakdown? Is this mostly a trip for couples
or singles?
Discuss what is included in the price.
You might have to pay for transportation
to and from the airport. A box lunch
might be included in an excursion, but
drinks might cost extra. Tips might not be
included. Find out whether you will be
charged if you decide to opt out of certain
activities or meals.
Also ask about the accommodations
choices and prices for each. Then look up
the hotels’ reviews in a Frommer’s guide
and check their rates for your specific
dates of travel online. You’ll want to find
out what type of room you get, too. If you
need a certain type of room, ask for it;
don’t take whatever is thrown your way.
Finally, if you plan to travel alone, you’ll
need to know whether a single supplement
will be charged and whether the
company can match you up with a roommate.
11 SPECIAL-INTEREST TOURS
CULTURAL EXCHANGES
Servas (“to serve” in Esperanto), 1125 16
St., Ste. 201, Arcata, CA 95521 (& 707/
825-1714; www.usservas.org) is a nonprofit,
nongovernmental, international,
interfaith network of travelers and hosts.
Its goal is to help build world peace, goodwill,
and understanding by providing
opportunities for deeper, more personal
contacts among people of diverse cultural
and political backgrounds. Servas travelers
share living space, without charge, with
members of communities worldwide. Visits
last a maximum of 2 nights. Visitors fill
out an application and are interviewed for
suitability by 1 of more than 200 Servas
interviewers throughout the country. They
then receive a directory listing the names
and addresses of prospective hosts.
LEARNING THE
LANGUAGE
The National Registration Center for
Study Abroad (NRCSA), P.O. Box 1393,
Milwaukee, WI 53201 (& 414/278-0631;
www.nrcsa.com), allows you to experience
Portugal by living and learning the language.
The NRCSA has helped people of all
ages and backgrounds participate in foreign
travel and cultural programs since 1968.
Contact the NRCSA for details about the
courses and their costs.
THEME TOURS
Cycling tours are a good way to see the back
roads of a country and stretch your limbs.
Although dozens of companies in Britain
offer guided cycling tours on foreign turf,
only a handful offer itineraries through Portugal.
One is the Cyclists’ Tourist Club,
Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford, Surrey
GU2 9JX (& 0870/873-0060; www.ctc.
org.uk). It charges £36 a year for membership,
which includes information and suggested
cycling routes through Portugal and
dozens of other countries.
In the United States, bicyclists can contact
Backroads, 801 Cedar St., Berkeley,
CA 94710 (& 800/GO-ACTIVE [462-
2848] in the U.S.; www.backroads.com).
Another outfitter arranging bike tours is
Uniquely Europe, a division of Europe
Express, 3303 Monte Villa Parkway, Ste.
200, Bothell, WA 98021 (& 425/527-
8050; www.europeexpress.com).
The best golf tours (usually in the
Algarve) are arranged by Golf International,
14 E. 38th St., New York, NY
10016 (& 800/833-1389 or 212/986-
9176; www.golfinternational.com).
Tours on the best hiking and walking
trails are available through Adventure Center,
1311 63rd St., Ste. 200, Emeryville, CA
94608 (& 800/228-8747 in the U.S., or
510/654-1879; www.adventurecenter.com).
59
PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO PORTUGAL 3
SPECIAL-INTEREST TOURS