Right from the beginning, the question my husband Bob and I faced was where to take our teenage children to have their first taste of Europe. But then, there really was only one logical choice, since both our kids have been studying Spanish from a fairly young age--Espagne!

This turned out to be a good decision in more ways than one. First, Bobby, age 17, and Carleigh, 15, got to experience first-hand the culture they'd been studying, as well as practice the language. And second, since neither Bob nor I speak any Spanish, we really were able to rely on the kids to communicate for us while we were over there. For instance, we'd get into a cab, and Bobby would simply take over in getting us where we wanted to be. I think it boosted both kids' confidence in their Spanish skills.

This also proved to be a transitional sort of trip for Bobby and Carleigh. Typically we take them skiing or surfing, so they're used to having active vacations. This would be more culture-oriented travel, so it was important for us to have plenty of on-the-go experiences that would keep them from getting bored.

Of course, we wouldn't have had such a successful trip without the help of [travel consultant] Darcy at Hideaways. We started planning this vacation on our own--we weren't Hideaways members at the time--and it became completely overwhelming. We'd been thinking of visiting Morocco while over there, which was complicating things, and it seemed like we'd be spending all our time moving from one place to the other. Darcy convinced us we were trying to cram too much into just under two weeks, and she helped alleviate our concerns about getting around. Thanks to her, everything turned out really amazingly.

We wanted to start our trip in true vacation mode--not running around a city in 100-degree summer heat--so the first segment of our trip was spent on the beach at Costa del Sol. This was ideal, since our days were relaxed and the beach was wonderful. We stayed at the Marriott Marbella Beach Resort, which has one- to three-bedroom apartment rentals, and is in a great location with just one downside; it's a 15-minute ride into Old Marbella to see the sights, and it was very tricky negotiating the narrow and twisting roads in our little four-speed rental car. However, we found some excellent restaurants there and the kids loved wandering through the Old Quarter, so it was worth the drive.

Next up, Barcelona, which was amazing. However, when we got to the apartment where we were staying, I have to be honest, it was rather disappointing after the beautiful Marriott. It was somewhat tired-looking, and the owner, who met us there, admitted that it could use updated furniture and a fresh coat of paint. But, as he pointed out, the location was exceptional. If you put a finger on the map where the apartment was, we could walk everywhere we wanted to go.

When the owner saw our initial disappointment, he felt really badly and sent his assistant out to get us champagne and coffee and other goodies--he really went above and beyond to make us happy. And I have to say, the apartment kind of grew on us. It was very spacious and had a decent kitchen area, and there was a rooftop deck with amazing views where we could sit and eat breakfast. In the end, we were sad to leave and really would have loved to stay there longer.

The food in Barcelona was fantastic, and we had some great meals. We tried to stick with local food offerings as much as possible: tapas, paella, cheeses, olives, Spanish wines, and so on. We'd wander up and down Las Ramblas looking in the shop windows and deli cases at all the interesting foods. The kids loved it!

The big thing to see in Barcelona is, of course, the Gaudi architecture, and this was where we had an excellent small-group guided walking tour. Another day we took a bus tour all over the city, and even out to Barcelona's Olympic Village.

Much too soon, we hopped on the high-speed train and zipped up to Madrid, where we had only about 24 hours to see as much as we could. The perfect solution? A guided Segway tour around the city, with stops at churches, parks, and open markets. What a great way to see Madrid when you have limited time! And the kids loved this unique way of getting around.

Our Madrid hotel, the Villa Real, was very upscale and very reasonable. Bob's and my room was breathtaking, a suite on two levels, with views out over the Plaza de las Cortes and the center of Madrid. The woman at the desk explained it was our upgrade as Hideaways members--what a great surprise!

Needless to say, this was a terrific trip, and we are totally sold on the Hideaways experience. And, I'm happy to say, our kids have graduated up to a new level of travel experience as well.

January/February 2015