2026 Ida B Wells Spain Cultural Journey
| Travel Dates: |
June 19, 2026 -
July 1, 2026
Dates are tentative until flight are secured
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| Group Organizer(s): |
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| WTT Contact: |
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| Program Tuition: |
$3,890 USD
Airfare not included in program tuition
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| Confirmed Airfare: | $1,887 |
| Deadline(s): | November 30, 2025 |
Important Reminders
Passport check
Insurance Reminder
Fundraiser
Review all materials
What to Expect
Please read through all of the information below. More details will be added as your departure draws closer.
Itinerary
We do everything possible to abide by itineraries as originally planned, but decades of experience teaches that we must be flexible in our planning. Changes to a trip’s schedule are uncommon, but Walking Tree reserves the right to make adjustments to programming in the best interest of the group.
| Day | Location | Description | Lodging |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19-Jun | USA--Madrid | Today the group will travel from the USA to Madrid, Spain, arriving the next day. | Airplane |
| 20-Jun | Madrid | After arriving and getting settled, we'll check out Madrid and get our first taste of local cuisine in one of the capital city's vibrant neighborhoods. In the evening, we'll discuss the upcoming trip in detail and have a chance to enjoy ice cream after dinner in nearby Plaza de Espana, with its beautiful park and towering statue of Cervantes looking over us. | Madrid Hotel |
| 21-Jun | Madrid - Oviedo | We'll have a relaxing morning to rest and have free time to explore, walk through the city to Retiro Park for a picnic. Formerly the hunting grounds of Spanish monarchs, the park is now a tranquil oasis in the middle of the bustling city. After the park, we'll head to another of Madrid's unique neighborhoods for lunch and to visit the History of Madrid museum, filled with mementos of Madrid's cultural transition through the years. In the evening, we'll grab dinner before heading to the hotel to get our bags and go to the airport to head north! | Oviedo Hotel |
| 22-Jun | Oviedo | After breakfast, we'll take a private bus to the town of Arriondas to take a calm 7km kayak trip along the Rio Sella to get our first taste of the region's stunning natural surroundings. Our kayak trip will include a relaxing stop for a picnic and swim in the river. We'll have a traditional dinner when we return to Oviedo. | Oviedo Hotel |
| 23-Jun | Cangas de Onis & Picos de Europa | Today we'll take our private bus to the beautiful, historic town Cangas de Onis, the original capital of the Kingdom of Asturias, to get a taste of small-town Spain life. We'll drop our bags and go by public transportation to the majestic Picos de Europa. At the entrance, we'll meet our guide who will take us to the Lagos de Covadonga, a set of lakes reachable by a short hike and where we'll have stunning views for our picnic lunch. In the afternoon, we'll have some free time in town before gathering back together for dinner. | Canas de Onis Hotel |
| 24-Jun | Cangas de Onis--Gijon | Today we wave goodbye to the mountains to go to the coast. We'll spend the day in Gijon, the region's biggest seaside town, exploring the Cimadevilla (old town center) and we'll have the option to visit the Asturian People Museum to learn more about the region's history. | Gijon Hotel |
| 25-Jun | Gijon | Beach day! To start, we'll soak up sea while taking a surf class. Professionals will show us the ropes (or boards) before we carve some waves. We'll return to the beach after lunch for some relaxing in the sand. We'll have the option to visit the Botanical Garden in the evening. | Gijon Hotel |
| 26-Jun | Gijon--As Catedrais--Lugo -- Melide | After a relaxing morning, we'll say be saying goodbye to "pueblo life" for now and head with our private bus to our next region: Galicia. We'll spend a few hours at our second beach of the trip, the incredible As Catedrais beach, before we go back in time to Lugo. We'll get an overview of the city by walking along its intact Roman walls and bridge and exploring the mosaic museum. From Lugo, we make our way to Melide, where we will turn in for the evening ahead of our hike tomorrow. | Melide Hotel |
| 27-Jun | Melide--Arzua | Today marks our first day on the Camino de Santiago, the famous pilgrimage walk. We'll ease into the Camino with a 14km walk through the Galician countryside. We'll walk until Arzua, where we'll have a chance to visit their cheese and honey center to learn more about local products. | Arzua Hotel |
| 28-Jun | Arzua-O Pedrouzo | For day 2 of the Camino we'll walk a total of 20km. Along the way we'll pass the Santa Irene Fountain, also known as a Fountain of Youth. We'll end in O Pedrouzo, a small town known for its roosters. We'll have time this evening for reflection about our personal pilgrimage and journey so far. | O Pedrouzo Hotel |
| 29-Jun | O Pedrouzo--Santiago de Compostela | The majority of our walk today will take us through pine forests and we'll notice more urban areas as we get closer to our final stop. Our third and final day of the Camino brings our last hike, our final 20km taking us all the way into Santiago de Compostela and its famous Cathedral, marking the end of our pilgrimage. We'll visit the Cathedral and settle into the city before dinner and watching the sunset over the city over Alameda Park. | Santiago Hotel |
| 30-Jun | Santiago de Compostela -- Madrid | Today after breakfast we will have free time to shop and visit the Pilgrim's Mass at the Cathedral for anyone who would like to go. If the group is interested we can visit the Pobo Galego Museum to learn more about Galicia before having a farewell dinner to soak up the last of the northern atmosphere. After dinner we'll head to the airport to go back to Spain's incredible capital. | Madrid Hotel |
| 1-Jul | Madrid --USA | Today we'll head to the airport and board our international flight home. ¡Hasta luego! | Your own bed eventually! |
Accommodations
In order to provide a safe and memorable experience, we follow strict guidelines when choosing group accommodations. Walking Tree partners with hotels and guest houses which are centrally located, locally operated, clean and safe. We inspect each partner hotel to ensure they meet these standards.
Pensión Casa Elena – Arzúa
Pensión Casa Elena is a three star hotel located in the heart of Arzúa. All rooms have access to high speed wifi, central heat and air conditioning.
Albergue Amodiño – Arzua
This family-run hotel located in Arzua is catered mostly to pilgrims from the Camino de Santiago. Clean, comfortable and simple, Albergue Amodiño offers a glimpse into authentic Galician life. There is wifi throughout the property as well as central heat.
Espahotel Gran Via – Madrid
This three star hotel is located on Gran Via, on one of the most iconic boulevards in central Madrid, offering the perfect location for us to explore the capitol on foot. All rooms have air conditioning and central heat, and have access to high speed wifi.
Pensión 9 de Abril – O Pedrouzo
Located just off the Camino de Santiago, Pensión 9 de Abril is a family-run guesthouse located in the center of O Pedrouzo. All rooms have access to high speed wifi, central heat and air conditioning.
Hotel Hernán Cortéz – Gijón
This historic hotel is located in the center of Gijón, offering the perfect location for us to relax after a long day of sightseeing. This four star hotel has high speed wifi throughout the property as well as central heat and air conditioning in each room.
Hotel Granada – Cangas de Onís
This beautiful, four star hotel is located in the center of Cangas de Onís close to the famous Roman bridge. All rooms have central heat and air conditioning, as well as high speed wifi.
Hotel Campoamor – Oviedo
Hotel Campoamor is a four star hotel located next to Campo de San Francisco Park, the perfect location for our group in Oviedo. The hotel has heat and air conditioning in all rooms. There is also high speed wifi throughout the property.
Hotel Sterling – Madrid
Conveniently located just off Gran Via and 200 m from Santo Domingo Metro station, this hotel offers simple accommodation in central Madrid. Both Puerta del Sol and the Royal Palace are just 10 minutes’ walk away. All spacious rooms have private bathrooms and air conditioning, TV, safe and work desk. A daily breakfast is available, and gluten-free products are available on request. Free Wi-Fi keeps guests feeling connected at all times. Students will be grouped in their rooms according to gender.
Hotel Ciudad de Compostela – Santiago de Compostela
Located with walking distance of the center’s main attractions, Hotel Ciudad de Compostela is a three star hotel that offers a great location for our group. There is free wifi throughout the property and breakfast is included each morning.
Urban Pension – Melide
Located in the heart of Melide, Galicia, Urban Pension will be the perfect place to rest up before we begin our Camino de Santiago hike. This three star hotel has high speed wifi, air conditioning and complementary breakfast.
Hotel Lux – Melide
Located in the heart of Melide, Galicia, Hotel Lux will be the perfect place to rest up before we begin our Camino de Santiago hike. This three star hotel has high speed wifi, air conditioning and complementary breakfast.
Group Flight
| Type | Carrier Name | Carrier Code | Flight Number | Departure Airport & City | Departure Date and Time | Arrival Airport & City | Arrival Date and Time |
| Outbound | American Airlines | AA | 3303 | PDX – Portland International Airport, Portland, United States | June 19, 2026 at 01:45 PM | ORD – O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, United States | June 19, 2026 at 08:06 PM |
| Outbound | American Airlines | AA | 126 | ORD – O’Hare International Airport, Chicago, United States | June 19, 2026 at 10:30 PM | MAD – Madrid–Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain | June 20, 2026 at 01:30 PM |
| Outbound | Iberia Air | IB | 1235 | MAD – Madrid–Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain | June 21, 2026 at 10:00 PM | OVD – Asturias Airport, Asturias, Spain | June 21, 2026 at 11:15 PM |
| Inbound | Iberia Air | IB | 1138 | SCQ – Santiago de Compostela Airport, Santiago de Compostela, Spain | June 30, 2026 at 09:45 PM | MAD – Madrid–Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain | June 30, 2026 at 11:00 PM |
| Inbound | American Airlines | AA | 741 | MAD – Madrid–Barajas Airport, Madrid, Spain | July 01, 2026 at 03:25 PM | PHL – Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, United States | July 01, 2026 at 05:30 PM |
| Inbound | American Airlines | AA | 1483 | PHL – Philadelphia International Airport, Philadelphia, United States | July 01, 2026 at 08:10 PM | PDX – Portland International Airport, Portland, United States | July 01, 2026 at 11:18 PM |
Host Community and Project Details
Packing List
What follows is a sample packing list but you know yourself better than we do so please adjust accordingly. We recommend you bring a larger piece of luggage like a roller, duffel bag, or backpack, as well as a smaller backpack that you can bring on daily outings, weekend excursions and shorter activities.
“Less is more” is a packing tip we encourage for all our travelers. We suggest bringing only as much as you would be able to carry on your own.
Finally, we recommend consulting a weather forecast for your destination.
CLOTHES :
- Underwear
- Socks
- Light-weight pants
- Shorts
- T-shirts
- Long sleeve shirts
- Light-weight sweater/sweatshirt
- Rain jacket
- Nicer outfit for farewell dinner
- Durable athletic/walking shoes.
- Hiking boots/shoes for the Camino de Santiago (appx. 20km of hiking per day)
- Hiking socks
- Sandals
- Hat, sun protection
TOILETRIES:
- Your basics
- Sunscreen
- Basic first aid
- Hand Sanitizer
- Medication in properly marked original container
MISCELLANEOUS:
- Backpack for the Camino de Santiago. Suggested size: 20L-40L, enough for your daily essentials, water, snacks, a change of clothes, and toiletries
- Passport
- Student ID
- Sunglasses
- Journal and pen
- Power adapter (Type F)
- Spending money for personal items. You can withdraw Euro from ATMs in Spain with your debit card, bring Euro and also use a credit card in most places.
- Durable water bottle
- Portable power bank (optional)
- Deck of cards or other portable games
Support Team
Gabriel Duncan
Co-Founder of Walking Tree Travel and Business Lead - Denver, CO
Colby College – B.A. International Relations and Government
While at Colby, Gabriel spent a semester in Spain at the University of Salamanca studying contemporary Spanish politics and Spanish language. He also lettered for four-years on Colby’s lacrosse team and earned All-American honors. After graduating, Gabriel hit the road. He fished commercially in Alaska, taught in Chile and China, led programs for students in Spain and Costa Rica, and traveled to over 50 countries and all 50 states in the USA. Regardless of where Gabriel is located, he is constantly haunted by his naive faith and unconditional love for Denver sports teams.
Rebecca Harris
Spain Country Director
IUPUI–B.A. Journalism, B.A. Spanish, M.A. Sports Journalism; Taylor University–Elementary Education Licensure Program
Rebecca first fell in love with Spanish thanks to her parents letting her study in Mexico City in middle school for three months. The experience left her with a passion and appreciation for the Spanish language and a deep desire to live abroad. After five years of university and a detour as a freelance sports journalist (you can find her writing via the NCAA, U.S. Olympic Committee, USA Basketball and more), she moved to Spain from her native Indiana “for one year” to be a language teaching assistant and then just never left. Seven years later, she’s now a licensed teacher and living her best and favorite life in Madrid. In those years, she’s earned her C1 certificate in Spanish and traveled to more countries than she has U.S. states. Rebecca loves slow traveling, any kind of dancing, and every country’s iteration of dumplings.
Hillary Mora
Program Leader
Group Roster
- 1 Aaron Olsen
- 2 Amy Durham
- 3 Annika Bech
- 4 Cashel Janssen
- 5 Catalina Tapia
- 6 Charles Small
- 7 Ellie Mitchell
- 8 Emma Lopez
- 9 Hailey Luelling
- 10 Henry Hickman
- 11 Ivan Tapia
- 12 Mia Bierschank
- 13 Mia LeBus
- 14 Milo Barroso Graziano
- 15 Nicklas Wallisch
- 16 Owen Prater
- 17 Roman Tubay
- 18 Samantha Stevens
- 19 Sifton Rust
- 20 Sydney Carson
Blog and Communication
During travel we work hard to keep families updated as frequently as possible with blog posts and photos, giving you peace of mind that your traveler is safe and thriving on their program. Students regularly contribute to these posts, providing families back home a great way to vicariously track the progress of the trip. You will be notified when the first update is posted, after which we recommend checking in regularly via the black “Program Blog” button at the top of this webpage.
Assuming your school allows the use of cell phones, most destinations are wired enough to allow participants access WiFi at different moments in the program, allowing them to communicate directly with home. Ask your Walking Tree representative about the degree of connectivity on your program.
GLC Curriculum
Standards of Behavior
In order to run a safe and successful program, it is vital that travelers are prepared to be on their best behavior and bring enthusiasm and interest to each and every day. A communal atmosphere of trust and mutual respect is the foundational. As such, all individuals participating on a Walking Tree program are required to take responsibility for their actions and adhere to a high standard of personal conduct.
IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL
- Possessing, consuming or distributing alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Associating with participants while they are in possession of alcohol or illegal drugs.
- Behaving in a way that consistently damages the group dynamic or jeopardizes personal or group safety. This includes consistently displaying a negative attitude, intimidating or excluding other participants, sneaking out, disobeying group leaders, and any other behavior that is not conducive to an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
GROUNDS FOR DISMISSAL OR IN-COUNTRY CONSEQUENCE
- Getting a piercing or tattoo.
- Stealing, or deliberately damaging or defacing any personal property, buildings or materials.
- Threatening physical or emotional harm, or brandishing a weapon.
- Possessing, consuming, or distributing tobacco or nicotine, including vape pens.
- Riding mopeds, motorcycles, or any other type of unauthorized vehicle.
- Being out of designated area or accommodations after curfew.
- Breaking group rules.
These standards of behavior are essential for the successful completion of your program. Please take the time to review these as a family and make sure everyone understands and agrees to them.
Health and Safety
We strongly recommend visiting the CDC Spain website to get the most updated information on health and vaccination considerations in your destination country. In addition, we encourage you to consult your personal family physician so you can be as informed as possible when making important decisions about vaccinations and other necessary health-related preparations before traveling.
Our in-country staff meticulously prepare for all programs. Walking Tree receives regular updates from the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to proactively stay ahead of any potential security concerns. Our in-country staff also verify the safety records of our partner organizations, vendors, and transportation providers, thoroughly vet homestay families through in-depth interviews and visits, and stay informed about important current events in the region.
Program Leaders are seasoned travelers who are CPR and First Aid certified, undergo thorough training in crisis management, and participate in comprehensive leadership training. We do our best to prepare for any eventuality and have detailed emergency protocols for our leaders, in-country staff, and U.S.-based staff.
We collect medical disclosures from all participants to ensure we can meet every student’s needs during the program. Please inform us immediately of any additional health issues not listed during your initial registration process. Leaders and in-country staff are prepared to respond promptly to any mental, physical, or emotional health concerns and follow comprehensive emergency protocols.
Insurance
While we work hard to ensure the safest experience possible for our travelers on program, experience teaches that travel can be unpredictable. For this reason, we recommend that all travelers consider a travel insurance policy with a Cancel for Any Reason (CFAR) provision. Detailed explanations of plan options can be found via the link below.
To provide travelers and families with a quality option, Walking Tree has partnered with Travel Insured International, one of the most respected providers in the industry. Begin by getting a quote here.
IMPORTANT NOTE: in order to secure coverage that includes CFAR, you must purchase the plan within 14-21 days of your first payment to Walking Tree. Be careful when you read the tenets of the policy to ensure you understand the required timeframe for purchase. You must also insure 100% of your trip cost, so program tuition + flight. Please reach out to us with questions.