
James Monro
As great as they are, there is so much more to Spain than paella, sangría and beachside resorts!! So often the stereotypical images of a country remain just at that and bear little resemblance to everyday life for locals. It didn't take me long to realise this on arrival in Andalucia, some 11 years ago and I fell for the most authentic version of Spain with its focus on quality of life & personal bonds, its stunning landscapes and its pride in its own traditions and culture.
Travel, as a means of recreation or even as a hobby has so much we can learn from, whatever our travel 'style' is and however we prefer to 'get out there and explore'. It should clearly never just be a matter of ticking boxes and I believe that the most worthwhile experiences are those with which we feel we've seen, done or experienced something novel, eye-opening and authentic. This is where I hope to lend a helping hand!
What places and activities do you specialize in?
"We specialise in custom making complete itineraries including accommodation and private transport for couples, families and small groups around Spain. We incorporate private tours and excursions with a guide for you to get the absolute most out of your visit, however long it may be. Tell us what you're interested in and we'll do our best to organise it, be it a flamenco jamming session or a culinary tour of the White Villages! "
How did you get involved in travel?
"While growing up in the UK, I was lucky enough to visit a number of European countries and the US from a young age and so I always knew that once I had the chance, I would jump at the chance of broadening my horizons. And this I did before, during and after studying my degree in Spanish & Geography at Leeds University, and thereby develop my enthusiasm for thinking up and planning trips to a whole range of destinations.
This, combined with the local knowledge of southern Spain gained from living and working here means that creating travel itineraries for other visitors was a natural progression and a real pleasure. I truly believe that Spain, and Andalucía in particular have so much to offer as a destination and I love the challenge of creating the ideal trip for each & every visitor."
Please share a unique travel experience you will never forget.
"One moment stands out among the many while travelling with friends and living in Argentina for 6 months before going to University. Thanks to some contacts, we were never short of ideas or recommendations. It was while staying with local friends (of friends!) in a small mountain village in the foothills of the Andes. We were warmly taken into their home and shown the authentic (and very active!) local life in a beautiful natural setting including how to prepare the real Asado barbecue and play the complex card game of Truco. More than anything, it was ideal for that particular moment for its authenticity and sense of discovery and has left lasting memories for these same reasons."
James's favorite itineraries and travel advice
Top itineraries and travel advice

This 8-day itinerary is pure holiday bliss on the Mediterranean. Kick off the trip in Barcelona, an enchanting European city that needs no introduction, where you'll have a few...

Check off Spain's three most exciting cities for a weeklong adventure you won't soon forget. The trip starts in Seville where you'll explore the best rooftops, tapas, and...

This weeklong adventure combines a mix of private tours and free time for the ultimate introduction to Spain's Catalonia region. Kick off the week in cosmopolitan Barcelona for...
Recent trip reviews for James
Cook and Taste cooking school in Barcelona wa...
Spain
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May 21 - Jun 1, 2023

Cook and Taste cooking school in Barcelona was the best activity we've done as a family since the kids went off to college! read more
Great Family Vacation
Spain
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May 21 - Jun 1, 2023

Just returned from our first time to Spain (Barcelona, Costa Brava, Girona, and Madrid) and had a wonderful time with KimKim’s and our local agents James Monroe’s and Angela’s assistance. Given our limited time in Spain, I think we were able to see the ‘must-sees’ but would like to return and visit other regions as well. All of our guides - Aida in Barcelona, our cooking instructor Rosa from Cook & Taste, our hiking guide Danny and Sophia in Madrid, were top notch in their field, as well as... read more
Amazing Road Trip in Portugal
Portugal
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Mar 17 - Apr 2, 2023
The itinerary that James put together for us did not disappoint. From Lisbon to Sintra to Cascais, to Evora, to Coimbra, to Douro Valley and finally to Porto. All accommodations were unique and above par, absolutely no complaints. I can't say enough great things about the tours and the guides that were booked. All of the guides were professional, knowledgeable and fun! The drivers were all exceptional. Overall, the trip was amazing. Thanks, KimKim! read more

Hi there Tina, Wonderful to hear this and thank you for your kind words. It was a pleasure to plan it all out with you and especially such a long time in advance, which gave us plenty of time to fit all together nicely. We're thrilled you enjoyed seeing some classic and 'other' parts of Portugal! Un abrazo, James
Amazing, Carefree and Worry Free! and WOW.
Portugal
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Mar 17 - Apr 2, 2023

Our 16 day trip through Portugal was fantastic. This could take some time as everything was as close to perfect as you could expect. We started in Lisbon and finished in Porto. Every detail was considered and taken care of by the KimKim team. James laid out a great itinerary, Chaima and Sam handled things when we arrived. From early check-in to prearrange transportation, all was perfect. Tour guides were always on time, prepared and well informed and all provided amazing recommendations... read more

Hi Jim, many thanks for taking the time to write and for your kind words. It was a real pleasure to organise it with you and Tina and of course to host you while travelling. We're thrilled you had such a wonderful trip and it's comments like this that really make our day! It's really useful to hear which parts you enjoyed most and we'll be sure to pass on your comments. All the best from the Tailormade team!
Great trip to central /northern Portugal!
Portugal
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Mar 18 - Mar 26, 2023

This was a wonderful trip and James and his team made the planning and execution seamless. We loved the hotels they chose, especially Casa Balthazar in Lisbon - very intimate, beautiful and charming hotel with a spacious room, helpful staff and in a great neighborhood. We loved Lisbon and Porto. The walking tour in Lisbon was really fun and informative, as was the bike ride there but a little scary (for me) with so many people walking, riding scooters, some cars etc. on the bike path. It was... read more

Hi Laurie, many thanks for taking the time to review your trip in detail and it's great to get your feedback about all the different elements that went into the trip. Of course, we're also thrilled that you enjoyed the trip and that it was an enriching experience overall! As you say there is so much to see and do, it can be tough to squeeze it all in and keep it to a reasonable pace! I hope there will be a next time for you. With v best wishes from Chaima, myself and the Tailormade team
Thanksgiving trip to Spain
Spain
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Nov 20 - Nov 26, 2022
We spent the week of Thanksgiving in Spain (family of four, including two teenage boys). James planned a very exciting and comprehensive trip for us, and Angela took care of any of our needs while we were there, including a last-minute switch I made to our itinerary which likely required some pretty impressive effort on her part to accomplish, but she did so quickly and graciously. We had extremely well informed guides to lead us through sites and cities, who shared with us a great deal of... read more

Hi Tamara! Many thanks for your review, we're thrilled you had such a fantastic time. Lots of happy memories created, I'm sure! It was a pleasure to plan and arrange this 'go-go-go' trip for and with you, and I'm pleased it all worked out well. Thanks again and un abrazo! James
An amazing trip in Andalucia Spain!
Spain
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Oct 16 - Oct 26, 2022

James did a great job creating a trip exactly to our specifications! All of the guides were so informative, professional and fun! Our hotels were gorgeous and we saw so many highlights of each area. All the stress of planing was handled by the team and it was wonderful! Thank you! read more

Hi there Ariana, Thanks very much for your comments and great news you loved it! It was a pleasure to plan it out with you too! All the best and I hope you'll be back sometime soon. Best wishes, James and the Tailormade Andalucia team
Primas in Portugal 2022
Portugal
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Sep 24 - Oct 1, 2022

We had great guides and drivers, especially Valter, Francisco, Sophia, Ricardo and Daniel.
The trip was just the right combination of structure and spontaneity, and we didn’t get exhausted from doing too much.
read more

Hi Melinda, many thanks for sharing your comments and that's fantastic you had a great trip! We're thrilled that together, we got the balance right too and the guides and drivers contributed to the experience :) Un abrazo, James and Chaima
Lisbon to Porto to Cascais. Sept 2022
Portugal
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Sep 24 - Oct 1, 2022
Absolutely Perfect! James was spot on with all of our requests and interests in visiting certain spots in Portugal. All of our transfers ran smoothly and the tour guides Frank, Sophia, Daniel, Ricardo, Sonia, Fransisco, Malia and Valter were fantastic! They all were extremely informative, warm, friendly and provided lots of laughs! I would highly recommend Kim Kim's services. Our local contact Chaima, was always available and frequently checked in with us to be sure we were doing well. ... read more

Hi Laurie! That's so good to hear you had such a great time! It really makes our day to hear comments like this!! It was a delight to plan it out with you and we're so glad it all came together well. All the best to you all and thanks for travelling with us. Un abrazo, James
Amazing España and tailormade andalucia
Spain
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Jul 31 - Aug 9, 2022

From the moment we started planning our trip James was an amazing resource and guide. He set up a fantastic itinerary that included Barcelona, San Sebastian, Costa Brava and Bilbao. We had amazing guided private tours in each city. Some of the highlights was the Pinchos tour in San Sebastian as well as our Picasso museum tour. The cooking class in Barcelona was very memorable. This was with cook taste Barcelona cooking class and our chef with Rosa. Our Picasso museum tour guide was... read more

Hi Sachin!
Fantastic to hear that you had such an enriching trip and it was a pleasure to plan it out with you! Many thanks again for taking the time to write and the photos show what fun you had!
Un abrazo, James
Two weeks in Portugal
Portugal
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Jul 29 - Aug 11, 2022
This was the first time I used KimKim. It was an easy and fun experience to plan with James. He was responsive, informative and courteous. When our family (with 16 and 18 year old boys) actually went on the trip, everything ran smoothly (with the exception of one slight delay in a pick up due to a mechanical issue which was quickly solved) and all the tour guides and drivers were excellent. We booked smaller, boutique style hotels which were just what I asked…clean, quiet, and central. ... read more

Hey Gertrude,
Fantastic to know you had such a great trip and it was a pleasure to have you travelling with us! Many thanks for taking the time to write and I hope you can make it back to Portugal sometime soon!
With our very best wishes, James
Thank you so much we had a fantastic trip and...
Spain
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Jul 31 - Aug 5, 2022
Thank you so much we had a fantastic trip and visited so many beautiful and historic palaces. Everything was so easy thanks to your team. From the collection and transport to the local guides onsite we really enjoyed the trip and it was so much more valuable because of the KimKim team. We learned a lot!! read more

Hi Niamh,
Great to hear that and thank you for taking the time to write! So pleased you had a great trip and felt you got the most out of the wonderful Andalucian sights & history! All the best and it was a pleasure to plan it with you and have you travelling with us!
Un abrazo, James
So impressed! We really loved our trip and th...
Spain
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Jul 31 - Aug 9, 2022
So impressed! We really loved our trip and the catered attention to detail. We are so grateful. Thank you for a wonderful, well thought out itinerary! read more

Hi there Chris & family,
Thanks so much for sharing your comments. I'm so pleased that you had a wonderful family holiday together and got to visit a great variety of locations in Spain. I hope you've taken many happy memories with you too!!All the best and un abrazo from Sevilla,
James
Excellent Tour
Spain
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Jul 29 - Aug 9, 2022
Hotel arrangements and hotel staff were great. Most tour drivers and vehicles were great. Original vehicle in costa brava was sub par. Vehicle for diner in El Far broke down. Arrangement of Taxi substitute was great. Their taxis and drivers were great. Tour guides were great and very informative. We enjoyed the Prado museum and the archeological museum in Madrid. A tour of Toledo was a highlight of our tour. We enjoyed the beaches of Sanander, San Sabastain, and Costa Brava. We wish you would... read more

Hi James,
Many thanks for sharing the highlights of your trip and I'm so pleased that the hotels and guides, contributed to a memorable trip with the family. I'm glad we could help make rearrangements after the a little misfortunate and hope the slight delay didn't affect your enjoyment nevertheless. We've taken note about the train station also and are to include more information for travellers. It was a pleasure to plan out the trip with you. Un abrazo, James
All our local tour guides have made our trip ...
Spain
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Jul 31 - Aug 9, 2022
All our local tour guides have made our trip so interesting and unforgettable. Their knowledge and speaking skills have given us a profound memory of Span’s history, culture, and arts! They are excellent tour guides! We really appreciate your arrangements and hotel staff. read more

Hi Lee!
Many thanks for taking the time to write the review and I'm so pleased that you've taken some wonderful memories of Spain back home with you! It was a pleasure to have you travelling with us! Un abrazo, James
Fun in Spain
Spain
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Jul 30 - Aug 7, 2022

We had so much fun visiting Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid. The guides on the walking tours were excellent and very knowledgeable. We especially liked Josep who took us through the old quarter of Valencia. He made it not only interesting but held our attention. The private cooking class in Valencia was wonderful also. We had an enjoyable evening making authentic paella, a Spanish omelet and a delicious sponge cake. In Madrid, my favorite thing to do was to see the flamenco show. ... read more

Hey Susan,
We're so pleased that you enjoyed the trip and it all came together well. Thanks very much for taking the time to post the review too and it was a pleasure to have you travelling with us and Kimkim!
All the best and we hope to host you again soon!
James, Rocio & the Tailormade Andalucia team
Highly Recommend!
Spain
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Jul 23 - Jul 31, 2022

James put together a customized itinerary that was tailored to our interests. He listened carefully to what we were looking for, presented an itinerary, and worked closely with us to tweak it until it was perfect! Our drivers and guides made our vacation stress free and very informative. Most memorable were our cooking class in Barcelona, our “Cultural Triathlon” and flamenco night in Sevilla, hiking the Caminito del Rey, and visiting the Alhambra in Granada. Each hotel was beautiful in... read more

Hi Randi!
Many thanks for your detailed feedback and kind words. We're thrilled that you had a great time and it all came togther well! I'm especially pleased you loved the visits in Andalucia! It was a delight to plan it with you & have you travelling with us. Good luck with the Spanish course!
Un abrazo,
James
Best Experience Ever 😊 !!
Spain
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Jul 23 - Jul 31, 2022

I decided to travel to Spain with my college friend and we had some unique requirements, which in turn led us to James.
After chatting with him and understanding his process, we knew we met the right person to guide us and get this trip pulled together, to cover the areas of Spain we wanted to visit.
With patience and knowledge, James created the trip of a lifetime for us.
I just returned, and wanted to share my feedback. If you want to travel to Spain, look no further. James and... read more

Hi Neida,
It makes our day to read comments like this!! Many thanks for taking the time to write and it was a real pleasure to have you travelling with us. We are THRILLED that the trip all came together well and that you enjoyed it so! I hope you'll remember the experience for many years to come!
Thanks again and un abrazo,
James
First Visit to Spain for 25th Anniversary
Spain
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Jun 22 - Jul 1, 2022

This was our first time using KimKim, as we usually plan our own vacations. We were visiting Barcelona and the Costa Brava for our 25th wedding anniversary and didn't want to worry about logistics. This was so perfect because everything was taken care of, yet we were able to personalize our trip to fit our preferences. Our trip was 10 days total, and we wanted to do a few days cycling. James was great! He made some great recommendations based on an itinerary we said we liked and the types of... read more

Hi there Kelli & Clark,
We're so pleased to hear you had such a great trip and that it all worked just right for you. Cycling routes included! It is such a great area and I'm glad we didn't try to squeeze too much in. It was a real pleasure to plan it out with you and while travelling with us. Thanks also for taking the time to review the trip. All the best from Chaima and myself and ¡hasta la próxima!
Un abrazo,
James
This was an excellent trip!
Portugal
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Jun 4 - Jun 12, 2022

This was an excellent trip from start to finish. James was instrumental in giving us choices for our time in Portugal and easily amended the trip when we added side adventures to the original itinerary.
Hotels were beautiful with friendly staff, comfortable rooms and wonderful morning breakfasts. The restaurants that we chose for each of the three main cities had excellent cuisine, great service and atmosphere. And, of course, first-rate Portuguese wines!
Our guides and drivers on this... read more

Hi Robert & Vicente,
Planning the trip with you (over almost 2 yrs thanks to 'the' situation!) and hosting you for your trip to Portugal was a pleasure! Many thanks for your comments and kind words too. We're all so pleased that you had such a memorable trip and that it all came together just right!
Un abrazo from all the Tailormade Andalucia team!
Best,
James