“Thank you... for opeing this world to me.”

“An ideal set of itineraries”

“Such personal touches and care”

“You excel in every way”

“One of the best guides I have ever had”

“Extremely valuable as a guide...truly expert”

“Unique and superb experience”

“One of the best guides I have had the opportunity to know”

“Amazingly excellent”

“Inexhaustible knowledge”

“One of my top travel highlights ever”

“Charles is a must”

“Educated, experienced, an extraordinary investment”

“Knowledgeable and passionate”

“It was unforgettable and I am extremely grateful”

“EXTREMELY VALUABLE AS A GUIDE...TRULY EXPERT”

When I was a kid, I wanted to be an archeologist. Life took me down a different professional path but now in retirement I can indulge my prehistorian proclivities. I read a lot, listen to lectures online and have been fortunate to see most of the visitable sites in France on my own. That said, I still have much to learn. That’s what makes Charles extremely valuable as a guide. He is truly expert, having been visiting these sites as a child with his father, and interacting with Spanish archeologists as an adult. Charles is an active member of the Spanish prehistorian community. He knows all the local scientists and guides personally and often attends workshops and special, not-for-the-public tours with them—and has been a wonderful mentor for me. It is great to have a specialist with whom to discuss these issues in-depth. In fact, it’s great to have someone who wants to talk about this stuff at all; generally my other friends’ eyes glaze over a few sentences into the subject.

Charles is fluent in both Spanish and English; communication is never a problem.

Originally this tour, our second with Charles, was going to focus on things we hadn’t seen in northern Spain the first time around, but at his suggestion we met in Porto so that we could add the outdoor engravings in the Coa Valley (Portugal) and in Siega Verde (Spain). Charles only recently began touring so far from his base, and we’re glad he did. Both sites were fascinating.

Even after a tour Charles is happy to continue the dialog. For example, we are now discussing in-the-weeds issues related to Altamira by email. Charles never seems to be too busy to dive into things prehistoric.

I’m sure we’ll book with Cave Art Tour Spain again before long. ”

“THANK YOU … FOR OPENING THIS WORLD TO ME”

Being able to see the caves, sites and museums was a dream fulfilled. These caves are a treasure. I did get a true sense of awe, over and over every time I entered a cave and saw the symbols and the paintings. The physical experience of being in the cave, the darkness, the shapes, the damp, and chill deepened this sense of wonder. Being in the vastness of the caves, right where the ancient ones lived pulled me into being a time traveler.

They must have lived in a true Garden of Eden, the sea, the mountains, the rivers, and the swirl of animals, made their world a bounty of abundance. Theirs was a rich life that showed in their decorated artifacts, every surface, from walls to bone to stone bore the mark of their presence. I count myself truly blessed to have walked through these caves and to have seen what these people, so much like me, left as their legacy.

I am having a difficult time putting into words all I have taken back with me from the tour of the caves in northern Spain. My heart, spirit and imagination were enlivened through my immersion in the Pleistocene culture and the mystery of human behavior.

Thank you, Charles, for opening this world to me.”

“AMAZINGLY EXCELLENT”

I have just returned from an amazingly excellent week touring the Palaeolithic caves of Northern Spain with Charles. His knowledge of the caves, the artworks and what may have driven the ancient humans to create such beautiful works is that of a first-rate professional.

Teaching and learning come naturally to Charles, it appears to me, so he is the perfect guide. He is solicitous and caring without ever being overbearing and genuinely interested in people and what our perceptions and insights might be into the wonderful sites and artworks. We visited digs, sites, caves and museums so I gained an understanding I never could have if I had tried to do this trip alone. It was a comprehensive wonderful experience.

Charles is part of the fabric of Cantabria and the very life around the caves: he knows who to talk to and where to eat, arranging guides for each cave or museum and restaurants for delicious lunches in the most interesting places. I cannot recommend Charles’ Northern Caves Tour highly enough. It has piqued my interest in the intellect, and the subtlety of the paintings, engravings and sculpture of the first humans in Europe. I am thoroughly intrigued. My abiding interest in art history has been awoken in a new way.

I intend to take another tour with Charles in the coming year.”

“UNIQUE AND SUPERB EXPERIENCE”

I would like to express my thoughts and feelings about the unique and superb.experience of Northern Spain Paleolithic Art tour you Charles organized and guided. I am very happy I chose to explore paleolithic art in Northern Spain through your custom private tour. The great advantage of the custom-crafted itinerary was that while taking into account our personal interests, capabilities, and handicaps you managed to choose some of the most important and interesting paleolithic places. In 6 days we visited 21 sites: caves, replicas, museums, prehistoric archaeological sites and parks, some quite far apart, thanks to your meticulous time schedule and preordered reservations. I was impressed by your wide knowledge of the prehistoric era, especially cave art and your explanations. Since many of the sites had guided tours and explanations only in Spanish, your simultaneous translation into English was indispensable. You also prepared us very well right from your introductory presentation and before the visit to each site. And above all, your delightful personality and support made this trip memorable. I have learned so much from you in discussions not only about paleolithic cultures but also about contemporary life in Northern Spain. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

It should be noted that one of the great advantages of your custom private tour Charles is that prehistoric Spanish caves are less tourist-friendly than their French counterparts. The paths to the caves are often rough, stairs in the caves have no railings, some caves have steep slippery stairs and the ground may be muddy and wet. Since you are so well acquainted with every inch of the Northern Spain caves, you prepared and advised us very well and often provided invaluable physical support.”

“AN IDEAL SET OF ITINERARIES”

I encourage anyone curious about the Spanish prehistoric caves to enlist Charles as their guide. As a 72- year old, seasoned traveler, familiar with the French caves and museums, I soon realized that their Cantabrian and Asturian counterparts posed challenges that required special assistance. Less physically accommodating to the average tourist, the caves are also at a considerable distance from one another, and most of the public tours in Spanish. With the exception of Altamira, these caves, their replicas, and local museums, are simply not as familiar as the French ones to even an educated student of the field. The reality, however, is that they offer a whole new experience of the extraordinary antiquity and diversity of prehistoric art and artifacts that is a veritable revelation. Besides the caves themselves, the museums Charles insisted on including were impressive: local government investment helps to subsidize innovative displays that draw on cutting-edge technology. Charles’s own effective heuristic technique is to first prepare the visitor with a sense of what awaits, thereby training us in how and what to look for within the caves themselves. Because one can easily be overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of objects and facts to assimilate, his commentary at the interpretive centers was invaluable.

My companion and I presented Charles with a complicated timetable and requests that he forged into an ideal set of itineraries. He turned out to be as congenial in person as he had been accommodating during our protracted correspondence. Thank you, Charles!”

“INEXHAUSTIBLE KNOWLEDGE”

Brilliant, sensitive and cohesive introduction to Prehistoric Cave Art in Northern Spain. Charles ... a ‘local’ is best described as Renaissance Man with inexhaustible knowledge of Past, Present, Flora, Fauna, wine and dining ... all this and more comes with a refreshing sense of humor!

Looking forward to the delights of Galicia’s Neolithic Rock Art sites next year.”

“ONE OF THE BEST GUIDES I HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW”

I have been wanting to see the art of our remote ancestors since 1998. Now at 75,I finally got my chance and I chose wisely.

I have traveled widely and found Charles to be one of the best guides I have ever had the opportunity to know. I found him knowledgeable about the peoples of northern Spain and their land and their customs, but most importantly I appreciated his in depth knowledge Paleolithic cave art. He conveyed to us the techniques used by Paleolithic artists create the patrimony which they have left for us.

Since access to the natural caves was through Spanish government tour guides stationed at each of the caves, Charles’ good relations with these guides assured us we got VIP treatment. Charles always provided us augmentations and clarifications where needed to government guide’s presentations. So, we always left the caves with the sense we saw and understood what was available to be seen.

Personally, Charles literally made the trip happen for me. I took the trip requirements seriously. I trained by walking on rough trails and steep for over three months but once inside the caves with their slippery floors, Charles made sure I didn’t fall and on one occasion where the steps were about 18 inches to two feet high, he actually gave me a hand over them .

I feel very fortunate to have Charles as a guide. I learned a lot and felt safe as I learned.”

“SUCH PERSONAL TOUCHES AND CARE”

What a great trip. Thank you so much. I didn’t know what to expect touring the Pre-Historic Caves of Northern Spain. Charles was a great guide. We got to see all the caves that were available for us to see; both replica’s and real caves. The real caves were a great experience and Charles made sure we were safe inside each cave. Charles was very knowledgeable about all the caves and was up to date even the most recent discoveries. The timing of the days were great with wonderful trips to seaside villages with great food. Accommodations were 5 star and getting from place to place in a luxury vehicle was fabulous. It was a small and intimate group. I don’t think I can ever go back to larger group tours. We had such personal touches and care and I have a new understanding of the history and the beautiful cave art. Thank you so much for such a great trip.””

“ONE OF MY TOP TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS EVER”

Traveling with Northern Exposure Spain to see the extraordinary Prehistoric cave art was one of my top travel highlights ever! Charles is a gracious, host, guide, companion, and knowledgeable man who deepened the experience both in the caves and throughout the adventure. Food was superb, we stayed in wonderful and very special hotels. If you are seeking a custom trip to Spain and/or the prehistoric caves this is the trip to take — personal, informative, and hugely fun.”

“CHARLES IS A MUST”

”Every once in a while, I stumble into an experience so breathtaking, so rich, and so utterly powerful, that I classify it as a true blessing. Charles orchestration of our tour, his knowledge and passion made this more than a tour; it was a mystical experience and he was both guide, storyteller, concierge. If you want a journey into the past, while enjoying a man who advocates for our children’s heritage, then a Paleolithic Cave Art exploration with Charles is a must when you are in Spain. Thank you again for an amazing tour.”

“KNOWLEDGEABLE AND PASSIONATE”

”The mystery of the caves remains a mystery. And, as you know, words cannot do it justice. I believe that’s how it should be. I also know how fortunate we were to be exposed to this art by someone as knowledgeable and passionate as you. That you obviously enjoy sharing this knowledge, and yourself, with strangers is a gift. We thank you.”

“EDUCATED, EXPERIENCED, EXTRAORDINARY INVESTMENT”

”It has been a month since I toured with Charles into the caves of Northern Spain. Charles’ infectious passion for how people from thousands of years ago captured their experience in cave paintings set the tone for an individualized, exceptionally rich experience. It has been a month since the tours and I am still exuberant when I share what I learned. As a kid, visiting the caves were always a goal; little did I know I the extent of details I would learn both from Charles. I thoroughly enjoyed how Charles could meet me where I was with my knowledge and questions, planning a program that met my interests and abilities and the rich conversations before and after visiting the caves, chatting about the ancient peoples and the lands where they painted. . I am still buzzing. This experience rates as one of my best experiences with guides over 20 years of travelling. I highly recommend Northern Exposure Spain and Charles as an educated, experienced, extraordinary investment.”

“ONE OF THE BEST GUIDES I HAVE HAD”

”Touring Northern Spain with Charles was a wonderful experience. He considered all my interests and designed a program that exceeded my expectations. I have traveled on 6 continents on my own and on tours. Charles is one of the best guides I have had: experienced, knowledgeable, curious, with a great sense of humour and appreciation of nature and culture combined. It quickly became apparent he knows the area intimately having explored it since childhood. I was delighted by surprise visits to special places as we traveled along the roads. My main reason for going to this area was to see the Paleolithic cave art of Spain following a visit to the French caves in Dordogne the year before. Charles got me into 8 UNESCO caves- an unforgettable experience. He also took me to museums, art galleries, churches, medieval towns, Roman and Celtic sites, port towns, national parks, sea, valley and mountain viewpoints, markets and even a ranchers fair, a music concert and some gourmet restaurants. I had a great time and would thoroughly recommend touring Northern Spain with Charles as your guide!”