Amanda Buttinger

Tour Guide & Travel Consultant

Hi! I’m Amanda, and I’d love to be your friend and guide in Spain

For nearly three decades living in Spain, I’ve had the privilege of guiding iconic Spain tours, researching and updating Rick Steves’ guidebooks for Spain, Morocco, France, London, and Amsterdam. My experience allows me to offer you a deep understanding of authentic Spanish culture and Spanish traditions, guiding you beyond the typical tourist paths to truly connect with the essence of this incredible country.

Amanda from Gather to Travel planning a bespoke itinerary in a rustic travel journal.

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SPAIN TRAVEL CONSULTATION

Are you planing the trip ahead? Need help calculating days, chosing transport, or designing your itinerary? Drop Gather to Travel a line or book a travel consultation directly, and Amanda at Gather to Travel will be happy to help you.

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Learn more about me from my interview on Ricksteves.com or check my Instagram

Interview

Instagram

HOLA!

Being an American and having lived in Madrid for more than half of my life, I have an understanding and sensitivity from both sides of the ocean.

Let’s design your visit and hit the streets together…from Madrid to the rest of Spain. With Gather To Travel, I can help create your unique trip, offering tailored tours with immersive experiences rooted in Spanish traditions, including guided family tours, as well as tours for couples, friends, and solo travelers seeking their own adventure.

After moving to Spain for graduate school to study Spanish language, literature, history, and teaching methods, I fell in love with the city of Madrid. Over the years, I’ve taught English as a second language, written for several travel books, and guided and trained tour guides for Rick Steves Europe for nearly two decades.

I enjoy vibrant Madrid by wandering the streets to feel the heartbeat of the city and discover new places, as well as feeling the comfort of my favorite corners and cafes.

MY BLOG: Latest Travel Tips & Spain Guides!

Madrid hidden gems, traveling recommendations, Spanish cuisine, Art & History and my personal favorites places:

Is It Safe to Travel to Spain This Fall? What the Fires and Earthquakes Actually Mean

After 25+ years guiding Americans through Madrid — including two decades with Rick Steves — Amanda breaks down what this summer’s wildfires and Granada earthquakes actually mean for your fall trip to Spain.

The Prado vs. MALBA: When Two Museums Played Their Own World Cup Final

The Prado turned Spain’s World Cup run into ten paintings. MALBA answered with ten of its own. Amanda breaks down the museum feud that broke out before Spain faced Argentina in the final.

Meg Johnson

July 5, 2026

Amanda was an absolutely amazing tour guide! We highly recommend booking with her. She provided a well crafted itinerary with wonderful points of interest and great insights and details about Madrid and Spain. She helped us (and that included two tough-to-engage teens) appreciate Madrid on a much deeper level. We highly recommend booking with her!

Bob Baldwin

June 25, 2026

We recently booked a tour with Amanda for a tapas tour in Madrid. We found Amanda through Rick Steves "Madrid & Toledo" snapshot guide. This tour was a great addition to our time in Madrid. Amanda spent time to better understand who we are and designed an outstanding personal tour for three. Her extensive knowledge of the history and the sights of Madrid gave us greater insight to the wonderful city of Madrid. We would highly Amanda for any tour of the city.

Darrel Krentz

June 14, 2026

Amanda is so easy to talk to and work with. It was like we had been friend's for years! I look forward to an in-person tour with Amanda for our upcoming trip to Madrid!

Irina Perepelitsa

June 4, 2026

We are very glad we took this tour with Amanda. In fact, we would have loved to do it on our first day in Madrid, but Amanda was already booked. She provided practical information and local tips that would have been useful throughout our stay. Having a guide like Amanda helps you appreciate the city in a completely different way. We learned about the history of buildings we would have otherwise just walked past, and many of the details she shared were fascinating. We highly recommend this tour.

Eric R

May 27, 2026

Exceptional! When we told our friends we were traveling to Spain, they highly recommended Amanda. Amanda was our guide on our Rick Steves Best of Spain Tour, and we so enjoyed her skills that we met her a couple of weeks later in Madrid for an afternoon walking tour around the Chueca and Malasaña neighborhoods. We stopped in a bakery to pick up some Rosquillas, a traditional pastry of Madrid’s San Isidro festival, and enjoyed them as she pointed out the Palacio de Longoria and taught us about the history and architecture of the area. Amanda has a wonderful ability to teach and explain the political, economic, religious, social, intellectual, and aesthetic aspects of the areas we visited. When a scheduled event on our group tour was cancelled at the last minute, she quickly and efficiently adjusted our itinerary, and we went on to have a delightful day. She boosted our confidence as independent travelers, taught us not only how to navigate physical places, but also Spanish culture. Her leadership skills, endless knowledge, positive outlook and cheerful demeanor make her an exceptional guide, but her kind heart made her our new friend in Spain.

Elaine Roberts

May 19, 2026

Amanda is honestly the best tour guide I have ever encountered. I’ve traveled to several beautiful countries but she made our tour of Madrid feel like the place I’d want to stay forever. She was passionate, extremely knowledgeable, flexible and sensitive to our needs. Amanda shared amazing facts and history tailored to our interests. I highly recommend a tour with Amanda!

Deb H

May 18, 2026

I highly recommend Amanda for a tour guide if traveling in Madrid. Amanda met us at our hotel and gave us a personalized tour of the city. She is very knowledgeable, easily adapts her tour to your needs and group. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Amanda!

Tim Garrigan

May 17, 2026

I don’t usually do reviews, but in this case, I can’t think of a better guide to have in Madrid. Amanda is smart, interesting, and knows have to have fun. She also knows what it’s like to be on a tour, and let her clients enjoy the moment! Hire Amanda!

BKas

May 15, 2026

I had a great tour a couple days ago with Amanda. Not only did I learn about Spanish history, but I also saw some historic areas of town that I would not otherwise have seen, stopped at a quaint coffee shop that was off the beaten path, and topped the tour off with a delicious lunch. It was my first time to have oxtail.

Julie Crouch Troutt

May 13, 2026

Absolutely wonderful experience! This was our first time to Madrid to visit our son who was studying abroad, and Amanda helped us with an itinerary and then a tour on the first day. It was the perfect way to start our trip. Amanda is warm, knowledgeable, and so kind! Highly recommend!!

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