The Real Deal: Round-trip airfare and four nights' accommodations, from $595 per person — plus taxes and fuel surcharges of about $310.
When: Departures on Jan. 5, 12, 19, 26, 2008; add $45 for departures on Feb. 2, 9, 16, 23, Mar. 1, 8.
Gateways: New York City; add $15 for Miami; $20 for Chicago; $35 for Philadelphia; $45 for Orlando; $65 for Washington, D.C., $145 for Seattle.
The fine print: Hotel taxes are included. Breakfast daily is included. Bookings must be made at least a week before departure. Airport-hotel transfer costs an additional $95 each way. Based on double occupancy; single supplement starts at about $252. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.
Book by: No deadline; based on availability.
Contact: TourCrafters, 800/621-2259, tourcrafters.com.
Why it's a deal: The package offers the convenience of bundling a fare and lodging for a short getaway. According to a recent search on Kayak, round-trip airfare between New York City and Barcelona is typically low for winter departure dates. Take January 19 fares, for example, which recently started at $425 (multiple airlines), including taxes and fees. For a couple, that works out to $850, with lodging not included. In comparison, a couple buying the Barcelona Winter Special package would pay roughly $600 more both airfare and four nights of lodging.
Trip details: The Barcelona Winter Hot Deal package includes round-trip airfare and four nights' accommodations at the HCC Covadonga, a 101-room hotel that dates from the early 20th-century but was refurbished in 2003. Its location is on the main artery of the city's commercial district, Avinguda Diagona. Additional days at the hotel cost $105 per night per person. You will fly Alitalia, although you can fly Air France or Delta for an additional $40 per person.
Barcelona is the capital city of the Spanish province of Catalonia and the second largest city in Spain. You'll enjoy gorgeous views of mountains and sea, sample local Catalan tapas from the restaurants that line the city's marina and winding stone alleyways, and admire Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, a gem of a church.
For more tips on what to do in the area, visit the official Web site of the city of Barcelona. Find the latest exchange rate and the local time at BudgetTravel.com.
Not surprisingly, Barcelona winters are cold with temperatures between 40 and 55 on average. Yet given its Mediterranean setting, the city enjoys sunny weather on two out of three days in January and February. Before you go, check the weather forecast at BudgetTravel.com.