Highlights
- 4-day tour of Catalonia’s best destinations
- In the north, visit Vic, Girona and Montserrat
- In the south, explore Tarragona, Santes Creus and Sitges
- Admission ticket for the Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres
- Guided tour and wine tasting at Bodegas Torres
- Three nights accommodation at 4-star hotels
Useful Information
4-Day Best of Catalonia Tour from Barcelona
Continue to Figueres, hometown of Salvador Dali, where you will have free time to visit the Salvador Dali Theatre-Museum (admission included).
On your second day, visit the beautiful walled city of Girona, originally built by the Romans as a fortress. Enjoy a guided walking tour of the Jewish quarter – one of the best preserved in Europe – and the exterior of the cathedral. After lunch, head to the incomparable setting of craggy Montserrat mountain, which rises majestically up from the plain to 4,051 feet (1,235 meters). Visit the Benedictine monastery, where you’ll find amazing views.
On your third day, you’ll journey into southern Catalonia to coastal Sitges. Discover the authentic Mediterranean atmosphere of this old fishing village, fashionable since the 1890s, when it became an avant-garde art-world hangout . You'll have free time so you can soak up the sun on one of the town’s 17 beaches. In the afternoon, head to Tarragona, where you will feel like you are traveling back to the days of the ancient Romans. Enjoy a guided visit of the city, including the Old Quarter and admire the stone walls, the Roman Forum and the amphitheater.
On your last day, visit Santes Creus, a beautiful Cistercian monastery dating back to 1158. After a traditional local lunch, stop at Bodegas Torres, one of the most famous wineries in Catalonia. On a tour of the winery, you'll learn about the region's fabulous wines, enjoy a tasting and have a chance to buy wine to take away with you.
Itinerary
Depart Barcelona at 8:30am and travel to Vic, an ancient settlement that still preserves old customs of the Middle Ages. Enjoy the city tour, including a visit to the market, and then have free time for lunch (additional cost). Continue to Figueres, where you will visit the Dali Museum, the largest surrealistic object in the world and home to many famous works by Dali, one of the world's most famous surrealist artists. Continue to Girona for the evening.
Girona accommodation: Melia Girona (4-star)
Day 2: Girona - Montserrat - Sitges (B, D)
After breakfast, enjoy a tour of Girona, including a visit to its Jewish quarter and the exterior of the cathedral. After lunch (additional cost), depart to Montserrat, where you will visit the Benedictine monastery located in a unique mountain setting, shaped by the prehistoric oceans. Continue to Sitges for the evening.
Sitges accommodation: Antemare (4-star)
Day 3: Sitges - Tarragona (B, D)
Spend the morning in Sitges, a beguiling Catalan coastal village. Enjoy the “Route of the Americans” walking tour, and use your free time to discover the alluring charm of Sitges' cobbled streets, whitewashed fishermen's houses and gorgeous beaches. Then find your perfect spot for a peaceful lunch by the sea. In the afternoon, depart to the Roman city of Tarragona, where you will have a guided tour of the city and its numerous Roman attractions.
Tarragona accommodation: Ciutat de Tarragona (4-star)
Day 4: Tarragona - Santes Creus - Barcelona (B, L)
After breakfast, depart to Santes Creus. Visit its Cistercian monastery, the only monastery in the Cister Route with no monastic life. Enjoy a typical local lunch and head on to Torres wine cellars, where you will have a tour of the winery and a wine tasting. You'll then head back to Barcelona, where your tour ends.
The hotels detailed above are as a reference only and are subject to change.
Reviewed by Allan R, June 2012
Excellent tour. Fabulous tour guide, great accommodation and food.
Reviewed by Kristine Mo., June 2012
Bestbestbest. The $700 alone I would pay for food, lodging, and transportation but we got tours and museum admissions and our own personal guide on top of all that?! What a steal. The meals included were hefty (starter, entree, dessert, wine, coffee) and all the hotels were clean, spacious, and modern (gyms and/or pools in all of them). We got a huge bus for our small group of 4 which felt special (but think of the environment!) and our drivers were always reliable (drove us safely up and down Montserrat, thank you!). We were very impressed with our tour guide Olivier--although he hasn't been a Catalonia native all his life he's basically a walking history book and city paper all in one. We threw a lot of questions at him, and was able to elaborate remarkably on all of them, in spite of some funny French-Espanol-ish-isms. In retrospect, wish we'd tipped him, and graciously!!! We took this tour before exploring the city center, so I felt that I really got to know Catalonian culture and history, muchmuch more than the typical Barcelona visitor (or expat resident, even)! The only things I would change would be: [1] less time in Sitges (can't go to the beach after we've packed our things! check-out at 12 would be best), more time in Tarragona [2] nix the Torres wine tour!--I was expecting a small, intimate winery with at least 3 different wines to taste--not so with Torres [3] More time at the Dali Museum (3 hours would be nice for both parts). We bought a lot at the Vic food market (wish we could have gone during the mushroom harvest) and ate a superb lunch. Surprising faves: Dali museum, Santes Creus, morning run by the beach in Sitges.
