Highlights

  • Cover the famous sights of Barcelona, from the Sagrada Familia to La Boqueria
  • Discover the glorious beaches of the Costa Brava from a luxurious rural base in a converted 18th-century farmhouse
  • Carve a route through the spectacular scenery of the Spanish Pyrenees
  • Stay in two different Paradors, both steeped in Catalan history and serving authentic regional cuisine
  • Visit the majestic Gothic-Romanesque hilltop cathedral of Lleida

Featuring a mix of urban sightseeing, adventures in nature and ample time for relaxation in some of the region’s finest accommodation, this itinerary introduces you to Catalonia’s standout sights and lesser-visited delights. Starting in Barcelona, you’ll have the chance to explore the Gothic Quarter, peruse the stalls of La Boqueria and visit the Sagrada Familia before setting off on a road trip heading north. From your rural base at a gorgeous, 18th-century converted farmhouse, choose between exploring the beaches of the Costa Brava or venturing inland to discover the medieval charms of Girona. Next up, it’s the Pyrenees, where you’ll be staying at a Parador in La Seu d’Urgell, close to the border with Andorra – within striking distance of some truly spectacular mountain hiking trails. Finally, you’ll loop back towards the south, spending a couple of nights in Lleida, one of Catalonia’s oldest cities, before returning to Barcelona. 


Day 1

Depart for Barcelona

Start your holiday in style with included airport lounge access before your flight from the UK to Barcelona. On arrival, head to your city centre hotel, set within an elegant 19th-century building in the modernist Eixample district. With its vintage aesthetic, sophisticated ambience, rooftop pool and gorgeous, plant-filled inner patio, this is the perfect base from which to take in the myriad delights of Barcelona. You’ll find plenty of fabulous places to eat and drink within easy walking distance, but you may well fancy dining in later on, as the on-site Batuar restaurant offers an enticing menu based on local ingredients of the highest quality – complimented, of course, by an extensive selection of expertly mixed cocktails at the bar. 



Day 2

Sightseeing in Barcelona

You have the whole day free to explore Barcelona at leisure. From its extraordinary array of architectural gems and its magnificent food markets to its gorgeous parks and sandy beaches, there’s far more to see and do here than you could possibly fit into a single day – so it’s best to be selective and focus on a few areas of particular interest. Taking a short stroll to the Plaça de Catalunya is a good place to start, as from this central square, you can head off in any direction to numerous points of interest, either on foot or by public transport. You could, for instance, wander down La Rambla, veering off to peruse the bustling, aromatic stalls of La Boqueria before slowly meandering through the Gothic Quarter, where you’ll find numerous ornate churches, leafy squares and buzzing tapas bars. It’s always worth visiting a few Gaudi masterpieces, such as the Sagrada Familia, Casa Batlló and, if time allows, Park Güell. Or, you might be tempted to take the funicular and the cable car to the top of Montjuïc mountain for magnificent views overlooking the city. 


Sagrada Família

Sagrada Família

La Boqueria

La Boqueria

Park Güell

Park Güell


Days 3 – 4

Relaxation on the Costa Brava

This morning, collect your hire car and drive north for around an hour-and-a-half to your next stop; a luxurious hotel set within a converted 18th-century farmhouse in the rural Empordà region, which extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pyrenees. Featuring an outdoor pool surrounded by luscious gardens, a superb spa, tennis and padel tennis courts and an exquisite restaurant showcasing the finest regional ingredients, this is a delightful introduction to the Catalan countryside. As you’ll be based here for a couple of nights, you’ll have time to relax and enjoy the hotel’s first-class amenities, as well as to explore the wider area. The glorious beaches of the Costa Brava, such as Platja de Pals and Platja de l'Estartit, are within striking distance, or you may opt to venture inland to explore Girona, a city renowned for its beautifully preserved medieval architecture and colourful riverside buildings. 


Breakfast included

Calella de Palafrugell, Costa Brava

Calella de Palafrugell, Costa Brava


Days 5 – 6

Into the Pyrenees

The next section of your Catalan adventure sees you leave the Costa Brava behind as you ascend into the Pyrenees, passing through some rather spectacular mountain scenery en route to La Seu d’Urgell, close to the border with Andorra. Here, you’ll be staying in a Parador (a type of Spanish hotel set within a converted historic building) built around a Renaissance-era cloister and featuring a heated indoor pool. It’s situated right next to the town’s resplendent, 12th-century Catedral Santa Maria d'Urgell, the last remaining Romanesque cathedral in Catalonia. While the town has plenty of charm, it’s only by venturing into the surrounding mountains that you’ll be able to fully appreciate the region’s natural beauty. Parc Natural del Cadí-Moixeró, to the east, and Alt Pirineu Natural Park, to the northwest, both offer an abundance of fabulous Alpine hiking trails and are easily accessible as a day trip from La Seu d’Urgell. 

Breakfast included

La Seu d'Urgell

La Seu d'Urgell

Alt Pirineu, Spanish Pyrenees

Alt Pirineu, Spanish Pyrenees

Parador de La Seu d’Urgell

Parador de La Seu d’Urgell


Days 7 – 8

Exploring Lleida

Looping back towards the south, you’ll traverse a diverse landscape of steep-sided mountain cliffs, wooded hills and fertile plains as you follow the course of the Segre river to Lleida, one of the oldest cities in Catalonia. You’ll be spending the next two nights in another equally atmospheric Parador, this time housed within a former 17th-century convent with a beautiful three-storey cloister at its core. The restaurant, L’Aplec, is a particular standout, specialising in authentic Catalan cuisine, such as artisan sausages, local cheeses, snails and fresh cod, served in the elegant surroundings of a former church. You’ll then have the following day to explore Lleida in more depth, visiting historic sights such as La Seu Vella, a Gothic-Romanesque hilltop cathedral built between the 13th and 15th centuries. Just outside the centre, La Mitjana Park is a perfect spot for a leisurely stroll through peaceful forests and along riverside trails. Lleida is also fringed by some of Catlaonia’s finest vineyards, dotted throughout the DOP-designated (Denominación de Origen Protegida) Costers del Segre region, so if you fancy wine tasting, this is an ideal place to do so. 

Breakfast included

Lleida

Lleida


Day 9

Return to UK

As you drive back to Barcelona, you might decide to make a stop or two along the way, such as at the Montserrat Monastery and Natural Park or Penedès, the home of Cava. Another option is to head for Tarragona, a port city filled with Roman ruins, before taking the coastal road back to Barcelona. You’ll then drop off your hire car and head to the airport to catch your flight home. 

Breakfast included


About the itinerary

"I designed this itinerary to highlight the diverse options available in Catalonia, from Barcelona to the golden sands of the Costa Brava, its inland winelands and historic Girona, and then into the Pyrenees, for stays at some of Spain's most historic and scenically located Paradors."

Andy Austen

Destination Specialist

Pricing information

Guide price from £1,640 pp incl. flights

Apr / May / Oct from: £1,640 pp
Jun / Jul / Aug / Sep from: £1,945 pp

Includes

  • Complimentary UK airport departure lounge access
  • Return flights between UK and Barcelona
  • 2 nights accommodation in Barcelona on a BB basis
  • 7 days car hire (pick up day 3) in a Intermediate vehicle
  • 2 nights accommodation on Coast Brava on a BB basis
  • 2 nights accommodation at Parador de La Seu d’Urgell on a BB basis
  • 2 nights accommodation at Parador de Lleida on a BB basis

For additional touring options in Barcelona, Montserrat, or Cava tasting in Penedes, please ask your specialist 

Enquire