GIRONA AND THE COSTA BRAVA TRAIL ITINERARY

The tour leaves Barcelona at 8:30am and heads straight up to Girona, a well-established city that has survived many a siege in the course of its long history, since its founding in around 76 BC. It has been dominated by many different peoples, and as a result has a great richness of architectural heritage. The Cathedral, founded in 1038 on the site of a former Mosque, and the spectacular Roman walls, along which you can walk when they are open, are just two examples of this. The river Onyar neatly divides the city in two, separating the old town from the new town. There is a wide variety of museums and sites of historical interest in Girona, or if you prefer, the narrow streets of the old town are very pleasant just to wander around, for window-shopping or for a quiet coffee while watching the people pass by.

From Girona, the tour will head to the Santuari dels Angels, a beauty spot of such attraction that Salvador Dali chose it for his wedding to Gala. On a clear day, this spot offers panoramic views of the whole Girona region.

We will then make our way to Pals, a small city that grew from a fortress. The name of the city comes from palus, the Latin word for marshlands, as this is just what the fortress used to be surrounded by, although they have long since dried out. More recently, the town's beach became famous as the location of the masts for Radio Liberty, a US radio station used to broadcast pro-capitalist programmes into the Eastern bloc during the cold war; the masts can still be seen. We will stop in Pals for lunch.

From Pals, we will head to the fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell, passing Begur on the way. Begur, with its hilly landscape and therefore commanding views of the surrounding area, was also the site of a fortress and castle; in total, these were destroyed three times throughout their long history, and now only ruins remain. There will be opportunities to stop for photographs along this road.

Arriving in Calella de Palafrugell, you will be struck by the clean lines of the whitewashed houses that almost reach right down to the seafront. Here, you can explore the rocky coastline, perhaps taking a dip in the inviting waters, or you can follow the coastline round to the beautiful clifftop botanic gardens at Cap Roig, the result of a romantic 1920s love story, which took 50 years to complete.

From Calella de Palafrugell we will return to Barcelona, arriving at 7:30pm.

Departure point:

Tours depart from Plaça Catalunya outside Banco de España opposite the Tourist Information Centre. See Map (opens in new window).

Inclusions:

Transport in a small luxury minicoach, with full air conditioning.
The services of a professional Rabbie's guide, who will provide a guided tour in English.

Exclusions:

Lunch and refreshments.
Entrance to the Botanic Gardens at Cap Roig.

Important information:

Lunches - are not included. However we stop in places where you have a range of lunch options to suit all budgets.

Because we believe in time off the bus and give you opportunities to get out and about, please bring suitable clothing, footwear, and sun protection.

You will also have an opportunity to go swimming at Calella de Palafrugell, so if you want, bring your swimming costume and a beach towel.


All return times are approximate.