AM Arrival at Barcelona Airport (BCN):  Private group transfer to Barcelona city center to leave luggage at our hotel and freshen up.  Around 1:00pm we will meet with our our guide to begin exploring the city on foot.  We will tour the best neighborhoods while diving into the culture of Catalan cuisine.  We’ll visit their famous food market, and enjoy a tapas food crawl.  

Drive time:  about 30 minutes

Breakfast at hotel, then meet our guide and we'll have a full day to dive into Gaudi’s architectural masterpieces.  We’ll tour inside La Sagrada Familia, The Park Güell and at least one of his mansions.   We will enjoy a nice tapas lunch break and our time with our guide will end by around 5:00pm.  The evening will be free for us to relax at the hotel and of course enjoy some dinner.

Breakfast at hotel, and free day in Barcelona with optional tours (this day's additional touring expenses are not included).  Tour options will be discussed with the group in advance. 

Examples:  Escape the city; enjoy a guided tour of the beautiful Penedes wine region just 45 minutes south of Barcelona.  Dive deeper into Catalan cuisine with a cooking class, or learn to make authentic Spanish paella while sipping wine.  How about heading to the Mediterranean Sea for a stroll along marinas or hop aboard a private sail boat cruise for a cruise during sunset? Visit close-by art museums and meander through narrow streets while practicing your photography. 

This day will be planned with your input, just for you!   We can break into groups of 2 or 3 or you can have the day to yourself.   Any tour or tickets bookings required for this day will be made and paid for 2-3 months in advance of our trip. 

Breakfast at hotel, after breakfast we’ll get picked up by our highly rated & licensed Catalonia adventure guide and drive to Montserrat Mountain.   We will hike the impressive mountain for about three hours, enjoy a picnic lunch, tour the monastery, and then drive to Joanetes, and check into our rural farm house; our home for the next three nights.  This evening we will enjoy our home-cooked dinner!

Drive times:  about one hour to Montserrat, and about one hour to Joanetes

Early & light breakfast at farmhouse then head out to our hot air balloon ride excursion.  We’ll watch as our ‘pilot’ and crew inflate our balloon, then climb aboard and float peacefully above the breathtaking scenery below; including the Volcano Natural Park.  Our balloon ride will last about 1.5 hours; during which we will share cake & toast cava (sparkling wine).  At the end of our ride we will be transported back to the home station where we will enjoy a hearty Catalan breakfast/lunch with our pilot!   We will then go to the medieval village of Besalu to explore its streets and enjoy a relaxing happy hour before heading back to our farmhouse for dinner.

Breakfast at farmhouse, then we are off to the La Garrotxa Natural Park.   Here we’ll hike through the lovely beech forests to the crater of an ancient dormant volcano!  During the afternoon, we’ll visit & explore the medieval village of Santa Pau.  This evening will be our final dinner with our gracious farm hosts.

Breakfast at farmhouse and then quick drive to Olot and begin our (optional) 30-mile bicycle ride to the City of Girona.  Along Spain’s Greenway we will discover villages and vintage train stations.  We can take breaks and enjoy a lunch before finishing our ride in the lovely city of Girona.  Once we get to Girona we will meet with another local guide to tour the small city and river front.   We’ll check into our boutique hotel and have dinner close by.  (The 30-mile bike ride is an optional activity.  You are welcome to head to Girona with our van, and enjoy free-time until we meet for our tour.) 

Drive time:  approximately one hour drive time or four hour bike ride with lunch break

Breakfast at hotel and then depart Girona and head towards the Mediterranean.  We will stop on our way and have a very special Gastronomy experience at a charming winery.  We will walk the vineyards, tour the cellar, and taste their wines and olive oils.  We’ll also enjoy a private lunch just for us!   We’ll then finish our drive and end in the beautiful town of Begur & check into one of the most charming boutique hotels in all of Spain… our home for the next three nights.

Drive time:  Approximately one hour to winery & one hour to Begur

Breakfast at hotel and then our guides will take us to our starting point for our Mediterranean foot path hike.  Here we will learn the real Costa Brava.  We’ll see some of its coastal towns and stop and have a nice lunch with a view.  This evening we can relax & stroll down the street for dinner.

Breakfast at hotel and free day with options:  relax at one of the close-by beautiful beaches, opt to hike another part of the coastal foot path, indulge yourself and have a luxurious spa day, or just relax & enjoy our beautiful town.  The choice will be yours!   This evening we’ll enjoy another relaxing local dinner.

Bitter-sweet goodbye to beautiful Costa Brava & the province of Girona.  Private transfer to Barcelona Airport in plenty of time for our 1pm flight back home.  

Drive time:  Approximately 1.5 hour drive to airport