Costa Barcelona

Day 1 : Departure to Barcelona

After you arrive at the airport, head to your hotel by public transport or taxi. First introduction to this vibrant and hip city, arguably the most cosmopolitan city in Spain. You will stay here for 2 nights in a hotel of your choice. Do you prefer to travel by car? Then make sure to check out our car variant of this round trip.

Day 2: Barcelona

A walk in the historic centre, that is the Ciutat Vella and the atmospheric Gothic Quarter, with narrow streets and dated houses on either side. On Sundays, people still dance the 'Sardana', a tradition in stark contrast to 'hip' Barcelona and its modern architecture such as that of the MACBA museum. Barcelona has always been the city of modernist architecture, of which the architects Antoni Gaudí and Domenech i Montaner are the main representatives. Take enough time to absorb this wonderful world of architecture, including the famous Sagrada Familia, Casa Batllò, Casa Milà (La Pedrera), Park Güell, the extraordinary Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall, the Fundació Antoni Tapies and the Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau. You can take a breather at the Front Maritime, which was completely redesigned on the occasion of the 1992 Olympic Games, or on Montjuïc, the 'Jewish Mountain', a 173m-high hill with great views over the port and the city. This is where the 1929 World's Fair was held, the remnants of which are well worth seeing: Ludwig Mies Van der Rohe's Bauhaus Pavilion, the Museu Nacional de Art de Catalunya and the Fundació Joan Miró, one of the figureheads of 20th-century avant-gardism.

Day 3: More Gaudí: Colònia Güell

Fascinated by Gaudí? Then the Colònia Güell, on the way to Vic, is a must-see. The dream of businessman Eusebi Güell - founder of Park Güell - was to establish a pleasant industrial village for his textile workers and their families: the most beautiful structure on this 'colony site' is the unfinished church designed by Gaudí, whose crypt was even declared a Unesco World Heritage Site! Or continue via Serra de Montseny nature reserve to Vic. With an area of 30,000 ha, this is Catalonia's largest natural park. Bearing the Catalan name 'wise mountain', the park is very special in that it represents all European ecosystems.

Day 4 : Vic, cradle of the best cured meats

Explore this ancient episcopal town known for its charcuterie. A true paradise for meat-eaters, it is known for its 'embotits' (sausages), mostly handmade and dried in the fresh air. Vic also has a splendid district where numerous examples of medieval architecture are present. One of the city's most beautiful places is the Plaça Major. Make sure to also visit Vic's modernist casino, Sant Pere Apòstel cathedral and the Jewish quarter.

Day 5 : Montserrat, the mysterious mountain

Today, on your way back, you will visit the impressively located pilgrimage site of Montserrat. What Table Mountain is to South Africans, Montserrat is to Catalonia. During the Spanish civil war and the oppression of dictator Franco, this mountain was the only place where Catalan could be spoken and plans for liberation were forged. Today, this 'holy mountain' is the refuge of numerous pilgrims who venerate the 'Black Madonna' here. The spectacularly located mountain is famous not only for its monastery, but also for its unique silhouette. On a clear day, you can see the Pyrenees and even Mallorca. Definitely worth a visit is the Museum of Montserrat, a modernist building by Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

Day 6 : Sitges, the cosy seaside town

Explore this extraordinary seaside town with a beautiful white sandy beach and plenty of lovely bath houses and palaces, and this thanks to Sitges' famous entrepreneur, Don Facundo Bacardi, who made his fortune in Cuba with his rum distillery. Like many other wealthy people, on his return he built beautiful homes and palaces in the Cuban architectural style. Sitges has always attracted numerous artists, including Picasso: you can still taste a pinch of the bohemian atmosphere at the Santiago Rusiñol house, nowadays the Museu Cau Ferrat. A visit to the summer residence of Pau Casals, currently a museum, allows you to enter the life of one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century. Today Sitges is still a beautiful seaside resort with a cosy old centre offering plenty of Mediterranean atmosphere and a notorious nightlife.

Day 7 : Penedès and Cava, one of Catalonia's most prestigious wine regions

Around the villages of Vilafranca del Penedès and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia you will find one of the most exciting wine regions with just 400 vineyards spread over 26,000 ha. A visit to one of the bodegas and cava cellars is therefore a must. Besides bodega 'Torres', one of the most famous wine families, you can also visit cava producer Freixenet or Codorníu, or why not visit a smaller wine producer? In the Vinmuseum in Vilafranca del Penedès you will learn all about the history of wine and the process of making wine. Finish off, of course, with a cava or wine tasting.

Day 8 : Going home

Your holiday comes to an end. You will fly back home full of memories. Would you like to stay a little longer? We will take care of it!