Catalonia Tour | 10 days in Barcelona, the Costa Brava and Sitges

Day 1: Departure for Barcelona

You arrive at the airport and travel to your hotel by public transport or taxi. You’ll get to know this picturesque and trendy city: a gem of art history. You’ll stay here for three nights in a hotel of your choice. Discover the self-drive version of this tour too.

Day 2 & 3: Barcelona, tradition and avant-garde

A stroll through the historic centre, namely Ciutat Vella and the atmospheric Gothic Quarter, with its narrow streets lined with old houses. These elements stand in stark contrast to the Placita de la Seu (the cathedral), where the Sardana is still danced on Sunday mornings, and the MACBA museum (for contemporary art), designed by the American architect Richard Meier. Barcelona is, in fact, the city of modernist architecture, of which the architects Antoni Gaudí and Domenech i Montaner are the most important representatives. Take plenty of time to soak up this wonderful world of architecture: the famous Sagrada Família, the Passeig de Gràcia, Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera) and Park Güell, the remarkable concert hall Palau de la Música Catalana, the Fundació Antoni Tàpies and the Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, perhaps the ‘cheeriest’ hospital in the city. You can relax on the Front de Mar, which was completely refurbished for the 1992 Olympic Games, or on Montjuïc, the ‘Jewish Mountain’, a 173-metre-high hill offering a magnificent view over the harbour and the city. This is where the 1929 World’s Fair was held, and the remains are certainly worth a visit: the Bauhaus Pavilion by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya and the Fundació Joan Miró, one of the figureheads of 20th-century avant-garde art.

Day 4: From industrial heritage to the spiritual heart of Catalonia (± 80km / ± 180km)

Fascinated by Gaudí? Then Colònia Güell, on the way to Montserrat, is a must: 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 building on this ‘colony site’ is the unfinished church, designed by Gaudí; the crypt has even been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site! What Table Mountain is to South Africans, Montserrat is to Catalonia. During the Spanish Civil War and the oppression under dictator Franco, this mountain was the only place where Catalan could be spoken and where plans for liberation were hatched. Today, this ‘holy mountain’ is a refuge for countless pilgrims who come here to venerate the ‘Black Madonna’. The spectacularly situated mountain is famous not only for the monastery but also for its unique silhouette. On a clear day, you can see the Pyrenees and even Mallorca. Well worth a visit is the Montserrat Museum, a modernist building designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch. Continue on to the Costa Brava, where you will stay for three nights.

Day 5: Around Cadaqués, Dalí’s favourite spot

You’ll start the day – ideally at the opening time of the Dalí Museum in Figueras – with a visit to the world’s largest and most visited surrealist museum. In the fishing village of Cadaqués, not only Dalí but also Picasso found inspiration: you can enjoy a pleasant stroll through the steep streets to the cove where the boats lie on the beach. Dalí’s former villa is located just ± 3 km away in Port Lligat. Since 1997, this villa has been a museum, the Casa Museum Salvador Dalí. From here, a footpath leads to the Cap de Creus nature reserve, which was a major source of inspiration for numerous artists and poets. Continue on to Sant Pere de Rodes, a beautiful spot with the ruins of an impressive Benedictine monastery. You may wish to return via El Castell Peralada de Roses, a museum-castle, and Roses, a popular seaside resort.

Day 6: Girona and the Baix Empordà, the Spanish Tuscany

The image of Girona is defined by the picturesque views of the bridges over the Onyar River and the ochre-coloured rows of façades. The old town centre, and in particular the Jewish quarter – the best preserved in Europe – is a maze of narrow alleys, leafy courtyards and endless stairways. In addition to the cathedral, you can also visit Banys Árabs, a bath complex dating from 1194 and a replica of traditional Muslim bathhouses. As well as a pleasant shopping centre, Girona boasts numerous world-renowned gourmet restaurants. In the fertile plains of the Empordá, you’ll find numerous quiet medieval farming villages that stand in stark contrast to the sometimes overcrowded seaside resorts of the Costa Brava: La Bisbal with its pottery tradition, the medieval Begur, Monells, Pals, Peratallada – all are well worth a visit.

This is also where the coast is at its most beautiful, and the Costa Brava truly lives up to its name: a rugged coastline with stunning coves, exclusive beaches and turquoise waters.

Day 7: Cava and bohemian charm

On the way to Sitges, you can stop off at Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, the Mecca of cava production, home to big names such as Freixenet and Codorníu. A guided tour of the Freixenet facilities takes around an hour and is conducted by a small train. Naturally, you’ll get to taste the different types of cava (supplement). Continue on to Sitges, a unique seaside resort with a beautiful white sandy beach and numerous elegant bathhouses and palaces, thanks to the famous Sitges entrepreneur, Don Facundo Bacardi, who made his fortune in Cuba with his rum distillery. Like many other wealthy individuals, upon his return he built magnificent homes and palaces in the Cuban architectural style. Sitges has always attracted numerous artists, including Picasso: you can still get a taste of the bohemian atmosphere at the Santiago Rusiñol house, now the Museu Cau Ferrat. A visit to the summer residence of Pau Casals, now a museum, allows you to delve into the life of one of the greatest cellists of the 20th century. Today, Sitges remains a beautiful seaside resort with a charming old town centre full of Mediterranean atmosphere and a notorious nightlife, which is particularly popular with the gay scene.

Day 8: Art Nouveau and Cistercians

Visit to Tarragona, once an important Roman capital. Almost everything here is a reminder of the Roman heyday: the impressive city walls, the amphitheatre and the aqueduct, etc. On to Reus, Gaudí’s birthplace, with an interesting interactive information centre – the Gaudí Centre – which tells you more about his life and work. Reus is a typical Catalan town with beautiful modernist buildings. Via the beautifully fortified town of Montblanc, where Saint George slew ‘the dragon’, and boasting an almost entirely intact city wall with battlements, to the monastery of Poblet, one of the most beautiful Cistercian monasteries in Catalonia, set in a stunning location within a nature reserve. As a young architect, Gaudí often visited here and had grand plans for its restoration. Return via the Monasterio de Santes Creus, perhaps the second most impressive Cistercian monastery in Catalonia.

Day 9: The golden beaches

The Costa Dorada, literally ‘golden coast’, boasts no fewer than 216 km of beach and is therefore ideal for a relaxing day by the sea. Or you can visit the Palau de Maricel, one of Sitges’ most iconic buildings and a prestigious venue for numerous meetings and events.

Day 10: Back home

You return your hire car and bid farewell to this beautiful country. Would you like to stay a few extra days? We’ll sort it out!

Frequently asked questions about cultural experiences in Catalonia

Is a hire car necessary for this cultural tour?

Not compulsory. You can choose between public transport or a hire car. Travelling by car offers greater flexibility and allows you to reach villages, nature and coastal towns with ease.

What is the best time of year to take this art tour of Catalonia?

April to June and September to October are ideal. Pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds make it perfect for combining city visits with the coast.

What makes this Catalan art tour different from a standard city break in Barcelona?

You’ll discover not only Barcelona, but also Dalí’s world on the Costa Brava, medieval villages and the inland regions. Art, nature and the coast alternate constantly.