A delightful tour! The trip planning was perfect and we were so pleased with the activities and events included. We cannot imagine the detail work that goes in to planning each itinerary with so many challenges and changes. Amber handled everything very well. All individual needs were met and expectations were exceeded. The hotels were perfect and the included meals were very special. The selection of both could not have been better. Read More...
Barcelona & Catalonia Tour Overview
Few regions of Spain offer such a captivating blend of history, art, culture, and natural beauty as Catalonia. From the ancient Roman streets of Tarragona and the enchanting medieval villages of the Empordà to the extraordinary architecture of Barcelona, this journey reveals a region with a fiercely independent spirit and a remarkable artistic legacy.
Follow in the footsteps of Gaudí and Dalí, wander through charming stone villages, and discover the breathtaking Mediterranean landscapes of the Costa Brava, where whitewashed Cadaqués has inspired generations of artists. Along the way, enjoy exceptional regional wines, memorable culinary experiences, and the pleasure of discovering Catalonia at a relaxed, thoughtful pace.
Barcelona & Catalonia Itinerary
Day 1
Welcome to Catalonia: Barcelona to Tarragona
Welcome to Catalonia, a captivating corner of Spain where ancient history, distinctive traditions, and Mediterranean landscapes come together. Upon arrival at Barcelona Airport, transfer directly to Tarragona, a seaside city whose roots reach back to the Roman Empire.
For the next three nights, we’ll stay at H10 Imperial Tarraco overlooking the ancient Roman amphitheater and the Mediterranean Sea. Settle in and enjoy time to relax before gathering this evening for a welcome dinner featuring regional cuisine and wine—a chance to meet your fellow travelers and begin our journey together.
Overnight: Tarragona | Welcome dinner included
Day 2
Tarragona: A Journey Through 2,000 Years of History
This morning, we explore Tarragona’s remarkable Roman heritage with an expert local guide. Once known as Tarraco, this UNESCO World Heritage city was among the most important Roman settlements on the Iberian Peninsula.
Our walk introduces us to ancient Roman walls, the spectacular amphitheater overlooking the sea, and the winding lanes and lively squares of the old town. We’ll also admire Tarragona’s imposing cathedral, a reminder of the many centuries that have shaped the city.
The afternoon and evening are free. Enjoy a leisurely lunch, wander through the historic center, or return to the hotel to relax and take in the Mediterranean views.
Overnight: Tarragona
Day 3
Reus, Catalan Modernism & the Wines of Priorat
Our day begins in Reus, birthplace of Antoni Gaudí and a city celebrated for its elegant Modernist architecture. As we stroll through its historic streets, we’ll discover how Catalonia’s remarkable artistic movement transformed everyday buildings into works of art.
A highlight is our interior visit to Casa Navàs, an extraordinary Modernist residence designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, one of the leading figures of Catalan Modernisme and a professor of Antoni Gaudí. Its intricate mosaics, luminous stained glass, and exquisite woodwork reveal the craftsmanship and imagination of the era. We’ll encounter another of his masterpieces later in Barcelona.
We then travel into the dramatic hills of Priorat, where steep terraced vineyards produce some of Spain’s most celebrated red wines. At a local winery, we’ll learn about the region’s distinctive winemaking traditions and enjoy a leisurely countryside lunch.
We return to Tarragona with the evening free.
Overnight: Tarragona | Winery experience and lunch included
Day 4
Montserrat, Penedès Wine Country & Girona
Leaving Tarragona behind, we travel to Montserrat, where extraordinary rock formations rise above the Catalan countryside. Here, we’ll discover the spiritual and cultural importance of the Benedictine monastery, home to the revered Black Madonna, La Moreneta.
Our journey continues into the Penedès wine region, the heartland of Cava, Catalonia’s traditional-method sparkling wine. We’ll enjoy a winery lunch and discover the region’s distinctive wines, including fresh whites made from local grape varieties such as Xarel·lo.
Later this afternoon, we continue to Girona, one of Catalonia’s most atmospheric historic cities. We’ll make our home for the next three nights at Palau Fugit. After checking in, the evening is yours to explore at leisure.
Overnight: Girona | Winery lunch included
Day 5
Girona: Medieval Streets & Jewish Heritage
This morning, our local guide leads us through Girona’s beautifully preserved historic center, a city shaped by Roman foundations, medieval merchants, and centuries of rich cultural exchange.
We’ll wander the narrow streets of El Call, one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval Jewish quarters, admire the colorful houses lining the Onyar River, and discover the layers of history within the old city walls.
We’ll also enjoy a guided interior visit to Girona Cathedral, renowned for its extraordinary Gothic nave and grand Baroque staircase.
The afternoon is yours to explore Girona’s inviting cafés, independent shops, and charming streets at your own pace. This evening, we’ll gather for dinner at a carefully selected local restaurant, where we’ll enjoy the flavors of Catalan cuisine and regional wines.
Overnight: Girona | Dinner included
Day 6
The Villages & Traditions of Empordà
Today we venture into the peaceful countryside of Empordà, a landscape of medieval villages, rolling fields, and enduring artisan traditions.
We begin in Peratallada, one of Catalonia’s most enchanting stone villages, where cobbled lanes, ancient archways, and quiet squares seem untouched by time. There will be time to appreciate the village’s atmosphere before continuing into the region’s ceramics heartland.
Near La Bisbal d’Empordà, we’ll discover the area’s long tradition of pottery through a visit with a local artisan. We hope to include an opportunity to try a simple hands-on ceramics activity, subject to final arrangements.
A relaxed traditional Catalan lunch featuring regional flavors and Empordà wines completes our countryside experience. We return to Girona in the afternoon, with the evening free.
Overnight: Girona | Regional lunch included
Day 7
The World of Salvador Dalí: Figueres to Cadaqués
Today we enter the imaginative world of Salvador Dalí. In Figueres, the artist’s birthplace, we’ll enjoy a guided visit to the extraordinary Dalí Theatre-Museum, an unforgettable collection of surrealist works and theatrical spaces conceived by the artist himself.
Afterward, enjoy free time for lunch and perhaps a stroll through Figueres before we continue toward the Mediterranean coast.
Our scenic drive brings us to Cadaqués, a whitewashed fishing village surrounded by olive groves, rugged hills, and the deep blue waters of the Costa Brava. The village and nearby Portlligat captivated Salvador Dalí: their distinctive light, rocky coves, and coastal forms became recurring sources of inspiration in his paintings. Long loved by artists and writers, Cadaqués retains an irresistible sense of place.
For the next three nights, we’ll stay at Hotel Playa Sol, beautifully situated on the waterfront overlooking the bay. After settling in, the remainder of the day is free to discover this coastal village.
Overnight: Cadaqués
Day 8
Cadaqués: The Art of Simply Being
Some places are best experienced without an agenda, and Cadaqués is one of them. With its whitewashed houses, narrow lanes, fishing boats, and extraordinary Mediterranean light, this charming village invites us to slow down and savor the moment.
We’ll begin with a leisurely stroll to get our bearings and discover some of the stories and traditions that give Cadaqués its unique character. The afternoon is entirely yours: linger over lunch by the water, browse small galleries, find a quiet terrace, or simply enjoy being here.
This evening, we’ll gather for a special dining experience at Compartir, one of Cadaqués’ most celebrated restaurants and a Michelin Guide recommendation. Created by the acclaimed chefs behind Barcelona’s three-Michelin-starred Disfrutar, Compartir offers an inventive interpretation of Mediterranean cuisine, with beautifully presented dishes designed for sharing. It’s a wonderful setting to enjoy exceptional food, local wines, and the company of our fellow travelers.
Overnight: Cadaqués | Special dinner included
Day 9
Dali’s Home & Sailing the Costa Brava
This morning is intentionally left free—a welcome reset morning to relax and recharge. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, spend time along the waterfront, or take advantage of the hotel’s amenities.
Later, we’ll visit Salvador Dalí’s former home and studio in nearby Portlligat. Built from a collection of fishermen’s cottages, this deeply personal space was both his refuge and a wellspring of inspiration. The unmistakable bay, rocky shoreline, and changing Mediterranean light appear again and again in his artistic world, and the visit offers a fascinating glimpse into the place where he lived and worked for decades.
After our visit, we’ll take to the water for a private sailing excursion along the spectacular Costa Brava. From the sea, we’ll admire the rugged coastline, secluded coves, and dramatic landscapes that make this corner of Catalonia so special. A selection of drinks and snacks will be provided on board, allowing us to relax and enjoy the Mediterranean scenery from a different perspective.
We return to Cadaqués with the evening free.
Overnight: Cadaqués | Sailing drinks and snacks included
Day 10
From the Costa Brava to Gaudi’s Barcelona
We depart Cadaqués this morning and follow the beautiful Costa Brava south to Tossa de Mar, a coastal town renowned for its remarkably preserved medieval walls and sweeping Mediterranean views.
With our guide, we’ll explore Vila Vella, the atmospheric walled old town, where stone lanes climb toward dramatic viewpoints overlooking the sea. Afterward, there’s free time to enjoy lunch in Tossa de Mar.
Continuing toward Barcelona, we’ll visit Park Güell, Antoni Gaudí’s imaginative hillside creation, where colorful mosaics, organic forms, and playful architectural details blend with the natural landscape.
We’ll spend the final three nights of our journey at H10 Casa Mimosa. The evening is free to enjoy the city at your own pace.
Overnight: Barcelona
Day 11
Gaudi’s Barcelona: A Celebration of Modernisme
Today we discover the extraordinary architectural creativity that makes Barcelona one of Europe’s most fascinating cities.
Accompanied by our expert local guide, we explore the elegant Eixample district, where the Catalan Modernist movement transformed the city at the turn of the 20th century. Along the way, we’ll admire two of Antoni Gaudí’s celebrated masterpieces: Casa Batlló, with its colorful façade and imaginative organic forms, and Casa Milà, also known as La Pedrera, with its undulating stone exterior.
The highlight of our morning is a guided interior visit to the magnificent Sagrada Família. Inside, soaring columns resembling a forest canopy and dazzling stained-glass windows create an unforgettable interplay of light, color, and symbolism.
The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. This evening, depending on the performance schedule, guests may have the option to attend a concert at the magnificent Palau de la Música Catalana, a UNESCO-listed masterpiece of Catalan Modernisme designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner-the architect of Casa Navàs, whom we first encountered in Reus, and one of Gaudí’s professors. Concert tickets are optional and subject to availability.
Overnight: Barcelona | Optional evening concert, if available
Day 12
Historic Barcelona: Las Ramblas, the Gothic Quarter & Picasso
This morning, we’ll discover Barcelona’s historic heart, where more than 2,000 years of history unfold through narrow streets, hidden squares, and magnificent architecture.
Our exploration begins along Las Ramblas, the city’s lively pedestrian boulevard, with a visit to the celebrated La Boqueria market. Its colorful displays of fresh produce, seafood, cured meats, and local specialties offer a wonderful introduction to Catalonia’s culinary traditions.
We then venture into the atmospheric Gothic Quarter, uncovering traces of the ancient Roman city of Barcino and learning how Barcelona evolved into a major Mediterranean trading center. Along the way, we’ll admire the magnificent Gothic cathedral and discover charming corners of old Barcelona.
Our walk continues into El Born, where medieval streets are now home to artisan boutiques, inviting cafés, and galleries. Here, we’ll enjoy a guided interior visit to the renowned Picasso Museum, housed in a collection of beautifully preserved medieval palaces. Its extraordinary collection reveals Picasso’s formative years and his enduring connection to Barcelona.
The afternoon is free for a leisurely lunch, shopping, or independent exploration. This evening, we’ll gather for a special farewell dinner to celebrate the discoveries and friendships of our Catalan journey.
Overnight: Barcelona | Farewell dinner included
Day 13
Departure from Barcelona
Transfers to Barcelona (BCN) Airport and the train station will be arranged according to guests’ individual departure times.
Principal Towns & Villages
Days 1-3 Tarragona, Reus, Priorat Wine Region
Days 4-6 Monserrat, Girona, Peratallada, La Bisbal d’Empordà
Days 7-9 Figueres, Cadaqués, Portlligat
Days 10-12 Tossa de Mar, Barcelona
Included
Day 1 private transfers from Barcelona Airport to Tarragona, coordinated according to flight arrival times
12 nights’ accommodations in carefully selected four-star and four-star superior boutique hotels
Tourist accommodation tax
All breakfasts, 4 dinners and 3 lunches. Beverages included
All ground transportation and porterage Days 2-12
All activities and admissions listed in Highlights
Full time professional tour manager
Day 13 transfers to Barcelona Airport and train station at scheduled times
Highlights
Explore Roman Tarragona, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Discover Catalan Modernism in Reus, including a guided visit to Casa Navàs
Visit the spectacular mountain monastery of Montserrat
Enjoy wine tastings and winery lunches in Priorat and Penedès
Explore Girona’s medieval Old Town, Jewish Quarter, and cathedral
Wander the picturesque medieval village of Peratallada
Experience a traditional ceramics artisan visit in the Empordà countryside
Discover Salvador Dalí’s extraordinary Theatre-Museum in Figueres and his former home in Portlligat
Spend three nights in the beautiful seaside village of Cadaqués
Enjoy a private sailing excursion along the Costa Brava, weather permitting
Experience a special dinner at Compartir in Cadaqués
Visit the medieval walled town of Tossa de Mar
Discover Gaudí’s Park Güell and Sagrada Família in Barcelona
Explore Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, La Boqueria Market, and Picasso Museum
Activity Level
This tour involves a moderate amount of walking, with several hours on your feet most days. You will encounter uneven cobblestones, steps, and moderate inclines in places such as Girona, Peratallada, Cadaqués, Montserrat, and Barcelona’s historic districts. While age isn’t a factor, guests should be reasonably fit and comfortable walking for extended periods. If you have mobility challenges, this tour may not be suitable for you. Please contact us with any questions.
Map Barcelona & Catalonia
Getting There
Arrival Airport: Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN)
Your tour begins: in Tarragona, approximately 90 kilometers southwest of Barcelona.
Private arrival transfers from Barcelona Airport to your hotel in Tarragona are included.
Transfers will be coordinated according to individual flight arrival times, and guests arriving at similar times may share a vehicle.
We recommend arriving in Spain at least one day before the tour begins to allow time to recover from your international flight.
Departure Airport: Barcelona-El Prat Airport (BCN)
Tour ends: Barcelona.
Transfers to Barcelona Airport or the train station are included at scheduled times.
How to get there: Purchase a round trip ticket into and out of Barcelona BCN airport.
Combine with 1: Historical Madrid Walking Tour
On this gentle walk through the old town, you’ll spend a few hours with our expert local guide and quickly learn Madrid is just a small town within a big city.
Combine with 2: Madrid Tapas Tour
On this gentle walk through the old town, you’ll spend a few hours with our expert local guide and quickly learn Madrid is just a small town within a big city.
Combine with 3: Toledo Tour
Visit one of Spain’s most intriguing ancient towns on our day trip to Toledo. Standing dramatically against the Castillan sky and surrounded by the Tagus river like a moat, Toledo rises over the Spanish countryside like a medieval castle
Tour Dates
2027
September 24 – October 6, 2027
Price: €6,750
Single Supplement: €1,750
Read What Our Previous Travelers Say
Our Andalusia tour with Amber Road Tours was literally a life-changing event. All of our previous Amber tours have been outstanding, but this was the most engaging and the most fun. Our tour guide, Senor Campos, provided the continuity and coordination needed to move the tour around, always available to explain the history and language as well as fixing any loose details. Read More...
It was a wonderful itinerary made even more wonderful by the attention that our guide, Nacho, paid to each of our interests and needs. He was the hardest working, most caring guide ever. He went above and beyond to assure that we enjoyed the scheduled tours as well as our free time. This was our third Amber Road Tour and it lived up to our expectations that small group travel with attention to detail is what one can expect from Amber Road Tours. Read More...
This was my first Amber Road Tour. It was exceptionally well-run and Nacho, our tour manager, showed unstinting attention to us, even though Andalucia was his debut with Amber Road. His willingness to make dinner reservations on the nights we were on our own made dining a culinary discovery rather than an exercise in frustration. The local tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and often quite entertaining. Read More...
This was our fourth tour with Amber Road and thoroughly enjoyed the journey. We love the small side trips into the out of the way places that seem to be unique to this company. The trip to the olive oil mill was lovely and we learned a lot and enjoyed the lunch. We were especially taken with the trip to the bull farm. The excellent explanation by the guide gave us a whole new understanding of the drama of bull fighting. Read More...
Another wonderful Amber Road tour! This was our fourth with Amber Road. This tour was with only ten travelers accompanied by the tour guide, Nacho, who could not have been more helpful, more informed, and more fun to travel with. He always went out of his way to be attentive to the needs and preferences of each of us. Read More...
My husband and I are not tour travelers. We picked Amber Roads because they stayed in towns for at least 2 nights, promised small groups, and had no ‘forced’ shopping. All true. We found our group of 10 had similar minds. We enjoyed each others company and learning about our shared interests. The time in each city was very well planned. We arrived late afternoon after a jam-packed day to a great hotel. Bags were either in our rooms or arrived shortly. Read More...
A very interesting and thoroughly enjoyable tour of Andalucia led by our well informed, thoroughly entertaining and top notch guide Sean. From highlighted and spectacular sights such as the Alhambra in Granada and Cathedral in Seville to less heralded stays in Ronda and Cadiz this tour had an excellent and varied itinerary. Read More...
What a fantastic tour, start to finish! This was our second time in Spain (Catalonia, 2010) and our third Amber Road tour. We loved Andalucia – Granada, Malaga, Cádiz, Cordoba, Seville, Ronda. So many unique experiences: tours of the Alhambra, cooking paella, central markets, the Equestrian center, bull farm, etc. we’re not sure how our guide, Sean, had such complete control of the weather… nearly two weeks of warm, beautiful, cloudless days! Read More...
It was so easy to fall in love with Andalucia. Every day the overwhelming beauty of the landscape, the magnificent architecture, the exquisite archaeological artifacts, the friendly locals, the amazing food and, of course, the wine made the tour an intensely wonderful experience. The local guides and Sean did a fantastic job providing the significant historic details and interesting facts at each location.Read More...
This was our second tour with Amber which was just as great as our first in Tuscany. So we can say that all the hotels were well thought out and usually located in the old districts of the cities that we visited. What makes each tour so interesting and exciting is first, Amber’s choice of our tour guide/ administrator, and in this case did Sean ever deliver the goods. Read More...
*Amber Road Tours' Spain trips are now exclusively operated by Fernweh Travel and Tours.
These itineraries remain unchanged, preserving their original integrity and amazing experiences!
