Pyrenees & Medieval Towns Small Group Tour from Barcelona
Description
Head to the Spanish hills for the day to enjoy the mountains and get a chance to hike a little bit in the spectacular Pyrenees mountains on a small group excursion from Barcelona by minivan. You'll visit charming mountain villages, travel in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan. On this small group tour, you'll receive personalized attention from your guide.
Tour Options
Itinerary
8.15am - You will start your day at our main office, which is right next to the famous Palau de la Musica. You will meet your guide, have time to use the restrooms, and perhaps even grab a quick coffee before the tour begin. Your guide will explain all about the day ahead and what to expect as you wait for you tour to leave.
8.30am - You will leave Barcelona though the Eixample district of town. As you head out of the city, your guide will give you a brief history of Barcelona, before letting you sit back and relax on the 60 minute drive to Vic.
9.00am - From Barcelona you will head north, quickly leaving the hustle and bustle of a busy Mediterranean city behind. As we climb up the Pyrenees, you will drive past Montseny, a 30,000 hectare natural park that was designated a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1978 and is still a haven for wild boars, badgers, hares, foxes, red squirrels, eagles, and red partridges among others, living in beech, pine and oak forests.
9.30am - Your first stop on this small group tour is the old market town of Vic. You will be guided through this old medieval town, visiting the cathedral - with its mix of styles ranging from Romanesque to neoclassical, the town's magnificent renaissance and baroque buildings, and the ancient Roman Temple, which lies hidden between the buildings of the old quarter. Afterwards, you will have plenty of free time to grab a coffee or some breakfast in the heart of the town by the beautiful arched square where the market and other major events are still held.
12.30pm - After Vic, your next stop is the stone-built mountain village of Queralbs; the last point on your route accessible by road. Leave the minivan, and accompanied by your guide, ride the rack railway up to the Nuria Valley. Home to a lake and bright green pastures ringed by high peaks, this picturebook valley is one of the most beautiful in the Pyrenees. Admire the scenery from the train, and on arrival, enjoy several hours to explore as you wish. Perhaps follow your choice of the hiking trails suitable for different fitness levels. Although a good physical fitness is not a prerequisite of this tour, a reasonable level is required. Alternatively, take your pick from the local activities (own expense) such as horse riding or boating, or enjoy a meal (own expense) at one of the traditional Catalan restaurants. See the Itinerary for details of the activities available. When the time comes, return to Barcelona where your trip ends at the start point.
12.50pm - The Nuria Valley (Vale de Nuria) boasts a beautiful lake and bright green pastures ringed by high peaks. This picturebook valley is one of the most beautiful in the Pyrenees. Admire the scenery from the train, and on arrival, enjoy several hours to explore as you wish. Perhaps follow your choice of the hiking trails suitable for different fitness levels, such as the paths up to the Valley Coma de Vaca. Although a good physical fitness is not a prerequisite of this tour, a reasonable level is required if you wish to take the Coma de Vaca trails. Alternatively, take your pick from the local activities (own expense) such as horse riding or boating, or enjoy a meal (own expense) at one of the traditional Catalan restaurants.
4.00pm - This tiny mountain village has a population of only 200 permanent residents living in a rambling collection of traditionally built stone houses. Perched on the side of the mountain, this impossibly quaint, picture postcard beautiful hamlet is one of the most memorable parts of the day. Here, you will also be able to see the Church of Sant Sadurní de Fustanyá, built from stones so perfectly-hewn that legend says it was built by the fairies and witches said to inhabit the surrounding caves. After an hour or so, we will head back to the bus and begin our journey back to Barcelona.
7.00pm - You will arrive back in Barcelona well time for dinner. Your guide will be happy to show you to the nearest metro or how to get a taxi. If you are staying in town, he will give you some restaurant recommendations.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommended for child aged 4 and under
- There will be time off the bus at your leisure, so please bring suitable clothing, footwear, and sun protection. Remember that temperatures at high altitudes will be much lower than in the city, so although it may be warm in Barcelona, please remember that it will be much cooler in the mountains.
- On rare occasions the railway track closes without notice due to routine maintenance. The tour will offer alternative options suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Alternatives will range from going by road up into the beautiful mountain valleys or low level mountain walks, and the views will be just as stunning!
- This tour is in English only.
Reviews(690)
Great tour with Carmena today. She was very informative and nice. She made sure that everyone was ok. The scenery from this tour was " amazing"!!! Just wow
No.1 Best Driver!!! The way to the Pyrenees mountains was so nice! Great as Hogwarts!! Full of good memories ~ Thank you!!
This tour was greatly timed and felt really nice and personal( group of about 6 people)! Our tour guide Carmen was really knowledgeable about the Medieval towns and the Pyrenees’s town “ Muria”. She made this tour very smooth and was able to communicate with us in Spanish and English! I definitely recommend this tour to help visitors expand their understanding of Spain!
we had a wonderful tour. The guide Carme was so nice and enthusiastic. She tried to deliver the story and history during the whole tour and recommended the best spots to visit. Until now, the most satisfying tour and guide ever!!!
The tour was exactly as described. They were punctual and provided clear instructions. The guide, Núria, was excellent, provided a lot of interesting information, and was always very pleasant.
The tour was an opportunity to see Pyrenees during our stay in Barcelona. Our guide, Carme provided information and historical context along the way. I particularly enjoyed taking time in Vic’s square to drink a tea and soak up the atmosphere.
A great day trip. Beautiful views, nice self hiking, and Alex the gide was great
Alex was an amazing guide. Great tour and a wonderful history lesson.
Visiting the two towns and going on the rack railroad up to the mountains was a very good experience. Our guide Steven did a great job driving us there and giving commentary about the area. His handling of the bad weather at the mountain made the trip worthwhile.
We had a wonderful experience on the tour to the Pyrenees Mountains! The first stop, Vic, has a lovely plaza with plenty of time to get breakfast. Our second stop was to Queralbs where we walked around the old part of the town and then took the train to Vall de Nuria. The views are amazing, especially if you take the cable car up the mountain! Again, plenty of time for picture taking and a snack/lunch. Our tour guide, Nuria, was very friendly and informative! She answered any questions we had and was a pleasure to spend time with. The tour was definitely worth it and we made memories to last a lifetime!
