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Italy, Southern Europe & Mediterranean

Roses, Cadaques and The Catalan Coast

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4.4 stars(26 reviews)
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Small Group

Enjoy the unspoilt rugged beauty of the Costa Brava

You are viewing the 2021 itinerary. Select your departure year
20212022
9 days From £1,695 per person
Flexible Booking

Book your 2021 holiday before 31st May and you can transfer your holiday for free - no questions asked. T&C's apply

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2021 Tour code: FCS21

About the tour

The beautiful, unspoilt town of Roses is our base while we explore the rugged Costa Brava, uncovering the cultural highlights of the region including the picturesque fishing village of Cadaqués, vibrant Barcelona and Figueres' Dalí Foundation.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London and Roses

Our journey begins on the morning Eurostar from St Pancras International to Paris, travelling in Standard Premier Class. We join the high-speed TGV from Paris directly to Figueres in Spain. From Figueres we make the short transfer by coach to the town of Roses, located at the north-eastern end of the Costa Brava, a wild and rocky stretch of the Spanish coastline. The exact translation of 'Costa Brava' will differ depending on which guidebook you read, but whether it is 'wild coast', 'fierce coast', 'rugged coast' or even 'savage coast', it is a coastline of outstanding natural beauty, where steep cliffs have been eroded by the sea, creating numerous hidden bays and tiny coves.

We spend nine nights at the superb 4-star Almadraba Park Hotel, located on a small, sandy cove approximately three kilometres from the centre of Roses. The hotel offer a complimentary shuttle service into the centre of Roses, which allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds: the peace and quiet of the hotel's private, secluded location, together with the freedom and flexibility to visit the centre of Roses whenever you choose. The hotel's superb facilities are complemented by its excellent restaurant, which offers a wide choice of meals from its daily menu of local dishes. We enjoy dinner in the hotel every evening, served with an included glass of wine.

Includes
  • Dinner
  • Eurostar Meal
Eurostar
Day 2 - Roses

Enjoy a day at leisure on the Costa Brava. You could spend time relaxing by the hotel pool, or wander into the centre of Roses to soak up the atmosphere or enjoy some shopping.

Set within the beautiful Bay of Roses, the town of Roses is an authentic Spanish fishing port which oozes charm and style. Running south is an almost endless stretch of fine sandy beach, set invitingly against a backdrop of distant Pyrenean mountain peaks. Spend your day enjoying the local climate and sunshine on the beach or with a drink in one of the cafés along the promenade, overlooking the Mediterranean. Alternatively, enjoy a walk out of the bay to discover rocky coves and secluded shingle beaches only reachable on foot or by boat.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Roses
Days 3-4 - Coastal cruise to Cadaques

This morning we begin our exploration of the Costa Brava on an excursion by boat around the shoreline. We board the boat at Roses' small port, sailing along a stretch of the incredibly beautiful Cap de Creus National Park, past towering cliffs and countless mini bays, accessible only by boat and protected from overland access by thick, deep forests which cover the cliff tops and reach up high into the mountains.

Our boat takes us into the small port at the very heart of Cadaques. Set in its own crystal-clear bay, Cadaques is a picturesque fishing village of delightful whitewashed houses, which was the inspiration for much of Salvador Dalí's work. The famous painter visited Cadaques many times during his childhood and later kept a house and studio just outside the village, which became a popular bohemian retreat for many of the 20th century's most famous artists, who lived here alongside the local fishing community. Dalí and Picasso were known to have been particularly inspired by the incredible light and colour on display in Cadaques.

You have some time to explore the village at leisure, before returning to Roses in time to arrange lunch - you could enjoy mouth-watering tapas, savouring some of the delicious, incredibly fresh seafood on offer. On Day 4 you have another free day to enjoy in Roses, spending your time as you wish in this beautiful coastal town.

Includes
  • Day 3 - Breakfast, Dinner
  • Day 4 - Breakfast, Dinner
Cadaques
Days 5-6 - Barcelona and Roses

We travel by coach to the magnificent city of Barcelona for a guided tour. We begin at the fantastic Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece, before making our way along bustling Las Ramblas, a tree-lined boulevard that runs from Plaza de Catalunya to the waterfront. This afternoon you are free. You could take a walk through the Gothic quarter or discover historic Port Vell, visit the Picasso Museum, housing a collection of the artist's finest work, or discover more of Gaudí's distinctive architecture, dotted around the city.

On Day 6 you are free to spend the day exploring the region surrounding Roses or enjoying the superb hotel facilities. You could take a trip to nearby Girona, a captivating city with Iberian, Roman, Moorish and Jewish influences in its culture and architecture.

Includes
  • Day 5 - Breakfast, Dinner
  • Day 6 - Breakfast, Dinner
Barcelona
Day 7 - Figueres and Besalú

We travel to Figueres today, visiting the fascinating Salvador Dalí Foundation (entrance included). The foundation manages various collections of Dalí's work, encompassing drawings, sculptures, jewellery, photography and paintings from all the different periods of Dalí's life. Much of the work is permanently exhibited in the Dalí Theatre-Museum - the largest surrealist object in the world, which was built on the ruins of a former Municipal Theatre, destroyed at the end of the civil war.

Dalí himself chose to build the museum on the ruins. After time to appreciate the incredible and diverse works of the famous surrealist at leisure and in your own time - Dalí intended for his work to be experienced in this way - you are free to continue exploring the city of Figueres. We then visit the historic town of Besalu - a rather grand old town dominated by its magnificent 11th century fortified bridge.

We then visit the historic town of Besalú - a town dominated by its magnificent 11th century fortified bridge.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Salvador Dalí Foundation
Days 8 - At leisure in Roses

Enjoy a free day in Roses today. If you'd like to venture further afield, you could take a trip to nearby Girona, a captivating city with Iberian, Roman, Moorish, and Jewish influences in its culture and architecture. Back at the hotel this evening, we enjoy a farewell dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Roses
Day 9 - London

Today we bid farewell to the Costa Brava. Leaving Roses, we transfer by coach to Perpignan where we join the high-speed rail service to Paris. Here, we board the Eurostar to London St Pancras.

Includes
  • Breakfast
  • Eurostar Meal
Eurostar

Additional information

Please note

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Almadraba Park Hotel, Roses

Almadraba Park Hotel, Roses

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Trains

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Reviews

4.4 stars4.4 / 5 · 26 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (11)
  2. 4 stars
    (14)
  3. 3 stars
    (1)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Mrs G Clarke

5 stars

Submitted 18 Oct 2019

Everything about the Hotel was first class. The other people on the tour were friendly and mixed well

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

DEREK HILL

4 stars

Submitted 18 Oct 2019

Some private medical problems

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mr D Stewart

4 stars

Submitted 09 Oct 2019

The hotel was good and the food some of the best we have had with Great Rail, the only point I would make is that although we paid extra for our room we did not think it rated the extra we paid as all rooms seemed to be the same and the only difference was we had a balcony but it was very limited. Although the holiday was offered to people with limited mobility it made it very difficult for those people to access the tour buses, and also the walking required at the different stations, SNCF did provide wheelchairs as did Eurostar. We ourselves do not have a problem with walking but we did feel that those who did drew the short straw.!!!!

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mr M Bramley

5 stars

Submitted 16 Jul 2019

If you want a complete switch off holiday, then this is the place to go. Please please Great Rail, can you find more venues like this! Breathtaking setting for a hotel, rooms have air con, but are in need of modernisation.

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Miss B Taylor

5 stars

Submitted 15 Jul 2019

The Hotel was clean, friendly and efficient. The owner and his sons were at the hotel all the time, serving in the resteraunt and ensuring all guests were looked after. Not only that we had a very good tour guide. Kay who made sure we were attended to in every way. And always available to chat and discuss what we were going to do the next day! or time we were to meet.

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

Mr J Richardson

5 stars

Submitted 23 Oct 2018

The hotel was tops; Beautiful grounds, efficient pleasant staff, bar food and drink quite expensive but reflected in good quality and excellent terrace and lawns. Enjoyed moe than one day in and about the hotel. Excursions good, especially the 'Roses Express' road train trip up into the hills overlooking the sea. Barcelona and Gaudi Museum fascinating.

Collected by Great Rail Journeys

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Europe & UK by Rail 2021

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