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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 2022 itinerary. Select your departure year
20212022
9 days From £1,795 per person

2022 Tour code: FCS22

About the tour

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

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Our Something Special collection features accommodation in 4 and 5-star hotels known for their scenic locations and excellent facilities.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London and Roses

We meet at London St Pancras and take the Eurostar to Paris. Here, we join the high-speed train to Figueres, in Spain, transferring by coach to our hotel which overlooks Almadraba Beach in the town of Roses. Located at the north-eastern end of the Costa Brava, a wild and rocky stretch of the Spanish coastline, our hotel offers a complimentary shuttle service into the centre of Roses, allowing you to enjoy the best of both worlds - the peace and quiet of our secluded location as well as the freedom and flexibility to visit the Roses whenever you choose.

Includes
  • Dinner
  • Eurostar Meal
Day 2 - Discovering Roses

Enjoy a free day to relax by the pool or make your way, by shuttle, to Roses. 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. You could visit the beach or enjoy 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 accessible on foot or by boat

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 – Cadaqués

Boarding a boat at Roses' port, we cruise along a beautiful stretch of the Cap de Creus National Park, passing towering cliffs and countless mini bays protected from overland access by thick, deep forests which cover the cliff tops and reach high into the mountains. We disembark in Cadaqués, set in its own crystal-clear bay, where you have some time to look around before our return sailing. A picturesque fishing village of delightful white-washed houses that inspired much of Salvador Dalí's work, you could visit the famous painter's former house and studio, once a bohemian retreat for other artists. Picasso was known to have been particularly inspired by the incredible light and colour on display in Cadaques. Afterwards, why not enjoy some mouth-watering tapas or a dish of incredibly fresh seafood?

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 – Roses

With another free day today, you could visit the mighty Castell de la Trinitat at the head of the bay or ride the 'Roses Express' road train along the seafront and up into the hills overlooking the Mediterranean. If you wish, the medieval city of Girona is just a short journey away by local bus. A well-preserved example of a Spanish medieval town, Girona's bustling streets are home to a treasure trove of winding alleys, colourful buildings and diverse galleries and museums. The Gothic cathedral is also well worth seeing, and was used as a mosque by Moorish rulers before being re-purposed as a church.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Barcelona

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

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 – Roses

Enjoy the day to yourself to make the most of the hotel's superb facilities or continue sightseeing around the local area.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Figueres and Besalú

Figueres is our first destination today, where we visit the fascinating Salvador Dalí Foundation. The gallery, designed by Dalí himself and built on the ruins of a former municipal theatre, is the largest surrealist object in the world and exhibits various collections of the surrealist's work, including drawings, sculptures, jewellery, photography and paintings, from different periods of his life. Afterwards, you're free to continue exploring Figueres before we transfer to Besalú - a grand old town dominated by its magnificent, 11th-century fortified bridge. Perhaps visit the remains of the monastery of Sant Pere. Belonging to the Benedictine order, it was founded in 977 and was built in Basilica style. There are several other churches and synagogues for you to explore, or you may want to hop on the tourist train for a scenic tour of the town.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Days 8 - Roses

We embrace the Catalonian way of life today, heading out to a nearby vineyard for a traditional brunch of local specialties, followed by a tour of the grape growing vines and a tasting of different wines. Back at the hotel this evening, we enjoy a pre-dinner apéritif on the terrace followed by a farewell dinner.

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

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

Includes
  • Breakfast
  • Eurostar Meal

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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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 by Rail 2022

Europe by Rail 2022

The definitive guide to our 2022 summer rail holidays to a wide range of destinations in Europe. When ordering for postal delivery, you will only receive our collection of European holidays. If you are interested in UK holidays, these are available on the website.

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Roses, Cadaques and The Catalan Coast

Enjoy the unspoilt rugged beauty of the Costa Brava

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