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Roses, Catalan Coast and Trains of the Pyrenees

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4.2 stars(25 reviews)
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Small Group

Uncover the hidden gems of one of Spain's finest regions

8 days From £1,495 per person
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Save up to £150pp on selected European holidays when traveling in 2023, for new bookings made before 31st March 2023. 

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2023 Tour code: FYS23

About the tour

Uncovering the hidden gems of one of Spain's finest regions, on this escape to the Catalan coast we take a wonderful railway journey into the Pyrenees, to the vibrant city of Girona and visit the birthplace of iconic surrealist painter, Salvador Dalí.

Highlights

View Dates & Pricing

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London and Roses

After meeting at London St Pancras, we board the Eurostar service to Paris. We change trains and cross the border into Spain, disembarking in Figueres for our transfer to Roses, an authentic Spanish fishing port with a sandy beach.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 - Girona

We travel to Girona, where we enjoy a walking tour followed by free time. A well-preserved example of a Spanish medieval town, Girona's bustling streets are a treasure trove of winding alleys, colourful buildings and diverse galleries and museums. We visit the Jewish Quarter, a labyrinth of narrow streets, packed with ancient synagogues and cafés, and the city's cathedral which was first a primitive Christian church then converted into a mosque by Moorish rulers before being re-purposed as a church. There are plenty of eateries to sample classic Spanish dishes, authentic tapas and a Catalonian specialty called 'pa amb tomàquet' - crispy bread spread with fresh crushed tomatoes, drizzled with olive oil.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Through the Pyrenees

We travel by coach to Villefranche, in the French Pyrenees, where there's free time for lunch. Afterwards, we continue on a wonderful round trip through the dramatic Pyrenees. A route famous for its stunning natural beauty, we'll journey over suspension bridges, through hills and tunnels, and passed amazing scenery on our way to Font Romeu.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 – Roses

Enjoy a free day to relax by the pool or explore Roses. Set on the beautiful Bay of Roses, the town of Roses is an authentic Spanish fishing port with typical Catalan 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 5 - The Núria Valley Rack Railway

We take a journey on the excellent Núria Valley Rack Railway today. Twinned with the Jungfrau Express in Switzerland, this marvellous rack railway allows for spectacular views of the surrounding mountains, and is one of the only ways to access this remote valley. A tranquil oasis, we may see the odd hiker visiting one of the religious sanctuaries or an occasional sailing boat drifting across the reservoir. This isolated destination offers the perfect opportunity to admire the impressive natural beauty of the Pyrenees.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6 – Roses

Enjoy some free time in Roses on before a visit to the local fish market. We watch the fishing boats sail back into the dock with their day's haul before attending a fish auction to learn about local fishing techniques and about the fish most commonly found in the waters around Roses. Later, we enjoy a special dinner at a restaurant overlooking the beach. The highlight is paella, made with the freshest seafood, and two other courses - served with locally-produced wines.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 7 - Figueres

We visit the classic Catalan town of Figueres, where artist Salvador Dalí was born. With its stone buildings, marble plazas and impressive architecture, Figueres is a delight to wander around. We visit the Salvador Dalí Foundation, housed in an old theatre which Dali himself converted - which makes it the largest surrealist object in the world - to admire work spanning his lifetime. This vast collection includes drawings, sculptures, jewellery, photography and paintings. After taking time to appreciate the diverse creations of the famous Surrealist - as Dalí intended his work to be experienced - you are free to continue exploring Figueres.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8 - Roses and London

We leave Roses today, travelling by rail to Paris where we join the Eurostar back to London St Pancras.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

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

Hotel Canyelles Platja, Roses

Hotel Canyelles Platja, Roses

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Trains

Eurostar
Nuria Valley Rack Railway
The Yellow Train of the Pyrenees

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Upgrades

Inclusive Luggage Upgrade
Upgrade to Standard Premier Class on Eurostar
London Hotels
UK rail connections

Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 25 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (11)
  2. 4 stars
    (12)
  3. 3 stars
    (0)
  4. 2 stars
    (1)
  5. 1 star
    (1)

Wendy

4 stars

Submitted 12 Oct 2022

well worth visiting this area, hotel in a lovely bay and table service, although breakfast self service and no hot food. Excellent tour manager, Carly. Arrived at both ends of the tour at about 8.30. I don’t think it would be suitable if you have walking difficulties. Spent approx 15 hours on coaches, a couple of long tour days. We didn’t have a front balcony room but they looked very nice. Some lucky souls were upgraded to sea view rooms. First class customer service (Guoda) from Great Rail Journeys to sort out a problem I had. One downside is that the train carriages were on two levels and both ways we were on the bottom level so could not see much as they build banks to stop the noise of the trains.

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Julia Mitchell

5 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2022

Roses is a gem. I cannot rate it highly enough.

Collected by Trustpilot

A Gourlay

4 stars

Submitted 08 Oct 2022

hotel and guide excellent, in the case of our rather senior group there were some issues with the trains, like rushed change at stations, long walks and not enough planning for places to eat at the stations. In the hotel the ready dished up dishes tended to be too full and a service with a possibility to have smaller portions and possible 2nd helping offers would have been preferable

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Frances Paris

5 stars

Submitted 08 Oct 2022

Very nice hotel. Excellent tour leader. Enjoyed the train journeys in the Pyrenees.

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Mr Llewellyn

4 stars

Submitted 07 Oct 2022

This Costa Brava area is great in so many ways. It was a wonderful holiday. The hotel food was average and the trip should include more outside restaurants.

Collected by Trustpilot

B Urwin

4 stars

Submitted 27 Sep 2022

However I score this tour the outstanding feature was Simon Witter the tour leader. He was in complete control all the time and I am sure everybody on the tour will agree that he was also great company. Apart from that we had a good view of the trees from the Yellow Train. We enjoyed the Nuria Cog railway and the Dali Museum. .

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