Tour description
Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Tour
Whether it’s your honeymoon, anniversary or a special occasion, treat yourself to this romantic tour of Barcelona and the Mediterranean coast of Catalonia. On this luxury food, wine and cultural tour you will experience unspoiled seaside, medieval villages, unique vineyards and trendy Barcelona. Enjoy private guided tours of Gaudi’s architecture in Barcelona, the cute medieval towns of Girona & Besalu, as well as important Spanish wineries. Taste the array of exquisite gourmet foods as you tour with our Officially licensed guide. Walk along romantic Spanish beaches, and enjoy the delightful and unspoiled Mediterranean seaside towns, with moonlit nights to die for. Close to your romantic castle hotel in the Emporda region, you will taste fantastic wines at a renowned Emporda winery. There are also plenty of fine dining opportunities to be had in this corner of the world, so be sure to try a few of our personal recommendations. If you are looking for a romantic and relaxed tour of Spain, then this Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour is for you!
DAY 1 BARCELONA
On arrival at Barcelona Airport to start your private food and cultural tour, our chauffeur will be awaiting you with a luxury vehicle ready to transfer you to your 4* boutique hotel. Located in the vibrant Barcelona Gothic Quarter, the hotel is near to all major sights but at the same time on the port front. The rooftop terrace bar and pool provide an astonishing view of the city as well as the port, and your lovely room looks out onto the harbor. A representative of Gourmand Breaks will meet you for a welcome drink, and together you will discuss your personalized itinerary for your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour. Apart from having available your Online Personal Travel Webpage, you will be handed your Personal Travel Journals containing all your itinerary details and plenty of suggestions for restaurants and free time activities. Our excellent guides and chauffeurs will attend you throughout your tour with us and you will also have our 24/7 back office assistance, for anything you might need.
Barcelona has a long and ancient history, but the city was replanned, with its medieval walls demolished in 1854; as the modern and eclectic place visited today. Over the next sixty years, much of modern Barcelona was built, its architecture funded by the bourgeoisie and designed by Antoni Gaudi and his Modernista contemporaries, Lluis Domenech and Josep Puig. On this first evening in Barcelona you might want to simply relax and unwind after your journey, otherwise we have several dinner recommendations for Barcelona’s best restaurants or informal tapas places nearby.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfer from Barcelona airport. Welcome meeting with your Gourmand Breaks tour representative. Overnight in a 4* palace hotel overlooking the port in Barcelona.
DAY 2 BARCELONA
Today your Officially Licensed Guide will meet you at your hotel, to take you on a cultural and foodie tour of Barcelona! Together you will beat the queues as you enjoy a private guided visit to the incredible La Sagrada Familia, a beautiful Cathedral on a grand scale. The masterpiece of Antoni Gaudi, the cathedral has so many incredible elements that visiting it will be a joyous experience. Your journey will continue onto La Boqueria, Spain’s largest marketplace; full of a spectacular array of food and produce! Our expert Barcelona guide will lead you around the best booths, so that you can try fantastic local food and produce. After being guided through Barcelona’s gothic and Born quarters, you will taste some excellent natural Spanish cheeses at a charming local cheese shop. The knowledgeable owner will divulge the secrets of her cheeses while you taste some of the delicious specialties paired with excellent Priorat wine. For something sweet, your tour will stop at the oldest venue in Barcelona for dried nuts and fruits, homemade nougats and chocolates. This quaint and local store, specializing in roasting coffee beans and nuts for over 150 years, is still decorated with its original furniture and old wood-burning stove.
Your luxury private food and cultural tour will be rounded off with a light lunch of exquisite produce, from one of the best delicatessens in the city. Try Spain’s best Iberian ham, an assortment of delectable local preserves and a selection of the best Spanish olive oils and olives. This is the finale of your food and cultural tour, your Barcelona guide leaving you to enjoy your delicious meal. Prior to leaving you, your guide will be happy to provide a lot of suggestions for great places to eat and shop, etc.
Tour in a nutshell: Private guided tour of Barcelona. Gourmet food & wine tastings. Overnight Barcelona.
DAY 3 EMPORDA
Your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour will leave you time for a last stroll in Barcelona, before our chauffeur takes you to the quiet countryside of the Emporda wine region. Maybe you would like to head to the Passeig de Gracia area, to visit another famous work of Gaudi: his famous Casa Batllo or La Pedrera, which was built between 1906 and 1910 for the Mila family. This is one of the main Gaudi residential buildings and one of the most imaginative houses in the history of architecture; this building is just as much a sculpture as a building! At around midday your chauffeur will be waiting, to take you to the beautiful and serene countryside of the Emporda, one of Spain’s up-and-coming wine regions. The Emporda is a large area of Catalonia which hugs the Mediterranean, and you can find tens of adorable, cobbled medieval villages to wander through; imagining what life was like in days gone by. Your new home for the next 4 nights is one such place; an authentic Spanish medieval castle, an architectural jewel that was built eight centuries ago, now converted into a 4* luxury hotel. Take the time to get acquainted with the grounds of your fairytale residence and stroll around admiring the garden, or take a dip in the gorgeous swimming pool, before a peaceful dinner by candlelight.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfer. Overnight in a 4* castle hotel in the Emporda wine region.
DAY 4 EMPORDA
A unique Emporda winery is your first destination today, hidden away in the hills, not far from the sea. This recently built ecological winery is unlike anything you have seen before; it is an amazing edifice, taking into account the needs of wine-making, designed by local architects, RCR; who won the Pritzker Prize for the work. The grape vines growing in the fields surrounding the area are cultivated organically and harvesting is done entirely by hand, to ensure that every grape is of the highest quality to produce the finest wines. Your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour will give you al private tour in the company of their wine expert, taking in the facilities at this awe-inspiring winery, followed by a tasting of their very best wines, along with cheeses, bread and home-made olive oil. Lunch will also be enjoyed here, with their own country fare produce, including local meats and sausages.
After lunch, your chauffeur will take you to the most beautiful seaside spots in the most chic of coastal towns on the Costa Brava, Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc. Enjoy an aperitif as well as the view and sea breeze at a light house near a quaint Mediterranean seaside inn with a sunny outdoor terrace. There are plenty of scenic walks to explore the area and picturesque ocean front spots to relax watching the world go gently by, perhaps with a coffee or a glass of cava in hand.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfers. Private guided tour of Emporda winery with wine tasting. Visits to picturesque Mediterranean villages. Overnight in the Emporda region.
DAY 5 BESALU & GIRONA
The fascinating Catalan medieval village of Besalu awaits you on your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour today, renowned for its stunning bridge and Jewish mikvah. Besalu villagers grow herbs in the quaint local public gardens, the key ingredients for their well-known and traditional homemade wine, ratafia. Most Besalu families have been jealously keeping for generations their own secret combination of aromatic herbs to flavor this digestive liquor. You will surely enjoy your ratafia tasting with a chatty and charming local producer!
Next you will head to the enchanting city of Girona. Your private guide will show off its stretches of cobblestone streets, the old Jewish Quarter, the Arab baths and the magnificent Girona Cathedral. Wind through the narrow streets and encounter little shops, cafes and medieval homes that families have passed down through the generations. Enjoy a romantic lunch at one of the best restaurants in town. First class service, innovative takes on traditional recipes and an elegant atmosphere; will provide the perfect end to your visit in Girona. Girona is also home to the mythical Celler de Can Roca restaurant, winner of many best restaurant in the world awards. This exquisite 3-star Michelin eatery, owned by three charming Catalan brothers is a truly unique place to experience and if you wish to go there, let us know and we will do our best to get you in. The enthusiasm and creativity of the cooking, with mains by Joan, the oldest brother and desserts by Jordi, the youngest, is only matched by the mind-blowing wine pairing by the third brother Josep, considered by many the best sommelier in Spain.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfers. Private guided tour of Girona and Besalu. Overnight in the Emporda countryside.
DAY 6 EMPORDA
More wonderful medieval villages await you on your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour today! After breakfast at your lovely Mediterranean retreat, you will leave to visit one of the best-preserved medieval villages in all of Spain. As you walk through the narrow village streets of Pals, next to the city walls, towers and churches, you will feel as though you have stepped back in time. The stone archways, cobblestone streets and wrought balconies adorned with flowers create a welcoming feel in this Romanesque village.
To continue, you will visit another and totally unspoiled Medieval hideaway, where you will have an opportunity to visit a tiny producer of local goats cheese. Just as the locals do, you will try some fresh goat cheese with honey and chat to the owner about how her famous Recuit is produced. To continue your Medieval morning, you will visit Peretallada and stroll along its cobbled streets – it is truly a very special village and one you will surely enjoy. Your medieval journey continues to another close (and of course medieval!) village, where you will enjoy a lunch of delicious local Catalan country fare with Emporda wine, in an excellent old-style farmhouse restaurant. After such a delicious lunch you may wish to embrace the concept of the Spanish siesta and return to your hotel.
Alternatively, may we suggest you treat yourself to an optional morning of sailing with our very own experienced skipper. Soak up the sun and the sea on this trip along the edge of the Costa Brava, truly a romantic Mediterranean escape! The rest of the day is free for you to do as you please, relax at your hotel or visit the coastal villages for a stroll along the promenade and coastal paths, or maybe visit the botanical Cap Roig Gardens. Later, in the early evening, why not take a drive to the lighthouse in Llafranc and enjoy a glass of wine on the terrace as you take in the magnificent views. We have many suggestions for dinner this evening whether a casual light bite overlooking the Mediterranean Sea or Michelin starred dining.
Tour in a nutshell: Guided tour of Spanish medieval villages. Regional lunch with wine. Optional sailing trip on the Costa Brava. Overnight in the Emporda countryside.
DAY 7 CADAQUES
Continue to enjoy your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour today and indulge in the breathtaking beauty of the rugged Mediterranean coast, as you are driven to the remote village of Cadaques. This white-washed seaside town is a favorite of many Bohemian artists, including the master of surrealism; Salvador Dali. You will visit the summer seaside home of Dali, left as it was when he and his wife, Gala, lived there; where you can have a glimpse into their life. Stroll along the quiet Cadaques promenade, with pretty villagers’ houses and artsy little cafes and shops hidden among the tiny cobblestone streets. For lunch, follow in the artist’s footsteps and enjoy a delightful seaside meal at our favorite window table in one of the small haunts, frequented by Dali himself.
After lunch, you will cross through the natural park of Cap de Creus to a lighthouse on the edge of a cliff that overlooks the Mediterranean sea. It so happens, that this point is the first place in Spain where the sun’s rays shine every morning. Take in the impressive and romantic views of the Mediterranean. The mountains overlooking Port de la Selva from where you can see the sea, will take your breath away with its magnificence. See the imposing Sant Pere de Rodes Benedictine Monastery, constructed on the hillside below the ruins of the medieval castle that gave protection to the monastery. Dating from the 10th century, it is a prime example of the Catalan-Roman era. After your busy day, enjoy a relaxing evening at your hotel or have a romantic dinner at one of the local restaurants.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured tour of Cadaques. Visit to the Dali House museum & Sant Pere de Rodes. Local lunch with wine. Overnight Emporda.
DAY 8 BARCELONA
This morning you will leave the Emporda and return to your charming hotel in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. If you are self-driving you will first drop your rental car off at the city center office. You will then be free to spend the rest of the day on your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour as you wish. Maybe you wish to see more of Barcelona’s fantastic architecture? Gaudi’s Parc Guell is located in uptown Barcelona and is one of the most beautiful icons of the city, an idyll where you can enjoy a peaceful stroll surrounded by nature and his colourful, modernist sculptures. Should you wish, we could organize our fantastic Officially Licensed guide to give you a private guided tour of the Modernista Route, so that you can really see the scope of beautiful buildings to be found in Barcelona.
Otherwise, should you just wish to meander around the area close to your hotel, we have many suggestions for quirky shops and places to visit, as well as cafes and plazas to relax in that will suit your mood of the moment. You could always have a chilled out day of strolling along the beachfront of Barceloneta or even, return to the old Gothic Quarter; the choices are yours! Then for dinner tonight, regardless of whether you are looking for an informal dinner or a Michelin Starred experience, we have you covered! Your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape travel journal will have many suggestions for you to really enjoy your final day in Barcelona, including ideas for a delicious final farewell dinner.
Tour in a nutshell: Return to Barcelona. Free day Barcelona. Overnight in a 4* luxury hotel in Barcelona.
DAY 9 DEPARTURE
The final day of your Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape has arrived! After checking out of your hotel, our chauffeur will be waiting to transfer you to Barcelona airport for your onward journey.
We look forward to you joining us for this enticing and mouth-watering tour of northern Spain! Our insider knowledge ensures that you will enjoy some of the very best food, wine and cultural experiences that Barcelona and the villages of the Costa Brava can offer.
Tour in a nutshell: Chauffeured transfer to Barcelona Airport.
Tour quotation
Romantic Barcelona & Mediterranean Escape Tour Quote Request
We are excited that you are considering joining us on one of our fabulous custom-built tours of Spain, Portugal, SW France and/or Italy! Please fill in the form below and we will happily provide you with a non-committal initial quote for the sample tour itinerary chosen.
In case you would prefer us to build a personal tour proposal for you from scratch, please e-mail us at [email protected] and we will be delighted to start working with you on your personal and very special travel itinerary with us.
Tour in a Nutshell
Food & Culture tour with gourmet tastings in vibrant Barcelona
Relax at the Costa Brava coast, marvel at unspoiled seaside
Unique wineries & artisan food producers in quaint medieval villages
Chauffeured tour in comfort with private guides
9 days/8 nights, boutique 4* hand selected hotels
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