Catalonia & Little Trains of the Pyrenees

To Roses

Meet your Tour Manager today at London St Pancras International where you catch the Eurostar service from London to Paris, continuing on from here to Figueres. From here, you transfer to your home for seven nights, the charming town of Roses.

Please Note: For departures 18FRS01ab, 18FRS01ba, 18FRS08a and 18FRS03b you will stay at the Hotel Mediterraneo Park in Roses.

Please Note: For departure 18FRS03 on arrival in Paris you will catch the train to Perpignan where you will then transfer by coach to your hotel.

Girona

Visit fabulous Girona today, a city of storybook history and medieval might, full of eccentric museums and capped by an impressive Gothicstyle cathedral.

You are at leisure here. Well worth a visit is the Jewish Quarter of the city, a labyrinth of narrow streets packed with fascinating religious buildings, ancient synagogues and cafés hidden away on mysterious street corners. While in this district, it is a good idea to check out the Jewish Museum which details the lives and cultural influence of the Spanish Jewish community across the entire nation.

Please Note: For departure 18FRS03 you will spend the morning at leisure before heading to Girona in the afternoon.

The Yellow Train of the Pyrenees

Today sees you cross from Spain into France and into the French Pyrenees. You begin your excursion with a visit to the historic walled city of Thuir. Sat under the gaze of an old castle in the midst of the Pyrenees, this is a superb walled town, with much to discover all along the narrow streets. Enjoy time here before travelling to Villefranche, where you board the magnificent Little Yellow Train.

Climbing through the ancient Pyrenees, this train treks over ravines, through mountains and across viaducts in bright yellow carriages. These are open air carriages and provide an excellent opportunity to truly take in the stunning beauty of this Franco-Hispanic mountain range. Green pine forests line the tracks and the rising hills give way to a marvellous landscape of craggy peaks and crisp cyan lakes.

The Núria Valley Rack Railway

After a day at leisure, Day 5 features a journey on the Núria Valley Rack Railway which takes you into the Núria Valley itself.

Twinned with the Jungfrau Express in Switzerland, this marvellous rack railway allows spectacular views of the steep slopes and the superb mountainscapes. The Núria Valley Rack Railway is the only way to access this remote valley and the lack of car traffic makes this the perfect oasis of calm with only sailing boats bobbing gently on the lake to distract from the almost magical surroundings.

Crossing the Pyrenees

On day 6 we will travel by coach to the town of Ripoll to join the Trans-Pirinean route for the climb from Ripoll to Latour de Carol on the French side of the Pyrenees. This route passes through the beautiful scenery of the Pyrenees, and ascends from the Spanish side, giving a different perspective. After a short time in Latour de Carol to enjoy the scenery and perhaps grab a coffee, we descend again back into Spain. On arrival back into Ripoll, enjoy some time here to explore this beautiful town which is delightfully situated at the confluence of the rivers Ter and Freser. Following free time we return to Roses by coach.

Figueres & the Dalí Foundation

Your excursion today takes you to the town of Figueres. Found in the province of Girona, Figueres is in many ways a classic Catalonian town and boasts an impressive 11th century church dedicated to St Peter.

Here, you pay a visit to the eccentric Salvador Dalí Foundation, a museum dedicated to the works of surrealist painter Salvador Dalí. This iconic painter and sculptor was perhaps the biggest figure within the surrealist movement, and his works encompassed paintings, film and writing. Dalí was born in Figueres at the beginning of the 20th century, and from Figueres, he spearheaded the Surrealist movement alongside other notable artist including filmmaker Luis Buñuel and visual artist Man Ray. Dalí's most famous work is the Persistance of Memory painting, depicting a series of melting clocks, with a background inspired by the coastline near Figueres.

The Foundation displays much of his work and also displays the works of contemporary artists from across the world, on a rotating exhibition basis.

Return Home

Leaving Roses today, travel by rail to Paris. After crossing over the French Capital, you where you then return to London on the Eurostar.

Departure Times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We will write to you around 10 weeks before your departure date with the precise meeting times for your tour group.