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Itinerary Help - Roadtrip North of Barcelona
I will be traveling to Barcelona, with a side trip to Greece, in September 2017. We will be spending several days in Barcelona before traveling to Greece. We'll be getting back to Barcelona on the 13th, but our flight out isn't until the 18th. We'd like to take a combination train/roadtrip north of the city (maybe taking a train out of the city and renting a car at a station to avoid driving in the city). We'd love to see some great mountain views as well as sea views, and picturesque towns, but since this is the tail end of the trip we want to also have some time to slow down and relax to enjoy those views. We're debating spending two nights in Cadaques and two nights in Girona, and then getting back to Barcelona the night before we leave. What I'd like advice on is how best to spend our time from the 13th-17th. Are those the best places to set up camp and travel out from? We have a long list of possible destinations, but have no idea how to start to narrow it down.
We are interested in: Girona Cadaques Tossa De Mar Figueres Vic (or some other mountain destination) and to a lesser degree: Begur Roses Calella de Palafrugell Empuriabrava We'd also like to try to see Montserrat, but that seems to be out of the way and I've heard mixed reviews. This is my first time traveling in Europe, and I've been able to get a lot of information on the major cities, but the best way to handle traveling to these smaller destinations is much harder. Thanks for your input! |
Montserrat is an easy day trip from Barcelona by suburban trains and to me if you want mountain views this is great -being on top of one - nice walks around it - Way of Cross -and of course the Black Madonna -one of the most venerated religious icons in Spain -still a thriving religious pilgrimage mecca.
The monks also brew up a very potent liqueur for sales. For train info and where to go in northern Spain on them check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.seat61.com. You could easily take the bullet train under the Pyrenees to France and drive around the lovely coast - Coullioure and an area of cute seaside villages or even to the Avignon area -the classic Provence where with car you can visit several really neat things and areas. https://www.google.com/search?q=coll...HcSDDQAQsAQIHA |
Here is one trip report I had bookmarked when researching our upcoming trip:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...alonia.cfm#top |
I can absolutely recommend the lovely charming town of Begur, there are a number of great restaurants, it has some stunning beach coves and a lovely coastal walk. It's set about 3k inland with a medieval castle and fantadtic views of the sea and the Pyrenees in the distance. From there you could visit the ( Overly but lovely) restored town of Pals, go to Pubol (Dali had a home there) see the gorgeous cliff side botanical gardens. And have a beachside lunch at Toc al Mer in aguifreida.
Begur is approx 45 mins from Girona and approx 90 minutes driving from Barcelona. We have done this drive many many times and once you are out of Barcelona is very easy on the AP7 We did Figueres ( the Dali museum) and Cadaques in one day but I think a stay in Cadaques would be lovely. I would also recommend the underrated city of Girona too. |
I would recommend getting a car- as I said it's an easy drive.
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Girona I agree is underrated but a fairly large city where driving is not the best way to see it-maybe take train there and go by car when leaving or vice versa when heading back to Barcelona?
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It's not that difficult compared to many European cities- anyway there are car parks on the edge of town. However when I said get a car I was talking more about from Barcelona to travel up the coast. The roads are basically empty....( but if staying in Begur get a small car)
Correction ref Toc al Mer it's Aguiblava ...http://www.tocalmar.cat/ |
The trip report that sundriedtopepo referred to is coincidentally my trip report. I used to use the screen name kwoo, but somehow accidentally changed it to KarenWoo one day. I think I was trying to change my password but obviously hit the wrong keys.
Anyways, we loved both Girona and Cadaques! Both are lovely beautiful places, and also very different from each other. We had no problem driving there. But I confess, my husband did the driving; I did the trip planning! The road over the mountain to Cadaques has many, many hairpin curves! But coming over the top and heading down into Cadaques, the views were beautiful with the Mediterranean and the white houses of Cadaques. We loved Dali's quirky home in Port Lligat. You have to make reservations at least a day before. We stopped at a lot of the places that are on your list, such as Tossa, Calella & Vic. Sundriedtopepo, how do you bookmark a trip report? I haven't figured out how to do that. I print them out instead but would love to bookmark. Thanks. |
I just add it to my browser bookmarks bar. I use google chrome and have a Travel file in my bookmarks.
Click on the star at the right side of the address bar. It will ask you if you want to save the address to your bookmarks. You can do the same in safari or whatever browser you use. |
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We used Begur as a base for the Costa Brava and enjoyed the sea views and surrounding areas.
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If you really want to go to Montserrat you could spend the night up there on your way north. It isn't THAT far out of the way... much better than going up in the daytime with the gazillion tour buses. There's a hotel up there. Arrive as the day trippers are leaving, depart as they are arriving.
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Thanks everyone, this is very helpful. I'm thinking it might make more sense to stay in Begur or Tossa than Cadaques since it's so isolated, and wrap with Figures that into a day trip from Girona.
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I visited several of these places -- Girona, Cadaques, Tossa del Mar, Figueres, and Montserrat -- during my 2015 trip. Loved them all!
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalunya.cfm I wholeheartedly agree that spending a night in Montserrat is well worth it! |
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