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Overview

Self-drive tour of Catalonia

On our two-week self-drive tour of Catalonia, travelers get to discover all the cultural treasures of this unique Spanish destination. Driving around the Catalonian countryside, you’ll understand why this autonomous region takes so much pride in its distinct cultural identity.

Start off in Barcelona, a city with one foot firmly set in modernity and cosmopolitan lifestyle, and another resolutely planted in the city’s rich history. The calm and friendly atmosphere of Barri Gòtic and the lively and colorful atmosphere of la Rambla will cast their spell on you within minutes. Like everyone else, you will be completely blown away by the fantastic architectural masterpieces of Gaudi – most notably, Park Guell and the Sagrada Familia. The largest market in Barcelona, La Boqueria will put you in direct contact with market gardeners, fish merchants, bakers, and other merchants offering a wide variety of fresh foods. When evening comes, a fresh Mediterranean breeze will tickle your nostrils with the exquisite smells of Catalonian cuisine.

After Barcelona, this self-drive tour of Catalonia will take you on a journey of discovery through the region’s incredible variety of landscapes and its rich and diversified history. Nestled in the stunning scenery of the foothills of the Pyrenees, the Montserrat monastery is a lasting testament to the devotion of the monks who settled here in the 9th century. Follow in the footsteps of the Romans and visit the arena in Tarragona, before exploring the Greco-Roman city of Empúries. Sample the region’s delicious local produce and regional dishes by driving through the countryside around Vic and the vineyards surrounding Poblet.

Enjoy the laid-back lifestyle and picturesque charm of the resorts on the Costa Brava and the Costa Daurada. And, if you’re up to the challenge, it’s easy to organize a hike in one of the many beautiful national parks of the Pyrenees.
Of course, there will be plenty of delicious tapas to satisfy your taste buds – before, during, and after all your escapades!

Contact Uniktour’s Spain specialist today for more information on this magnificent self-drive tour of Catalonia!

Itinerary

Day 1| International Flight
Flight from Montreal to Barcelona.

Day 2| Barcelona
Arrival in Barcelona. A representative will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Settle into the Gallery Hotel, a magnificent hotel featuring a perfect blend of warmth and modernity, where you’ll be spending the next five nights. Make the most of the gardens and courtyards, and take a rest from all the excitement of the city in the exterior solarium. Breakfast included.

Day 3| Barcelona
Enjoy breakfast. This morning your private English-speaking guide will take you on a day tour of the city, including the Cathedral and the Sagrada Familia. The Sagrada Familia is one of the most famous landmarks of Barcelona, and of Spain itself. Created by the architectural genius of Antonio Gaudi, this unique design blends gothic influences with the famous architect’s distinctive organic style. The result is a gigantic stone masterpiece whose construction is set to be completed in 2026. It never fails to impress visitors. Make sure you climb to the top of the towers to get panoramic views of the whole city.

To catch a glimpse of more classic religious architecture, visit la Catedral de Elna: the soft light of its cloister and the flock of white geese wandering aimlessly around palm trees will certainly cast a soothing spell on you. Close by, the narrow alleys and typical bars of Barri Gotic are a perfect place to sit down and enjoy some fresh tapas. Lovely inner courtyards, beautifully decorated balconies, and the Picasso museum make strolling in this authentic area a must.
Lunch is included.

Day 4| Barcelona
Free time in Barcelona. You can take this opportunity to visit some of Gaudi’s other creations: his signature style is scattered all across Barcelona. The most impressive of these can be found on Passeig de Gracia, which is also known for its fine boutiques. Though Casa Milà’s soft curves appear like they are slowly melting, it is in fact an original and wonderfully harmonious work of interior trim. One feature to look out for are the curious ‘helmeted’ chimneys. Nearby, Casa Battlo is even more outlandish: its colored and sinuous façade hints at a surreal baroque world, which the interior brings to life. To complete this introduction to the world of Gaudi, head to Park Güell. Its long, wavy ceramic seats and the iconic Salamander statue are universally recognized symbols of Barcelona. End your day with a refreshing sangria on one of the terraces on Plaça Reial, the city’s liveliest town square: onlookers, musicians, students, and locals all gather here late in the afternoon to take a load off and talk about their days. Or, if you still feel like walking, you can also take a stroll on the famed Ramblas that run across the city from side to side.

Day 5| Montserrat
This morning, after breakfast, a train will take you and your private English-speaking guide to Montserrat where you will spend the day visiting the monastery. Take a look at the distinctive shapes of the rock pillars scattered around this mountain, which rises suddenly from the heart of the plains. With a variety of interesting climbing options on the mountainside, this is heaven on earth for rock climbers of all levels. It is also possible to go on hikes in the area. The train ticket and lunch are included.

Day 6| Montserrat
Free time in Montserrat.

Day 7| Tarragona
After breakfast, pick-up your rental car and start for Tarragona, famous for its Roman past. The city still features many interesting relics from this era. Settle into your room at the Hotel Gran Claustre, a small, privately-run hotel in the village of Altafulla, only 8 kilometers from Tarragona in the heart of the Golden Coast. Breakfast included.

Day 8| Vineyards of Catalonia
After breakfast, take your car to a vineyard where a wine expert will take you on a daylong private visit of the Bodega. This experience is a must for anyone interested in Catalonia’s enological heritage. Lunch is included.

Day 9| Vic
After breakfast, get back on the road and head to Vic, an old town famous for its medieval architecture and varied delicatessen.
Settle in at the Parador de Vic-Sau, a member of the superb Paradores Spanish hotels, where you will be staying for two nights. This hotel is set in one of the most beautiful locations of the area, on the shores of Lake Sau, surrounded by mountains, offering visitors breathtaking panoramas. Breakfast included.

Day 10| Cardona - Solsona
A day of leisure. You can visit Cardona and/or Salona. Cardona features the region’s most important medieval fortress, overlooking the Cardener River. One of the fortress’ wings includes a Parador – a group of Spanish luxury hotels, often set up inside a restored castle or monastery.
A little bit further, Solsona features magnificent ramparts. You can also visit the Episcopal palace and the cathedral, both of which are fine examples of neo-classical style.

Day 11| Girona
Enjoy breakfast. Morning departure for Girona, a city that has the charm and character of the big cities – but without the crowds. It’s like it was specially designed for leisurely strolls: small alleys, celebrations, intimate terraces – make sure you take the time to discover this little Catalonian gem! Girona’s most beautiful monuments can be found in the Barri Vell (literally, “old town”): monastery, cathedral, thermal baths, and countless charming alleyways to discover. Take a walk on the shores of the Onyar River, take a seat in the shade on one of the terraces, and sip a cup of cava, the local sparkling wine, enjoying the area’s quasi-Florentine airs.
Settle in for two nights at the Llegendes de Girona Catedral, a small, magnificent, privately-run hotel right in the heart of the historical city center. Breakfast included.

Day 12| Figueres
After breakfast, take the road to Figueres, cultural capital of Catalonia in 2009, where an English-speaking guide will take you on a tour of the city, including the Dali and Gala museums, whose unique architectural style echoes the famous painter’s surreal universe. Lunch is included.

Day 13| Cadaqués - Empuries
Free time to explore the area. Possible visits in the area include Cadaqués and/or Empuries.
Empuries is a splendid Greco-Roman port town whose ruins tell the story of a prosperous past: here you’ll find many monuments dating back to different eras, when the city was an important commercial center. Mosaics, forums, thermal baths, and colonnades blend in perfectly with this Mediterranean landscape of white stone and parasol pines.
Cadaqués is a delicious small fishing village that has managed to maintain a distinctively Catalan identity. Salvador Dali fought tooth and nail to protect this authentic heritage from real estate developers that wanted to transform it into yet another resort town.
You’ll love the small, peaceful port, surrounded by mountains on which grow the vines that have allowed this area to prosper for the last 200 years. A true Catalonian interlude!

Day 14| Barcelona
After breakfast, take the road back to Barcelona and drop off your rental car towards the end of the day. Settle in at the Gallery Hotel for your last night.

Day 15| Departure
Enjoy your breakfast. A private transfer will pick you up at your hotel to take you to Barcelona airport for your return flight back to Montreal.

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

Lodging

Overview

Gone are the days when Spain is seen as a one-dimensional destination. A colorful land of powerful spells, Spain has much more to offer than paella and Almodovar. Its many riches and priceless heritage are now open to all, thanks to a wide variety of exciting itineraries. Nowadays, there’s something for everyone: winter sports in the Pyrenees, following in the footsteps of the Maures kings in Andalusia, R&R on Mediterranean beaches, or trekking in the National Parks of the Canaries – the possibilities are endless! Visitors can now discover untamed Galicia and its Celtic roots, feel the power of torrential rivers, and discover luxuriant forests. Discover the Human Castles, Dances of the Dead, and other secular traditions of Catalonia, a region whose identity has been valiantly defended over the years. The bustling cities of Barcelona, Seville, Saragossa, and Madrid are all constantly changing, proudly displaying their recent makeovers: museums, friendly town squares, and restored monuments all are signs that this country is aware of its treasures and is now ready to offer them to the world – in deal travel conditions.
With a lifestyle that includes meals that go on for hours, delicious and rich wines, and one of the continent’s most authentic and diversified cultures, Spain jumped into the third millennium with the same energy that drove the Conquistadores to foreign lands five hundred years ago. There’s only one thing missing from this endless celebration: you.

Geography

Spain is a Western European country with a population of about 46 million people spread over an area of 505 955 km2, with most of the population living in the coastal areas and big cities. It is bordered on the West by Portugal and on the Northeast by France and the Pyrenees. The political and administrative capital is Madrid, located in the center of the country, with an approximate population of 6 million, while Barcelona (4.8 million), on the Northeast shores, is the country’s cultural and financial capital. This is also one of one the most cosmopolitan cities in the continent, welcoming hundreds of thousands of visitors coming from all corners of Europe and the Americas every year. Other important urban centers include Valencia on the Mediterranean coast, Malaga, Bilbao, Saragossa, and Seville, the Andalusian capital, in the South. The national language is Spanish. The state religion, ever so influential in people’s daily life, is Catholicism.
Most of the territory is on the Iberian Peninsula, while the rest – roughly 12500 km2 – are islands (the Canaries and Balearics). Lying on the African coast, the cities of Ceuta and Melilla cover an area of about 32 km2.
Geographically speaking, the Spanish territory is divided into many different regions. The average altitude is relatively elevated at about 650 meters – double the European average. The highest peaks are Teide (3718 m) on Tenerife Island, and Mulhacen (3478 m), in the southern province of Grenada. The coastal areas differ greatly from each other, belonging to different weather systems centered on separate seas and oceans. The elevated central plateau (the Meseta de Castile) is itself further divided into two sub-plateaus (North and South), and fractioned by the mountains of the central range and the Toledo Mountains. The waterways of Castile-Leon offer visitors the chance to explore the country’s wilderness via a well-developed river network. One such interesting site to discover from the water is Arribes del Duero National Park, split between Salamanca and Zamora provinces in Southwest Castile. Some of Europe’s longest and deepest canyons can be found here, with gigantic walls rising to more than 200 meters in height. This vast central plateau is flanked by other mountain ranges: the Cantabrian Mountains in the North, where many magnificent caves are now open to the public, and the Sierra Morena to the south, next to Guadalquivir valley. Three other mountain ranges add to the country’s mountainous landscape: the Basque and Catalonian Mountains, and the Pyrenees, separated from the rest of the Iberian mountains by the Ebro valley. Aside from continental Spain, the Canary Islands form a mountainous archipelago of volcanic origin off the shores of Morocco whose highest peaks include Tenerife and Gran Canaria. As for the Balearics, they present a varied landscape that includes the Sierra de Tramuntana in Majorca, the lowlands of Minorque, and Ibiza’s gentle geography. These archipelagos are among Southern Europe’s most popular tourist destinations, offering a wide range of activities, including hiking in the islands’ wilder regions, golf, parasailing, spelunking, swimming, snorkeling, and other water sports, among others. On top of that, Spain has created a few National Parks across the country to protect its abundant, untamed, and powerful nature.

Culture

With such a rich variety of different peoples and cultures having settled here over the years, it’s no surprise that Spain’s culture is extraordinarily rich and varied. Visitors can take in all of the beauty and charm of these civilizations in the country’s many historical sites and prestigious museums.
The country’s two most visited monuments are in the South. The great Mosque of Cordoba, built between the 8th and 10th centuries, is the world’s second largest mosque, after Mecca. It is known for its forest of columns, an immense prayer room whose ceiling is supported by 854 pillars. The Mihrab dome (where seats the imam) is carved from a single bloc of marble and delicately chiseled. It stands as a masterpiece of Moorish art in Europe. In Grenada you’ll find what is often considered the most beautiful Islamic monument in all of Europe: the Alhambra. On its own, this acropolis of fortified gardens and palaces in the upper city summarizes three hundred years of Andalusian history, from the Nasrites all the way to Charles Quint. The Casas Reales, Lion Palace, and Alcabaza each display majestic and refined beauty that impresses all who are lucky enough to feast their eyes on them.
In the North, visitors discover monuments that date back to the Wisigoth and Maure occupations, particularly along the Way of St. James. Later on, the Baroque movement coincided with Spain’s ascent to power and left a heritage divided between two diametrically opposed styles: on the one hand, close to Madrid, we have the monastery of El Escorial and its austere character. On the other hand, there’s the rich ornamentation of the Churriguera, as manifested in Santiago de Compostela cathedral. This exuberant style was subsequently exported to Latin America during Spanish colonial times. World-famous Prado Museum and Madrid’s Reina Sofia National art museum both showcase works by great Spanish and International artists, such as Goya, Vélasquez, Dürer, Tintoretto, Titian, Murillo, and el Greco. Close to the Prado, the Thyssen Museum’s large private collection exhibits works from the 18th and 19th century. As for Barcelona, it is often associated with Miro and Picasso, who each have their own museum in this city. There’s also a contemporary art museum showcasing works by Gaudi, Spain’s most famous architect, whose designs can be seen everywhere across the city. From Park Guell to the incredible Sagrada Familia (whose construction has yet to be completed), by way of Casa Battlò and Milà in Eixample, Gaudi left his signature quasi-organic architecture everywhere, leaving behind all established dogma and replacing it with original and surreal creations. There’s plenty of other interesting places to visit in Barcelona, including the ancient 14th century shipyards, now converted into the Naval Museum, two modern art museums, and many interesting neighborhoods, such as Barri Gotic, and Montjuic, a hill that offers great views of the entire city. In Bilbao, the architect Frank Gehry’s Guggenheaim museum delights visitors with its surprising blend of classical art and contemporary and avant-garde works.
Of course, there’s much more to Spanish culture than visual arts. In this land of music and dance, Iberian souls light up at the sound of flamenco and castanets during improvised celebrations, or any other occasion to celebrate life. San Sebastian’s Jazzaldia, Cordoba’s guitar festival in July, and Benicassim International Festival in August are all great occasions to get a taste of the country’s festive ambiance. Countless carnivals, religious celebrations, and ferias make sure that the party goes on all year long.
Those looking for fine eating won’t be disappointed with this country’s incredible variety of rich and colorful dishes. Fresh or spicy, rich or delicate, Spanish cuisine has everything you need to light up your taste buds, with national treasures like paella, tortillas, Serrano ham, and plenty of regional delicatessen. Adding heaps of seasonings, herbs, and condiments to these dishes confers unique flavors that never fail to delight the palate. Nevertheless, nothing quite compares to sampling an assortment of tapas, probably the world’s most famous finger food, accompanied with a refreshing pitcher of cold sangria.

Climate

When we think of the weather in Spain, sun and heat immediately come to mind. And yet, the country’s varied landscape means that there are considerable weather variations between regions.
Thanks to the Mediterranean sea that borders the country to the South, most of Spain is blessed with a moderate Mediterranean climate: dry summers, temperate winters, little precipitation, and more than 3000 hours of sunshine every year. In Andalucía, the country’s southernmost region, temperatures are generally warmer in both winter and summer, with an average temperature of 10-13°C in January. Winter temperatures in the interior Andalusian plain are generally lower than those on the coasts. In July and August, temperatures range from 22 to 27°C on the coast, while they soar to 33-40°C and the humidity levels decrease as you travel towards the interior. The Mediterranean region is also characterized by warm and dry southern and eastern wind currents from Northern Africa. Summer afternoons are often synonymous with heat waves. Seville is the warmest city in Spain: here, temperatures can soar to 45°C.
In the North, in the Meseta region, the climate gets even more extreme: the summers and dry and sweltering, while winters and very cold and windy. Fall and spring are generally very pleasant here. In the mountains around Meseta, the climate is even harsher, with elevated precipitation throughout the year, including snow during the colder months. Summers are warm and cloudless, with temperatures close to 21°C in the North and 24-27°C in the South of Meseta. Lower in altitude, the Ebro basin is extremely hot in the summertime, where temperatures can rise to more than 43°C. Summer in central Meseta and the Ebro basin is dry, except for the right side of the river, where humidity levels remain high.
Spain’s Northern shores, which stretch from the Pyrenees to Spanish Basque country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia, the climate is temperate and tends to be humid and muggy. It is characterized by mild winters, warm summers, and lots of rain throughout the year. In the Northeast, Catalonian winters are also temperate and summers warm. In January, the coldest month, temperatures still stay above 10 °C, while summer temperatures are ideal, hovering around a pleasant 25 °C, (23 °C in the water). This being said, some sporadic heat waves can warm the air to over 30°C, though a cool breeze still manages to keep the air pleasantly fresh. Spring is probably the best time to visit Spain, in order to avoid the crushing heat of the summer (particularly in Andalucía and the heart of the country).