Day 1: BARCELONA – GIRONA – EMPURIES RUINS – SANT PERE DE RODES – CADAQUES – WINE TASTING AT ALT EMPORDA

We will departure from Barcelona to the North of Catalonia to reach Girona and explore its main sites of interest such as: The Eiffel Bridge, the Sant Pere Monastery and the Arab Baths. We will continue on our way to Empures, where we will visit its Ruins, after that, on the way to the Sant Pere Monastery and the Arab Baths. We continue
on our way to Empures, here we will visit its Ruins, declared a World Heritage Site. We will arrive at Cadaques and its coastal area and end up arriving in Figueres, capital of Alt Emporda recognized for its wine cellars and its coast.

Day 2: DALI (Fiqueres) – BESALU – GARROTXA – RIPOLL MONASTERY – RUPIT – TAVARTET CANYON – VIC – PUIGCERDA

We will start the day with a visit to the Salvador Theater-Museum, followed on the way to Belasú and its old bridge. We will continue towards Garrotxa and its natural park, after that, we will go to the Ripoll Monastery, then Rupit and its medieval charm, passing through Tavertet Canyon located in a boulder and we will finish in Vic and walk around its Medieval old town.

Day 3: CARDONA – MONTSERRAT – BARCELONA

Early in the morning, after 1 hour of tour we arrive at Cardona Castle, the most important medieval fortress of Catalonia, was built in 886 by Wifredo el velloso. Romanesque and Gothic in style, including the Golden Room and the Sala dels Entresols, this castle houses the National Tourist Parador “Dukes of Cardona”, and has been included among the ten best castles in Europe to stay in, We begin the tour of the Tower of the Minyona, which is the oldest part conserved.

This tower reaches the 13 meters of height, but it reached to measure more than 20 and was key in the defensive strategy of the fortress, this was used as lookout, dungeon and powder magazine.

We will make a complete visit of the castle through the claustrophobic interior, the Patio de Armas that highlights 3 gothic windows or the Collegiate Church of Sant Vicenç. We will also tour the walled area, its fortifications and look for some of the bulwarks that are still standing

The next stop will be in the salt mountain of Cardona, with an area of more than 100 hectares, this mine of potassium salt is one of the most important in the world, we will continue to contemplate the stalactites and stalagmites of ancient salt that it houses inside and we will know the history of the industrial exploitation of the valley.

We’ll take time for a lunch at a typical Masia in the area.

Then follow the tour through the most emblematic peak of Catalonia: the Montserrat massif., and its monastery where we will enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the whole mountain during the bus tour, Then we will visit the viewpoint of Montserrat to appreciate the beauty offered by the mountain with its famous views that impress visitors, we continue to the Royal Basilica to contemplate the Moreneta, called black virgin of the Catalans, and where we can taste four liqueurs made by the monks

we will return to start point.

We will also pass by the claustrophobic interior, we continue to visit the most modern part of the construction returning to the parador in the Patio de Armas that highlights 3 gothic windows, which contrast with more sober elements typical of the Romanesque. We continue until we arrive to the caustro, that is preserved very little, then we will arrive to the Collegiate of Sant Vicenç, surely the most interesting part, jewel of the Romanesque consecrated in the middle of the s. XI. perfect place to observe the Church as a whole and we finish in casamata, strategic position of defense of the period, will also be the option of access to the walled area, stroll through the fortifications and look for some of the bulwarks that are still standing.

DAY 1: BARCELONA – GIRONA – EMPURIES RUINS – SANT PERE DE RODES – CADAQUES – WINE TASTINGS AT ALT EMPORDA

We will departure from Barcelona early in the morning to the north of Catalonia, almost at the border, to reach the city of Girona, a romantic city, with countless places to meet.

In Girona we will have the opportunity to know some places of interest such as:

• The Eiffel bridge, built in the encounter of 4 rivers
• The Cathedral of Santa María de Girona, with the largest altar of all European Gothic art
• Sant Pere de Galligants Monastery
• The Arab Baths of Girona, 12th century
• The Jewish Quarter, of the Middle Ages, one of the best preserved in Europe

We will continue on our way to Empuries, a privileged place located in the municipality of La Escala, on the south side of a bay that was declared one of the most beautiful in the world by UNESCO, the bay of Rosas. These ruins can be visited in summer every day from 10 to 20 hours, in winter from 10 to 17 hours, and the rest of the year from 10 to 18 hours.

• Admission is € 4.50 and children under 8 do not cancel admission

In the Greek part you will be able to see remains of the urban wall of the 5th century BC, the market square and other buildings, but in the Roman part you will see mosaics of ancient domus very well preserved, also remains of an amphitheater and the forum, next to several statues.

We will continue in the direction of Port de la Selva to reach Sant Pere de Rodes, a monumental complex, formed by the monastery of Sant Pere, the town of Santa Creu and the castle of Verdera,

In the afternoon we will take the route to the coastal town of Cadaques, with its labyrinthine streets and a promenade.

Lunch time at one of the restaurants in Cadaques.

The afternoon ends arriving in Figueres, capital of the Alt Empord region, recognized for its rich wine and wine cellars, with an oenological tradition of Roman times. There will be the wines with  “D.O”(designation of origin).

Accommodation in Figueres.

DAY 2: DALI (Fiqueres) – BESALU – GARROTXA – RIPOLL MONASTERY – RUPIT – TAVARTET CANYON – VIC

Early in the morning we will visit  the Theater-Museum of Salvador Dalí, here is a collection of works donated by Salvador Dalí, the famous Spanish artista. This place has more than 1 M visitors a year.

We will leave Figueres towards Besalu, where we will have a walk along the Old Bridge of Besalú, it is said that its construction was in the eleventh century on a Roman bridge, but it was actually rebuilt in the fourteenth century. Because of  the destruction he suffered in the civil war it was rebuilt again. It has two angled sections and in the center area, the tower with a small arch. We will visit the city center, with streets and facades as part of its medieval heritage. On this tour we will visit the ecclesiastical monuments of the town, such as the churches of Sant Pere, Santa María and Sant Vicenç that are composed of both Romanesque elements like gothic. In the Jewish quarter we can visit some medieval baths, dedicated to the Hebrew ritual ablutions.

We will continue in the direction of Garrotxa to know the Natural Park of the Garrotxa Volcanic Zone, a place with a landscape value with thick beech, oak and holm oak forests. We will make a walk through the area. In the Garrotxa you can see two totally different types of landscape: in a part of the southern half there are more than 40 volcanoes and varied lava flows, these form a smooth landscape without unevenness.

We will continue to reach the Monastery of Ripoll, this was the main religious center of Catalonia until the fourteenth century and is one of the most important historical monasteries in the country. For example, its portico is the most outstanding sculpture of peninsular Romanesque art, not only for its artistic quality, but also for its importance as a metaphorical element that turns in the direction of the founding of Catalonia.

Lunch in Rupit

Rupit is believed to be the medieval charm of Catalonia because of, for example, its stone houses, built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, which are very well preserved despite being 400 years old.

We will departure from the village towards Tavertet Canyon, a natural space that rises above the Sau Valley and the flat d’Osona. In it is we can find forests of great landscape interest that have been inhabited by birds of prey. Tavertet is located on a Cliff  that offers views of the Sau swamp and the Montseny mountains.

Finally we  will arrive to Vic, a historic and monumental city, capital of a fertile pre-Pyrenean plain. Tour of the medieval center of the city, from Placa Major, the most attractive urban enclave in the medieval center. In this area you can see Gothic buildings such as Casa Beuló or more modern styles such as Casa Tolosa.

DAY 3: VIC – MUNTANYA DE SAL CARDONA – CASTELL – MONTSTERAT MONASTERY –WINE TASTING – MONTBLANC

In the morning in Vic, we will visit to know the remains of the Palau dels Montcada, some ruins of an ancient Roman temple from the 2nd century A.D. prehistoric of Sant Bartolomeu Sesgorgues.

We will continue on our way to Cardona, we will have a stop in the salt mountain of Cardona, with an area of ​​more than 100 hectares, this potassium salt mine is one of the most important in the world, we will observe the stalactites and stalagmites of millenary salt that it houses in its interior and we will know about the history of the industrial exploitation of the valley.

Continuing we will discover the Monserrat Monastery, here we will enjoy stunning panoramic views of the entire mountain during the bus tour, we will follow the Montserrat viewpoint to see the beauty that the mountain offers with its stunning views, we will go to the Royal Basilica to contemplate la Moreneta, called black virgin of the Catalans.

Time for lunch in the Penedes region, a wine area that has a designation of origin where we will visit a Wine Cellar

Once we have finished the tour of the day in the direction of Montblanc, we will visit the Convent of San Francisco; a 1230 building, in Gothic style, but without cruise ships, with arches and wooden deck, which in its time was polychrome, and a facade very austere It has one of the best views of the wall. We continue along the Wall and towers of Montblanc, which was built between 1366 and 1397, during the well-known War of the Pedros, the wall currently has 25 defensive towers.

This fortification and its towers began to be recovered during the last century, and now it is a wall in excellent condition, and several towers enabled to climb to the top of them, from where you have stunning panoramic views of the town of Montblanc and from its surroundings. We finished our passage through Montblanc in The Church of Santa María de Montblanc, a first Romanesque church located in a high area of ​​the town was built in 1163, but it was in 1310 when it was decided to lift the building from what was to be a great cathedral Gothic Several Peruvians led to it not being completed, so that in the fifteenth century the works were completed without the construction of the main facade and the bell tower. Therefore, now when we go to visit it we will go up some stairs to the square where a Renaissance-style side door opens, and by its current interior configuration we will verify that it was unfinished.

Day 4: POBLET MONASTERY – TARRAGONA – BARCELONA

The day will start on our way to the Monastery of Poblet, this is a Cistercian abbey that was declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco. It is a great architectural ensemble with almost 1000 years of history, among the 3 largest and most complete in the world, which surrounds the church built in the 12th century and linked to a fortified royal residence. We can see, still a community of 140 monks living in the monastery. The architectural complex offers us an unparalleled visit, in which we can see the dining room and the library, which conserve the original 13th century cruiser ceiling; the chapter room; the old kitchen or the old living room bedroom among many other spaces.

Time for lunch before continuing our day, next stop: Tarragona (Unesco World Heritage), is known for its richness and variety of landscapes, we will discover its delicious food and incredible landscapes, also  enjoy a swim experience with Mediterranean bluefin tuna.

In Tarragona we will make a walking tour of the most emblematic places of this incredible city that unmistakably mixes the past and the present. There will be a tour of the city, so that we can ascend through the old town until it ends at Plaça del Rei.

The starting point for the visit to Tarragona is through the final part of the Rambla Nova avenue. There is the Balcony of the Mediterranean, a viewpoint with an impressive view of the Tarragona Amphitheater and the Miracle platform.

We will have the possibility to go to the Amphitheater, this is a Romanesque construction of the second century, it was built by digging the rock. We will know all its historical center of Tarragona. We will also cross the Via Augusta, to reach the Roman Circus of Tarragona, built in the first century. At this point we will find that the views are fascinating. We will also visit La Plaça de la Font, a long square that was previously the arena of the Circus.

Reaching the end of the tour, a stop will be made to visit the National Archaeological Museum. We will arrive at the Cathedral of Tarragona, besieged in the ruins of a huge Roman temple. This construction started in the twelfth century though it was consecrated until two centuries later, and reveals an interesting transition of styles between Roman and Gothic.

At the end of this day we will go back to Barcelona.

All year except Christmas, New Year and St. Stephen.

It includes:

• Guide throughout the tour

• Transfer by private vehicle or Minibus

• Visit to all the places named in the daily tickets

• 2 nights accommodation in a tourist hotel

• All the activities named in the text

• CONDITIONS OF THE BOOKING TOUR MONASTERIES AND MEDIEVAL VILLAGES CATALONIA

  Maximum capacity: 15 people.
  Meeting point: Pick up at the Hotel of Lodging.
  It is essential to have received the reservation confirmation.

  CANCELLATION CONDITIONS FOR MONASTERIES AND MEDIEVAL VILLAGES CATALONIA

  In case of cancellation by the client, this reservation has a penalty of 10% of the reservation amount.
  If the cancellation occurs between 30 days and 10 days before departure, the penalty will be 25% of the reservation amount
  If the cancellation occurs with less than 10 days, the penalty will be 100% of the amount of the reservation