Private Sightseeing Tour - Barcelona City ULIB12

Personal Highlights:

• A private walking tour of La Rambla and the Gothic Quarter
• A charming day in the Catalan countryside with lunch and tasting at a vineyard
• A delightful Catalan lunch in the Pyrenees
• Learning about the work of Antoni Gaudi from a local expert

Day 1 Depart USA

This evening we board our overnight flight to Barcelona, Spain’s trendy city on the Mediterranean.

Day 2 Welcome to Barcelona

We arrive in Barcelona and complete immigration procedures. Upon leaving customs, we are met by our driver and given an overview of Barcelona’s scenic attractions including Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece La Sagrada Famila, the Olympic stadium and Montjuic which is the location of our hotel. After arriving at the hotel we have the chance to relax on the terrace enjoying the stunning views of the city and out to the Mediterranean. Dinner at the hotel this evening.                                   

Day 3 A Private Tour of the Gothic Quarter and La Rambla

After breakfast our host will meet us to take us on a walking tour of the medieval part of the city called the Gothic Quarter. First we will walk down one of Barcelona’s most famous streets known as La Rambla. Here we will see top quality stores, fine hotels and street vendors selling pets, chickens, flowers and other interesting items. Leaving La Rambla we enter the quaint and twisting streets of the Gothic Quarter home to residents, shops and fine restaurants. In the central part of the Quarter is the Cathedral built in the 13th Century which we will visit. We will also visit the Picasso Museum with many of the works created during his extended residency in the city. We will top off our visit at one of the area’s better restaurants where a fine meal awaits. After an extended lunch you are free to continue an exploration of the Quarter or La Rambla before returning on your own to our hotel. This evening we join our host for a tour through the best of the Tapas bars along with the appropriate wines.                                                         

Day 4 A day in the Catalonian Countryside

Today we will take a trip into the countryside both along the coast. We will visit the charming seaside town of Sitges home to many expatriates and modernist architecture. We will pass through delightful villages before arriving at a vineyard where we have the opportunity to walk the vines, see the storage areas and sample some of the vintages along with a delightful lunch. Upon returning to Barcelona the rest of the afternoon and   evening is free.                                                    

Day 5 Introduction to Catalan Cuisine

This morning, our driver will pick us up and take us to the kitchen of a noted chef/instructor who will be giving us a private, hands-on lesson in the creation of the typical Catalan cooking. Starting with an evaluation and explanation of ingredients we will work on both main courses and desserts. Once the cooking has been successfully completed we sit down to enjoy our efforts with the appropriate wines. After lunch, the rest of the afternoon is free.                                                              

Day 6 Catalan Dining in the Pyrenees

Nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains just north of Barcelona are numerous and charming medieval villages with their stone houses and cafes built directly into the mountainside. After a short drive from Barcelona we begin our adventure by exploring a village’s winding cobblestone streets and buildings dating back more than 500 years. We’ll take a walk through the wooded trails and be rewarded with streams, rivers, waterfalls and spectacular views of forested valleys. A leisurely a la carte lunch with wine in a traditional Catalan restaurant provides the perfect highlight to our day in the mountains before we return to the city. This evening is left open to allow you to enjoy one of Barcelona’s many fine restaurants or to just sit on the terrace of the hotel with a nice bottle of wine overlooking the lights of the city.                                                                             

Day 7 In the footsteps of Gaudi

The high priest of modernist architecture, Antoni Gaudi belongs to a distinguished line of visionaries who, over the generations, have endowed Barcelona with the world’s most curious mixture of styles. On our combination walking and driving tour we will view some of Gaudi’s key commercial works including two downtown apartment buildings Casa Batllo and Casa Mila built in the early 1900’s and still in use today. We will then spend some time studying La Sagrada Familia the cathedral that is Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece. He took charge of the project in 1883 when work had already commenced on the crypt and gradually worked on the project more and more until it took all his time and financial resources. We will explore both the outside and the inside. After our tour the rest of the afternoon is free. This evening we travel to old town to sample the best regional wines and Tapas with a local expert a fitting farewell to our Barcelona visit.                          

Day 8 Return to USA

After breakfast our driver will be waiting to take us to the airport for our return flight to the US.

Services Included

• Business Class airfare from the US departure point to the International destination
• All air transportation as part of the program offered and 1st Class rail travel as indicated on the itinerary
• Superior Rooms at the properties indicated in the accommodations area (We reserve the right to substitute a property of equal quality in advance of departure should the designated hotel be unavailable)
• Private Transfers to and from the airport or rail station
• All meals as indicated on the itinerary by B=Breakfast, L=Lunch and D=Dinner
• Private guides for city explorations and private driver/guide while traveling.
• Entrance fees to all museums, attractions and other venues as indicated on the daily itinerary
• Baggage handling at all hotels
• All applicable taxes and service fees

Services Not Included

• Beverages with included meals ( unless otherwise indicated on itinerary page)
• Any meals not indicated on the Itinerary page
• Items of a personal nature e.g. minibar, film, postcards etc.
• Gratuities to Guides and Driver/Guides ( we provide suggested guidelines for your selected destination in your pre-departure material
• Any passport or visa fees or government departure taxes

Available Year Round