Self-Drive Tour from Barcelona to Toulouse

Welcome to Spain! Start your 16-day Romantic Getaway from Barcelona to Toulouse and arrive at Barcelona's El Prat Airport. Take your private transfer to your hotel where you can check in and unwind. 

You then have the afternoon free to explore on a self-guided tour.

We recommend first visiting Mt. Montjuic and the surrounding area. Montjuic is a famous hill that stands 606 feet (185 meters) high and overlooks the Port of Barcelona. Take the Montjuic Cable Car from the metro station near Olympic Park, which takes you up to the 17th century Castle Montjuic and offers panoramic views of the city. You can also access Montjuic via cable car from Barcelona Beach and by funicular elevator adjacent to the cable car. 

The Poble Espanol is also fun to visit. Constructed in 1929, this open-air museum features over 100 recreated buildings in the style of traditional Spanish villages. When the sun goes down over the city, make sure you're near the Magic Fountain of Montjuic, named for the dazzling display of water and colored lights that occur after dark. It's the best free show in the city, one whose effect is heightened by the hundreds of spectators and a communal atmosphere.

After breakfast, meet with your guide for a Sagrada Familia tour (small group of 6 people max / approx. 3 hours), and visit an architectural masterpiece.

Barcelona remains one of Europe’s foremost capitals of Art Nouveau architecture, or as it’s referred to in Catalonia, Modernism. Once controversial, this architecture dominates the image of Barcelona, and is epitomized by the modernist architect Antoni Gaudí and his extraordinary masterpiece La Sagrada Família. On your tour, you not only visit the Sagrada Família, but also take in the Hospital de Sant Pau, a nearby ‘modernista’ complex that's also the largest Art Nouveau site in the world. When seen together in the company of a local historian, these sites provide a deeper understanding of Barcelona's distinct, whimsical modernista movement.

After a relaxing ‘siesta’ in the afternoon, it will be time to discover the local gastronomy through a Barcelona Tapas tour (private tour / approx. 3 hours) in the evening.

Spain is synonymous with tapas, but are tapas a culinary tradition of the fervently nationalistic region of Catalonia? Long before the Andalusians from the south brought their gazpacho and the hot new chefs were topping tapas with wasabi, there was a local tradition of “pica-pica,” or enjoying some nibbles over a glass of vermouth before a meal.

After breakfast, meet your guide at the station in Barcelona for your Girona day trip from Barcelona (private tour / approx 6 hours).

The medieval city of Girona bears historical roots in Christian, Jewish, and Muslim cultures. Only 30 minutes by high-speed train from the Catalonian capital, this historical hub proves to be a true crossroads of religion and culture. Your Girona tour, designed as a day trip from Barcelona and led by a historian, will reveal the secrets of this historically rich city and help to better understand why it makes such an impressive cultural impact.

The introduction starts on the train, where the docent puts the social and cultural history of Girona into context and explore the pivotal role this city has played in the story of Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Upon arrival, you enter the city with a stunning view of Girona's colorful apartment blocks that line its river and overlook Gustav Eiffel's (yes, that Eiffel) famous bridge. Passing through the city gate and into the historic center, you begin to trace the religious roots planted in Girona's enchanting, narrow cobble-stoned streets.

In the morning, private transfer to the airport to pick up your rental car. From Barcelona you first head out to Figueres, a small town near the border of France and one of the three points forming the so-called 'Dalí triangle'. Dalí was born in this town and spent his childhood here. Stroll along the streets and corners that marked the artist’s early years and visit some of his favorite places.

Also located in Figueres is the Dalí-Museum, considered to be the largest surrealistic object in the world. Designed by Dalí himself upon the ruins of the old municipal theater, this magnificent building allows you to see straight into the painter's mind. The Dali Museum contains the most comprehensive collection of the most peculiar surrealist works that you can probably imagine.

Next, you follow in the footsteps of the artist to a small village and one of the hidden gems along the Costa Brava, Cadaqués. This village, known for its gorgeous landscape formed by bright white houses, the mountainous terrain and the Mediterranean Sea, is also the most easterly on the Iberian Peninsula.

Check-in at your hotel and have a rest. Just a mile from Cadaqués is Portlligat, where we recommend you finish your exploration of the Catalan genius. In 1930, Dalí chose as his residence this tiny, charming cove, building his house upon a group of fishermen's huts.

Enjoy one-sunnier breakfast in Cadaques and then leave Spain to continue your adventure in France.

Start your morning with a self-drive to Collioure in French Catalunya, about 60km and 1.5-hour drive north up the coast. 

After checking in to your hotel, go for a nice lunch in the Port of Collioure, then spend the afternoon exploring the port on a guided walking tour. Once a strategic port for the kings of Majorca, the colorful facades of nearby homes, deep blue of the sea, and surrounding countryside later inspired generations of fauvist painters with its picture-perfect scenery. 

Walk along the sea walls, then visit the Madonna of the Angels Church to see the stunning baroque altarpieces. End your day with a tasting of anchovies, a Collioure specialty.

In the morning, meet your local guide and explore the city of Perpignan (private/approx 2 hours).

The former capital of Majorca Kingdom, the town still retains much of its Middle Ages architecture. Head through the Castillet, a former city gate, into the mazelike walls of the city. Tour the courtyard in front of the Town Hall and check out sculptures of a local artist, Aristide Maillol. You'll also get a chance to see the baroque altarpieces of the St. John the Baptist Cathedral. 

In the afternoon, choose from one of the many options to make the most of your time in the region:

• Visit the village of Banyuls Sur Mer, a 20-minute drive away. A botanical garden and aquarium have been open to the public here since 1885, and together they present a comprehensive view of the Eastern Pyrenees marine and terrestrial biodiversity. Diving fans will enjoy checking out the Marine Nature Reserve. Inside the city, the Maillol Museum, Chapel Notre Dame de la Salette, and a variety of wineries await. 

• Check out the cellars of Byrrh in Thuir, also a 20-minute drive away. With a history that dates back to the late 19th century, the cellars have established a long-lasting regional brand. Learn about the cellars on a guided visit and see the world's largest (and tallest!) oak vat. 

• Stroll through one of France's most beautiful villages, Villefranche-de-Conflent (a 1-hour drive away).

Spend the day making your way to Montpellier, a two-hour drive away. There's so much to see, however, that you can easily make a full-day trip out of the short drive. 

Stop in Narbonne, a city with more than two millennia of history. Walk through the city streets and see the immense St. Just and Saint Pasteur Cathedrals, then head to the market to browse fresh produce and local products. 

From Narbonne, head to your next destination at the foothills of the Pyrenees. The village of Lagrasse sits in the River Orbieu Valley, in a region renowned for the wine production in the surrounding hills of Corbières. The town's two main highlights are the abbey and the bridges, although the narrow medieval streets and town wall ruins in the old city are also worth exploring. 

Other worthwhile stops include the 11th-century Fontfroide Abbey, one of France's best-preserved Cistercian monuments, as well as the coastal villages of Gruissan and Sète. This is the land of oyster farms ! 

In the morning, meet your guide in the city center for a Best of Montpellier and nearby medieval villages tour (private /approx 8 hours).

You'll start in the medieval city of Montpellier, beginning at the St. Jacques de Compostelle trail, famed for its most well-known pilgrim, St. Roch. The town developed quickly, thanks to its lords, the then-Kings of Aragon—learn about the city's history as you walk around, tracing the footsteps of pilgrims along the Compostella through the city en route to Arles. Over the years, people flooded the city, turning it into an important center for both commerce and medicine. 

Sit down to lunch in the historical heart of Montpellier, then head north for your next destination. From Montpellier, you'll head to the restored medieval village of Matelles, before visiting the Church of St. Martin de Londres. 

Your final stop today is Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert to see the church and the Gellone Abbey. Drive back to Montpellier at the end of the day.

In the morning, make the two-hour drive southwest to Carcassonne. Check in to your hotel and eat lunch before your Walking tour of the city (private/approx 3 hours). Take the opportunity to stroll in the narrow streets of the fortress during you romantic getaway.

View well-preserved military and religious architecture in one of Europe's most beautiful cities, and learn the history from a knowledgeable guide. You'll be transported back to the Middle Ages, during a time when the city's defenses were used to keep its occupants safe from attack.

Tour one of Europe's most comprehensive and formidable defensive fortresses and see the city's 52 towers (35 internal walls and 17 external). Walk down misleading stairs that sent enemy troops into a state of confusion, and immerse yourself into the atmosphere of holy wars that raged in the city during the time of the Cathars.

The day is at leisure to explore the region. 

OPTIONAL:  Fanjeaux, Mirepoix, Castelnaudary, Lake St Ferreol (private / approx. 9 hours):

The first stop is at Fanjeaux, a beautiful tiny medieval village, worth a stopover not only for the beautiful view from the Belvédère, but also for the charm of the old streets. Here, your guide tells you more about Saint Dominique and the crusade against the Cathars. The next stop is Mirepoix, a beautiful medieval village dating from the 10th century. The large central square is flanked by a magnificent covered arcade, created by half-timbered houses supported on wooden pillars. Then, you depart to Castelnaudary for lunch, the ‘Cassoulet capital’ of France.  This traditional medieval dish, that is still a meal that local people eat regularly is composed of white beans, pork sausage, and duck confit (of course).  There are many other choices will be on the restaurant menu. After lunch, you go for a walk to visit Castelnaudary and mainly have a view onto its ‘Grand Bassin’, that used to be the main port on the Canal du Midi. Later, you head to Lake St Ferreol, which is the big water reservoir for the Canal du Midi, and you return to Carcassonne going through the black mountain and its winding roads, with a stop at Saissac to admire the view.