Food, Culture, and Wine in Northern Spain and Southern France

Welcome on your journey from Spain to France!

Upon arrival at Barcelona's El Prat Airport, pick up your rental car and drive into the city where you can check into your hotel and unwind. You then have the afternoon free to explore on a self-guided tour.

To start your 12-day Romantic Getaway, we recommend first visiting Mt. Montjuic and the surrounding area. Montjuic is a famous hill that stands 1,988 feet (606 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.

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 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. On this tour, your expert guide, a culinary insider or chef, will shine a light on this tradition, taking you on a delectable tour of top tapas purveyors around the trendy, up-and-coming Poble-Sec area. You will be revealed the basis of Catalan tapas and see how they have evolved with the influence of the rest of Spain and its recent avant-garde culinary movements.

After breakfast, meet your guide at the station in Barcelona for your day tour to Girona.

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 explores 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.

To pursue your 12-day Romantic Getaway, you first head out to Figueres from Barcelona, 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. 

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. Today converted into the House-Museum, this place allows visitors to see the studio where the painter created his most important works and to take an intimate tour of the rooms where he lived with his beloved wife and muse, Gala.

Enjoy one more sunny morning in Barcelona and leave Spain to continue your adventure in France. 

After a nice drive from Barcelona to Carcassonne, drop off your luggage at your centrally located hotel, relax, have lunch, and start your discovery of this amazing place with a city tour of Carcassonne. The best way to discover the city of Carcassonne is with a passionate guide by your side. Enjoy a nice walking tour of the city with your loved one. Marvel at the well-preserved military and religious architecture of one of Europe's most beautiful cities. Benefit from the exclusive services of a regional expert with years of experience.

Travel back to the Middle Ages and admire the thoughtful engineering used to construct the city's defense. See evidence of the most comprehensive and formidable defensive fortress on the continent. Discover the city's 52 towers (35 internal and 17 external), and learn about the archaeological signs that pinpoint in which century they were built.

Imagine the slots that were designed to crush the enemy, where molten and boiling oil could be poured. See the misleading stairs that sent the enemy into a state of confusion, and get an insight into the Cathar religion and the holy wars that raged in the city.

In the morning discover the Lastours Castles, with a breathtaking view from the belvedere. The ruined castles sit on a rocky spur above the village of Lastours, isolated by the deep valleys of the Orbiel and Grésilhou rivers.

After this first stop, you go to a small vineyard for a wine tasting just before lunch. You meet dedicated winegrowers and oenologists, learn their different production methods and taste excellent wines.                                                              

Lunch takes place in a typical French restaurant, the local food is delightful.

In the afternoon, you drive to the beautiful and picturesque village of Minerve (1-hour drive) classified as one of the “most beautiful villages of France”. The fortified medieval village is perched on a naturally defended rocky peninsula high above a canyon in the barren Languedoc landscape. 

On the way back to Carcassonne, you stop by the Canal du Midi (UNESCO site) where you learn more about the story of the 350-year-old Canal du Midi built in the 17th Century and still considered an engineering marvel.

Today you self-drive to Avignon (approx. 240 km/2.5 hours if no stops).

En route, we highly recommend making some stops in : 

* Narbonne and Lagrasse Villages

* Fontfroide Abbey: one of the best-preserved Cistercian monuments in France, Fontfroide Abbey was founded in 1093 on land given to some Benedictine monks by the Vicomte de Narbonne.

* Other Cathar castles : Montsegur, Puivert, Rennes le Chateau...

* Other villages : Gruissan, Sète...

* Cevennes mountains : Great natural sites to visit like the "Grotte des Demoiselles" and the "Cirque de Navacelles". Rich of a past where history and culture mix, the Cévennes offer you a wonderful environment. Natural landscapes between mountains and valleys dug by the rivers. A culture to discover, through the architectural heritage of villages and religious monuments, the history of silk and textile crafts.

The picturesque city of Avignon invites you for a stay beyond all imagination. The historic city center, the Popes' Palace, all the episcopal buildings and the Saint Bénézet Bridge are listed as world heritage sites by UNESCO. The historic center radiates from the Place de l'Horloge. A meeting place, bordered by cafés and restaurants, the square is always bustling. 

After breakfast, start your tour to explore Roman history and heritage in the region. This 6-hour tour begins in the great city of Nîmes, famous for the arts. It's got a robust Roman past, with plenty of Roman ruins: the amphitheater, the Maison Carrée (Square House, one of the best-preserved Roman temples), and Augustus' Gate. 

Continue to the medieval town of Uzès, the first Duchy of France. Here, you view the Place aux Herbes (picturesque square), the episcopal palace, the ducal palace, the Fenestrelle Tower (a unique bell-tower), and the Cathedral.  Just outside of Uzès is the catchment area of the UNESCO Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard, which was built in the first century CE to bring spring water to Nîmes. 

The rest of the day is free to enjoy the region.

Today, explore the charming villages of the Luberon during your full-day tour.

You depart to the city of Fontaine de Vaucluse. Walk to the source of the Sorgue River, the largest resurgence in France and fifth in the world.

Then, you drive to Gordes for a panoramic photo stop in this picturesque dry stone-built village.

It will be time for color with the visit of Roussillon and its colorful Ochre. Enjoy a 30-minute hike in the 'Ochre Trail', a former ochre quarry.

You also discover another hilltop village, Bonnieux, with its beautiful winding streets.

Then, drive through beautiful landscapes to arrive in Lacoste. Enjoy a panoramic photo stop in this old village best known for its most notorious resident, the Marquis de Sade, who in the 18th century, lived in the castle.

Last stop of the day, the village of Menerbes, famous thanks to the author Peter Mayle who chronicled his first year as a British expatriate in his book 'A Year in Provence'. You end this day with a great wine tasting in a winery.

Today is a free day where you can drive around Provence and explore the region on your own as you make your way to Aix en Provence. 

Consider driving to the Alpilles, an enchanting natural site northwest in the Bouches du Rhône department. This chain of limestone mountains offers panoramic views that stretch across Provence. Things to see in the area include the citadel of Les Baux de Provence, the Carrière de Lumières, the ancient Roman site of Glanum, and the antique shops in Saint Rémy de Provence.

In the early afternoon, you arrive in Aix en Provence, the eastern gate of Provence. This town once housed the famous post-impressionist painter Paul Cezanne. A walking trail links sites including his childhood home, Jas de Bouffan, and his former studio, Atelier Cézanne. Actually, "Aix" inspired a lot of artists with its fountains and iconic Saint Victoire mountain.

Finally, end this Provencal exploration in the charming fishing port by the Mediterranean Sea called Cassis.

Check in to your hotel and take the rest of the day to relax on the coast.

In the morning, make your own way to the meeting point for a unique tour, a brunch cruise in the Calanques de Marseille. 

Try out your sea legs for a day on Europe’s biggest catamaran!

Sail up the coast of the Calanques National Park, anchor, have lunch and swim in heavenly coves … An exceptional journey to the heart of our outstanding natural heritage. Discover the Creeks of Marseille aboard your giant of the seas. Flippers, masks and snorkels all available.

Your menu includes a Spanish Plancha, various side dishes and a delicious dessert.

Your ship sails along the Frioul archipelago and the Castle of If, then heads to the village of “Les Goudes”, passes between the island Maïre and the “Baie des singes” before entering the National Park of Calanques where you can admire so many different creeks: creeks of Callelongue, Mounine, Marseilleveyre, Queyrons, Podestat, Escu, Cortiou, Sormiou, Triperie, Morgiou, and Sujiton, as well as the archipelago of Riou.

What a great way to end your 12-day romantic getaway from Spain to France.

Early in the morning, you head to Marseille – Provence airport and drop off your car. 

International flight back to your destination.