France Andorra and Catalonia 12 Days

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Arrival. Transfer to the hotel.Welcome to Europe.  

Upon arriving at the airport we will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. You can enjoy free time until your tour starts.  Please, check the informative posters placed at the hotel reception area which have all the information about your upcoming services such as meeting place, time and the guide’s name.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:  Cote Dazur   

Today we see the Cote Dazur and the Mediterranean in France. We spend a short time in NICE to enjoy the Walkway of the English.  We travel through stunning countryside to the Principality of MONACO; on the way we see the techniques of traditional perfume manufacturing. In the second smallest country in the world (after the Vatican), we can walk through ¨Le Rocher¨ old town, where the Princes´ Palace is located. Continuation to SAINT TROPEZ, in its old fishing port we can see some of the most luxurious yachts in the world. Time to stroll and have lunch. We continue to MARSEILLES, France’s second city, to see its vibrant “Vieux port” (old port). 

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:  Provence region. Carrieres de Lumiere in Les Beaux. 

Villages, landscapes, history, today we see some of the most beautiful places in Provence. ARLES, a world heritage city, shows us its legacy of the Roman and medieval times and reminds us of Van Gogh. In LES BEAUX, we have the chance to visit this small medieval village and we will include admission to the CARRIERES DE LUMIERE, an impressive show of art, image and sound underground, in some former quarries. Time for lunch and stroll in AVIGNON, with its immense Palais des Papes. We continue to LYON, where we can walk through the World Heritage Site old town and we will include the cable car to climb Notre Dame de Fourviere, a huge basilica from where we have a great view over the city.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:  Burgundy region. Rochepot Castle.  

We will leave Lyon for Burgundy. We stop at TOURNUS, a nice little town with its huge stone door and large abbey. After this, on small roads we travel through beautiful vineyards and countryside to LA ROCHEPOT, we include admission to its powerful medieval castle. BEAUNE, time for lunch and stroll in the wine capital of Burgundy; you can visit the wine museum or see the historic hospice. In the early afternoon, arrival in DIJON, the capital of Burgundy, with its lively streets, magnificent urban complex and many medieval and Renaissance buildings, particularly the Ducal Palace.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS:  Burgundy region. Admission to Fontenay abbey.  

We leave Dijon for FONTENAY ABBEY, a world heritage site, where we include admission to this Cistercian centre. After this, a stop in SEMUR EN AUXOIS, a medieval city surrounded by impressive walls. Still in Burgundy, we will have time for lunch and a stroll in VEZELAY, one of France’s most beautiful villages, where its immense basilica was one of the starting points of the Way of St James. In the afternoon we continue our route to PARIS. Arrival mid-afternoon.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Paris City tour. Climb to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. Boat ride along the Seine. Evening transfer.  

Today we will take you on a guided tour in which you will discover the history, main boulevards and the breathtaking monuments of the city of Paris. We will stop at the Eiffel Tower where you will have the opportunity to climb up to the second floor of this remarkable wrought-iron monument (ticket admission included). The tour will end with a boat cruise along the River Seine, which divides north and south Paris. Enjoy an afternoon at your own leisure to explore and relax! At sunset you can grab dinner in the Latin Quarter, a very picturesque and historic area where a wide variety of international cuisines await you. We will then return to hotel.    Note:  There might be very long lines to climb the Eiffel Tower. For operational reasons, if deemed appropriate, the climb can be made at a different time of the day (or on Monday).

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT: Amboise.   

We will start the day by transporting you to the Louvre Museum area in the centre of Paris. You will have some free time to explore at your own leisure. If you wish, we can accompany you to Benlux, which is one of the most complete and best-known perfumeries in Paris. At around 16:30h we will leave Paris for the Loire Valley. We will arrive in AMBOISE in the late afternoon.  This city, which sits on the Loire River, is well-known thanks to Leonardo Da Vinci, who lived and died there. It also has a large castle and a beautiful historic town centre with quaint narrow streets.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Lourdes. Dinner included.  

We will continue on our way to the south of France. We will cross lands full of vineyards. BORDEAUX, where we will have time for lunch and a stroll through this city, whose centre was declared a World Heritage Site. We suggest you visit the Port of the Moon and St Andrew’s Cathedral. We will then continue towards the Pyrenees. LOURDES, arrival in the late afternoon. You can attend the candle procession (which takes place until the end of October) and visit the places of worship. We include dinner at the hotel for all our passengers.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Medieval villages of St. Bertrand or Carcassonne.   

Skirting the Pyrenees, we will stop in SAINT BERTRAND, a medieval village perched on the mountainside,  dominated by its great cathedral. Time for a stroll before travelling on to CARCASSONNE, a city surrounded by beautiful walls. We continue through the Pyrenees on a journey between the, often, snow-capped summits, and cross into the small country of ANDORRA. Dinner included.

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Catalonia region. Montserrat Monastery. Rack train climb.  

We will have free time in ANDORRA for shopping and exploring. After lunch, we will continue our trip and head to Catalonia. The mountain countryside leads us to the impressive site of the MONTSERRAT MONASTERY, where you will go up the mountain on a rack train to see its fantastic scenery. Following this we will continue to BARCELONA, arriving in the late afternoon. 

TODAY’S HIGHLIGHTS: Barcelona city tour. “Spanish Village” visit and evening transfer to Las Ramblas district.   

Today we will explore Barcelona, an impressive city right on the Medi­terranean Sea. Starting by an informative city tour with a local expert (note: If the group has fewer than fifteen people, explanations can be given by our guide.) We will also visit the city’s historic central area with its Gothic neigh­bourhood dating back to the Middle Ages. We will visit the area where the Olympic Games took place. We will also get the chance to see La Sagrada Fa­milia Basilica, the masterpiece designed by the architect Gaudí. Following this, we include the entry ticket to visit ‘Poble Espanyol’ (meaning ‘Spanish Village’). This open-air architectural museum is situated in one of the most emblematic areas of Barcelona. Enjoy the Spanish craftsmanship and discover the architectural styles, traditions and folklore of the different regions that make up Spain. You will then have some free time to explore the city at your own leisure. In the evening we provide a transfer to Las Ramblas and the Plaza Cata­lunya area for dinner, where you can choose from a wide variety of restaurants. We will return to the hotel in the late evening.

After breakfast, end of our services.