4* Barcelona and the Catalonia Coast

Accommodation

We stay for 7 nights at the excellent 4 star Aqua Hotel Onabrava & Spa, enjoying a superb location in Santa Susanna, just a short stroll from the beautiful sandy beach and seafront promenade. This impressive, modern hotel offers a particularly high standard of accommodation, excellent facilities and a welcoming atmosphere, making it an ideal choice for our holiday on the Catalonian coast.

The hotel has spacious and stylish public areas, including an attractive lounge and bar where guests can relax and enjoy a drink. Outside, the delightful swimming pool area is a particular highlight, with a large pool, spacious sun terraces, comfortable sun loungers and parasols, providing the perfect setting to unwind in the Mediterranean sunshine after a day's sightseeing.

For those seeking a little extra relaxation, the hotel's impressive Moon Wellness & Spa offers a heated indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam room and a range of wellness treatments, whilst a well-equipped fitness centre is also available. Please note that use of the spa facilities and fitness centre is subject to an additional charge.

The hotel's attractive buffet restaurant offers a tempting selection of Mediterranean and international cuisine, with an extensive choice of hot and cold dishes, salads and desserts. There are also inviting bars and pleasant seating areas where guests can relax and socialise.

All bedrooms are spacious, comfortably furnished and well appointed, with air conditioning, en-suite bathroom with hairdryer, satellite television, complimentary Wi-Fi and a balcony or terrace.

With its excellent facilities, comfortable accommodation and attractive seaside setting, the Aqua Hotel Onabrava & Spa provides a wonderful base from which to enjoy our included excursions and discover the many delights of Barcelona and the Catalonian coast.

Please note that on certain peak dates or with high demand, we may use an alternative hotel of the same standard on this delightful coast.

Excursions & Itinerary

Barcelona - Included

Enjoy a full day in fabulous Barcelona – the vibrant Catalan capital full of charm and steeped in history. Our day begins with a panoramic tour, introducing you to the main sights of this vibrant city; after driving along the shoreline and passing the Olympic Village, the Twin Towers of Barcelona and the new and old ports, we reach the mountain of Montjuïc - a landmark visible from almost everywhere in Barcelona. From here there are extensive views over the entire city, including the port, which is one of the largest in the Mediterranean. The stadium which held the 1992 Olympic Games is also here. We'll also see Gaudi's masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, the La Seu Cathedral and the Parc Guell. Our tour finishes at midday in the Gothic Quarter – ideal for perhaps having lunch on "LasRamblas", the most popular street in the city. This afternoon feel free to discover the area at your own pace: take in the atmosphere while you walk through the narrow streets and characteristic little squares. Our guide will advise you on interesting sites to visit, such as the Plaça del Rei, the Corte Ingles department store or more of the architecture of Gaudi, such as the Casa Battlo and the Casa Mila apartments. Or you can just relax and enjoy a coffee in these beautiful surroundings. We also recommend a visit to the Picasso Museum, located in a charming 15th century palace nearby. Although Picasso was born in Málaga he spent his youth in Barcelona, where his father was an art teacher.

The Costa Brava Coastline - Included

Catalonia's "Wild Coast" is known for its breathtaking scenery of high cliffs and secluded coves, traditional Catalan fishing villages and international resorts. As well as enjoying the scenery along the coastline, on this three-quarter day excursion, we'll stop in Blanes, where fishing is still an important part of the resort's economy. We take a walk along one of the prettiest and most traditional promenades in this area of Spain, starting at "La Palomera" rock, which is where the Costa Brava begins. Reaching the centre of Blanes, we will have free time to explore the resort on our own. We strongly recommend a visit to the interesting Marimurtra Botanical Gardens, which are delightfully situated on a hill above the port. Or you could explore the colourful harbour, where fishing boats and recreational yachts are side by side. Before we leave Blanes there will be time for lunch in one of the many restaurants and tapas bars, before we make our way back to our hotel.

Emporda Countryside and Besalu - Included

Our full day excursion begins with a drive through the fertile plains of the Empordà: one of the richest agricultural regions in Catalonia. We reach Figueres, capital of the area and famous for being the town where Salvador Dalí was born and spent his childhood. The Dali Museum, which is in a former theatre refurbished by Dalí himself, is an unmissable experience. Apart from three floors full of the artist's extravagant creations, the building itself is well worth seeing (entrance not included). After our visit, we continue on through the region of "La Garrotxa", which boasts some of Catalonia's most beautiful countryside. In the hills, we'll make a stop at the medieval town of Besalú, with its picturesque arcaded streets and squares. Step back in time with a stroll across the impressive Romanesque bridge, which dates back to the 11th century and be sure to visit the ancient Church of Sant Pere, which was originally part of a monastery built in 1003.

Monastery of Montserrat - Included

This full day excursion takes us to the symbolic heart of Catalonia, the Benedictine Monastery of Montserrat. It is situated in a stunning mountain range with amazing rock formations, from where it gets its name Montserrat – meaning serrated mountain – and is a fascinating place to visit. The present monastery dates back to 1844, the original having been destroyed in the War of Independence. In the monastery you can see the famous Black Madonna statue, which was carved from wood around 1000 years ago and perhaps hear the monastery's L'Escolanía choir, which is Catalonia's equivalent to The Vienna Boys Choir. The views from the mountain are breathtaking and on a clear day you can see as far as the Pyrenees and even Majorca. This afternoon we drive down to the vine-covered Penedès region, Catalonia's wine producing area, noted for its Cava, which is made by the same method as Champagne in France.