In Catalonia, the landscape that inspired surrealist Salvador Dalí is sure to summon your family's adventurous spirit. From Barcelona to the Pyrenees, every mile makes new memories. Practice your Spanish in medieval villages. Explore Costa Brava's heavenly beaches. Sound surreal? You're not dreaming—you're in Catalonia!
Day 1 Start your journey in Barcelona, Catalonia's vibrant capital | Head into the mountains, pedaling past alpine villages, herds of goats, and farmers tending their crops | Adults sample cava, the local sparkling wine, at a welcome reception.
Day 2 Hike the foothills of the French Pyrenees and the valley of La Cerdanya | Enjoy a gourmet lunch of Pyrenees specialties in the fortress town of Mont-Louis | In the afternoon test your legs on a stretch ridden by pros during the famous Tour de France.
Day 3 Hike a rocky trail in the Sierra de Montgrony | Gaze up at the range's highest peak, reaching 6,745 feet | Admire the views over the Alt Ripolles Pyrenees as you hike through lush forest and fields | Kids spend an action-packed morning zip-lining through the forest canopy.
Day 4 Explore the hidden coves of the Costa Brava by kayak | Hike the rugged coastal trails of the Grande Rota | Savor lunch in the waterfront village of Tamariu | Kids create a pottery masterpiece in La Bisbal.
Days 5-6 Bike through the sunflower fields of the Baix Empordà | Take a dip in the Mediterranean on a boating adventure | Enjoy one last ride along rural roads through Empurdan medieval villages.
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Set amid an expansive garden, this beautifully converted historic farmhouse blends traditional Catalan design and contemporary style. (pool)
Enjoy a warm welcome at this beautifully renovated 15th-century stone farmhouse, tucked into the countryside between the Pyrenees and Costa Brava. (pool)
A beautifully restored 18th-century manor house with stylish rooms and historic country charm. A Relais & Châteaux member. (pool, spa)
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
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The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
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AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
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| Daily Route Options | |||||||||||
| Day | Activity | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | |||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | ||
| 1 | Biking | 12* | 900 | 17 | 1200 | ||||||
| 2 | Biking | 14* | 600 | 17 | 1000 | 26 | 2400 | ||||
| Walking/Hiking | 5* | 1000 | 8 | 2200 | |||||||
| 3 | Walking/Hiking | 5* | 600 | 7* | 600 | 9 | 1700 | ||||
| Other | Kids: Forest Adventure Course (1.5 Hours) | ||||||||||
| Other | Dalí Museum Guided Tour (1.5 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 4 | Walking/Hiking | 3* | 500 | 5 | 600 | 6 | 900 | ||||
| Kayaking | Adults & Kids: Kayaking the Costa Brava | ||||||||||
| Other | Kids: Pottery Making Class (2 Hours) | ||||||||||
| 5 | Biking | 12* | 500 | 23* | 1000 | 33* | 1400 | ||||
| 6 | Biking | 9 | 300 | 15 | 200 | ||||||
Note: On this Family Trip, our biking routes follow rolling terrain and hiking routes at times follow secluded back country trails. Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary and mileage is moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
On this trip featuring Premiere Hotels, you can count on the best lodgings Pyrenees and Costa Brava has to offer. In fact, the hotels we've chosen in this region have higher retail room rates than those offered by any other active travel company—even when their trips cost more.
Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for a single family of three or four people, subject to a nominal extra fee. Or transfer to another trip, and we'll give you a credit. It's all part of our trademark commitment to treating guests with integrity, transparency and total accountability. Read all the details.
It may seem obvious to say the great hotels we tell you about are the ones you'll actually stay in. But the fact is many companies haven't even booked the places they promise and are later forced to settle for inferior alternatives. We book our hotels and exact rooms long in advance—often over two years—so you stay where you expect to stay.
When everyone's together, there's lots going on; and when kids' and adults' priorities diverge, it can seem like two different trips. That's why our Family Adventures in Pyrenees and Costa Brava have three Trip Leaders—including a dedicated Kids Activity Expert who regularly takes younger travelers off to do their own thing. Other companies try to get by with two leaders; we step up and do it right. For more on our family focus, check this out.
It may be hard to imagine being on a family trip with no other families on it—but it happens regularly with some companies. On a Backroads Family Adventure there are typically several families on each departure, creating more opportunities for your kids to make new friends as they try fun things together – which is a big part of the experience.
At Backroads we've honed our expertise in active family travel over many years and a lot of trips. We host at least 20 times more family guests than any other active company, so we're constantly gaining new insights that make our trips even better. Detailed planning, behind-the scenes logistics, unrivaled support from three Trip Leaders—all backed by a team that proudly creates the kind of experiences we'd want to share with our own families.
In choosing the ideal experts to enrich your travel experience, we look for people with a wealth of local knowledge, but also the ability to convey their insights in English. Too often travelers find themselves smiling politely, not quite understanding what they're being told. Our experts share intriguing facts, anecdotes and inside stories that stay with you forever.
Backroads is the leader in designing trips that ensure everyone, young and young-at-heart alike, has an amazing time. Your Backroads Family Adventure balances family activities with diversions designed exclusively for the kids—giving the adults a welcome break from making decisions, other than choosing whether to explore a few more miles or just enjoy each other's company. A family vacation where everyone gets to relax, recharge and have fun – what a concept!
Only Backroads provides bikes specifically designed for younger riders. Find out more information on all of our kids' bikes and optional accessories. And check out Tom Hale's blog post about biking with your kids.
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Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from a large selection of dates for your group of 8 or more. Call us for date availability. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or if your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you.
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Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
