Put one foot in front of the other. Feel the crunch of pine needles beneath your shoes. The warm sun on your face. The perfect rhythm to a perfect day. It's simple to settle into this pace, amid heavenly Costa Brava beaches and immense Pyrenees massifs. Walking in Catalonia. One of travel's most perfect pleasures.
Days 1-2 Hike the impressive coastline for your first taste of the Costa Brava | Follow ancient footpaths from cliffs to secluded coves | Take in pristine beaches and crystal-clear water cupped by forested hillsides | Linger over a seafood lunch in a sleepy fishing village | Explore Cap Roig Botanical Garden, where multicolored flowers cascade from a hilltop castle to the sea | Savor acclaimed sun-kissed Catalan wines—dry white varietals and robust reds, all nurtured by the mild Mediterranean climate.
Days 3-4 Gaze in awe at the rugged peaks and shimmering lakes of the high Pyrenees | Discover 12th-century Romanesque architecture in Ripoll, once home to Wilfred the Hairy, father of Catalonia | Visit Montgrony sanctuary, set on a dramatic cliff | Cross the border into France for a hike through pine forests and past mountain lakes.
Days 5-6 Trek through Cadí-Moixeró Nature Park along pine-clad slopes and enjoy far-reaching vistas of the Cadí Valley–get ready to embark on one of the most spectacular hikes of the trip! | Relax over a gourmet picnic in the Bastanist Valley | Afterward, the choice is yours: walk to the perched village of Estana or spend the afternoon poolside, surrounded by stunning views of the Pyrenees | Up for one last hike? Walk across the rolling terrain of the Segre River Valley to the atmospheric village of Castellciutat.
We were expecting a lot from Backroads as we have known many people who have traveled with you. And you exceeded our expectations!! We never had to think. Everything from laying out our poles in the morning, moving our luggage, providing snacks, to making suggestions as to where to eat when we were on our own for dinner was made easy. The hiking was the perfect challenge for us. The variation in scenery was amazing, from beautiful coastline to magnificent mountains. Best of all were the leaders! They were fun-loving, friendly, and always helpful. Can't wait to go on another trip!- San Diego, CA
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Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the Dates & Prices tab.
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A restored 18th-century manor house with stylish rooms and historic country charm. A Relais & Châteaux member. (pool, spa)
Set amid acres of lush manicured gardens, this modernist château from the early 1900s was designed by a disciple of Antoni Gaudí. A Relais & Châteaux member. (pool)
The Hideaway Report calls it an "unpretentious and hospitable inn set on a ridge in the Catalan Pyrenees overlooking the picturesque Cerdanya Valley." 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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REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
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Reviewed by 7 customers
Displaying reviews 1-7
Comments about Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour:
We were expecting a lot from Backroads as we have known many people who have traveled with you. And you exceeded our expectations!! We never had to think. Everything from laying out our poles in the morning, moving our luggage, providing snacks, to making suggestions as to where to eat when we were on our own for dinner was made easy. The hiking was the perfect challenge for us. The variation in scenery was amazing, from beautiful coastline to magnificent mountains. Best of all were the leaders! They were fun-loving, friendly, and always helpful. Can't wait to go on another trip!
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
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Comments about Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour:
This trip vastly exceeded my expectations which were pretty high, The leaders, the terrain, the vistas, the accommodations and the food all made the entire experience one that I will never forget. I can't stop smiling whenever I think about how lucky I was to be able to have such a fantastic opportunity.
Comments about Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour:
Trip was life changing. Great balance of fun and activities. Guides were very friendly and accommodating. Didn't want to leave but will definitely be back.
Comments about Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour:
Trip leaders were excellent (professional, knowledgeable, entertaining), hikes were a bit rigorous (which we liked) and scenery was absolutely stunning, food and accommodations were superb, and our fellow hikers were so fun and interesting.
Comments about Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour:
I very much doubt we would ever take a group trip with anyone other than Backroads.
Comments about Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour:
Very enjoyable trip! Everything was well organized, the guides were knowledgeable, patient and friendly, and the hikes were lovely.
Comments about Spanish Pyrenees to Costa Brava Walking & Hiking Tour:
This trip takes you from the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees with the usual spectacular scenery topped off by great accommodations, food, and wine.
Displaying reviews 1-7
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 | 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 | 6 | 800 | 7 | 1200 | ||||||
| 2 | 5* | 600 | 10 | 1200 | ||||||
| 3 | 2* | 1400 | 5* | 1600 | 7* | 2100 | ||||
| 4 | 4* | 700 | 12* | 800 | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | 1300 | 8 | 2600 | ||||||
| 6 | 4 | 500 | ||||||||
Note: The terrain in the Costa Brava includes level and rolling dirt trails and seaside paths with short sections of stone steps and sand. In the Pyrenees the terrain includes rugged and uneven mountain trails with rocks, roots and some steep climbs and descents.
* 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 our Pyrenees and Costa Brava trips we have an extra leader supporting you along the trail—for a total of three, compared to the industry standard two. So we can be in more places at once, giving personal attention to guests traveling at their own pace. Here's more on our Trip Leaders.
In Pyrenees and Costa Brava you head off each morning after choosing among several expertly designed routes—all with detailed directions, mileage and shuttle options. Unlike trips with one fixed daily route (or worse, one guide that everyone's obliged to follow), you're free to enjoy the best of the region at your pace, stopping wherever you want to explore further.
Our Trip Leaders in Pyrenees and Costa Brava live in the area and are deeply engaged in their communities, giving them unique inside knowledge they're happy to share in making your experience that much richer. They'll introduce you to people, customs and parts of town you'd likely never encounter on your own—and teach you a few local phrases to help break the ice.
Under our Book with Confidence policy, your Backroads trip will run even for one or two people (or a family of three or four), 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.
Thanks to our extensive connections in Pyrenees and Costa Brava , Backroads takes you off the beaten track and deep into the region's culture in ways that traditional travel can never hope to do. We know the people and their customs, the legacy of art and architecture, the complex history and politic—and if we're not sure, our amazing local experts can fill in the blanks.
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Pyrenees and Costa Brava , and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
We design and support our Pyrenees and Costa Brava trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
On this Premiere Inn trip, 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.
For nearly four decades we've worked to earn and maintain our right to call Backroads the world's #1 active travel company. In pursuing that vision on behalf of our guests, we believe we've set the standard for our industry—captured in the Backroads Quality Guide, which clearly sets out the benchmarks of excellence, choice and support that we live by
If we told you many companies' leaders can't actually speak the language where they lead trips, you'd say incroyable... ridicolo... không the tha thú. At Backroads, fluency in the local language is a given. Find out more on the best leader recruitment, training and development in the business. (And by the way, that was "unforgivable" in Vietnamese.)
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.
Our Trip Leaders combine deep local expertise with a firm grasp of North American expectations around quality of service. By the same token, we pair experienced Backroads leaders with local guides who know how to cater to your needs while cracking open the culture or natural history in ways that are meaningful, memorable and often magical.
Guests rave about our picnic spreads. Enjoy a welcome break in a scenic spot, or a quick refuel stop if you don't want to lose momentum. And because we have two vans, one can host lunch while the other is out providing support along the route.
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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 the selection of dates below for your group; some dates are only available for 16 or more guests while other dates are available for 8 or more guests. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
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
