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Spain

The Sea to Dalí: Hiking Catalonia & Spain’s Magical ‘Wild Coast’

Program No. 22550RJ
A gastronomic hotbed. Salvador Dalí, surrealist. Centuries-old archaeology. Inhale crisp Mediterranean air on an epic adventure hiking the Catalonian seascape of Spain’s Costa Brava.

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Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 22 - May 5, 2024
Starting at
4,999
May 20 - Jun 2, 2024
Starting at
4,999
Itinerary Note

Accommodation for the last night if this program is in Girona instead of Barcelona. Departure airport remains as Barcelona.

Sep 23 - Oct 6, 2024
Starting at
4,999
Oct 14 - Oct 27, 2024
Starting at
4,999
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Apr 22 - May 5, 2024
Starting at
5,839
May 20 - Jun 2, 2024
Starting at
5,839
Itinerary Note

Accommodation for the last night if this program is in Girona instead of Barcelona. Departure airport remains as Barcelona.

Filling Fast!
Sep 23 - Oct 6, 2024
Starting at
5,839
Filling Fast!
Oct 14 - Oct 27, 2024
Starting at
5,839

At a Glance

A sizzling tapas skillet of gambas al ajillo. The larger-than-life roots of Salvador Dalí. Enchanting villages and welcoming villagers. There is much to love and learn on an extraordinary adventure walking coastal paths and inhaling Mediterranean air amid the Catalonian seascape of Spain’s Costa Brava. From cosmopolitan Barcelona north along the “Wild Coast” nearly to France, the Romance language of Catalan is every bit as unique to locals as their fresh seafood, rocky headlands, hidden beaches and fertile vineyards. Make memories on foot in a land you won’t forget.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Hiking 5-8 miles daily, occasional steep ascents and descents, some rugged, sandy and rocky terrain, flights of stairs. Sturdy, ankle-high boots are recommended.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Hike through the National Park of Castell-Cap Roig, with its hidden coves and sandy beaches, until we reach Calella de Palafrugell, one of the Costa Brava’s most picturesque villages.
  • Learn about renowned Surrealist Salvador Dalí on a walking field trip to his home in Portlligat and the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres.
  • Walk a Mediterranean forest to vineyards swept by the Tramuntana winds and learn about this area’s key role during both Spain’s Civil War and WWII.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Jews of Spain: A History of the Sephardic Experience
by Jane S. Gerber
For more than a thousand years, Sepharad (the Hebrew word for Spain) was home to a large Jewish community noted for its richness and virtuosity. Summarily expelled in 1492 and forced into exile, their tragedy of expulsion marked the end of one critical phase of their history and the beginning of another.
Spain, A Traveler's Literary Companion
by Peter R. Bush, Lisa Dillman
Victus: The Fall of Barcelona
by Albert Sanchez Pinol
A sweeping historical novel set in the early 1700s in the Catalonia region of northeastern Spain. Pinol's main character is Marti Zuviria, a treacherous, young military engineer who holds the fate of the War of Spanish Succession in his hands. Dark, witty and profound, the novel culminates in a great betrayal and the fall of Barcelona and Catalonia.
Catalonia: A Cultural History
by Michael Eaude
Michael Eaude traces the checkered history and unique monuments of Catalonia through the ages
Two Wheels over Catalonia, cycling the back roads of North-Eastern Spain
by Richard Guise
Offering humorous and historical anecdotes along the way, Guise's journey offers readers an informative and light hearted read as he navigates his way through Catalonia
Homage to Catalonia
by George Orwell
Orwell's portrait of the Barcelona uprising and the spirit of a city at war is a classic, an observant and heartfelt report from the streets
Eyewitness Guide Barcelona & Catalonia
by DK
Handsome, convenient and up-to-date, this superbly illustrated guide features color photography, dozens of local maps and detailed information on the region's attractions
Dali
by Robert Radford
A nice overview of Dali's life and important works, this Phaidon art book explains how Dali infused his work with the surreal. Includes plenty of color photographs.
Food and Wines of Spain
by Penelope Casas
A classic collection of 400 recipes, interwoven with cultural commentary and the culinary history of Spain
The New Spaniards
by John Hooper
John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the 21st century
Ghosts of Spain
by Giles Tremlett
Tremlett, Madrid correspondant for The Guardian newspaper, takes us on a fascinating journey around Spain and through Spanish history.
The Shadow of the Wind
by By Carlos Ruiz Zafón
Barcelona, 1945: A city slowly heals from its war wounds, and Daniel, an antiquarian book dealer's son who mourns the loss of his mother, finds solace in a mysterious book entitled The Shadow of the Wind, by one Julian Carax. But when he sets out to find the author's other works, he makes a shocking discovery: someone has been systematically destroying every copy of every book Carax has written. ...
Two Catalonias
by (Documentary)
A must see documentary on the divisions in Catalan Politics and the independence movement
Dali: Wines of Gala
by by Salvador Dalí et al
No vin ordinaire, this book combines the great Salvador and the world’s greatest wines to produce a refreshing blend of art, fun, and information.
Catalan Cuisine: Europe's Last Great Culinary Secret
by Colman Andrews
An introduction and a guide to the food, wine, and customs of Catalonia featuring recipes and cooking techniques
The Time of the Doves
by Mercè Rodoreda
Powerfully written novel set during the Spanish Civil War and beyond. This is a rare and moving portrait of a woman confronting and surviving a convulsive period in Spanish history
Cathedral of the Sea
by Ildefonso Falcones
Set in fourteenth-century Barcelona, Cathedral of the Sea is a thrilling historical novel of friendship and revenge, plague and hope, love and war.





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