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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DATES
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PRICES
Sep 23 - Oct 6, 2024
Starting at
4,999DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Sep 23 - Oct 6, 2024
Starting at
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14 days
13 nights
23 meals
12B 3L 8D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
10
In the footsteps of Dali, Port de la Selva, GR11 route
Port de la Selva
11
Historic Llançà, Romanesque Architecture
Port de la Selva
14
Program Concludes
In Flight
At a Glance
The larger-than-life roots of the modernist movement. 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, wet, sandy and rocky terrain, flights of stairs. Sturdy, ankle-high boots are recommended.
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.
What You'll Learn
- 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.
- Enjoy wine tasting at a local family run "bodgea"
- Learn about renowned Surrealist Salvador Dalí on a walking field trip to his home in Portlligat and the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Emma Christie
Emma Christie started leading U.S. and European educational groups 12 years ago and has since worked across Europe. She has traveled widely throughout Europe and Central America and is fluent in Spanish. A former English teacher and a graduate of medieval history and literature, Emma left her role as a news reporter with the UK's top-selling regional daily to focus on travel and writing thriller novels. Emma currently divides her time between her home in Barcelona and her native Scotland.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Emma Christie
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Emma Christie started leading U.S. and European educational groups 12 years ago and has since worked across Europe. She has traveled widely throughout Europe and Central America and is fluent in Spanish. A former English teacher and a graduate of medieval history and literature, Emma left her role as a news reporter with the UK's top-selling regional daily to focus on travel and writing thriller novels. Emma currently divides her time between her home in Barcelona and her native Scotland.
Tony Muldoon
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After graduating with a master’s in Hispanic Studies in 1993 from the University of Glasgow, in his native Scotland, Tony Muldoon came to live and work in the mountains of Andalusia — first in the Sierra Nevada and now the Serrania de Ronda. He leads trekking and cultural programs all over Spain, Portugal and Morocco as well as cultivating olives and almonds on his smallholding. His passion for the history, culture and landscapes of his adopted home is heartfelt.
Suggested Reading List
(17 books)
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 Sea to Dalí: Hiking Catalonia & Spain’s Magical ‘Wild Coast’
Program Number: 22550
Dali: Wines of Gala
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
An introduction and a guide to the food, wine, and customs of Catalonia featuring recipes and cooking techniques
The Time of the Doves
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
Set in fourteenth-century Barcelona, Cathedral of the Sea is a thrilling historical novel of friendship and revenge, plague and hope, love and war.
Homage to Catalonia
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
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
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
A classic collection of 400 recipes, interwoven with cultural commentary and the culinary history of Spain
The New Spaniards
John Hooper's fascinating study brings to life the new Spain of the 21st century
Ghosts of Spain
Tremlett, Madrid correspondant for The Guardian newspaper, takes us on a fascinating journey around Spain and through Spanish history.
The Shadow of the Wind
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
A must see documentary on the divisions in Catalan Politics and the independence movement
The Jews of Spain: A History of the Sephardic Experience
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
Victus: The Fall of Barcelona
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
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
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