Pyrenees Mountains Small Group Day Trip from Barcelona

Leave Barcelona for the day to hike the spectacular Pyrenees mountains on a small group excursion from Barcelona by minivan. You'll visit charming mountain villages, travel in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan and receive individual attention from your expert tour guide.

The first stop on your small group tour is Vic, a beautifully maintained old market town with a beautiful cathedral. Next you'll visit the stunning stone-built village of Queralbs, from where you'll catch the rack railway high into the Pyrenees to Nuria.

Here, you can spend the rest of the day exploring the beautiful mountain scenery, following hiking routes, horse riding, trying your hand at archery and going boating. See the itinerary for more details.

Please wear warm clothes and good walking shoes on this tour. This tour does not require any special physical condition, but a reasonable level of fitness is needed if you wish to walk in the Vall de la Coma de la Vaca. It's up to you how far and how high you want to go!

Schedule details

Departure Point:

Placa Catalunya

Departure Time:

8:30am

Return Details:

Returns to original departure point at approximately 7:30pm

Pricing information

Click the link below for a price quote on your preferred travel date. Our pricing is constantly updated to ensure you always receive the lowest price possible.

Additional information

Inclusions:

• Professional guide
• Transport by air-conditioned coach

Exclusions:

• Gratuities (optional)
• Hotel pickup and drop off
• Food and drinks, unless specified

Additional Information:

• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Not recommended for child aged 4 and under
• There will be time off the bus at your leisure, so please bring suitable clothing, footwear, and sun protection. Remember that temperatures at high altitudes will be much lower than in the city, so although it may be warm in Barcelona, please remember that it will be much cooler in the mountains
• Adult pricing applies to all travelers
• Please note that in November the railway track may be closed. The tour will offer alternative options suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Alternatives will range from going by road up into the mountain valleys, visiting the monastery of Ripoll and low level mountain walks

Itinerary:

Head north quickly leaving the hustle and bustle of a busy Mediterranean city behind, driving past Montseny. The Montseny is a 30,000 hectare natural park that was designated a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1978 and is still a haven for wild boars, badgers, hares, foxes, red squirrels, eagles, and red partridges among others, living in beech, pine and oak forests.

Just an hour from Barcelona, you will stop for a short break in the ancient settlement of Vic. Here you will have a chance to stroll around the town center with its cathedral (a mixture of styles ranging from Romanesque to neo-classical), and its magnificent renaissance and baroque buildings; or to relax while having breakfast in the heart of the town: a beautiful arched square where the market and other major events are held.

Continue up to the Pyrenees driving past the Montesquiu Castle, surrounded by dense Oak and Red Pine forests. Montesquiu Castle is a fortified building dating from the 10th century. Originally serving the military until 15th century, it later became a stately home.

Next stop is Ripoll, the founding of which has strong links to the evocatively-named Gifre el Pilos (Wilfred the Hairy), the first Count of Barcelona, who began a dynasty in the late 870's that would last into the 1400's. From Ripoll, the tour proceeds to Queralbs, which, at an altitude of 1,236 meters above sea level, is the last vehicle-accessible village on the way up to our mountain valley destination.

Queralbs has a population of only 200 permanent residents, but numbers are swollen in the summer when the age-old tradition of transhumance brings shepherds and their flocks up to the higher ground. This has been documented tradition since 1273, when the infant Jaume, son of Jaume 1 of Catalonia and Aragon bestowed the right to the grazing land on the people of the village. Here you will see the Church of Sant Sadurni de Fustanya, built from stones so perfectly-hewn that legend has it that it was built by the fairies.

From Queralbs, you take the last 6 kilometers of the impressive rack railway, construction of which began in 1931, up to an altitude of 1964m above sea level, into the stunning mountain valley, formed by the glacial action of the ice from all 7 surrounding peaks pushing downwards. In the valley is a sanctuary, originally built to house pilgrims to the valley, which takes its name from the Virgen de Nuria. Her image, was reputedly unearthed by a very persistent ox.

In the valley, you can enjoy the unspoiled scenery, sharing it with unusual birds and animals ranging from Gryphon Vultures to chamois, and golden eagles to marmots, and take one of the many different walks, of varying levels of difficulty, or you can try horse riding, open air bowling, archery lessons, crazy golf, or boating on the lake. If that seems too energetic, another option is to enjoy some of the traditional Catalan dishes available in the valley's restaurants.

Local Operator Information:

Complete Operator information, including local telephone numbers at your destination, are included on your Confirmation Voucher. Our Product Managers select only the most experienced and reliable operators in each destination, removing the guesswork for you, and ensuring your peace of mind.