Christmas and New Year on the Costa Brava

This small-group escorted tour begins in Lloret de Mar on Spain's Costa Brava, where travellers settle in before a Christmas Eve visit to Montserrat. The monastery clings to a rugged mountainside and is home to Benedictine monks and a choir whose roots stretch back centuries.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day provide relaxed days along the coast, with a scenic drive taking in the rugged coastline. The tour then moves to Barcelona for a full day around Gaudí’s architectural landmarks, including the Sagrada Familia. Another day is spent in Girona with its medieval Jewish quarter and the fortified bridge of Besalú, featuring an 11th-century ritual bath, one of the few remaining in Europe.

After a couple of leisure days in Lloret de Mar, including a chance to visit nearby Tossa de Mar, the group celebrates New Year’s Eve with a gala dinner. An optional excursion to Salvador Dalí’s birthplace, Figueres, is available before the tour concludes back in Lloret de Mar, with clear skies and a quieter start to the new year.