Detailed Itinerary (based on the 7 Night option)
DAY 1: Arrive Girona or Figueres/transfer to Sant Pere Pescador
We recommend flying directly to Girona where you can then either catch a bus into the city and then a train to Figueres where you will be collected from the station. Alternatively you can opt for a transfer directly from the airport to your first nights accommodation on the outskirts of Sant Pere Pescador. You will have a welcome meeting with our local partner in Spain who will give you the route notes and maps and make sure to answer any last minute questions you have.
Overnight: Mas del Joncar, Rural House, Sant Pere Pescador.
The house, constructed in the 19th century has been completely restored and modernised by owners Anna and Miguel. One of Miguel's passions is cooking and he and Anna offer traditional Catalan fayre, using local produce. Many vegetables come from Miguel's own garden.
DAY 2: Circular Walk from Sant Pere Pescador— 13.5 Miles, 6 hrs
Today you start a circular walk from Sant Pere Pescador by making your way onto a beautiful coastal trail. You wander along paths with fantastic views across to the Pyrenees and then head to the fascinating Greek and Roman ruins at Empuries. The ancient city has some well preserved mosaics dating back to 218BC. You then head back through the stunning Catalan countryside via the sleepy Hamlet of Cinc Claus and finally back to your accommodation in Sant Pere Pescador. This days walking can be shortened with a short transfer to L'Escala, details will be provided on arrival.
Overnight: Sant Pere Pescador
DAY 3: Walk through Aiguamolls nature reserve and onto Castello D’Empuries — 7.5 Miles, 4 Hrs
Today's walk takes you along the banks of the River Fluvia, across the beach at its mouth and into the Aiguamolls Nature Reserve. The reserve covers nearly 2000 hectares between the Muga and the Fluvia rivers. The area is dotted with hides, ideal for spotting Ibis, Herons, Tufted Ducks, Pochards, Snipes, Redshanks, Mash Harriers and Sandpipers. Castello D’Empuries is a beautiful medieval town, it has many historic buildings to visit, hidden in the labyrinthine maze of narrow winding streets.
Overnight: Casa Clara, Rural House, Castello D’Empuries
The Casa Clara is a charming small hotel, next door to the Santa Clara Convent and at the foot of the lane leading to the Parish Church. The hotels own restaurant, The Gallery, offers a diverse menu, fusing traditional and more contemporary dishes and an extensive wine list from local vineyards.
DAY 4 Coastal walk to Cadaques — 10 Miles — 6 Hrs
After a short 15 mins taxi transfer you find yourself at Platja Canyelles and the start of a dramatic cliff path that winds up the coastline. Heading east you follow the path as it dips into secluded beaches, great for swimming in the crystal clear water, and crests up over heads and cliff tops that offer 360 degree panoramas. There's a wealth of flora as you make your way through pine groves, past citrus trees and carefully thread your way around flowering cactus plants. In due course you’ll leave the coastline and head inland, climbing through old olive groves on ancient farmers trails, before reaching the broad track at the top. This twists and turns as it drops down into the fishing village of Cadaques, your stop for the next two nights.
Overnight: Hotel Rocamar, Cadaques
Close to the beach and seafront this rustic hotel is the perfect resting place for your next two days. Complete with outdoor swimming pool and sauna and restaurant make this the ideal stop.
DAY 5 Rest Day—Cadaques (or optional walk to the Cap de Creus) - 7 Miles, 4 Hrs
There is no doubt that Cadaques is a popular place. It would be easy to wile away the day exploring the narrow streets that meander through the town, to visit the 17th century church or take a stroll to the museum at Dali's former home, around the bay at Port Lligat. (3kms) Being in the middle of the Cap de Creus National Park you may wish to walk out to the spectacular lighthouse at the easterly tip of the peninsular. Overnight: Rocamar Hotel, Cadaques
DAY 6 Into the countryside to El Port de Selva - 7 Miles, 4 Hrs
Today you move north through the heart of the Cap de Creus National Park, following a deeply rural route with stunning views of the Catalan countryside. You wind though this varied scenery before ending up at the small fishing village of El Port de Selva. The village is famous for its varied landscapes, beaches and the mountain range at its back. Clinging to the mountain is the medieval community of Sant Pere de Rodes, with a castle, monastery, church and village. Some of Catalans best beaches are here in El Port de Selva—offering sun lovers and beachcombers a reason to finish early and hit the sand.
Overnight: Porto Cristo Hotel, El Port de Selva
This hotel was an old Manor house from the late 19th century, built of stone from the Cap de Creus. Totally refurbished in the past few years it sits metres from the beach and has amazing panoramic views.
DAY 7 Over the mountains to Palau Saverdera– 7.5 Miles, 5 Hrs
As you leave El Port de Selva you’ll ascend the hills behind the village. Your first stop will be at the Sant Pere de Rodes cloister, dating back to the first century after Christ. Continuing upwards you now make you way to the ruins of Castell de Sant Salvador. Your reward for the climb are magnificent views across the Albera mountains, to the Pyrenees. As you traverse the other side of the mountain you wind your way down to the tranquil village of Palau Saverdera, sitting at the bottom of the hills on the flat plain. Here a well deserved drink awaits you in one of the local bars—giving you time to reflect on your time in Catalonia.
Overnight: Niu de Sol Rural Hotel, Palau Saverdera
Tucked away in a side street is the deceptively large hotel, rebuilt recently with a eye on local design and traditional style. Individual and character rich rooms cosset you and you’re soon ready to venture for another taste of Catalonian cuisine. Everything made on the premises is sourced locally, is a fresh as can be—either picked or caught that very day.
DAY 8 Departure Day
After breakfast we transfer you to Girona Airport for your onward connection.
Accommodation
One of the highlights of this tour is the high standard of the accommodation. We specifically select the Hotels and Casa Rurals (local farmsteads converted to accommodate tourists) to ensure that you enjoy every minute of your stay. They all offer a warm welcome to walkers, traditional hospitality and delicious local food. Each accommodation is different and full of character and they are detailed below.
Additional Nights and Extensions
Many of our clients choose to add extra nights to sample more of the wonderful attractions and culture. Most customers fly into Girona—a beautiful and busy city where mediaeval influences and architecture are still very prevalent.
An extra night in Castello d’Empuries provides a base for a trip to Figueres to the Museum that commemorates Dali's life. There are some amazing beaches a few kilometres from Castello to intersperse culture with sun, sand and sea.
Fewer Nights/Tailor Made
If you wish to reduce the number of nights we can tailor your trip to your requirements. Please let us know what you would like and we can base an itinerary around you.
Single Rooms
If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. Unfortunately this holiday is not available to solo walkers due to safety reasons.
Grade
Itineraries on this walk are graded Moderate. The days walk to Cadaques from Platja Canyelles is a little steep in places and may require a little more effort. On these isolated occasions a grade of Moderate to Strenuous is slightly more suitable. For the most part the entire holiday is on terrain that is either on farm tracks, coastal paths or mountain trails. Occasionally you may encounter a few moderately steep sections, especially on coastal trails. However the ascent is not too difficult or prolonged.
Navigation
The trails on this holiday are a mix of local paths and “GR” (Gran Recorrido) routes - which are marked with characteristic marks consisting of a white stripe above a red stripe. Some local paths are signed and some are not. However, the route notes that accompany each itinerary give a step by step, turn by turn account of your route and are complimented with photographs to give you points of reference.
Meals
A traditional Catalan breakfast is included each morning. Breakfast is a leisurely affair and adequate time should be allocated. Lunch and dinner are not included. Most accommodations are happy to provide a packed lunch - this should be requested on arrival. Dinner is available either at your accommodation or nearby bars, cafes and restaurants.
Baggage Transfer
Your bags will be transferred from your accommodation as per your itinerary and moved onto your next overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.
Equipment
Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes and a day pack.
Seasonality, Flora & Fauna
The climate in Catalonia can be summarised as Mediterranean, total rainfall here is lower than in the rest of Spain, and it is concentrated in the late autumn-winter period. Temperatures are higher than the rest of Spain in both summer and winter. We recommend wonderful walking in the Spring and Autumn. We dont offer this holiday in the months of July and August as the temperatures are too high for walking.
Mas del Joncar - Sant Pere Pescador
Anna and Miguel offer the warmest of welcomes in their modernised rural guest house. They offer wonderful cosy accommodation and have a real passion for cooking and use local ingredients whenever they can.
Casa Clara - Castello D'Empuries
The Casa Clara is a charming small Hotel located in the medeival village of Castello D'Empuries
Hotel Rocomar - Cadaques
This rustic hotel comes complte with swimming pool and sauna, perfect for relaxing after a days walking.
Hotel Porto Cristo - El Port de Selva
Soak up the atmosphere from this wonderful Hotel located just minutes from the beach at El Port de Selva.
Niu de Sol - Palau Saverdera
Tucked away is a side street this small rural Hotel provides comfortable and relaxing accommodation at the end of your walkign holiday.
We are often asked the following questions and I hope that you will find the answers useful.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more advice from our team.
How fit do I need to be?
The trails in Catalonia are generally not difficult to walk. However you may encounter sections of path that are challenging - either because of terrain or gradient. This is particulary true of the coastpath bewtween Playa Canyeles and Cadaques where the path often drops to beaches. Proper walking footwear should be worn, preferably with ankle support as this can help where ascents/descents are on uneven ground. It helps to have done some multi day walking before and regular cardio vascular exercise prior to your holiday will increase your fitness levels and therefore your enjoyment of the walk.
How far in advance do I need to book?
The accommodation we use on our walking holidays is of a high standard. In order to maintain high levels of comfort, service and attention we favour smaller independant hotels and guest houses which can get booked up very quickly at peak times. In order to avoid disappointment it is a good idea to contact us as soon as you are aware of your available dates and to have an alternate date range in mind just in case.
What personal equipment do I need?
You will need good walking shoes/boots, comfortable walking clothes - preferably layered and trousers that "zip" into shorts are particularly useful when the sun is up, a daypack/Hydration pack, a hat with wide brim that covers neck and sunblock. You can download a full equipment list from the downloads page of our website and one will be provided in your info pack.
When is the best time of year?
This walking holiday can be enjoyed from March - November (not in July and August due to the heat)The Spanish climate is usually always more favourable than the UK. Walking is best in Spring and early Autumn.
What happens if I can’t walk a stage?
You can use public transport or local taxis to continue to your next overnight stop. In some cases the baggage transfer service that takes your bags on to your next accommodation may be able to assist. Our local Catalonian office can assist with helpful advice should you need to arrange transport for yourself or anyone in your party.
