Leave the hustle and bustle of busy Barcelona behind and head north into the countryside, driving past Montseny, a 74,132-acre (30,000-hectare) natural park and UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve.
Stop for a short break in the ancient settlement of Vic, where you can visit the town center with its cathedral and its magnificent Renaissance and Baroque buildings. Then continue toward the Pyrenees, driving past Montesquiu Castle, a fortified building dating from the 10th century.
Your next stop is Ripoll, with a Romanesque monastery built in the year 879 by Wilfred the Hairy, the first Count of Barcelona. From Ripoll, your tour proceeds to Queralbs, which, at an altitude of 4,055 feet (1,236 meters) above sea level, is the last vehicle-accessible village on your day trip to the Pyrenees.
Queralbs is a stunning, stone-built village where 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 here, catch the rack railway that leads up into the Pyrenees to Nuria, where you can spend the rest of the day. Enjoy the unspoiled scenery, look for local birds and animals, and take one of the many available walks, such as the path to Coma de la Vaca, a small refuge situated at 6,562 feet (2,000 meters). Or you can try horseback riding, open-air bowling, miniature golf or boating on the lake.
Please wear warm clothes and good walking shoes on this day trip. Your tour does not require a particular physical condition, but a reasonable level of fitness is needed if you wish to walk to the Coma de la Vaca. It's up to you how far and how high you want to go!
This private tour from Barcelona is hosted by a professional guide. Please list any special interests you have (art, architecture, history, culture) at the time of booking to alert your guide, who will then prepare for your private tour.
Please note: From the 1st of November to the 30th of November due to annual track maintenance, the rack railway will be closed Monday to Friday. In the instances that the railway is closed, we will find an alternative itinerary such as going up into the mountain valley by road or enjoying a mountain walk at lower levels. These changes will in no way take away from your Pyrenees mountain experience.