Little Boats of the Mediterranean

Local departure by coach or Home Connect service, then to the Paris area for an overnight stay.

In the morning, we enjoy breakfast and then continue our journey through France to Roses, where we will stay for the next six nights.

This morning, we include a boat cruise along the coast to Cadaques. The hour-long journey takes us alongside spectacular cliffs dotted with caves. We arrive in the pretty fishing village of Cadaques, a favourite haunt of Picasso, Matisse and Salvador Dali. The white-chalked resort has managed to retain its charm and enjoys a fabulous setting on the edge of the Cap de Creus Peninsula, where the Pyrenees Mountains meet the sea.

Our guide will take us on a brief walking tour, after which there is free time to enjoy the pretty cobbled streets at leisure.

We'll then re-board the boat to return to Roses, arriving at around lunch time. The afternoon is yours to explore in Roses.

Today we head into France and to Béziers for our included guided excursion, where we enjoy a trip on the amazing Canal du Midi. An incredible engineering feat, the canal links the Mediterranean with the Atlantic via network of navigable waterways.

See the famous ‘staircase’ locks of Fonseranes, the 17th century Malpas tunnel and more, as you discover part of this 150-mile long canal. The waterway has become a favourite destination, famed for its beauty and tranquillity. The trip will last around four hours and you will be served a typically French lunch on-board with wine and coffee. Relax and enjoy views of medieval bridges, delightful villages and lovely countryside.

Join our included guided excursion to Banyoles, where we take a relaxing 40-minute boat trip on the Lake of Banyoles. As Catalonia’s largest lake, Banyoles boasts a backdrop of vast rolling hills and the shoreline is dotted with little villages.

Afterwards, join your guide for an afternoon visit to the beautiful town of Besalu, in the volcanic region of La Garrotxa. Explore the old town of this wonderfully preserved medieval gem, with its churches, stone facades and narrow cobbled streets lined with pretty houses. Be sure to see the 12th-century fortified bridges!

Today we travel to the fascinating city of Barcelona, Spain’s second largest city and one of the Mediterranean’s busiest ports. The city has a delightfully relaxed atmosphere - particularly along Las Ramblas, where you can join the locals casually strolling along the tree-lined walkway. A city of unique character, rich in history, folklore and tradition, Barcelona boasts a distinctive architectural style, born from the extraordinary work of Gaudi.

We include an short boat trip along the city coastline around Barcelona's harbour and the Olympic Port, allowing you to enjoy the city from a different perspective.

Later, our guide will give you a short tour of the main Barcelona highlights. The bustling and iconic Las Ramblas runs from Plaza de Catalunya to the Christopher Columbus monument near the harbour at Port Vell. You can explore the shops, cafés and see the mime artists, and from here you will be ideally situated to explore independently the “Barri Gotic”, or Gothic Quarter in the centre of the Old Town, where some of the buildings date back to medieval and Roman times.

Enjoy a leisurely final day in the resort – time for last minute shopping!

Time to bid a fond farewell to Roses today as we make our way to our overnight hotel in France.

Return home.