Rail holiday through the Basque Country and Catalonia
Day-by-Day Itinerary
DAY ONE: Travel by rail to St Jean de Luz, and spend two nights in the city
Leave London at around 9am, changing to a fast train in Paris. Arrive in St Jean de Luz at around 8pm in the evening on your first day. If you wish to break the journey in Paris for a night or two, we can arrange this.
DAY TWO: St Jean de Luz
Spend two nights in St Jean de Luz at the Grand Hotel St Jean de Luz, a pink neo-romantic property on the seafront, or at Hotel Parc Victoria, a unique art-deco hotel surrounded by beautiful gardens. The small Basque town of St Jean de Luz is set just north of the French-Spanish border. Its modest size and charm makes it ideally suited to exploration on foot, with numerous winding lanes, white-washed houses, and tiny shops and cafes to discover. The main highlight of St Jean de Luz might be the wide sandy beach that stretches along the coast; hours can be spent here enjoying a refreshing drink in the sun, or strolling along the promenade. Walk along the coastline to see the perfectly intact layers of sedimentary rock as they dramatically emerge from the sand. Further into the town, however, is a beautiful old quarter with excellent examples of Basque architectural design from throughout the ages, from the traditional port, to the shipowners’ houses, and the Church of Saint Jean Baptiste, the site of the marriage of Louis XIV in 1660. Inside, the church is captivating, with three levels almost entirely decorated in gold, and an intriguing hanging model ship as the centre-piece. Some of the most impressive houses date back to the 17th century, when St Jean de Luz flourished as one of the most important fishing ports in France. The Casino La Pergola, for example, is a fantastic art-deco building to match Hotel Parc Victoria. Perhaps hire a car for the day to explore the surrounding villages, or relax at the Grand Hotel and indulge in the excellent thalassotherapy treatments available, which use salt water, seaweed, and algae.
DAY THREE: Catch your train to San Sebastian for your next two nights
Depart St Jean de Luz in the afternoon and travel by train to San Sebastian. After one change of train in Irun/Hendaye on the French-Spanish border, you will arrive in San Sebastian in just a couple of hours. Spend two nights in San Sebastian at the Hotel Villa Soro, a grand hotel reminiscent of the French châteaux, with a very warm, cosy feel typical of the Basque Country.
DAY FOUR: San Sebastian
San Sebastian, voted the European Capital of Culture 2016, is in a beautiful setting on arguably one of the best city beaches in Europe – La Concha. The town itself is dominated by Belle Époque architecture. The beautifully golden Town Hall was once the city’s Gran Casino before its closure in 1924, and down on the seafront stands the La Perla Spa, one of the most beautiful spa buildings in the world. It was originally built for Queen Maria Cristina, and the abundance of glass is radiant from both the inside and the out. Spend lunchtimes in the old part of the town, enjoying the lively tapas bars that will introduce you to the traditionally Spanish way of life. Also of interest may be the Palacio Miramar, once the summer residence of the royal family in the 19th century, which bears the marks in its architecture of San Sebastian’s proximity to France. For a taste of both history and culture, pay a visit to the San Telmo Museum. In the evenings, make the most of the numerous Michelin-starred restaurants which dot the streets. Perhaps arrange your stay to coincide with one of the many cultural events that take place throughout the year, including the San Sebastian Jazz Festival and the International Film Festival. The nearby city of Bilbao makes for an excellent day excursion, if you have the time, with its artistic and cosmopolitan centre and the famous Guggenheim Museum. After a busy day exploring San Sebastian or Bilbao, the Hotel Villa Soro offers a plush armchair, roaring fire, and comfortable, light, and airy bedrooms to welcome you back.
DAY FIVE: Depart San Sebastian and catch a train across to Barcelona for your final three nights
Leave the Basque Country at about 7.30 am, and head across Spain to Barcelona, where you will arrive in the early afternoon. The train passes through Pamplona, Zaragoza, and Lerida, which make excellent stop-off points if you wish to break up the journey. Spend three nights in Barcelona at either the Grand Hotel Central Barcelona, a chic, contemporary hotel in the heart of the city with rooftop pools.
DAYS SIX AND SEVEN: Barcelona
The list of cultural and historic attractions in Barcelona is virtually endless, with the Gothic quarter, Montjuic, Las Ramblas, and the Eixample holding some of the greatest treasures. A key part of visiting this famous city is the iconic architecture of Antoni Gaudi. Begin the tour of his work in the Parc Güell in the Zona Alta, decorated with fluid mosaics and vibrant bright colours. From here, perhaps visit the Palau Güell in El Raval, a much more refined example of Gaudi’s work, but with hidden flourishes above the door arches and in the cavernous interior. El Raval is also home to the Romanesque monastery of Sant Pau and the glassy, modern Museu d’Art Contemporani. Finish with the fairly-tale architecture of the Sagrada Familia, with its modified Gothic architecture, its traditional Latin cross, and its imposing impact on the Barcelona skyline. In the afternoon, or to pick up a spot of lunch, wander down Las Ramblas and enjoy the shops, stalls, and street entertainment, as well as the oysters at La Boqueria Market. An understated pleasure of Barcelona, slightly further from the tourist eye, is the maze-like mediaeval Gothic quarter. Its streets are punctuated with enchanting palaces, churches, and squares, as well as some of the best shops in the city. In la Ribera, the palaces of merchants have been transformed into informative museums, including the Museu Picasso, while the modernist Palau de la Musica Catalana has a fantastically mesmerising ornate interior. If you have time, walk along the Passeig de Gràcia to see the mordernista architecture that leads up to the Sagrada Familia, explore the huge Montjuic Castle, or relax on one of the 6 Blue Flag beaches which offer the best seafood in Barcelona in contemporary seafront establishments. Spending an evening enjoying traditional Catalan cuisine beside the port is highly recommended.
DAY EIGHT: Return to the UK via Paris
Leave Barcelona just after 9am on a train to Paris, where you arrive mid-afternoon. Catch the Eurostar back to London at about 7pm, arriving at 8.30pm.
Click the 'Hotel Information' tab to find out more about the hotels featured in this touring itinerary.