Barcelona! Tapas, History & Craft Beer in Catalonia

Description

May 6 – 16, 2026

Trip Price (Land-only, Based on double occupancy)
$3,699 per person | Single Room add extra $885
International airfare not included.

Escape late-spring gloom at home for a beery exploration of Catalonia, featuring great hotels, historic cities, fantastic food, craft brewers, cava, tapas, Gaudí’s architecture, Dalí’s art, scenic drives and vibrant Catalan culture.

Catalonia is just plain cool. From varied topography and a history that predates the Romans to the energy, architecture and tapas bars of Barcelona, this region offers itself unselfishly as a world-class destination. Add a burgeoning craft brewing scene and you have a great trip… made better with beer.

We’ll meet a full range of passion-filled brewers: barrel-agers, homebrew-supply folks gone pro, innovative brewpub founders, bar owners and gypsy brewers. We cross Catalonia with stays in bustling Barcelona, a small town with a restored masia (farmhouse), a parador in Cardona and the unspoiled medieval gem of Girona. Along the way we explore the works of Dalí and Gaudí, eat like royalty, see flamenco and enjoy the many scenes of Catalonia.

Come explore Catalonia on a BeerTrip!

Beer, Food, History & Local Flavor — Across Catalonia

This itinerary connects Catalonia’s urban and rural flavors: Barcelona’s architecture and nightlife, farmhouse ales in the hills, cava cellars, castle-topped Cardona, and Girona and the Costa Brava with their medieval streets and seaside light.

Tapas crawls, beer tastings, winery and cava visits, and guided walks are woven together with plenty of free time for your own discoveries. Expect fresh seafood, jamón, cheeses, olive oil, seasonal vegetables and creative Catalan cooking — with carefully chosen beers and cavas along the way.

Why We’re BeerTripping Here

• Combines Barcelona, rural Catalonia, Cardona’s castle-parador and Girona into one coherent route.
• Visits Ales Agullons and La Micro Cerveseria plus key beer bars that anchor Catalonia’s craft scene.
• Includes cava cellars at Freixenet with a guided tasting and time in the Montserrat area.
• Explores Dalí’s surreal world in Cadaqués and Figueres along the Costa Brava.
• Balances beer exploration with architecture, art, food markets and scenic drives.
• Small group size and the Beer Bus keep logistics smooth and flexible.

Trip Snapshot

• Duration: 10 days / 9 nights on the ground (plus Day 0 travel)
• Group Size: Maximum 12 travelers
• Travel Style: Small-group, brewery-focused cultural journey
• Start / End: Starts in Barcelona, ends in Barcelona
• Transport: Private Beer Bus plus regional train and walking
• Overnight Stays: Barcelona (3 + final night) • Sant Llorenç d’Hortons / San Lorenzo de Hortóns (1) • Cardona (1) • Girona (3)
• Physical Level: Easy to moderate walking; cobblestones, some hills and stairs

Beer Highlights & Brewery Visits*

• Barcelona beer crawl and tapas-focused evenings.
• Ales Agullons — farmhouse-style ales at a rural brewery on a former wine estate.
• La Micro Cerveseria in Sabadell — local brewery with lunch and tasting.
• Figueres craft-beer stop paired with Dalí’s hometown visit.
• Curated beer bars in Barcelona and Girona showcasing Catalan and Spanish craft.

Wine & Cava Highlights

• Freixenet cellar tour with cava and cheese tasting.
• Opportunities for local Catalan wines in restaurants and bars.
• Optional glasses of Priorat, Montsant or Empordà wines along the route.

Where We Stay

Barcelona – 3 nights at trip start | San Lorenzo de Hortóns – 1 night in a restored masia | Cardona – 1 night in a parador | Girona – 3 nights | Barcelona – 1 final night

Included Tours

• Welcome beer and tapas walk in Barcelona.
• Barcelona city tour with private driver/guide, including Gaudí highlights (e.g. Park Güell and Sagrada Família).
• Barcelona beer and tapas evening.
• Freixenet cellar tour with cava and cheese tasting.
• Informal visit to Montserrat area.
• Walking tour of Girona with local guide and beer stops.
• Dalí-focused day including Cadaqués and Figueres museums (subject to final confirmation).

Included Meals

9 Breakfasts | 2 Lunches | 5 Dinners (including tapas/beer evenings)

Arrival & Departure

Trip begins and ends in Barcelona, Spain (BCN), with good international flight connections and easy transfers to the city center.

About the Cities & Regions We Visit

Barcelona — Architecture, Tapas & Urban Beer

Catalonia’s capital blends medieval streets with Modernist architecture, beach life and a fast-evolving beer scene. Tapas bars, food markets and creative kitchens make it a paradise for grazing and sipping. Gaudí’s works and lively neighborhoods give you more to explore than any one visit can cover.

San Lorenzo de Hortóns — Masia Life & Nearby Cava Country

This small town in cava country gives a taste of rural Catalonia. Our restored masia-style hotel offers a quiet base after a day at Ales Agullons and nearby cellars — farmhouses, vines and small-town rhythms.

Cardona — Castle, Parador & Mountain Views

Cardona’s hilltop castle and parador overlook old salt mines and a small town below. It’s a dramatic setting for an overnight, with stone walls, views and a chance to slow down between coastal and city stops.

Girona — Medieval Streets & Costa Brava Gateway

Girona is compact, atmospheric and very Catalan: walls, churches, riverside houses and excellent food. It has become a film backdrop (including Game of Thrones) and a gateway to the Costa Brava, where Dalí found inspiration among coves and fishing villages.

Daily Itinerary*

(B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)

Day 0 – Wednesday, May 6, 2026 — Travel to Spain

Fly to Barcelona, Spain. Most travelers will arrive the following day.

Overnight: Plane
Meals: –

Day 1 – Thursday, May 7, 2026 — Beer & Tapas Walk, Welcome Dinner (D)

Barcelona is old, beautiful and bustling with energy and a passion for the good life. After arrival and check-in at our centrally located hotel, we gather in the late afternoon for a locally guided beer and tapas walk.

We’ll toast the start of the tour with a Catalan beer tasting as we explore the neighborhood around our hotel, ducking into bars and plazas. Our welcome dinner tonight, on Catalan time, features local flavors and a solid beer list.

Overnight: Barcelona
Meals: D

Day 2 – Friday, May 8, 2026 — Gaudí, Market & Flamenco Evening (B, D)

Barcelona is big and spread out, so we start with a city tour in a private vehicle, including skip-the-line entrances to Park Güell and Sagrada Família (subject to final confirmation). Our guide helps tie architecture, history and daily life together.

Afternoon options include Boqueria Market for a grazing lunch, a siesta or time at the hotel pool or beach. In the evening we head to Tablao de Carmen for tapas, drinks and a flamenco show. Tickets include admission to Poble Espanyol, an open-air museum of regional Spanish architecture — great for wandering and photos. After the show, those who wish can walk to the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc to catch the sound-and-light spectacle.

Overnight: Barcelona
Meals: B, D

Day 3 – Saturday, May 9, 2026 — Free Day in Barcelona (B)

After a big day yesterday, today is open for your own Barcelona explorations. Visit the Jamón museum, dive deeper into the local beer scene at a handful of great beer bars, seek out more Gaudí buildings, stroll the waterfront or ride a funicular.

Your trip leader will provide suggestions for both beery and non-beery pursuits. Meals are on your own with plenty of options.

Overnight: Barcelona
Meals: B

Day 4 – Sunday, May 10, 2026 — Ales Agullons Visit & Rural Masia Stay (B, L, D)

This morning we depart Barcelona on the Beer Bus for a day dedicated to what may be Catalonia’s best-known farmhouse-style brewery: Ales Agullons. Located on an old wine estate in the countryside, it’s a perfect setting for their rustic ales.

We’ll tour the brewery next to the family home, taste a range of beers and enjoy a regional beer-paired lunch. After a thankful farewell, we travel a short distance to our restored masia / farmhouse hotel in San Lorenzo de Hortóns for dinner and a relaxed evening.

Overnight: San Lorenzo de Hortóns
Meals: B, L, D

Day 5 – Monday, May 11, 2026 — Freixenet, Cava & Cheese, Montserrat & Cardona (B, D)

After breakfast at our masia, we drive a short distance to historic cava producer Freixenet. A cellar tour and explanation of traditional-method sparkling winemaking is followed by a thorough cava and cheese tasting.

We then make an informal visit toward Montserrat for lunch and views before continuing to Cardona, where we spend the night in the hilltop Parador overlooking the old salt mines. En route we fit in a brewery stop for good measure. Dinner and overnight at Parador de Cardona.

Overnight: Cardona
Meals: B, D

Day 6 – Tuesday, May 12, 2026 — La Micro Cerveseria & Girona Walk (B, L)

After a castle-worthy breakfast and some time to explore the grounds, we head to La Micro Cerveseria in Sabadell for a visit, tasting and local lunch. We meet the brewer/owners and learn how their small operation fits into the wider Catalan beer scene.

In the afternoon we continue to historic Girona, one of Catalonia’s most beautiful cities. We meet a local guide for a walking tour through old streets, walls and riverside quarters, with a beer stop or two along the way. Evening is free for dinner and exploration.

Overnight: Girona
Meals: B, L

Day 7 – Wednesday, May 13, 2026 — Dalí Day: Costa Brava & Figueres (B)

Get ready for a day of spectacular scenery and surreal art. We drive to the Costa Brava and Cadaqués to visit Dalí’s former home (now a museum) on the coast. Enjoy lunch on your own in this inspirational seaside village.

After lunch we head to Dalí’s hometown of Figueres to visit his theater-museum — part gallery, part stage set. Figueres also has some good craft beer; we’ll be sure to taste one or two local offerings before returning to Girona. Evening is free.

Overnight: Girona
Meals: B

Day 8 – Thursday, May 14, 2026 — Friday-Feeling in Girona: Bars & Free Evening (B, D)

Today is your chance to fully discover Girona, this compact jewel of Catalonia. There’s plenty of culture, history, food and beer to explore, along with museums, religious architecture and river walks. The day is mostly free.

In the late afternoon or early evening, we regroup for a pre-dinner beer tasting at a couple of creative bars. Dinner is open — but on a weeknight in Girona there are still plenty of lively options.

Overnight: Girona
Meals: B, D

Day 9 – Friday, May 15, 2026 — Train to Barcelona & Farewell Dinner (B, D)

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Girona and take the train back to Barcelona. On arrival we check into our hotel and enjoy a final free afternoon in the city — more Gaudí, more craft-beer locales, or simply a walk and a nap before dinner.

Tonight we celebrate with a farewell dinner, raising one last glass to Catalonia and its beers. A nightcap at or near the hotel is a fitting end.

Overnight: Barcelona
Meals: B, D

Day 10 – Saturday, May 16, 2026 — Departure Day (B)

Breakfast at the hotel is the final event of the trip. Depart for home or onward travels — trains, planes and extra nights in Barcelona are all easy to arrange.

Meals: B

Travel Routes & Beer Connections

We form a neat Catalan loop: Barcelona → Ales Agullons → San Lorenzo de Hortóns → Freixenet / Montserrat → Cardona → Sabadell → Girona → Costa Brava & Figueres → Girona → Barcelona. The Beer Bus handles most overland segments, giving us flexibility for scenic and beery stops, while a regional train links Girona and Barcelona efficiently. Within cities we move mainly on foot, using local transport when it makes sense.

Practical Notes

Group Size & Pace

This trip is designed for a small group that enjoys both structure and freedom. Expect a mix of walking tours, brewery and cellar visits, scenic drives and open blocks of time. Some days are fuller than others; overall the pace is meant to be engaging but not exhausting.

What’s Included

• 9 nights of accommodation in carefully chosen hotels/inns/masias.
• Private coach (Beer Bus) for listed overland segments.
• Regional train from Girona to Barcelona.
• Brewery and cava visits and tastings as described.
• Guided city walks in Barcelona and Girona.
• 9 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 5 dinners (including tapas experiences) as noted.
• BeerTrips trip leader throughout.
• All local taxes on included services.

What’s Not Included

• International flights to/from Barcelona.
• Airport transfers not specifically listed as included.
• Meals and drinks not listed as included.
• Optional activities during free time (extra museum entries, etc.).
• Travel insurance, personal expenses and tips.

Breweries, Tapas & Mobility

Barcelona, Girona and small Catalan towns all feature cobblestones, uneven pavements, stairs and some hills. Brewery, cellar and museum visits may involve standing for tastings and walking through production or historic areas. Travelers should be comfortable walking several miles over the course of a day at a relaxed pace.

If you have questions about mobility or whether this itinerary is a good fit, please contact us — we’re happy to talk through details.

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About BeerTrips

For more than 25 years, BeerTrips has crafted small-group cultural adventures woven through beer, food and history. We travel deeply, laugh often and savor every local flavor — from brewery cellars to family tables, from tiny villages to iconic cities.

*Final brewery and activity lineup and exact timing are subject to confirmation and availability. When substitutions are necessary, they will be at least as good as what they replace.