Barcelona

The Original Girona & Costa Brava Small Group Tour + Hotel Pickup

Badge of ExcellenceBarcelona, Spain

Girona and Costa Brava Small Group Day Trip from Barcelona

From $104.29

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

10 hours 30 minutes
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

Discover the coastal splendor of the Costa Brava region on a full-day trip to Girona and Calella de Palafrugell from Barcelona. Travel through the scenic Catalan countryside, and discover the atmospheric streets of Girona’s medieval Old Town. Admire the flagrant fortresses of Pals, absorb the seaside charm of rural fishing village, Calella de Palafrugell, and admire the dramatic landscapes of Begur, the former home of an ancient castle. Receive personalized attention from your guide on this small-group tour.

Girona and Costa Brava tour from Barcelona
Visit the rural fishing village, Calella de Palafrugell
Relax on the beach or go for a swim
Transport by air-conditioned coach

What's Included

Local guide
Small group tour
Air-conditioned vehicle
Optional Hotel Pick Up

Gratuities
Food and drinks

Meeting and Pickup

You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup

Meeting point

Explore Catalunya
C/ Palau de la Música, 1, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
THE PICK UP WILL COLLECT YO8 AT 7.45AM. IF YOU ARE BUYING THE HOTEL PICK UP OPTION, PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHOOSE THE HOTEL. IF YOU DON'T KNOW YET, REMEMBER TO TELL US 72 HOURS BEFORE. All of our other tours meet at our office. We advise that you arrive 15 minutes before the tour starts.

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

08:30 AM

End point

Palau de la Música Catalana
C/ Palau de la Música, 4-6, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Depending on the size of the group and the traffic restrictions on the day of the tour, your tour will finish back at the office, or at the Arc de Triomf, which is an easy 10 minute walk from our main office.

Pickup details

If you choose the Hotel Pickup Service, we are pleased to inform you that this is a personalised pick up service. We will contact you before the tour to confirm the pick up time. Normally, the pickup will be at 7.45am from your hotel reception. Unlike some agencies, we do not go from one hotel to the next during rush hour while you wait in the minivan as we collect our customers. Personal service guaranteed.

What To Expect

Climb aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle at a centrally located pickup point in Barcelona, and admire the picturesque Catalan countryside as you travel toward your fist stop, the ancient city of Girona. Listen as your guide regales you with tales dating back to Girona’s 76 BC origin, and then embark on a tour of the medieval metropolis’ rich architectural tableau.

During some leisurely free time, see the great Cathedral, founded in 1038 on the site of a former Mosque, admire the spectacular Roman walls that defended the city from attackers, or travel back in time at one of Girona’s comprehensive museums.

Return to the vehicle and then head to Pals, a small city that grew from the foreboding fortress at its center. Continue to the charming fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell, and gaze at the dramatic hillside scenery as you travel past Begur, site of ancient castle ruins.

On arrival in Calella de Palafrugell, relish the picturesque tableau of whitewashed houses and pristine sandy beaches, and set off to explore the rugged coastline. Sink your toes into the soft sands of the beach, take a dip in the refreshing waters of the ocean, or absorb the botanical beauty of the cliff top gardens at Cap Roig.

Reconvene with your guide and group at a prearranged time, and relax during the journey back to Barcelona, where your tour concludes.

Palace of Catalan Music

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Eixample (Pass By)

Pals

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Calella de Palafrugell

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Girona

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

Plaza de Catalunya (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
There will be time off the bus at your leisure, so please bring suitable clothing, footwear, and sun protection.
You will also have an opportunity to go swimming at Calella de Palafrugell, so if you want, bring your swimming costume and a beach towel.
Not wheelchair accessible
This tour is in English only.
Stroller accessible

Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Infant seats available
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Kristy_F

Highly recommend this tour if you want to get out of Barcelona city. We had Cam as our tour guide and he was great! Was about 20 people all up on tour and he interacted well with us all and was very informative. First stop was a village called Pals then we went to Costa Brava for lunch and a swim with 2 hours free time, such a gorgeous little beachside town. The tour ended at Girona. The tour starts at 8.30am and you get back around 7pm so it’s a big day with about 1.5 hours travel each way but it is well worth it. All stops were beautiful and I’m so glad we did it!

Reviews

4.5

1,020 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 1,020 reviews

Fantastic Tour of the Costa Brava

PETER_C, May 2024

Our group from Canada had a fantastic day travelling with our guide Judit and our driver Tony. They were extremely professional with a great sense of humour. They made our visit to each destination informative and enjoyable. We can't wait to come back and spend more time in Girona. It is a beautiful city. The tour was a great value for our group. I would recommend this tour to anyone who would like to explore the Costa Brava. PLC Sports Travel Canada

Highly recommended

YuenShe_C, May 2024

Martha was very energetic in guiding the tour and was knowledgeable and passionate about the information she shared with us. She was also very ready with advice and recommendations on places to visit. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour.

The weather was...

ANTOINETTE_C, May 2024

The weather was beautiful, the trip was not hurried and had enough time to explore each location. The guide was knowledgeable in the history of the region. The pickup and drop off was really bad. We walked a distance in the rain to get to the bus and was dropped off in the pouring rain in an area where there was no shelter and not anywhere near a taxi stand. Horrible beginning and end. But the trip itself was awesome

A must see!

Sandra_S, Apr 2024

Girona and Costa Brava, two of my favorite cities so far. Alex was very knowledgeable and accommodating. We could have used a little more time to explore on our own.

Beautiful sights, incredible history, culture and architecture all in one day!

Martin_C, Apr 2024

Enrique was a wonderful guide for a tour of 2 wonderful areas in the Barcelona area. It was a little bit of a drive, but Enrique used the travel time to share his abundance of knowledge about Barcelona, Costa Brava and Girona, and other areas of Spain so it didn't seem very long at all! We felt, and our friends agreed, that these were some of the most beautiful sights we were fortunate to experience during our visit to Barcelona! The only negative thing , and it is minor, was that it would have been nice to know that the hotel pick up was a cab-we were looking for a van or bus outside our hotel and the taxi driver that was sitting right in front of us never got out of his car to let us know that he was there for us. It all worked out in the end obviously :)

Amazing experience

Ramon_R, Jan 2024

Sergio was amazing very informative and kind he showed us some amazing things. My favorite were the Game of Thrones locations. We went to a nice seaside restaurant. I would definitely recommend this tour.

Fabulous trip

Bob_S, Dec 2023

Nu was fabulous. She was knowledgeable of the area and the sight we visited. She was professional, kind and considerate.

Lovely experience, worth a visit

Susheel_H, Dec 2023

It was a good experience. A good tour guide makes all the difference. Xavier our tour guide was very good, patient & knowledgeable. Keep in mind you get: 1 hour at Girona Cathedral ( can't miss) 1 hour at Pals Village ( must visit) 2 hours at Costa Brava Beach ( beautiful)

Great cities, not enough time in Girona.

Scott_S, Nov 2023

I really don't want to write a negative review. Our tour guide was excellent BUT an hour in Girona, then Pals and Costa Brava is too brief. Originally, I booked the Game of Thrones tour in Girona and it was cancelled. That tour is half a day which even if I did it, that isn't enough time to enjoy Girona. There's a lot to explore in Girona - the Eiffel bridge, the Arab baths, cathedrals, and the cafes are tempting but not enough time for a meal. I would offer a full-day experience in Girona.

Seasonal -summer fun option

niki_c, Nov 2023

Coast was pretty but most places were closed down for the season. Also one of the other stops very few shops were open and was like a whirlwind visit. Feel like we should have been told the coastal towns close for season. Also was more of a taxi van and felt crammed for a full day tour. Our tour guide was also our driver and was a bit aggressive on the road. Was a bit of a scary ride and not as enjoyable.

Lots of walking

annsockriter, Nov 2023

We loved Girona. We however felt that all and all there was a lot of extra walking . We wish the bus could of dropped us closer to the different sights. The walk back uphill to the bus was ridiculous. The beach was more seated for enjoying the restaurants not swimming.

Not to be missed small group Girona-Costa Brava tour

NimiaC_P, Oct 2023

Jordy, our guide, conducted the tour admirably. We had ample time in Girona and Costa Brava. Pals was a welcome surprise addition to the tour. I believe we got our money’s worth on this small group tour.

Not enough time in Girona, too much time in Costa Brava

skowbel, Oct 2023

We had a great tour guide (Carlos), but the location times make it difficult to give a recommend for this tour. Each place visited was beautiful! But there was not enough time in Girona and too much time in Costa Brava. There was way more to do in Girona - more shopping available and more to see than in Costa Brava, but way more time was spent in Costa Brava. Maybe if Girona want as busy as it is, there would have been enough time, but felt super rushed and didn't get to visit any of the shops because of it.

Good tour but transportation poor.

Timothy_T, Oct 2023

Costa Brava was the highlight. Girona nice but a bit touristy. Main complaint was the bus. Not very comfortable in the first place and 20 people crammed in. 4 people had to sit in the back on each leg and they were very uncomfortable. My wife had to sit there twice. Seems like everyone should at least have the same type of seating. Tour guide could have used the jump seat to help but he didn’t.

Great day out

Sonia_T, Oct 2023

A fantastic tour with a great guide (Marc) who shared his wealth of knowledge and made the trip fun - even when the tour bus broke down he had a smile on his face - these things happen right? Was great to get out of busy Barcelona and see the countryside. Girona was so much better than we expected, a swim in the ocean at Costa Brava, a superb lunch and met new people - what's not to love!

Could be a good tour with a different guide.

joanne8114, Oct 2023

I wanted to love this tour, but had several issues with it. I don't know if it was our guide or the timing of the tour from the tour company itself but our guide literally did not stop talking. There was no rest time on the bus, it was constant overload of chatter. Once in Girona, our first stop, he told us that we would have 2 hours free time. We wanted to explore the wall around the city, but the guide then spoke for 55 additional minutes, leaving us only 1 hour to explore. We attempted to find the wall but after 10 minutes gave up. We sat in the main part of town, which had many cafes and shops open. Sadly we did not have enough time to explore. Next stop was Pals, which was absolutely beautiful. Again we were told we would have and hour free time but the guide then spoke for 30 minutes leaving us only 30 minutes free time. Next was Palafrugell. At that point he noted that he had secured a place for lunch for us, however due to the fact that it was not mentioned before, we had already grabbed a bite. This time he left us 2.5 hours free time, however except for a few restaurants everything was closed for the season. (we went in October) and we were completely bored. You could have brought a bathing suit and towel but no one in our group did. Another thing the guide did was quiz us on what we thought was happening. Example, who lives in this neighborhood. Here's city hall, guess what's missing. Literally on and on. On the long almost 2 hour bus ride home he talked about music styles And described every ingredient in every tapas offered in Barcelona. This would be a good tour if the times were switched. More time in Girona, less in Palafrugell, especially in the off season. Perhaps if there was a guide that talked less and allowed for relaxation on the bus ride.

Lovely

pinksuit, Oct 2023

The lovely sea and sights were refreshing. Perhaps better location for getting to the bus for departure and transportation arrangements would have merited a higher rating. A bit expensive for no drink or refreshment.

An eventful and exciting day trip with Nuria!

Aleeya, Oct 2023

My mom and I went on this day trip and we had such a wonderful time! We enjoyed the size of the group which made it easier for us to chat with others in the group and our guide Nuria. Nuria was so knowledgeable and delightful! She provided a lot of background and history on the stops as well as things we passed along the way. She also reserved us a table at our last stop for seafood right by the water. We only wished we spent a bit more time in each stop. This is a trip my mom and I will always remember and treasure!

Spectacular beauty meets amazing history

Maria_M, Sep 2023

Thinking this tour was going to be a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it proved to be a day filled with beauty, history, amazement and awe. Girona is a true gem and Camillo brought it to full life with superb knowledge and humour. An added bonus was his passion for Game of Thrones and how Girona fit into its spectacular scenes. As for Costa Brava ...there are no words that could justify its beauty. It should not be missed.

Disappointment

Stefanie_S, Sep 2023

The pick up from hotel was a taxi, we were not informed. How expensive we were charged for the hotel pick up service! We could’ve taken our own taxi to the office! Rip off big time! We were expecting the tour coach to pick us on the way and proceed with the tour. That would save time and I’ll willingly pay for that kind of service. A lot of wasted time doing registration at the office. Surely there’s a way to gather people and do registration on the coach. Barely an hour in Girona. Impossible to do anything at all! Pals was a short stop but unnecessary. Time at the beach was too long, could’ve balanced out with the time in Girona. Bad planning for this tour. The guide is average. Left a bad taste in the mouth, absolute disappointment. Totally a waste of money!!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello, I am sorry you did not like the EcoTaxi we sent to collect you. We feel that collecting all the customers one after another in the morning would take so long, that it is much better to have you brought to the office. You would have been very upset to have wasted an hour or more being driven around town during rush hour collecting more and more passengers. You complained about the time spent at each place, but please remember that this is a Girona AND Costa Brava tour. We spend more than two hours in Girona, not just one as you say. We have about one hour in the really pretty medieval village of Pals and more than two hours on the Costa Brava, which includes a lovey fishing village, and stunning coastal views. The beach is optional. I am so sorry you did not enjoy the day. Regards, Robert

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