Grand Tour of Catalonia, Section 1: Barcelona to Tarragona Road Trip
Six days from Barcelona to Roman Tarragona: Gaudí and Picasso, a night on Montserrat, Cava cellars in the Penedès, Sitges by the sea and the Cistercian monastery of Santes Creus. A tailor-made self-drive at your own pace.
Route overview
Section 1 of the Grand Tour is a crash course in everything that makes Catalonia special. You start with two days of art and architecture in Barcelona, sleep on the holy mountain of Montserrat, follow dry-stone wine country through Bages, taste Cava where it is made, and finish in Tarragona, the Roman capital of the region.
It works as a week on its own, or as the start of a longer road trip. The stages are short, roads are good, and we’ll book the visits that need booking — like the Montserrat lodgings and the Penedès tastings — so the days flow.
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- Cardona and the Salt Mountain — guided tours of the castle and the old salt mine, 86 metres below ground.
- La Segarra, land of castles — a gentle drive along the castles of the River Sió, and Cervera’s historic centre.
- Calafell’s Iberian citadel — a reconstructed 6th-century BC settlement you can walk through.
- Valls in calçot season — from November to April, roast spring onions dipped in romesco sauce, and the human towers (castells).
- Barcelona’s festivals — time your city days with Sónar, Primavera Sound or the Grec summer festival.
Keep going: All five sections · Section 2: Tarragona to Lleida →
This itinerary follows Section 1 of the official Grand Tour of Catalonia route, created by the Catalan Tourist Board. We tailor it to your dates, pace and budget.
Trip highlights
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Barcelona's art and architecture
Picasso's old streets, the Gothic Quarter and the Eixample's modernist houses.
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A night on Montserrat
sleep beside the monastery and walk the mountain paths before the day visitors arrive.
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Cava country
the Penedès vineyards, a Cava interpretation centre in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia and a tasting with a view.
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Sitges and the sea
a whitewashed old town, the Maricel Museum and a glass of local malvasia.
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Pau Casals's house by the beach
the cellist's summer home in Sant Salvador, now a museum.
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Santes Creus and Tarragona
a Cistercian monastery with royal tombs, then Roman walls and the cathedral.
Your route
Day-by-day itinerary
7 days from Barcelona, Spain to Tarragona, Spain
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Day 1 Barcelona, city of art
Start with the view from a rooftop terrace, then explore the city at bike pace. Follow young Picasso through the old town — his school, Carrer Avinyó and the café where he held his first solo exhibition — and finish at the Picasso Museum in El Born. In the evening, a walk through the Gothic Quarter, Santa Maria del Pi and the quiet square of Sant Felip Neri. Try: a tasting of Catalan wines and a tapas crawl in El Born.
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Day 2 Modernism to Montserrat (64 km)
A guided walk through the Eixample's grid of modernist buildings — La Pedrera, Casa Batlló, Casa Amatller — then up to Montjuïc for the views. Drive to Gaudí's Crypt at Colònia Güell, stop in Terrassa for its industrial modernism, and take the rack railway from Monistrol up to Montserrat. Stay the night beside the monastery. Try: mató, the fresh local cheese, with honey.
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Day 3 Montserrat to Solsona (79 km)
Walk the mountain paths at sunrise, when the rock pinnacles glow red, and if you can, hear the Escolania boys' choir in the basilica. Ride the cable car down, cross the Sant Llorenç del Munt natural park and stop at Mura, a medieval village, and the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages. Overnight in a farmhouse near Solsona. Try: a lunch built around local produce at Sant Benet.
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Day 4 Solsona to the Penedès (151 km)
Morning mist over the Llosa del Cavall reservoir — rent a kayak if the water calls — then a guided walk round Solsona's baroque old town and its giants. Head south past Cardona's castle and salt mountain, and into the Penedès vineyards. In Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, learn how Cava is made and end with a tasting. Try: a vertical tasting in one of the historic cellars.
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Day 5 Vineyards by the sea (74 km)
Vilafranca del Penedès and its wine museum, then a wine-and-cheese pairing at a local estate. Drive the wine road past the hilltop fort of Olèrdola to Sitges for lunch and a wander. Continue to Sant Salvador, where cellist Pau Casals had his summer house — now a museum — on the beach. Try: catànies, caramelised chocolate almonds, and Sitges's sweet malvasia.
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Day 6 Santes Creus to Tarragona (84 km)
The Cistercian monastery of Santes Creus, with its royal tombs and stained glass, then a gentle walk through vineyards around Cabra del Camp. Take country roads to Josep Maria Jujol's sanctuary at Montferri and the seaside village of Altafulla, before arriving in Tarragona for a guided visit to the cathedral and the Roman old town. Try: fish fresh from the Tarragona market.
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Day 7 Depart or continue
Drop the car in Tarragona or Barcelona, or carry straight on into Section 2 towards the Ebro Delta.
Where you stay
- Barcelona Boutique city hotel near the Gothic Quarter or the Eixample
- Montserrat Hotel beside the monastery on the mountain
- Solsona Restored farmhouse in the Vall de Lord
- Sant Sadurní d'Anoia Wine-estate or country hotel in the Penedès
- Sant Salvador Seaside hotel on the Costa Daurada
- Tarragona Hotel in or near the old town (Part Alta)
What's included
Included
- 6 nights in hand-picked hotels, rural inns and character stays, with breakfast, chosen around your budget and style.
- Car hire for the whole section, collected and dropped off where it suits the route (one-way rentals can carry a drop-off fee, which we include in your quote).
- A day-by-day route with driving times, our suggested stops and the places worth booking ahead.
- Pre-booked experiences on request, such as guided visits, tastings and activities mentioned in the itinerary.
- Flights from the UK on request when international flights are included, ATOL Protection is included.
- Support from your Travel Designer before you go and a UK phone line while you travel.
Not included
- Fuel, motorway tolls and parking.
- Catalonia's tourist tax, charged per person per night and paid at each hotel (the rate depends on the hotel category and is higher in Barcelona).
- Lunches and dinners unless listed, and entrance fees for sights you choose on the day.
- Travel insurance (we strongly recommend a policy that covers driving abroad).
This trip might not be for you if…
Honest disclaimer — please read
- You only want a beach holiday — this section mixes city, mountain, vineyards and coast.
- You'd rather not drive in or out of a big city — we can start you outside Barcelona and add the city at the end instead.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
How do I book this road trip?
Tap any "Enquire" button and a Travel Designer will be in touch within 24 hours (often the same day). Tell us your dates, how many nights you would like and the style of hotel, and we will build the trip and quote it. Nothing is booked until you confirm.
What financial protection do I get?
Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). When international flights are included, ATOL Protection is included.
Can I skip the car in Barcelona?
Yes, and we recommend it. Spend Day 1 on foot and by metro, and collect the car on the morning of Day 2.
How long are the driving days?
Most stages are 60–85 km; the longest, Solsona to the Penedès, is about 150 km with plenty of places to stop.
Do I have to drive every day?
No. The stages are a guide, not a timetable. We can add rest days, cut a long day in two, or base you in one place for two nights so you can explore without packing up.
Can I book a private driver-guide instead of self-drive?
Yes, a private driver-guide is available on request for any section, or just for the mountain or city days.
Can I combine this with another section?
Yes. The five sections join up into one loop, so you can do two back to back, or all five over about a month. See the Grand Tour of Catalonia page.
This is a suggested route — talk to us and we'll shape it around you.
The itinerary above is an example we like for solo travellers. Want to spend longer on one island? Swap a hotel? Add a stop in Chiang Mai? We have tried-and-tested hotels across all four destinations we can firsthand recommend, and we'll re-quote your trip with your dates, your group size and your priorities. Talk to us — that's what we do.
Talk to a Travel Designer