4 to 14 June, 2014

From £1,499

The region of Catalonia is an autonomous community within Spain, with the official status of a nationality. It comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. The capital and largest city is Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the centre of one of the largest metropolitan areas in Europe.

PTG TOURS | Telephone 01235 227288 | Fax 01235 424310 | www.ptg.co.uk PTG TOURS | Telephone 01235 227288 | Fax 01235 424310 | www.ptg.co.uk

It comprises the larger part of the territory of the former Principality of Catalonia, with the remainder of the historic Catalan region now part of southern France. It borders France and Andorra to the north with the Spanish regions of Aragon and the Valencian Community to the west and south respectively. The official languages are Catalan, Spanish, and Aranese (Occitan); Catalan Sign Language is also officially recognised. The Catalan government intends to hold a referendum on independence from Spain in 2014.

This tour will also serve as an introduction to the Ferrocarrils de La Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC), the railway company of the Catalan government, which owns and operates lines of FOUR different gauges including two rack railways that we will visit.

Tour Manager: Angelina

Typical Group Size: 24

ITIneRARy

Wednesday 4 June (D) Various flight departures from the Heathrow, Gatwick, Bristol, Liverpool and Newcastle to Barcelona. Our accommodation is at the AC Sants Hotel situated next to the station. Overland travel from London is also available as for the first time in history it is now possible to leave London on a morning train and to arrive in Barcelona the same day!

Thursday 5 June (B) Transfer by coach from Barcelona to Cardona to visit the Cardona Mines. The Vall Salina of Cardona, bearer of the precious wealth of the salt that has been exploited since Neolithic times, and of the potash discovered by the engineer Emilio Viader in early 1900, is the reason Cardona exists. Transfer by coach from Cardona to Manresa. We then Travel with the FGC “linia Llobregat Anoia” train from Manresa to Barcelona before returning to our hotel in Barcelona.

Friday 6 June (B,D) Travel on the Vallvidrera’s Funicular. This funicular railway is in the Vallvidrera neighborhood of Barcelona. It connects the Peu de Funicular railway station on the Metro del Vallès suburban line (funicular station Vallvidrera Inferior), near Tibidabo hill (Vallvidrera Superior), with an intermediate stop just above the line's midpoint (Carretera de les Aigües). The line was opened in 1906 and rebuilt, with new cars, in 1998. We then travel on the “el metro del vallès” to Rubí where we will visit the FGC workshops. After returning to Barcelona by train we will travel by coach for our city tour. Later we travel from Barcelona to Lleida on the AVE high-speed train. Accommodation at Catalonia Transit Hotel in Lleida.

including a collection of some twenty-eight steam locomotives, the biggest in Europe. We then transfer by coach from Vilanova to Sant Sadurni d’Anoia which is a municipality within Alt Penedès and the centre of production of the sparkling wine known as cava. It is situated at the confluence of the Avernó and Anoia rivers. We visit the Freixenet winery. We then transfer by coach from Sant Sadurni to Ribes de Freser for our overnight accommodation at the Hotel Caçadors in Ribes de Freser.

Tuesday 10 June (B,L) We visit the Rack-Railway exhibition at Ribes Vila station then travel up to the mountain resort of Vall de Núria on the rack railway covering a distance of 12.5 km and rising over 1000 metres. We will have the “Cotxe-saló” special carriage designed with luxury in mind, decorated with fine materials. The entertaining ride, in which a detailed explanation is given of principal features along the way, is accompanied with cava and pastries, turning it into a small celebration. Visit Núria at your own pace. After lunch at the restaurant Vall de Núria we have a guided tour around the Nuria Sanctuary. Accommodation at the Hotel Vall de Núria.

Wednesday 11 June (B,D) We return from Vall de Núria to Ribes de Freser again travelling on the rack railway. Then on to La Tour de Querol by the RENFE line, crossing into France, and visit the workshops at La Tour de Querol Station. It’s main claim to fame is the international railway station, Gare de Latour-de-Carol-Enveitg. This is the terminus of three lines, all with different gauges: RENFE's 1,668 mm (5 ft 5 2⁄3 in) gauge line running north from Barcelona via Ripoll; SNCF's 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) gauge line running south from Toulouse via Foix and; SNCF's 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in) gauge line (known as the Little Yellow Train) running west from Villefranche-de-Conflent. We take a ride on “Le Petit Train Jaune” to Villefranche-de-Conflent. Again expect stunning scenery. Dinner and accommodation at the Hotel l’Esquirol in Llívia

Thursday 12 June (B) Transfer by coach from Llívia to La Pobla de Lillet, home to the Artigas Gardens, a park designed by Antoni Gaudí in the

Pobla de Segua

Lleida

La Tour de Carol

Barcelona

Vintage Catalonia

Saturday 7 June (B,L,D) We travel with the FGC “Tren dels Llacs” from Lleida to La Pobla de Segur. This recreated 1960's train uses diesel locomotives 10817 and 10820 , which pull four vintage rail cars. Whilst experiencing the nostalgia of earlier times, we can enjoy the spectacular scenery. We then transfer from La Pobla de Segur to Lleida where we visit ARMF - the society and the custodian of the locomotives and coaches used on the Tren dels Llacs. It also repairs other locomotives - steam, diesel or electric - for other preservation projects. We then return from Lleida to Barcelona with the AVE.

Sunday 8 June (B) Today we take the train from Barcelona to Martorell (linia- Anoia Llobregat) where we visit the FGC’s metre gauge Workshops in Martorell. After our visit we take the regular train from Martorell to Monistrol de Montserrat. We then ride up to Montserrat with the historic panoramic rack train. “Montserrat” literally means “saw (serrated) mountain” in Catalana. It is the site of a Benedictine abbey. We visit the Montserrat Monastery taking a ride on both the Montserrat funiculars, Sant Joan and Santa Cova. These funiculars offers spectacular panoramic views of the Montserrat mountain and rise to 1,000 m above sea-level. The viewpoint offers a bird’s-eye view of the monastery as well as spectacular views of the surrounding area and the Pyrenees. We ride down from Montserrat to Monistrol with the rack train. Transfer by coach toVilanova i la Geltrú. Accommodation at the Hotel Cesar in Vilanova I la Geltrú.

Monday 9 June (B, D) Morning visit to the Vilanova Railway Museum with a chance to explore more than fifty-two vehicles on display,

24 25

1900s. We take a ride on the narrow-gauge “ El Tren del Ciment “ from La Pobla de Llillet to Clot del Moro in Castellar de n’Hug. Officially called El Ferrocarril Turístic de l'Alt Llobregat it was built by Compañia General de Asfaltos y Portalnd Asland for transporting cement from the factory Clot del Moro. We visit the Artigas Gardens, the Industrial Railways Museum and the Cement Museum. Transfer by coach from La Pobla de Lillet to Granollers for our train ride to Figueres (Catalan for fig trees). Accommodation at Hotel Duran in Figueres.

Friday 13 June (B,D) Train ride from Figueres to Portbou on the Costa Brava. This is a regular train with exceptional views of the sea and the Pyrenees. On arrival in Portbou we take a guided tour of the railway station and possibly visit the memorial to Walter Benjamin.

Portbou is a border railway station where all trains have to stop, as those coming from/ going into France have to change gauge from Iberian gauge 1668 mm (5 ft 5 2⁄3) into Standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in). Visit the Dali theatre museum: This contains the broadest range of works spanning the artistic career of Salvador Dalí (1904-1989), from his earliest artistic experiences and his surrealist creations down to the works of the last years of his life.

Saturday 14 June (B) Transfer by coach from Hotel in Figueres to Barcelona airport or to the Figueres AVE Station for our rail travel home via Paris. Option to stay on for extra nights in Barcelona.

HOLIdAy PRICeS (PeR PeRSOn)

• Full 11 day holiday from Gatwick, Bristol or Liverpool: £1,699 • Own travel to/from Barcelona: £1,499

Options • Single room supplement: add £330 • London Heathrow: Supplement might apply TBA at time of booking "No fly" from St Pancras: price on request

deposit • £400

Price includes • Travel and activities as outlined in the itinerary • Good quality ensuite hotel accommodation with breakfast Other meals as listed in the itinerary L=Lunch, D=Dinner • Services of our Tour Manager (holiday is fully escorted from Barcelona)

Recommended Flights • BA2710 13.05 London Gatwick to Barcelona • BA2709 14.55 Barcelona to London Gatwick • EZ7203 07.05 Liverpool to Barcelona • EZ7204 11.00 Barcelona to Liverpool • EZ6025 10.35 Bristol to Barcelona • EZ6026 14.15 Barcelona to Bristol • EZ6401 09.50 Newcastle to Barcelona (return on Friday or Sunday)

CULTURe

nO FLyOPTIOnSee PAneL