DAY 1 - April 27, THURSDAY

Arrive Barcelona, check in to our hotel and join a ‘meet and greet’, followed by a light dinner.  Overnight Barcelona - Hotel Iberostar Paseo de Gracia

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Meals: DINNER

 

DAY 2 - April 28, FRIDAY

Meet in the hotel lobby for a visit of the The Picasso Museum*. Then enjoy a walking tour of some of Barcelona’s “Old Town – Gothic Quarter”: Las Ramblas, and the Plaza Real. Lunch on your own at the Boqueria market. Afternoon guided tour of the “World Heritage Site”, Parc Guell*, designed and built by Antonio Gaudi* from 1900 to 1914. The park is the beginning of Gaudi’s organic style period; do not miss the many mosaic creations; main terrace or salamander, that he was known for. Consider Tapas for dinner, on your own, before the evening Flamenco show. 

Overnight Barcelona - Hotel Iberostar Paseo de Gracia

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* The structures created by Gaudi are influenced by his passions; architecture, nature & religion, many of his works are in a very individualized, one-of-a-kind style. He is known for his use of many different materials in the same construction and discovered new techniques of working with the materials – “Trencadis” - which was the use of waste ceramic materials. His organic period would culminate in the construction of the Sagrada Familia 

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Meals: BREAKFAST 

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DAY 3 - April 29, SATURDAY

Day excursion – Departure for El Vendrell and the Pablo Casals’ Home and Museum*, just south of Barcelona. Have a guided tour of the museum followed by lunch at the Museum’s Café. After lunch, a cello recital featuring some of Casals' favorite pieces, and time to walk on the beach. Enjoy some relaxed free time in Barcelona before dinner on your own.  Overnight Barcelona - Hotel Iberostar Paseo de Gracia

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Meals: BREAKFAST | LUNCH

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DAY 4 - April 30, SUNDAY

This is a free day or half day if you choose.  Optional Morning visit of the Parc Monjuic, Poble Espanyol and a choice between the Joan Miro Foundation or the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

 

This afternoon a visit to the beautiful Modernista style “Palace of the Catalan Music”, Palau de la Musica*  before Dinner, on your own.  Overnight Barcelona - Hotel Iberostar Paseo de Gracia

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Meals: BREAKFAST 

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DAY 5 - May 1, MONDAY

This morning visit of the Shelter 307* and “Tunnels” used during the Spanish civil war. 

 

During lunch we will have a discussion of the Spanish Civil War with the writer Nick Lloyd*.  

Guided tour of the impressive La Sagrada Familia*. 

Overnight Barcelona - Hotel Iberostar Paseo de Gracia

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* Nick Lloyd has lived in Barcelona since 1991 and first became interested in the working class history of his neighborhood of Poble Sec which eventually drew him back to Orwell and the war. Nick is the author of the book “Forgotten Places: Barcelona and the Spanish Civil War”. 

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Meals: BREAKFAST | LUNCH | DINNER

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DAY 6 -  May 2, TUESDAY

After breakfast depart Barcelona for the town of Figueres and visit the Dali Museum and Theater*. Salvador Dali who is buried beneath the stage, created the museum as a living experience – “The people who come to see it will leave with the sensation of having had a theatrical dream.”

 

Continue on to Carcassonne, the most complete walled city in the world, for dinner and the evening.

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Meals: BREAKFAST | DINNER

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DAY 7 -  May 3, WEDNESDAY

Walking tour of La Cité Médiévale de Carcassonne. With its 3 km of walls and 52 towers, from the Gallo-Romain and Medieval periods, make “la Cité” the largest fortified city in Europe.

 

Cruise and lunch on the Canal du Midi.  Continue on to beautiful Pau, “the Royal City of Henri IV”. Dinner on your own.

Dinner on your own. Overnight: Pau - Hotel La Villa Navarre 

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"Due to weather conditions in the High Pyrénées, the program outlined for the following days May, 4, 5, 6 may change and the order of certain activities may have to be switched."

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Meals: BREAKFAST |  LUNCH

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DAY 8 -  May 4, THURSDAY

For those who wish, an early morning visit of a local “boulangerie” to learn about the process used to make French bread and pastries.  Today, after picking up lunch supplies, we journey south of Pau into the High Pyrénées, exploring the well know Vallée d’Ossau, known for two mountain passes summited during the Tour de France. Once on the valley floor, we savor the small streets of the picturesque towns of Bilhères and Béost. In the afternoon we meet Ossau shepherd, Régis Carrèra, and visit his small sheep farm.  

 

Dinner will be nearby in Laruns, with an evening of shepherds singing traditional music of the magnificent Vallée d’Ossau and “Le Béarn.” 

Meals: BREAKFAST | DINNER

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DAY 9 -  May 5, FRIDAY

A morning visit of Pau’s colorful and lively central market, “Les Halles de Pau”.  Depart Pau, with market picnic in hand, for the spectacular, world renowned “Vallée d’Aspe,” and the alpine village of Lescun.  Picnic and stretch your legs on a walk at the base of the towering peaks of the “Massif de Lescun”.

 

Dinner on your own.  Overnight: Pau - Hotel La Villa Navarre 

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Meals: BREAKFAST 

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DAY 10 -  May 6, SATURDAY

A day to explore Pau or relax, if you so choose, at our hotel, the Villa Navarre, known for its’ beautiful setting.

 

Pau is a stroller’s paradise with its’ many parks and flowering gardens and the famous Boulevard des Pyrénées with its 30 mile view of lofty snow capped peaks.  Perhaps visit the Saturday local antique flea market, the Musée des Beaux-Arts which features; Degas, El Greco, Boudin, and sketches by Rubens, and the well known Maison Francis Miot, reputed to produce the best jam and candy in France, for tea and sweets. 

 

In the mid afternoon we will leave Pau for a lovely manor house with spectacular views overlooking the Jurançon wine vineyards and the Pyrénées. We will be cooking our evening meal with time to relax as well as the possibilities of walking through the vineyards and a visit of the Domain de la Souche “biological” Jurançon winery. 

Overnight: Pau - Hotel La Villa Navarre 

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Meals: BREAKFAST | DINNER

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DAY 11 -  May 7, SUNDAY

Full day touring the Basque Country. We will make our way to the town of St Palais to visit the pilgrimage museum. Then to St Jean Pied de Port for lunch, on your own.  Relaxing afternoon in St-Jean, with a short walking tour and then on to the hotel, check in and relax by the trout stream in 13th century St. Etienne de Baigorry. Dinner will be in the Hotel Arcé, sampling the wines of the Basque Country and the cuisine prepared by well known chef, Pascal Arcé, whose family has owned the hotel for generations.

Overnight: St. Etienne de Baigorry - Hotel Arcé

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Meals: BREAKFAST | DINNER

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DAY 12 -  May 8, MONDAY

Today we will have time to relax at the hotel, and explore the charming town of St. Etienne de Baigorry. Lunch is on your own.  For those who wish, there will be the opportunity to walk along a section of the Camino. Dinner near St. Jean with a presentation of Basque Music.

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Overnight: St. Etienne de Baigorry - Hotel Arcé

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Meals: BREAKFAST | DINNER

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DAY 13 -  May 9, TUESDAY

Depart St. Étienne de Baigorry for the Atlantic Coast and a visit of the quaint fishing village of St. Jean de Luz, the birth place of Ravel, on the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy a seaside lunch on your own.

 

Continuing on to Bilbao, we will stop in the city of Guernica, where we will learn of the aerial bombing by the German and Italian Air Forces, April 26, 1937, in support of Franco’s effort to destroy the Basque Nation. Picasso made this attack famous by the painting ‘Guernica’. We will stop to see the ceramic replica of the painting.

 

On arrival in Bilbao, check-in to the hotel. Dinner on your own.

Overnight: Bilbao - Hotel Miro

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Meals: BREAKFAST 

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DAY 14 -  May 10, WEDNESDAY

Morning guided tour of the Guggenheim Museum* designed by the innovative architect, Frank Gehry. The building made of glass, stone and titanium is surrounded by works such as Jeff Koons - “Puppy dressed with flowers” and the “Spider” by Louise Bourgeois.

 

Lunch on your own and afternoon free to relax and explore the city of Bilbao.

 

Farewell dinner

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Overnight: Bilbao - Hotel Miro

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Meals: BREAKFAST | DINNER

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DAY 15 -  May 11, THURSDAY

Departure from Bilbao

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Meals: BREAKFAST

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