Catalan Coastal Trails

Day 1

Riding: No riding.

Arrival in Spain (Barcelona or Girona) and transfer to your first accommodation, a typical Catalan rustic stone house dating back to the 16th century. From here you overlook green meadows and forests. The unique light transforms the surroundings into a picturesque painting. What a beautiful place to begin your holiday in Spain.

Day 2

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

After breakfast you will be introduced to your horse, then you'll groom and tack up for your first ride. This morning's ride will take you through thick oak and pine forests, leaving the village and heading towards the mountains. In a hidden valley, you will cross a small stream. Some sun rays pierce the verdant green of a tropical-looking foliage. Bamboo trees border the path, and high up you can see creepers and vines growing around the trees; you are in Spain, but the atmosphere is reminiscent of Costa Rica. The River Fluvia winds through a hilly terrain. You will ride through the lovely river valleys and discover a nice place for the first picnic lunch. In the afternoon, you will continue on trail, trotting and cantering, until you arrive at a beautiful old mill near to the river; your accommodation for the night. The South American-looking garden is a wonderful, relaxing paradise! In this romantic place, you and your well-trained four-legged friend find a unique place for the night.

Day 3

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

This morning you follow the River Fluvia as it winds its way through the country to the sea. On a small lake, a friendly Catalan named Dani welcomes the group with a glass of cava, the Catalan champagne, and a midday table prepared with love.
After lunch, you will continue following the river Fluvia. At its estuary, you will have a spectacular view of the Gulf of Roses, having arrived at the Mediterranean Sea in Spain. A palm grove leads to the cosy country house "Mas Joncar". The group will finish the day with a drink on the terrace. If you want to, you can have a refreshing bathe in the "natural stone pool" before dinner.

Day 4

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

An early start this morning. With the sunrise, you will see a kilometre-long sandy beach stretched out before you. The water splashes, the sand flies, as you and your trusty steed canter along the surf. The horses play with the waves and we try to stay dry. The canter along the beach is an unforgettable experience!

The path gently follows through the continental sand dunes and the Mediterranean pine forest up to the rugged mountain massif Montgri. On top of the cliff, you are rewarded with a fantastic view of the endless sea. Seabirds glide over the coast in the wind. With the scent of lavender, rosemary, and thyme on the air you will enjoy a delicious saddle bag picnic.

Later, after a siesta, you will descend onto the plain of the River Ter. With long canters through the river dykes you will reach again the Mediterranean Sea. You can enjoy the sunset at the beach or in the swimming pool of the hotel.

Day 5

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

Straight after breakfast the group will head back to the beach! In front of you, you'll see the protected islands of "Medes". A canter through the soft sand of the bay brings you into the rice fields of the wide plain, and up to the pine trees near the coast. You will pass the pearls of the Catalan coast: Pals, Palau-Sator and Peretallada. Old city walls surround the nestled rustic stone houses. On the patterned paving stones of the narrow streets, you can still see the grooves and ruts of the horse-drawn carts of times gone by. In this medieval atmosphere, Dolores and Luis await the group at their comfortable accommodation. In the evening, the hosts offer a delicious barbecue with meat and vegetables from the garden.

Day 6

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

The terrain today is flat and the ground is soft and sandy, perfect for long canters. At a fast pace, your well-trained horse will trot and canter to the river "El Ter". Fruit plantations alternate with grain fields and deep green poplar forests which give the group the necessary shade. On a romantic hillside, next to a small church, you will see a red-and-white tablecloth beckoning. Here, you will enjoy another, delicious picnic from Dani. After a siesta, you will ride through a softly curved, hilly landscape back to the horse farm, for your farewell dinner and overnight.

Day 7

Riding: No riding.

After breakfast you will transfer back to the airport.

Day 1

Riding: No riding.

Arrival in Barcelona or Girona and transfer to our starting point, an old mill from the 16th century. Located directly on the Fluvià River, the natural stone house with its South American-style garden is a beautiful location to start your holiday.

Day 2

Riding: 4 hours

After breakfast it is time to meet your horse, groom and tack up for the adventure ahead. You will ride along quiet, secret paths through dense holm oak and pine forests. A soothing calm surrounds - let the holiday begin! Deep in the forest you will discover tropical vegetation resembling that of a jungle. The ambience puts you in mind of Costa Rica. Near the floodplains of the Fluvià under shady trees you will enjoy a saddle bag picnic and afterwards a relaxing siesta.

In the afternoon, you will trot and canter back to the guesthouse, to refresh in the beautiful garden with a cool drink and listen to the murmur of the river.

Day 3

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

Today will be an early start. With the first sunlight, along the Catalan foothills of the Pyrenees, you will dive deep into a shade of the mixed forest. The group will enjoy some refreshment on horseback during a short break in a quaint village before continuing on until the mid-day picnic. In a forgotten valley, a small mountain stream splashes peacefully. Time for a swim! A jump into the shining pool refreshes tired limbs and afterwards the rocks heated by the Mediterranean sun will warm you up.

Back on board, you will marvel at how your Spanish horses climb steadily and with great confidence over a pass with a magnificent panoramic view of the high peaks of the Pyrenees. You will spend the night in an impressive former monastery where a guesthouse was built more than 300 years ago.

Day 4

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

Today is an exciting day. After breakfast, grooming and tacking up, you will head out to a beautiful lake for a swim. Wandering through the beautiful Mediterranean mountain landscape, you will see the cork oak forests spread a silvery, shimmering light. Soon you will reach the swimming place and a dream comes true. You will swim with the horses! After a picnic and a siesta, the group will ride to the monastery situated on a small hill. The view over the lake is magnificent.

Day 5

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

An early start again this morning, and a ride down to the "ice stream" La Muga. You will then have a break so that you can swim in the river. The extremely cold water is a welcome refreshment with the high temperatures. You will follow the cool stream at a lively pace and take a lunch break in a restaurant with views over the river, where you can enjoy some tasty Catalan delicacies.

After these culinary delights, you will continue along the course of the river. You will notice the scenery slowly start to change into an ancient cultural landscape consisting of olive trees and vineyards.

Tonight is spent in a former farmhouse within a village known for its vineyards. The tasteful furnishings and the lovely patio provide a beautiful ambience.

Day 6

Riding: 5 - 7 hours

You will appreciate your Andalusian steed's sure-footedness and mastery of the coastal mountains of Rodas as you finally watch the Pyrenees submerge into the sea. In a picturesque bay of the Wild Coast, you will reach the beach, swim in the sea and taste the salt on your skin! After a break by the sea, you will arrive at your hotel. The view of the turquoise-blue shimmering Mediterranean Sea is magnificent. You will enjoy a last evening together, with good wine, a delicious fish dish and good company!

Day 7

Riding: No riding.

After breakfast, transfer to the airports or continue to another trail.

Day 1 - Arrival

Riding: No riding.

Transfer from the airport to a little fishing village near the French border where you meet your guide and fellow riders for dinner.

Day 2 - Ride to Paradise

Riding: 3 - 7 hours

After breakfast you prepare the horses and set out to Cap de Creus. At the start of the day your horses climb safely over rocks and stones in a spectacular ascent before you dismount and continue on foot into the pirate's cove. Those who wish to jump into the sea can do - don't forget your bathing costume! Remount and ride back to the fishing village, but before reaching your hotel you stop for delicious Catalan specialities in the restaurant located in the village's old school.

Day 3 - Wild Coast and Pirates

Riding: 3 - 7 hours

The craggy peninsula descends into the Mediterranean and the sea gnaws at the cape and chews chunks out of it, creating countless rocky bays where pirates found good hideouts. Like mountain goats your horses negotiate the rocky terrain. Stop for a picnic lunch in a beautiful bay with another chance to go swimming.

Erosion caused by strong Tramontana winds has created mystical and bizarre rock formations around Cap de Creus like ornaments. Tonight you stay in Cadaques, the jewel of the Costa Brave. This white washed fishing village with its old crooked alleys is considered the most beautiful place on the wild coast. The villages seclusion led to its inhabitants having to constantly defend it from pirates and their pillaging over the centuries. In the 16th century the church of Santa Maria was ransacked by the pirate Barbarossa and completely burned down.

Day 4 - Cap de Creus

Riding: 3 - 7 hours

Ride through Cadaques and where the village ends, a wonderful, wild coastal mountain landscape begins, covered with bushes and flowers. Ancient stone walls show you the way before stopping to rest in a beautiful bay with a fine sandy beach and a chance to swim in the refreshing sea. In the afternoon, the trail twists steeply over a pass where wild flowers decorate your path and views of the Bay of Roses open up through the pines and cork oaks. Follow an old trading trail and dismount to lead the horses down through demanding terrain and onto the plain. Overnight in a small family wellness oasis with a heated whirlpool.

Day 5 - Bay of Roses

Riding: 3 - 7 hours

Silvery green olive groves dazzle from the terraced slopes as you head towards the Bay of Roses and catch sight of the castle fortress La Cuitadella to the south. This big fort was built to protect the region from pirate attacked and behind the impressive walls you can find important archaeological artefacts and the remains of the old monastery church. With luck you may spot flamingoes, storks and little egrets which are native to the wetlands you ride through.
Tonight you sleep at a cost country hotel by the seas on the edge of the Aiguamolls Nature Park. If the conditions are right then you can experience a beach ride in the soft evening light or glowing moonlight (or alternatively, the next morning).

Day 6 - Hoof prints in the sand

Riding: 3 - 7 hours

The waves wash over the fine sand and the horses are keen to pick up speed and gallop! Their hooves splash in the water and draw a fresh trail across the sand, This beach gallop on Playa Grande is a dream for all riders.

Afterwards you follow the Fluvia river into the interior and upon a hill you are served a delicious lunch with ice-cold Cava. Then ride at a brisk pace through fields and woodland to the home of your horses - your teams farm.

Day 7 - Departure

Riding: No riding.

After breakfast you are transferred to the airport for your flight home.

Day 1 - Arrival

Riding: No riding.

You will be transferred 120km north of Barcelona to a Catalan country house where you meet your guide. Over dinner he will discuss the upcoming trail and horses with you.

Day 2 - Catalan Jungle

Riding: 3 - 8 hours

Meet your horses and set off on a path which soon gets lost in a thick forest. Some branches can be low in the Catalan jungle so you may have to duck! The trail moves in loops through the hills, circling fields and leading through lovely villages built of natural stone. Crossing a river you finally reach your accommodation on the edge of a medieval village where you also have dinner.

Day 3 - Trail to the Mountains

Riding: 3 - 8 hours

Set off early! At first the flat countryside invites plenty of trots and canters before you immerse yourself in the forests of the foothills of the Catalan Pyrenees. Stop for a picnic lunch beside a peaceful mountain stream. In the afternoon your horses climb steadily and sure-footedly over a pass with magnificent panoramic views of the high peaks of the Pyrenees. Spend the night in an impressive former monastery which was converted into a guesthouse over 300 years ago.

Day 4 - Let's go to the Lake!

Riding: 3 - 8 hours

Stone and cork oaks dominate the vegetation on your ride today. The ground becomes increasingly sandy and suddenly you spot turquoise coloured water shining through the trees. The view of the lake nestled between deep green mountains is breathtaking. A delicious picnic lunch is already waiting on the sandy beach. You then cross the mountains to reach a centuries-old estate where your hosts will tell you gruesome tales of the Trabucaires over dinner.

Day 5 - In the land of outlaws

Riding: 3 - 8 hours

Today you ride deep into the wilderness of the Pyrenees. Hoofbeat by hoofbeat you approach France through a dense forest of cork and holm oak. Whilst the horses spend the night near the border, you savour a delicious outlaws feast in the restaurant of the mountain village and return to your historic Masia.

Day 6 - A journey through time and 3 castles

Riding: 3 - 8 hours

Early in the morning you cross the Spanish-French border - the rustic path to the border served as an escape route to France for bandits in the 19th century and for Catalan republicans during the Spanish Civil War. A majestic beech forest awaits you which seems like a tunnel through time. Pass a 2000 year old fort from the Roman Empire era and then a more-modern former border defence fortress. Suddenly an impressive medieval castle rises out of the forest and you stop for lunch. For the last few kilometres of the afternoon you travel back into prehistoric times, passing dolmens and menhirs, ancient burial and cult sites until reaching a charming wine-growing village. End your day with a glass of red wine!

Day 7 - Picnic by the Sea

Riding: 3 - 8 hours

Your final day of riding follows the foothills of the Pyrenees until they sink into the Mediterranean. Your horses climb higher and higher as the blue water glistens to both sides of you. At the foot of the mountains the Emporda plain opens up like the African steppe whilst behind you the Canigo massif towers at 2700m. After roaming through the mountains like outlaws, you have a panoramic picnic in a spacious bay with a view of the crystal clear sea.

Day 8 - Departure

Riding: No riding.

After breakfast you are transferred back to the airport for your flight home.