Costa Brava & Medieval Village Tour with Lunch
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Barcelona, Spain
- 10 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Venture East from Barcelona to Spain’s Costa Brava, and spend the day discovering one of Europe’s prettiest shorelines. Journey along the coast to this famous seaside stretch, known for its rugged cliffs and pine groves, and stop near the lively resort of Blanes. Sunbathe or swim in a tucked-away sandy cove, or choose to stroll through the cliff-edge Marimurtra Botanical Gardens. After a tasty 3-course lunch at a traditional restaurant, enjoy free time to explore, shop, or relax in the charming town of Tossa de Mar.
- Soak up views of pine-topped cliffs and rugged headlands on one of Europe’s most scenic coastlines
- Relax at a sandy cove or stroll through the cliffside Marimurtra Botanical Gardens
- Get free time to explore picturesque Tossa de Mar on your own
- Small-group tour ensures a more personalized experience
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
This tour removes the hassle of travel planning, but also lets you independently explore during free time.
What's Included
- Local guide
- Lunch with a glass of sangria, wine or beer or a soda or mineral water
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Gratuities
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Explore CatalunyaC/ Palau de la Música, 1, Ciutat Vella, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
All of our tours meet at our office, which is directly across from the outside cafe area of the Palau de la Musica. We advise that you arrive 15 minutes before the tour starts.
End point
- Plaça de Catalunya, L'Eixample, 08002 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 in Plaça Catalunya, which is an easy 3-5 minute walk from the office.
Operating hours.8:30 am
Itinerary
Set off from Barcelona on a small-group tour, enjoying the benefit of a more personalized experience than an overcrowded sightseeing bus.
The journey heads east towards Costa Brava and the peaceful cove of Cala de Sant Francesc. Here, you have the flexibility to choose to lounge on the sandy beach or swim in the clear waters. You can also choose to join a guided walk in the Marimurtra Botanical Gardens.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, lunch at a local restaurant is included, followed by a visit to the Castle of Sant Joan to take in the views over Blanes.
The day culminates in Tossa de Mar, the site of the region's well-preserved medieval fortified town. Wander up to the lighthouse for sweeping coastal views, then stroll through the old town's streets and white houses. After exploring Tossa de Mar, the tour concludes with a return drive to Barcelona.
The journey heads east towards Costa Brava and the peaceful cove of Cala de Sant Francesc. Here, you have the flexibility to choose to lounge on the sandy beach or swim in the clear waters. You can also choose to join a guided walk in the Marimurtra Botanical Gardens.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, lunch at a local restaurant is included, followed by a visit to the Castle of Sant Joan to take in the views over Blanes.
The day culminates in Tossa de Mar, the site of the region's well-preserved medieval fortified town. Wander up to the lighthouse for sweeping coastal views, then stroll through the old town's streets and white houses. After exploring Tossa de Mar, the tour concludes with a return drive to Barcelona.
1
Palace of Catalan Music
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Eixample (Pass By)
2
Cala de Sant Francesc
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Jardi Botanic Marimurtra
2 hours • Admission Ticket Included
4
Blanes
2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Tossa de Mar
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Plaza de Catalunya (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please bring you bathing suit and towel if you plan to visit the cove in Blanes
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This tour operates in English only
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Erica_H
It was a lot of walking; wear shoes, and bring sunscreen. The gardens were beautiful if you are in to plants, but the views were better. Our guide, Alex, was great! And so was our driver David. I would do another tour with Alex in a heartbeat!
Reviews
4.8
based on 552 reviews
Lisa_H, Apr 2026
Not the best tour we took. Too much free time at the garden/beach at the first stop. The guide did not count heads when we left from the first stop and 2 people were left behind (we did go back and get them). The lunch was huge in quantity but lacking in quality. The afternoon stop, however, made the day worthwhile. It was worth the day spent.
lexyp22, Apr 2026
My husband and I really enjoyed this day trip to costa brava. Alex was our tour guide and he was incredible - hilarious, friendly, helpful, and teaching us about Catalan culture and the history of costa brava. The bus we traveled in was very comfortable and the itinerary of the day was perfectly spaced out. If you’re looking for an unforgettable day trip from Barcelona or a beach experience that blows Barceloneta out of the water, I highly recommend this tour. The two main areas we visited - Blanes and Tossa de Mar - we’re honestly the most beautiful beaches/coastal towns I have ever been to.
Erica_H, Apr 2026
It was a lot of walking; wear shoes, and bring sunscreen. The gardens were beautiful if you are in to plants, but the views were better. Our guide, Alex, was great! And so was our driver David. I would do another tour with Alex in a heartbeat!
John_H, Apr 2026
With a good guide this is a very good day tour. Our guide Alex was excellent and was very knowledgeable over the course of the day. He communicated well with the group and brought just thr right amount of humour.
Maria_G, Apr 2026
Pablo our tour was fantastic, humorous and super nice. Told us a lot of information of the places we were going to visit and made our bus ride fun and energetic.
Robert_F, Mar 2026
Guide was very informative and personable and the lunch was excellent. Overall an enjoyable day. Unfortunately, due to heavy rain the itinerary was modified which is obviously not the fault of the company.
Ming_K, Feb 2026
Amazing tour, great scenery and delicious food. Our tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating.
Kristin_G, Feb 2026
We were very much looking forward to this tour, but it was canceled the day before. We were extremely disappointed. Fortunately we were able to book the same tour through another company and had a lovely day. We couldn’t believe that we almost missed out on the opportunity to do this tour because this company canceled and did not help us to reschedule. I will not use Viator again!
Jeanette_Y, Jan 2026
The scenery was beautiful and relaxing. I live getting to know more about Costa Brava and Catalan culture. It was winter, so not much tourists in the areas we visited.
Michael_N, Dec 2025
Nuria was our extraordinary guide and driver for the day, and navigated the perfect itinerary. She began be explaining some interesting historical facts about the city as we exited through the Eixample district. After an informative hour that passed very quickly, we arrived in the costal town of Blanes, and began with a stunning panoramic photo opp, then proceeded to the town and had the perfect amount of free time to explore the main street and the beach with its small farmer's market. We then visited the Marimurtra Botanical Gardens, a spectacular experience. Nuria gave us an orientation of the grounds, then we had ample free time to explore the wonder. We then went to a charming (an understatement) restaurant, Pruna, in Tordera. The "farmhouse" lunch was both tasty and satisfying. As Nuria had pre-ordered our meals (from a very extensive list of menu choices) we were served three courses shortly after being seated. Great time management! Our final stop was the amazing coastal town of Tossa de Mar with its gorgeous beaches and hillside fortification. Nuria walked us through the fortification, then allowed us an hour of free time to explore it in detail, as well as walk the main shopping streets before our return drive to the city. Thank you, Robert and Explore Catalunya for another terrific excursion with a superb guide!
Cheryl_R, Dec 2025
Its an all day tour but it is broken up so very easy. We loved that we were free to roam and enjoy. Highly recommend it.
Brooke_A, Nov 2025
Our tour guide was wonderful! He asked what we were interested in (art, history, architecture, etc) and gave us a mixture based on what the group liked. We had also a child on our tour, and the guide was wonderful with her!
Jeannine_A, Nov 2025
We went on this tour in mid November and it was chilly for this type of activity and many of the beach town shops were closed. We did enjoy the beautiful views and our guide was great.
Patricia_C, Nov 2025
Excellent trip! Our tour guide, Rod, was very friendly, talkative and knowledgeable.
We visited a Botanical garden with fantastic views of the coast. We had lunch in a restaurant which was a former farmhouse. Food was plentiful and delicious! We visited a medieval village by the sea. Well preserved and beautiful spot! All in all a great day! Highly recommend.
Kim_M, Nov 2025
A wonderful day trip from Barcelona to a beautiful area of Spain. Our guide Nuria and driver Lydia were knowledgeable and always making sure we were understanding the information about the locations as well as ample free time to wander.
Ellen_M, Nov 2025
It was a lovely trip. Our guide, Nu and driver, Nadia were wonderful. Only issues...2 hours at the botanical garden was too long and being post season, most shops and such were closed. Still, a beautiful area!
Thomas_P, Oct 2025
This tour was a let down right from the start. Nothing was real bad, except for the lunch and all of the flies at lunch....more later on that. The tour just seemed to be unorganized. And a lot more of a self-walk tour than anything else. We had to walk to the bontanical garden, walk thru the gardens, then walk back to either the beach or town. Our guide did share some information about the Medieval city when we went there...but that was all of 15 minutes. Then it was another self walk tour.
On to the lunch deal..... Talk about unorganized!! We were given the menu via text, with no explanation about the menu items to know what it was that you could order or about how the items were being served (the ones that stated "2 or more people"). It seemed that 2 or more people in our group needed to order that item (paella dishes) and we would share them. When in fact it was the whole group sharing for these items. So if the paella you ordered was at the other end of the table, you had to go there and reach between people to serve some. And people were reaching in between you to get their food. The seating arrangement was terrible. Up against a corner with one side of the table tight against a wall in a row with no way for anyone besides the end person to get out without having to have everyone else also get up. And the flies were everywhere.....and soo many of them .... So many that they were flying into your eyes, hair, ears ...we were constantly swatting at them .. and they were all over the food. It was absolutely disgusting. It was honestly the worst tasting food that we had during our whole trip to Spain.
Overall just a disappointment.
Marie_C, Oct 2025
The visit to Costa Brava was very beautiful. My cousin and I chose the Botanical Garden option. We traveled in mid October and would be a little chilly for me to swim in the Mediterranean. The Garden was very pretty but not many flowers, more lush leafy species, cactus, succulents and such. The time of year depends on what is growing I would assume. The lunch was OUTSTANDING. So much food, many choices, and delicious. Tossa del Mar is a very nice beach town. The castle and village inside were so interesting and nice to explore. The cliffs and beaches that can be seen on the other side of the castle were just lovely. There is also shopping in the beach town and many places to eat. You won't need to though, the lunch was very adequate. Giam, our tour guide was friendly and a great guide. The only negative for me is that it is a long day. I wouldn't let that deter you from the experience though. Wonderful day all around.
Rebecca_M, Oct 2025
This was an amazing tour! Our guide was knowledgeable and welcoming and did a fantastic job! Tossa Del Mar is absolutely beautiful!
Linda_B, Oct 2025
This tour was incredible. The botanical gardens are beautiful and the beach and old fort were so much fun to explore. Our tour guide Berta was very informative and a joy to have as our guide.
Tyler_L, Oct 2025
Very informative tour without being information overload. Xavi, our guide, took us through a beautiful botanical gardens. Showed us the way to some of the best views you’ll ever see and touched on some of the history. He also made it very clear that if you wanted to break off and do your own thing you are more than welcome to do so. (I would advise against it, you will miss some things)
Carol_D, Oct 2025
Great trip with alex and driver jonathan. Food was surprisingly delicious and views were amazing. We really enjoyed it.
Howard_N, Sep 2025
Xavi was a great guide and answered every question asked. He was so so polite and went above and beyond to make the experience awesome!The beaches are great but need a towel. Tossa Del Mar had more than just the beach like the Castle and the old town shopping.
ambrose1732rocketmai, Sep 2025
It was great fun. Easy peasy to find the meet up point by the Musea de Música. There is a lot of walking so if you are not super mobile you might select something else. Carma was fantastic and it was nice to listen to her perspective about the Catalan people. It really is a different experience to be swimming in the water in front of a castle wall from the 11th century.
Ethan_W, Aug 2025
Nuria was the best guide!! She went above and beyond to make the tour a memorable experience, providing us with knowledge and laughs along the way. 10/10 would book another tour with her. And the food at the local restaurant was fantastic!!! Even accommodating for dietary restrictions.
Jennifer_R, Aug 2025
This was a really fun experience and we were able to get to two beautiful beaches! We had a fun, quirky guide on the bus and then free time when you got to the destinations. If you are looking for a fully guided tour, this isn’t for you. It is on your own but a great way to get to two different destinations near Barcelona on a day trip. We loved it! The views from the cliffs are priceless and the castle was really neat to walk through. Bring sand shoes in the summer! The beach is pebbled and hot!!
Scott_O, Aug 2025
This excursion is a MUST. Trust me guys. I was nervous but it exceeded my expectations. The botanical gardens were so dreamy. And the beach was so beautiful!!!! Seriously stunning. We were here late July. Water was perfect. The old town of Tossa de mar was so picture perfect straight from a story book. Hands down a great experience! Oh, and the lunch provided was soooo good! I got the fresh melons for appetizer and the BBQ for main course. Sooo yummy! And it was so neat to be on an old family farm. 10/10 would recommend this trip! And Nu was our tour guide. She was so amazing!!!! 20 stars to Nu!
Celeste_S, Jul 2025
Located just around the corner from the Palau de la musica. The staff at checkin told us if we needed any snacks were a small market was before boarding a minibus. We took that to a larger bus. Our guide Marc was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We stopped and Blane’s botanical gardens which were amazingly still lush and flowering in August’s 40c heat. When visiting the beach below, it’s very small and crowded. I warned some girls of the person beside me who wasn’t very nice considering these facts and I was 2.5 feet from her towel. The other beach with the castle was a little larger and the water was so nice and refreshing on such a hot day. We also enjoyed a full lunch in the countryside. I’d recommend this tour for anyone visiting Barcelona without a car.
Anna_L, Jun 2025
Great day and worth the money. The beach was beautiful and water was clear to go swimming. Food was plentiful and great selection.
Kimberly_T, Jun 2025
There was ample to more than enough time to roam around the cove/beach and garden in Blanes. However, it was the opposite for Tossa de Mar. The allotted time for Tossa de Mar wasn’t enough and worse was that we went back to Barcelona an hour early. The itinerary supposedly states that we will be dropped off at around 7 PM, however we arrived an hour early! That extra hour could’ve been given to roam around Tossa de Mar instead.
From $137.48
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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