We had an excellent experience with Jordi as our (almost) personal tour guide. Loved the small group experience as it definitely felt more personal as opposed to being lost in a crowd. He had a visual map to show us at the start of our tour to give us a visual as he spoke about the history of northeastern Spain and I found that very helpful. He had great knowledge and an excellent command of the English language. If you love medieval towns, this is very much worth doing. The second stop in Rupit has a few short hiking trails that are worth doing if you enjoy hiking and differing views. Skip the restaurants and take in the scenery is our motto. The last town of Tavertet has a magnificent view of the cliffs and surrounding mountain range. I very much appreciated the added convenience of hotel pick up and drop off to take one hassle off our day. If you enjoy shopping for "trinkets and trash" (as my husband refers to it) you can find plenty of souvenirs in Besalu, but very little in Rupit and none in Tavertet.
About Activity
What's Included
Includes
- Leisure time
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- And a fair amount of Joy!
- Personal expert Guide and driver
Excludes
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Departure & Return
Departure Point
- Traveler pick up offered
Itinerary
8.30 AM Start of the tour and leaving Barcelona city. Buckle up, relax and sit back, we´ll take it from here! Hotel pickups will take place between 8:00 and 8:30 (30min approx.) and we'll drive about 90min to get to our first destination
On our way out we cross this famous part of the city full of landmarks and beautiful architecture
10:00 AM Arrival at Besalú. At this protected National Historic Monument we will start with an introduction about the history and we'll enjoy spectacular views of the old city before crossing the iconic 11th-century medieval bridge. Then we will do a walking tour through the old town exploring the narrow alleys of centuries-old architecture and covering the main highlights. It will feel like going back in time a 1000 years! Afterwards, you will have some free time to go explore on your own. We will provide you with a general understanding about the history of Catalonia (& Spain) and this will set a solid foundation. Our visit to Besalú will be a great way to start our day. (Our next drive will take approx. 1 hour)
1:00 PM - Rupit, the medieval stone-village, is hidden in the forest and built into the rock. Its cobblestone streets are enchanting. We will first need to cross the famous ´hanging´ bridge to enter the town. Once inside it´s like entering a fairytale. At arrival we will do a short guided walking tour, pointing out highlights for you, things that you can do and giving suggestions for places to eat. You will have lunch in your own time (and on own expenses). This is your opportunity to try the real Catalonian cuisine! Very authentic and very delicious. A type of food that is more typical in the rural and mountenous areas (sometimes hard to find even in Barcelona). There are also beautiful hiking trails in the area, the nature is stunning, plus you can explore the town a bit more in your free time
On our way to the next town we will include an extra stop (if weather conditions allow it), we´ll go off the road to penetrate deeper into the Guilleries Nature reserve and to enjoy the breathtaking views from the top of the impressive sandstone cliffs of Tavertet from which we will be able to overlook the plains of Catalunya state. It´s one of the most impressive viewpoints in Catalunya! We take memorable photos, we enjoy the serenity of this place and we take a deep breath of fresh mountain air before we continue. The next town is just around the corner!
4:00 PM - We arrive to our last and final village, a very quiet and isolated old shepherd´s town, where we will visit the local 1000-year old Romanesque church, we will take a walk through the village together and we end up at another stunning viewpoint. We conclude with these views before we head back to Barcelona. (This is a slightly longer drive compared to the morning. We drive back a different way, drawing a big circle throughout Catalunya as to make sure we show you as much as possible along the way)
6:30 PM (approx.) - After approx. 1,5 hour's drive we'll be back to Barcelona. We bring you back to your accommodation and we finish the tour
Language Offered
Additional Info
Cancellation Policy
Reviews
This was a fantastic experience where you get to see the "not so well traversed areas" surrounding Barcelona. We love medieval towns and this gave us a really wonderful view of Besalu, Rupit and Tavertet, small towns that have retained that medieval feel to them. Jordi was an excellent guide and his small group tour gave us a really personal experience. He is very knowledgeable and I appreciated his visual map which helped me make sense of the history he presented at the start of the tour. The hiking trails were short but presented us with great views. I did not feel rushed in any of our locations. Jordi speaks English fluently and was very easy to understand. If you enjoy shopping for souvenirs, do it in Besalu, as there are fewer options in the second town and none in the third. We had a wonderful time.
We had a wonderful and joy-filled private tour with Jordi who picked us up from our hotel. I travelled with two seniors with some limited mobility. Prior to the tour, Jordi communicated with me directly via WhatsApp to confirm details. Jordi shared a lot of stories and insights with us regarding the towns, food, customs, and what life is like in Barcelona and Catalonia. Jordi is very professional, kind, and a safe driver. He ensured that we were all ok throughout the tour. We took breaks for coffee and to breath in the fresh air since a portion of the drive was windy. Jordi put together a very thoughtful experience. It was an honor to visit the region, see the sights, and walk through the old towns. The drive through the Parks was lovely, especially for folks who live in a city - we rolled down the windows to hear the wind and birds, and randomly stopped to say hello to a donkey and admire a group of cows lounging under trees. Jordi has a true appreciation for Catalonia and it was a pleasure for us to visit the region with him.
Jordi knowledge of the history for the area especially the Catalonia people was fantastic. Walking the villages give you a feeling of the medievals times . We enjoyed the everything Jordi had planned for a wonderful day
Jordi is an exceptional guide on this exceptional tour. He knows many interesting details that add depth and breadth to this medieval towns tour and he communicates perfectly in many languages. He is an excellent guide and he is also a pleasant and professional companion that makes the entire day a complete success
Jordi is an experienced, knowledgeable guide. We asked him many questions on a range of topics from history to language to culture to politics and he answered them all. The trip was expertly planned and definitely a highlight. We chose the trip for the villages, which were great, but the scenery in the nature preserve was so spectacular that ended up being our favorite part.
It is the first time my friends and me visit Spain , we just wanted to do something authentic and go visit some beautiful natures, not just typical tourist places that most people know. So we were recommended Jordi’s Joyous tour by a friend who lives in Barcelona, wow~ It was such a spontaneous, enjoyable and unforgettable tour for us. Jordi is a very relaxing, thoughtful and knowledgeable guy, always know how to adapt to the situation to guide us to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and at the same time learn the Cataluna history and culture in a loosening fun vibe, he simply just has that magic. And we have to say, oh my gosh!!! The three beautiful medieval villages and natures next to them are exactly what we were looking for!!! Connecting with the beautiful nature in these beautiful villages with my good friends, it was more than just a tour, it was a deep beautiful inner healing journey. Thank you again Jordi~ we highly recommend Jordi and his Joyous tours 🙏🌸✨😛🫂
It was amazing! The views were breathtaking and our guide Jordi knew a lot about everything to see, but also about the historical, cultural and culinary context. The whole tour was accessible to me as a wheelchair user and the wheelchair could just come along.
The experience with Joyous Tour and your guide Jordi was excellent, I recommend it without reservation. The guide Jordi was very friendly, he is a connoisseur and the Tour was very complete. Thank you, Jordi.
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