Catalan Classic Walk

Pretty coastal paths, lush green valleys, ancient cork and pine forest Fabulous hotels – swimming possibilities every day - exceptional cuisine Exotic Mediterranean flora: oranges, peaches, lemons, wild strawberries; wonderfully colourful flowers Excellent bird-spotting: hoopoes, buzzards, cormorants, white egrets Beautiful sandy beaches, traditional fishing ports, sun-drenched villages off the tourist trail

This 6-night walking holiday has been a firm Headwater favourite since we introduced it into our programme. It provides spectacular (but not too tough!) walking by day, and high standard hotels by night, and is perfect for people wanting to fit as much as possible into a short holiday.

The route first follows the winding, sandy paths of mainland Spain’s loveliest coast – frequent glimpses of dazzling aquamarine through the umbrella pines – before heading inland where you’ll discover the truly unspoilt landscapes of the Catalan countryside. The final stretch takes you through shady forest paths and back to the sea where extra nights can also be arranged.

This is a wonderful region for bird and plant life. Over a third of the countryside is now protected under a government scheme to preserve natural habitats, which means a staggering variety of rare species: golden orioles, booted eagles, purple-shot copper butterflies and colourful wild flowers. Hidden deep in the forests are stunning natural curiosities too, including the 5000-year old dolmens and sparkling freshwater springs which drew the first settlers to these parts thousands of years ago.

At the end of each day, we have arranged especially nice places to stay. These range from lovely, family-run hotels on the coast to a magnificently restored **** C14 gothic castle in the hills by Castell d’Emporda. The meals throughout are of a very high standard (B+B only in Calella de Palafrugell) and all hotels have private pools, except for Begur which is close to the beach.

Short break 'taster' option

This holiday is also available as a 4 night 'taster' version. You follow the same route as the regular holiday, but move on everyday (no rest days), making it ideal for a long weekend break.

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