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Enjoy slow train journeys, through the beautiful border country between Spain and France, on some wonderful mountain railways.
Journey into the heart of the stunning Pyrenean countryside aboard some delightful railways. Wind your way up into the mountains aboard sometimes modern, sometimes historic, rolling stock, and roll across some marvels of railway engineering. Stay in a colourful, unspoilt resort on the Costa Brava beside the blue Mediterranean, and enjoy a ride on a 'road train' in Roses on this perfect rail holiday.
Highlights
Spend five nights on the beautiful Costa Brava
Enjoy the views from the Roses Express 'road train'
Ride the Little Yellow Train to the French Pyrenees
Travel on the Nuria Rack Railway, which offers the only access to the year-round Spanish mountain resort
Discover the stunning Upper Aude Valley on France's Red Train
Stroll on the paths that cross the alpine meadows of the Catalan Pyrenees
Inclusions
Five nights' dinner, bed and breakfast accommodation at the three-star Hotel Prestige Victoria
A glass of wine and water at each dinner
Return flights to Girona or Barcelona
Coach travel and transfers throughout
Three heritage train journeys and a ticket for the Roses 'road-train'
Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
Day 1
Fly to Barcelona or Girona and transfer to the delightful Costa Brava resort of Roses, set beneath ancient fortifications on the sweeping Golf de Roses. Settle into your comfortable hotel and, depending on your arrival time, perhaps enjoy a stroll along the beach to the harbour and marina, where you'll see some gleaming leisure craft, before dinner is served.
Day 2
Head into the beautiful Catalan Pyrenees on today’s included excursion. The highlight of the day will be the 45-minute journey aboard the privately owned, two-car Nuria Rack Railway, or Cremallera, from the hamlet of Ribes de Freser up through a steep, forested gorge to Nuria. This remote ski station and pilgrimage shrine draws pilgrims from across the globe to its imposing lakeside sanctuary. Stroll on the paths that cross the alpine meadows and learn about the history of this extraordinary place, before re-boarding the train for the return journey down the valley and then back to Roses.
After a thoroughly enchanting day, enjoy dinner at the hotel and, as on each evening, rest and relax in the lounge or perhaps stroll into town, where you'll find a selection of bars and cafes, as well as plenty of nightlife for the energetic and young at heart.
Day 3
Today's train journey aboard the historic Yellow Train, or Petit Train Jaune, takes us on a meandering trail through the sun-kissed French Pyrenees. We'll begin our journey in the beautiful, UNESCO-listed town of Villefranche-de-Conflent and travel through some stunning scenery and across soaring bridges and viaducts – each one an engineering marvel – towards France's highest station, at Bolquere-Eyne. Continuing through a spectacular mountainous landscape, you'll reach the Pyrenean commune of Mont-Louis, with its great citadel and city walls. Take in the beautiful surroundings, and perhaps enjoy lunch (payable locally), before we make our way back to Roses by coach at the end of a thoroughly absorbing day.
On fine days, don’t miss the sunset from the beach – Roses is the only Costa Brava resort to face west, which means that some evenings can be truly spectacular.
Day 4
This morning, you're free to explore the pleasant surroundings of your holiday base. Roses has been settled since the days of the Ancient Greeks, but is now a colourful, typically Catalan resort, with a host of bars, restaurants, cafes and other diversions to enjoy. Don’t miss the included ride on the tractor-hauled, tourist road train, the Roses Express, which winds its way at an anything but express pace – into the wooded hills of the Cap de Creus Natural Park above the resort. Expect some wonderful views along the coastline.
Other sites to see in and around the resort include the ruins of the 16th-century citadel walls and Trinitat Castle, and some fascinating ancient dolmen burial sites. Roses still functions as a working fishing port, and so seafood is the most popular fare here, and those preferring food to sightseeing will enjoy tasting the local speciality, suquet de peix – a fish and potato stew served with a flourish in most of the town's many restaurants.
Day 5
Our final included excursion takes us back into France, today. The highlight will be your journey aboard the 100-year-old Train du pays Cathare et du Fenouilledes, more often simply called the Red Train. Travel through the spectacular scenery of castle-dotted Cathar Country from Rivesaltes, near historic Perpignan, to the Pyrenean village of Axat. On fine days, you'll ride in open-air summer wagons across viaducts and through tunnels, and past the vineyard-clad lower slopes of the Eastern Pyrenees. After time to savour your wonderful surroundings for the last time, return to Roses to enjoy a final evening and dinner at your hotel.
Day 6
Bid farewell to your Catalan hosts, and transfer back to the airport to check in for your flight home, at the end of a wonderful few days of train journeys.
Hotel Prestige Victoria, Roses
This three-star hotel looks out over Santa Margarita Beach, approximately two kilometres from the centre of the unspoilt resort of Roses. A beachfront promenade runs all the way to Roses marina from outside the hotel.
Further Information
Hotel transfer times
The transfer time from the airport to your hotel is approximately one hour and 30 minutes from Girona Airport and two hours and 30 minutes from Barcelona Airport.
Combining hotel transfers
We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.
Itinerary changes
Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.
Special requirements
If you have notified us of any special requirements, please check that they have been noted and acknowledged. This is especially important with any dietary needs you may have.
Disabled access
The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
Foreign Office Travel Advice
Visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice to find out the latest Foreign And Commonwealth Office travel advice for your holiday destination, as well as information about passports and visas.
Travelling to Europe
Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries and Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. Note that these new rules do NOT apply when travelling within the United Kingdom or to the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or the Republic of Ireland. You do require government issued ID when travelling by air though.
Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names.
Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be: Less than 10 years old on the day you return home (please check the "date of issue") and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home (please check the "expiry date").
These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland where you can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay.
Visa - If you’re a tourist, you do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period. Different rules will apply to Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus and Romania; if you visit these countries, visits to other EU countries will not count towards the 90-day total. Travel to Ireland will not change and stays there will not count towards the 90-day total.
European Travel Information & Authorisation System (ETIAS) - Commencing in 2023, all citizens of the United Kingdom will require a ETIAS electronic form completed prior to their arrival into the EU and Schengen member countries. The cost for this travel authorisation will be €7.00 per person with exceptions for under 18’s and over 70’s. The latest information and further details can be found at www.etias.com.
Border Control - At border control, you may need to show proof of your return journey - your travel documentation issued by us will be sufficient for this. You will also need to use separate lanes from EU, EEA and Swiss citizens if manual checks are required.
Healthcare Cover - You should always get appropriate travel insurance with healthcare cover before you go abroad which covers pre-existing conditions. You should understand the terms and conditions of your travel insurance and be happy with its cover for healthcare and travel disruption. Newmarket sell a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Ask our travel consultants for more information.
You should also apply for a UK Global Heath Insurance Card (GHIC) which lets you get urgent state healthcare in Europe at a reduced cost or sometimes for free. Note GHIC is only valid in EU countries and not in Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
Terms and conditions
Terms and Conditions: 15% discount applies to specific holidays and tours only. All other holidays and tours will have a 10% discount applied. The Where Stories Begin offer applies to new bookings only booked between 26 December 2022 and 28 February 2023 inclusive. The Offer does not apply to holidays with late availability pricing and excludes, Ocean Cruise, River Cruise, Andre Rieu events, Lapland and Wimbledon. This offer cannot be combined or used in conjunction with any other discount, promotion or concession. When booking a holiday as described above, prices shown will automatically have the 15% or 10% applied. The discount applies to your final holiday price (excluding holiday insurance) at the time of booking. The Offer is subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time.
