Ancient Catalonia27th Oct 2025
From:£3,245
Summary
The coastline of Catalonia has been a busy place since the 7th century BCE, when the first traders settled here. The discoveries at the ancient city of Empuries – “the trading post” – make plain just how cosmopolitan ancient Catalonia became as a result of Mediterranean trade – faience from Egypt, black pottery from Etruria, holy statues from Carthage, fine metal work from the Gauls and the distinctive black and red pottery of Archaic Greece. And, just a few miles inland, behind the bustle of the ports and harbours, lies a landscape apart and forgotten. In the peace of the interior lie medieval towns and quiet abbeys amongst the rolling vine-clad hills and winding rivers of Catalonia.
Unravelling the complex web of early civilisations in this delightful area makes a most enjoyable holiday. We explore remote indigenous Iberian strongholds such as Ullastret and Olerdola to the superb coastal site of Emporion ("the market") and the Roman walls of Barcino and Tarraco in and under and through the buildings of the attractive modern towns of Barcelona and Tarragona.
What to Expect
- Explore the charming coastal town of Tarragona, once capital of Hispania Tarraconensis
- Tread the roads of Iron Age Ullastret, a town which once traded with the Etruscans, Greeks and Carthaginians
- Discover Girona, known as the 'City of the Four Rivers', its historic quarter dominated by medieval buildings and Roman, Arab and Hebrew influences
Day by Day Itinerary
London – Barcelona - Tarragona
We fly from London to Barcelona and travel south to our hotel in Tarragona.
Meals includedDinner
