Itinerary - Abingdon School

ABINGDON SCHOOL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & CHOIR
EIGHT DAY TOUR TO CATALONIA (OVERLAND)
Saturday 5 – Saturday 12 JULY 2014
DRAFT ITINERARY
Day 1 – Saturday 5 July
Overnight travel to Spain
15.00
Coaches arrive
15.45
dep. Abingdon
19.15
arr.
Dover
Check in P&O Ferries
20.15
dep. Dover
Evening meal on ferry (independent
arrangements)
22.45
arr.
Calais
151m/243km
Day 2 – Sunday 6 July
Travel to Corbera de Llobregat
Breakfast in Autoroute Services (independent
arrangements)
Lunch in Autoroute Services (independent
arrangements)
18.00
arr.
Corbera de Llobregat
Check in:
Can Fisa Hotel
www.canfisa.com
19.30
Dinner in hotel restaurant
Optional Rehearsal after dinner
1329km/826m
Day 3 – Monday 7 July
Barcelona
08.00
09.00
10.00
10.15
Breakfast in hotel
dep. Corbera de Llobregat
arr.
Barcelona
31km/19m
Barcelona, one of the Mediterranean’s busiest
ports, is more than the capital of Catalonia. In
culture, commerce and sport it not only rivals
Madrid, but also considers itself on a par with
the greatest European cities. Although there
are plenty of historical monuments in the Old
Town (Ciutar Vella), Barcelona is best known
for the scores of buildings in the Eixemple left
by the artistic explosion of Modernisme in the
decades around 1900.
Optional visit Sagrada Família Cathedral
Sagrada Família Cathedral
Europe’s most unconventional church is an
emblem of a city that thinks of itself as
individualistic. The church became Gaudi’s
life’s work and he lived like a recluse on the
site for 16 years. He is buried in the crypt.
Eight of the twelve spires, one for each
apostle, have been built and work continues
today, financed by public subscription.
11.00
Coach transfer to Barcelona Cathedral
13.00
Lunch in the neighbourhood of the Cathedral
(independent arrangements)
Assemble at Barcelona Cathedral
13.30 –
16.30
16.45
17.45
Rehearsal in Cathedral
(Cathedral closed to public between 13.00 –
16.00)
An hour’s sightseeing time. The Roman walls and fort are
right by the Cathedral. You can also go up in a lift to the roof
of the Cathedral where there is a great view across the city.
There is a Gaudi Museum by the Cathedral front door.
Groups of 4 people as a minimum and there will be a
designated check in place and time.
Walk to restaurant
Day 3 – continued
18.00
20.00
22.00
23.00
Dinner in: El Reloj Restaurant
Concert
dep. Barcelona
arr.
Corbera de Llobregat
29km/18m
Day 4 – Tuesday 8 July
Montserrat/Igualada
08.30
Breakfast in hotel
10.00
dep. Corbera de Llobregat with packed
lunch
11.00
arr.
Montserrat
53km/33m
Montserrat is a spectacular
Benedictine Order mountain
retreat. The monastery is
also famous for its Boys
Choir who sing during the
services for much of the
year.
There is a funicular to the
top of the mountain and
from there you can choose
a number of different walks,
all with amazing views of the
Catalonian countryside.
Visit Monastery
12.30
10 minute recital in the Basilica (a capella)
Packed lunch
14.00
dep. Montserrat
15.00
arr.
Igualada
30km/19m
Igualada (population 36,000) is the central
market town of a rich agricultural and wine
producing district. The Old Town if full of
narrow and irregular streets and contains the
remains of a fortress and ramparts.
16.00 –
Rehearsal in Teatre Municipal l’Ateneu
19.00
19.15
Dinner in El Café de l’Ateneu
21.00
Concert in Teatre Municipal l’Ateneu
23.00
dep. Igualada
00.15
arr.
Corbera de Llobregat
57km/35m
Day 5 – Wednesday 9 July
Tarragona
08.30
Breakfast in hotel
10.00
dep. Corbera de Llobregat
11.45
arr.
Tarragona
Drop off concert dress & music at cathedral
Tarragona has a magnificent legacy of Roman
remains spread throughout the town. It is now
a major industrial port, but it has preserved
many remnants of its Roman past, when it was
the capital of Tarraconensis. The Romans
chose it as their base for the conquest of the
peninsula, which began in the 3rd century BC.
Tarragona’s fishing port is the second most
important in Catalunya and is a lively area and
a good place to eat.
Free time and lunch (independent
arrangements)
Suggestions for places to visit:
• Roman amphitheatre
• The walls
• Museu Historic
16.30
Rehearsal in Tarragona Cathedral
The cathedral dates from the
12th century and is built on the
site of a Roman temple to
Jupiter and a subsequent Arab
mosque. The structures evolved
over several centuries, as seen
from the harmonious blend of
styles of the exterior.
19.15
Dinner in Les Voltes Restaurant
101km/63m
Day 6 – Thursday 10 July
Barcelona
09.00
10.00
Breakfast in hotel
dep. Corbera de Llobregat
10.45
arr.
Day 6 – continued
Barcelona (Plaça de Catalunya)
Suggestion for self-guided walking tour along La
Rambla:
La Rambla
The historic avenue of La Rambla leading to the
sea, is busy around the clock. Newsstands,
caged bird and flower stalls, musicians and mime
artists throng the wide, tree-shaded central
walkway. Among its famous buildings are the
Liceu Opera House, the huge Boqueria food
market and some grand mansions. At the
bottom of La Rambla either take the metro or
walk to metro Paral-lel and take the funicular and
then the cable car to Castell de Montjuïc. The
summit of Montjuïc is occupied by a huge, 18th
century castle with fabulous views over the port.
Return back down the cable car to Plaça de la
Sardana. Walk to Plaça de L‘Armada and take
the cable car across the port to Torre Sant
Sebastià
Lunch (independent arrangements)
Suggestion: Walk to Plaça de Catalunya and
Passeig de Gracia
19km/12m
View exteriors of Gaudi Buildings:
• Casa Milà
• Casa Batlló
• Casa Calvet
17.30
Walk to Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar
Rehearsal in Basílica de Santa Maria del Mar
Day 6 – continued
19.30
21.00
22.30
23.15
Participation in the Mass followed by a short
Recital
Dinner in restaurant
dep. Barcelona
arr.
Corbera de Llobregat
Day 7 – Friday 11 July
Puigcerdà and overnight travel to UK
08.30
Breakfast in hotel
Check out hotel
11.30
dep. Corbera de Llobregat with packed
lunch
13.45
arr.
Puigcerdà
Unload instruments, concert dress and music
at the Teatre Casino Ceretà
NB: Coaches not available – drivers’
obligatory rest period (9 hours)
19km/12m
150km/93m
This town in the high Pyrénées and close to
the French border is reached through
spectacular scenery. It is an attractive place to
wander in with its old streets and balconied
houses.
17.00 –
19.00
Rehearsal in Teatre Casino Ceretà
19.30
Dinner in Restaurant
22.00
Concert
23.45
dep. Puigcerdà
Day 8 – Saturday 12 July
Travel to Abingdon
Breakfast and lunch in Autoroute Services
(independent arrangements)
16.15
arr.
Calais
1133km/704m
Check in P&O Ferries
17.15
dep. Calais
Evening meal on ferry (independent
arrangements)
17.45
arr.
Dover (local time)
21.30
arr.
Abingdon
151m/243km