After wine country in Bandol and Cassis, near Toulon, Barcelona brought a bit of a changeover — many passengers disembarking for home, and plenty of new faces joining for the Spanish leg of the journey and the upcoming transatlantic crossing.

A Full Day with Spain Day Tours

We booked a small group full-day tour with Spain Day Tours. Once out of the cruise port, we headed directly out to Montserrat, about 30 miles northwest of Barcelona.

The Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey

Located in the mountain is the Benedictine Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey. Honestly, it looks like it’s built right into the mountain range. Still in the morning light, we had views over the clouds from up in the mountains. It’s an impressive religious complex surrounded by natural beauty.

Back to Barcelona for a City Tour

From there we returned to Barcelona for a city tour, including an overlook of the city, the colorful streets, the legendary Gaudí architecture, La Rambla, La Sagrada Familia, and finally Park Güell.

Our Take

A full day of adventure for sure.