San Sebastián, Barcelona & Paris by Train

As an Anglo-Spanish company, we have been inextricably linked to Spain since our beginnings in the 1990s. Therefore, it was with great pride that in 2023 Pura Aventura was handselected by TourSpain - the UK's official Spanish tourist board - to form a partnership based around promoting sustainable travel.

The trip you see before you bears the fruits of this collaboration. In doing so we are able to pair our love of Catalonia and 25 years' experience of travelling in the region, with the first-hand knowledge and connections of both the official Spanish and Catalan Tourist Offices.

Added to that is our commitment to making sustainable travel not just a realistic option, but an immensely appealing option. Taking the train from Barcelona to Paris absolutely ticks that box, bringing your carbon footprint down and the richness of your experience up.

Simply put, the result is a trip you cannot find elsewhere. You can put the mountain of guidebooks away and instead let us do all the thinking and all the logistics.

This is a private trip to San Sebastián, Barcelona and Paris, with mainly private transfers and tours where these are included. The Gaudí night visit will be shared with other visitors, but we promise they won't bite.

The simplest way is to fly into Bilbao (BIO) and take the coach into San Sebastián. It's also possible to fly to the city from London City Airport, though San Sebastián airport is a little bit out of the city, near the French border by the town of Hondarribia.

Of course, you could also travel both ways by train, and even do the outbound journey in one day. From London you can catch the Eurostar to Paris and then take the Metro to Montparnasse, usually with a couple of hours to make the connection if you start early. From here you travel down through the French countryside to the border, where it's a simple and short train into the city.

A final option is to travel by ferry from the south of England. Ferries run from Plymouth and Portsmouth into Bilbao, though these tend to leave in the evening and necessitate spending two nights on board. The return journey is quicker and needs only one night at sea. So if this is appealing let us know and we can look at flipping the itinerary so you go out by train and back by ferry.

Whilst we can run this trip all year round, all things considered, our favourite times are April through June and September through October. Temperatures tend to be warm and pleasant, days are still quite long and although the cities will always be busy, things feel calmer than in the height of summer.

If you want to swim, stick closer to the summer months. Rainfall is technically highest in May and October, but Catalonia has experienced some of its worst droughts in living memory recently. Things are getting drier, and warmer. So if it does rain on you, spare a thought for those tending vines and orchards in the hills around the city!

Summer (July and August) will be hot, hot, hot in Barcelona. We tend to advise you steer clear of these months where you can, though we understand that's not always possible. At this time of the year, we advise you to do your exploring early or later in the day. The sea is right there if you ever need to jump in, and also helps to keep things a little cooler than inland Catalonia. Temperatures are generally 25-30°C (77-86°F), rainfall is low and days are looking.

We really love visiting Paris and Barcelona in winter, but San Sebastián can be a bit too wet and cold for our liking and you risk losing some of the magic of the city. So if you do go, bring an umbrella and a warm coat!

Paris has a fairly stable climate, with historically little variance in rainfall over the year. The temperature varies between an average of 5-10°C (41-50°F) in winter, 10-15°C (50-59°F) in spring and autumn/fall and 18-25°C (64-77°F) in summer. Daylight length varies between 8 hours in winter, 12 hours in spring and autumn/fall and 16 hours in summer.

The hotels we use in Paris and Barcelona are within a short walk of a well-connected Metro stop, and all three are close to a choice of good restaurants in the heart of the city. We look for quiet and comfy rooms, good service and a bit of personality. We like some luxury touches, but not necessarily luxury for the sake of luxury. More expensive doesn't always mean better.

As part of your trip you'll have your own travel app which is packed with background information, useful tips, sightseeing advice and personal recommendations from us and our team. This will help you plan your days, from your hotel's front door and back again. We'll give you everything you need for the week, including using the Metro (it's really easy) and how to explore each part of the cities. If something happens, you also have a 24/7 emergency contact for us.

No, though you'll find that Catalan is actually the lingua franca in Barcelona and Basque is widely spoken in San Sebastián. This being a city, you'll be just fine. The only time you might struggle is if you go to a neighbourhood restaurant away from the tourist centre (there's a good one by Sants station). The language might be in Catalan/Basque only, though everyone speaks Spanish so if you've got some of that, this would be the time to use it. Aside from that, no te preocupes - you'll be fine.

In Paris, again you'll be fine in most places, even if it's just with a bit of pointing and gestering. Things like the Metro ticket machines can be put into English.

This is a trip which rewards you getting out and about to explore the cities on foot, and the occasional eBike. Naturally, there are ways for you to dial this up and down as you go though.

We don't pack your days too tightly. Let's say have a self-guided walking tour that typically takes 3-4 hours to complete. Well that could very easily be stretched over a whole day if you stop for coffee and lunch, and pop into a museum, art gallery or some interesting shops. There's really no need to ever rush.

Equally, you don't have to do what we tell you. Yes the audio tours are a lot of fun and share some great stories, but if you just want to sit and chill by the beach or if a shower sets in outside, then you simply skip it or leave it for another day. There's a lot of flex built in, with time for you to adapt things.

The only fixed elements are the guided tours. The eBike excursion is designed for everyone. As long as you can ride a bike in a straight line, you'll be fine. Having a private guide means you can adapt things to you, so if you want to cover less ground and spend more time in one specific area, that's usually just fine.

That's the idea, yes. For example, Barcelona is a great city with some truly wonderful, world-famous monuments and galleries. But it's actually quite easy to leave without getting a real feel for the city and the people who call it home. We won't let that happen.

As well as the time you spend with your guides, you'll also have lots of recommendations for interesting independent shops, bars and restaurants and if you're an adventurous sort then do have a go at speaking in Spanish. Although Catalan is the dominant language, they'll always dust off their Castilian to chat with anyone cultured enough to have a go!

We can adapt things to a certain level, such as potentially taking out or adding a night, or adding time elsewhere in Catalonia. The city has winegrowing areas to the west and the lovely beaches of the Costa Brava to the east. We could also add time in the Basque Country to the start of the trip - just ask for ideas.