From Barcelona: 3 Countries in One Day — Spain, France & Andorra
Description
Cross three international borders in one unforgettable day. This is the original Barcelona day trip - Spain, France, and Andorra - and we've just made it even better. Start in the medieval village of Bagà, nestled in the Pyrenean foothills. Cross into France for a stop at one of the most extraordinary supermarkets you'll ever visit, a mountain Carrefour with ski gondolas hanging from the ceiling and shelves stacked with French wines, cheeses, and butters. Then continue to La Tour de Querol, a quiet French village where your guide tells the story of the border that divided Catalonia in two. From there, we climb to 2,408 metres over the Port d'Envalira, the highest paved road in the Pyrenees, before descending into Andorra la Vella with two full hours to explore, shop, and eat. You don’t just visit Andorra, you cross the entire country, entering from France and exiting into Spain in one unforgettable afternoon. The route includes spectacular mountain scenery throughout the day too.
Tour Options
Itinerary
7:00am. Meet your guide at the Explore Catalunya office, directly opposite the Palau de la Música. Your guide presents the day on a map so you know exactly where you're headed.
8.00am - The first leg of the journey takes you past the dramatic scenery of Montserrat. This iconic mountain stands out dramatically against the skyline as we head to France and Andorra.
8.45am - Arrive in this beautifully preserved medieval village at the gateway to the Pyrenees. Guided walk through cobbled streets and the ancient square. Time for coffee and a pastry before continuing north through the Tunnel del Cadí into France.
10.25am Carrefour de UR, France (20–25 min). A mountain supermarket unlike any other — ski gondolas, a bear at the entrance, a piano, tractors, and some of the finest French produce you'll find outside Paris. Your guide will have already told you what to look for. Time is short — don't miss the bus.
11.00am La Tour de Querol, France — (35 min). A quiet French village with a remarkable story. This is Catalunya Nord — the part of Catalonia that became France in 1659 following the Treaty of the Pyrenees. Your guide brings it to life.
11.35am - We take the mountain road, not the tunnel. Climbing to the highest paved road (2,408 metres) in the Pyrenees, the views open up across the high alpine landscape before Andorra appears far below. We cross the border into Andorra. Now is the time to get that unique Andorra Passport Stamp.
1.00pm - Join your guide for a short walking tour of the historic centre. Two full hours to explore at your own pace — tax-free shopping, lunch, or simply wandering. Meet at at 3:00pm sharp. This will be our last stop of the day, but you will have enough time to do a little bit of duty free shopping, grab a quick bargain or walk around its old stone streets and houses. At about 3:45pm, we will return to the bus and head back to Barcelona via a different route. This drive takes you through dramatic gorges, past verdant farming land, and alongside lakes and rivers, before the landscape levels out and the lush tones of green of the fields and the shining grey of the mountain rocks are replaced by the dusty orange and brown hues of this arid landscape. You will stop enroute for a chance to stretch your legs and quench your thirst, before arriving back in town at about 7:30pm
6.00pm-6.30pm. Return to central Barcelona. Guide offers dinner recommendations.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel. You MUST confirm and obtain any visa requirements prior to border crossing. All visa requirements are the sole responsibility of the traveler.
- Please bring a towel if you plan to use the spa water in Ax Les Thermes
- This tour operates in English only
Reviews(4,267)
What an incredible experience visiting three countries in one day! The tour was very well organised once we got going, and it was a fantastic way to see so much in such a short time. Our tour guide was brilliant — extremely knowledgeable, patient and engaging. He clearly knew his subject and everything he shared was interesting and informative. Our driver was also excellent, and together they made the day enjoyable and memorable. I would definitely recommend this tour! The only area I feel could be improved is the communication before the tour company. I didn't receive a message from the tour company beforehand with a direct contact number or clear meeting-point instructions. As an international traveller, I couldn't easily make a normal phone call, and the meeting point was down an alley, so it was a little difficult to know exactly where to go. A WhatsApp contact or message the evening before would have made things much easier. Apart from that, it was a fantastic trip, and the guide and driver were both exceptional. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would happily recommend the tour!
The tour was a great way to see beautiful sites and learn a little bit about the history and culture of the area. Arnau provided a very engaging view of the area including historical and cultural contexts which have more meaning to the views. There was a good mix of guided walks and personal exploration. He also gave periodic heads up on what is to happen next. Lastly, he has a good sense of humor. George’s excellent driving kept us safe through the winding hairpin turns getting to and from Andorra. I can enjoy the views better with him at the wheel. Thanks, Arnau and George!
This multi-country tour was a truly amazing experience. The transition from Barcelona up through France and into the mountains of Andorra was seamless and beautiful. What truly elevated the trip for us was our guide, Berta. She was organized, attentive, and incredibly skilled at managing the tour while keeping the atmosphere fun and educational. Thanks to Berta’s wonderful guidance and storytelling, it was a perfect day.
The tour was excellent! Berta and our bus driver were very kind and attentive to any questions, concerns, and the overall experience. The bus ride was pleasant throughout the entire trip! The day was 12 hours, but didn't feel like it at all!
First stop was okay, a small town but so early nothing is really open. The second and third stops were a store and an old church. By the time you get to Andorra you only have maybe 45 minutes alone to either eat or sightsee - not both. Because I feel people take this tour for Andorra mainly, it should've been focused there longer. The tour guide kept changing the times, plans, and was unclear on the next stops or bathroom breaks. This tour guide WILL LEAVE YOU if you're not absolutely clear about the plan.
The tour description needs to be updated with more specific information. I didn’t realize there wasn’t much to do in Andorra except shop. Also the two stops in France were a grocery store and tiny town with one shop. We also could have stopped for better pictures. There was at least one great pull off we could have stopped at but we didn’t. The tour guide was very nice and helpful but not very enthusiastic about the places we visited.
Pablo really went above and beyond to make sure that our day was as special and memorable as possible! He gave us so many fun tidbits of information about each of the stops on our trip and you can feel how much he cares about making sure that our group was enjoying the experience Raul Will the bus driver was also really great in making sure that we got all the way to Andorra and back safely! Would absolutely recommend this to anybody who wants to take advantage of going to three countries in one day and would love to try another one of their tours the next time I’m in Barcelona!
Pablo the tour guide was very warm and kind and attentive to the passengers! Felt very warmly and positively toward Pablo. The trip itself is VERY car heavy. It’s a small bus, not a big van, and was packed to the gills. We were a family of three and were squished in back row with another couple of people. Good thing they were nice and we struck up some nice conversations. No nature time. A couple town stops very quick and then unsupervised quick 2 hours in Andorra city where most people did shopping. Would not take this tour if you are interested in scenery or nature or walking Would take this tour if you like looking at scenery through van windows No tour of old town of Andorra. Had to do that on own. Would have liked more nature time, More photographic stops, an old town tour of Andorra. Again, Pablo himself very personable and attentive to passengers. Great play list on bus! Also, set expectations well and kept track of everyone
Lots of walking on steps and uneven terrain. The scenery from the bus was beautiful. Highly recommend! Xapi was good but could work on giving better instructions especially regarding the length of time at each spot.
Our tour guide Pablo was very nice, knowledgeable, and patient with persistently late members of the tour. He was very approachable and encouraged members of the tour to participate in the conversation. Raul, our driver, was also very nice and competent. The views and stops along the way were beautiful and inspiring. The premier destination, Andorra La Vella, was a disappointment. Essentially, it was a big shopping mall. This was not at all what I expected. Perhaps future tours to Andorra could drop by Andorra La Vella, but spend some time in the surrounding areas that are more natural and allow visitors to experience the real Andorra.
