Private Day Trip From Barcelona to Girona

What we paid over although the $400.00 for was not a private car and guide but a taxi for the day. Although the description we reciever after we purchased the tour said that a tour guide was excluded, it did say the driver spoke fluent English and was very knowledgeable of the area being toured. The driver showed up driving a common taxi as opposed to the contracted private sedan. The driver was nice and answered questions when asked but continued to make it clear that he is not a tour guide. The taxi had required taxi stickers in the rear passenger side windows hampering any photos along the way. The driver and the person that the driver got on the phone when i complained told me only a taxi was allowed by law to make this trip. The car was very uncomfortable as it had to make room in the rear seats for the invasive plastic divider from the driver. The next day we had a professional tour with private driver/ guide who said that there was no such requirement for a taxi only being allowed to make our trip. We were shorted on the car and lied to about the taxi requirement with no discount offered because they could not get a private car. I do not blame the driver as he was doing the best he could and was just following orders.

My most memorable aspect of this tour was never to book it again. This tour was misrepresented as a private car, only to be seated in a cramped taxi cab. Never alerted that the streets of Barcelona were closed due to marathon, making it almost impossible to get out of the city. Arrival time to Girona should have be around 10am, instead arrived at 11:30. Driver, who I knew was not a tour guide, was however suppose to be knowledgeable about the city. His knowledge extended to a map. Tour company refused to extend our tour to the hour and a half we lost getting out of Barcelona. Therefore we never got to Pals and Perstallada as stated we would in tour description. Have requested a refund, but apparently Viator has no control, or decision making power over their tour companies and was rejected. Have taken other means to receive a refund. My strong suggestion is if you want to see Girona, hire Tours By Locals and not Viator.

Syed was wonderful. He’s a great driver and had a lot of knowledge about the history of the area. We did not have a lot of time in Pals and Parapadella. Could have spent more time in one and skipped the other. Seemed quite expensive but it was nice to have someone else doing all the driving. Traveling with my adult daughter. There isn’t an option for just family.

Our driver was very nice and accommodating. The vehicle was very clean and the drive was great. However, after better understanding what we purchased, the cost for it and what was included, we would have been better off taking the train. Much more cost effective.

Our private tour guide, Christian, was excellent… he gave us as much time as we needed at each stop and never rushed us. There’s something special about having a private guide and we had the good fortune of having one as knowledgeable and fun as Christian.