The Little Trains of the Pyrenees at Christmas

Experience Catalonia as you’ve never seen it before with a voyage through the snow-capped southern Pyrenees.

Discover the region’s alpine treasures in the villages of Axat, Rivesaltes and La Jonquera as you enjoy an open-air ride through the mountains, courtesy of TPFC’s Little Red Train. With your hotel situated in Girona’s historic city centre, enjoy a Christmas break adorned in the region’s Catalan charm, culminating in a journey deep into the fabled Nuria Valley aboard the area’s famous rack railway.

Price

from £1301 /pp

was £1445
Flights included
Dates Available

23 December 2026
Duration

5 days
Depart From

12 airports
Excursions & Visits

3 included
Meals

9 included
Ways to pay

Explore historic Girona and its colourful city centre

Immerse yourself in a true winter wonderland aboard the Vall de Núria Rack Railway and enjoy local product tastings

Embrace Catalan festive traditions with day trips to secluded Catalan communities and towns

Ride the ‘Little Red Train’ from Rivesaltes to Axat in France

You’ll fly to Barcelona airport and be welcomed by your friendly local tour manager before boarding a transfer to Girona. After you’ve checked into the centrally located hotel, you’re free to explore the city’s heart as well as the Christmas Markets in Plaça de la Independència (Liberation Square). Enclosed by restaurants, bars and bistros, this plaza draws hundreds of visitors every day and commemorates those who defended the city against French forces during the Napoleonic wars. Throughout December, though, the historic open-air square is inundated with artisanal market stalls, traditional Catalan fare, and festive decor.

Having settled into your new surroundings, enjoy dinner at the hotel.

Begin your Christmas Eve with an early breakfast today and wrap up warm ahead of your first excursion into the Catalan mountains. Crossing the border into southern France, you’ll arrive in the town of Rivesaltes. As you await your day’s transport, the iconic TPFC Little Red Train, you’ll find no better place for a little festive indulgence than in the heart of Roussilon’s wine country. Why not experience Rivesaltes’ seasonal traditions with a glass of the region’s famed Christmas wine, Muscat de Noel? The sweet wine was originally prepared for Catalan nobles, visiting across the Christmas period, and is the perfect way to commence your festive celebrations.

Soon after you’ll be met by the Little Red Train, which will carry you deep into the Catalan mountains; a true winter wonderland complete with snow-dusted pine trees and frozen landscapes. Take in the natural splendour of the Pyrenees as you speed through the ever-changing alpine scenery in either the comfort of normal carriages or the brisk chill of the train's open-air options.

You'll then arrive in the picturesque Catalan Mountain village of Axat, where you'll experience life in the Aude valley at its authentic best. You'll have the chance here to explore the region’s dramatic vistas at your leisure and refuel with some lunch, payable locally.

After a morning in the mountains, it's time to return westward to your final destination for the day, La Jonquera. Here you'll have the chance to explore the Spanish border town, which offers outlet shopping as well as a host of nearby vineyards and historical ruins. Once back in Girona, settle in for dinner at your own leisure in the hotel.

Merry Christmas! Enjoy this morning at your own pace or choose to join your tour manager for a scenic and gentle 35-mintue stroll to Girona Cathedral, also known as Catedral de Santa Maria. Located at the highest point in the city, this symbol of the city is where you can enjoy the Christmas Day service with the locals.

Settle back into the hotel as you’ll be treated to a special Christmas lunch alongside the other travellers.

You’ll then have the rest of the day to spend however you see fit; perhaps setting off on a stroll through the city’s illuminated streets.

After a relaxing day, return to the hotel for dinner.

On Boxing Day, following breakfast, you’ll continue your mountain adventures by travelling to Núria Valley - a remote glacial valley steeped in folklore and tradition. From here, you’ll board the Vall de Núria Rack Railway, which dates back to 1931, and travel deep into the Catalan Pyrenees. The iconic railway spans over 12 kilometres, across an elevation of over 1,000 meters, making it the highest-running rail line in southern Europe.

You’ll travel high up along the tracks to Núria's Sanctuary, located at an altitude of almost 2,000 metres. This ancient refuge, completely untouched by motor traffic, encompasses a neo-Romanesque church, a hotel, Sant Gil chapel, and the nearby Sant Gil spring.

It’s believed that Sant Gil came to Núria in the 6th century and hid a hand-crafted carving of Mare de Déu (Mother of God) there. The relic was later found by a pilgrim, resulting in the location becoming a popular place of pilgrimage for Christians across the world.

While taking in the spectacular vistas, you’ll also have a chance to sample some local products from the region before taking advantage of free time to walk around.

After the day’s exploration, you’ll journey back to Girona for a final dinner with your new-found friends.

Mountain view of the Nuria Valley Rack Railway

Four nights’ half-board accommodation at the four-star Best Western CMC, Girona
Two heritage train journeys aboard the TPFC ‘Little Red Train’ and the Vall de Núria Rack Railway
Return flights to Barcelona
Coach travel and transfers throughout
Day trip in French Catalonia via Perpignan and Axat
Fully escorted by a friendly, experienced tour manager
Four breakfasts, four dinners and one lunch
Visit to La Jonquera
Day trip to Núria Sanctuary with local product tastings
All mandatory local taxes and charges

Dates & Prices

Departure point	Departure date		Price (per person)	Availability
Birmingham	December 2026		from £1512.00 pp	1 date available
Birmingham	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1512.00 was £1679.00
Bristol	December 2026		from £1386.00 pp	1 date available
Bristol	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1386.00 was £1539.00
Edinburgh	December 2026		from £1422.00 pp	1 date available
Edinburgh	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1422.00 was £1579.00
Glasgow	December 2026		from £1548.00 pp	1 date available
Glasgow	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1548.00 was £1719.00
Humberside	December 2026		from £1782.00 pp	1 date available
Humberside	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1782.00 was £1979.00
London Heathrow	December 2026		from £1427.00 pp	1 date available
London Heathrow	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1427.00 was £1585.00
London Luton	December 2026		from £1305.00 pp	1 date available
London Luton	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1305.00 was £1449.00
London Stansted	December 2026		from £1395.00 pp	1 date available
London Stansted	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1395.00 was £1549.00
Manchester	December 2026		from £1301.00 pp	1 date available
Manchester	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1301.00 was £1445.00
Newcastle	December 2026		from £1562.00 pp	1 date available
Newcastle	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1562.00 was £1735.00
Norwich	December 2026		from £1742.00 pp	1 date available
Norwich	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1742.00 was £1935.00
Teesside International	December 2026		from £1539.00 pp	1 date available
Teesside International	23 Dec 2026 Wednesday 5 days 27 Dec 2026 Sunday	Late Escape	from £1539.00 was £1709.00

Best Western CMC, Girona Girona A polished and modern hotel located in the city’s commercial centre within walking distance of several shopping outlets.

Packing for the occasion will be key; from the frozen Catalan mountains to Girona’s warmer climate, you’ll experience a diverse range of weathers and temperatures, so it’s just as important to bring a good coat as it is shorts and t-shirts!

The majority of our tours involve a certain amount of walking, including a short walk from the coach stop to the town, attraction or venue you're visiting. If you are bringing a wheelchair, please let us know at the time of booking so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

We sometimes need to combine transfers to and from your hotel. We always try to keep any wait to a minimum, but you may be asked to wait at the airport for up to an hour, while other incoming flights arrive, before the transfer to your hotel. Similarly, we may need to transfer you back to the airport up to three hours before your flight home departs.

Occasionally, for operational reasons, we may have to change the order of the excursions on your holiday. The final day-by-day itinerary will be confirmed on your Final Travel Documents, which you will receive approximately three weeks prior to your departure.

Rules may have changed since you last travelled to European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The following are useful guidelines which will help you prepare for your next adventure. You do require government issued passport to travel.

Names - It is very important that all passenger names are exactly as per your passport although we do not require middle names.

Passport - Your passport must meet two requirements to travel to an EU country and to Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. It must be: Less than 10 years old on the day you arrive (please check the "date of issue") and valid for at least 3 months after the day you return home (please check the "expiry date").

Visa - You do not need a visa for short trips to most EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. You’ll be able to stay for up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period.

The EES scheme commenced on the 12th October 2025, and the phased implementation will last until 9 April 2026. From 10 April 2026, EES will be fully operational at all EU borders. - the latest information can be found at https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees/ltr

EES is a new digital border management system for registering non-EU nationals travelling for a short stay, each time they cross the external borders of most European countries. Once introduced, when you go through passport control on arrival, as well as producing your passport for checking, you will also have your photograph taken and fingerprints scanned. The system will register your entry on arrival and your exit when departing. You will only need to do this on your first entry into Europe after the scheme starts.

For those travelling via Eurostar, there is a dual British and French/Belgian border in operational at St Pancras International. Therefore the EES system will be in place at the station, you will not need to be checked again on arrival at the other side. For further information please visit the https://www.abta.com/tips-and-advice/planning-and-booking-a-holiday/upcoming-changes-travel-europe here.

Please note: Irish passport holders or British Passport holders with an EU residency are currently excluded.

Following the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, changes have been planned which affect the eligibility of citizens of the United Kingdom to have visa free travel to the EU. ETIAS travel authorisation is a new entry requirement for visa-exempt nationals travelling to any of the European Union and Schengen counties.

The ETIAS system is not live yet - the latest information can be found at www.etias.com. We recommend keeping yourself updated on the planned commencement date and, once live (and if applicable to you), apply for your ETIAS in good time prior to travel.

Newmarket Holidays will not be able to undertake ETIAS applications on your behalf, so have instead instructed the services of the Travel Visa Company to provide help, should you need it. You can find more information about this service here.

Please note: ETIAS will not be required for UK citizens travelling on our UK and Ireland tours.

All mandatory local taxes and charges are included in the price of your holiday as per the itinerary. Prices for any optional excursions are listed separately. Any suggested free-time activities, attractions, meals or entertainment are not included (unless otherwise stated), and may be subject to local charges. Please note that tipping is optional and as such, is typically not included in the price of your holiday (unless otherwise stated).

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The Little Trains of the Pyrenees at Christmas

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