Christmas in Mallorca & NYE Countdown in Barcelona

Christmas in the mountains of Mallorca, New Year’s Eve beneath the fireworks of Barcelona. Spend the festive days hiking one of Europe’s... Full details, photos and itinerary: https://urbanaturetravel.com/event/xmas-mallorca-nye-barcelona/ Christmas in the mountains of Mallorca, New Year's Eve beneath the fireworks of Barcelona. Spend the festive days hiking one of Europe's top-voted trails across a sunny Mediterranean island, then fly to the mainland for a road trip up Spain's eastern coast, past cliff-top castles and Roman ruins, all the way to one of Europe's biggest open-air New Year's parties. 🌞Why Go? Two of our favorite trips, back to back, in one unforgettable festive season. It begins on Mallorca, where ancient dry-stone paths carry you through the UNESCO-listed Serra de Tramuntana, between mountain villages, lemon and orange groves and sea views you won't get enough of. You'll celebrate Christmas Day with lunch in Palma and descend into the Drach Caves to one of the world's largest underground lakes. On the morning of the 28th, we fly to Alicante and swap hiking boots for the open road: over 600 kilometers of coastline, villages perched on rock spikes, a Roman amphitheatre above the sea and paella in the city that invented it. It all ends in Barcelona, where midnight lands with chimes, drones and fireworks over Montjuïc, and the new year begins at Gaudí's Sagrada Família. ⭐What are some of the Highlights? • GR221, the Dry Stone Route: Ancient cobbled paths through the UNESCO-listed Serra de Tramuntana, with alpine-like peaks on one side and the Mediterranean on the other. • Sóller & Fornalutx: The citrus-scented "Golden Valley", its historic tram down to the port, and Fornalutx, often called the prettiest village in Spain. • Christmas in Palma: Christmas Day lunch together and a tour of the old town beneath La Seu, the "Pearl of the Mediterranean's" Gothic cathedral by the sea. • Drach Caves: Over a kilometer of caverns leading to Lake Martel, regarded as one of the largest underground lakes in the world. • Guadalest & Xàtiva: A village on a rock spike above a turquoise reservoir, and a double fortress with thirty-odd towers strung along a ridge. • Paella in Valencia: Saffron rice cooked over the fire in the city that invented it, crispy socarrat included. • Roman Tarragona: A second-century amphitheatre built into the cliff above the beach, part of a UNESCO-listed Roman ensemble. • New Year's Eve in Barcelona: The city's official open-air celebration below Montjuïc, with the twelve chimes at midnight, then drones and fireworks over the Magic Fountain. • Gaudí's Barcelona: Start the new year at the Sagrada Família, now the tallest church in the world, and watch the sun set over the whole city from the Bunkers del Carmel. 📋Trip Details 📅 Start & End Date: Wednesday, December 23 - Saturday, January 2 (10 nights) 📍Meeting Location: Our accommodation in Palma de Mallorca at 10:00 PM on Wednesday, December 23. • Note: If you are arriving earlier or later, please let us know and we will make the relevant arrangements. Exact accommodation details will be shared with confirmed participants. ✈️Island to Mainland: On the morning of Monday, December 28, we fly together from Palma to Alicante, where the road trip begins. 📍Finishing Location: Barcelona city centre - 3:00 PM on Saturday, January 2. • Note: If you are leaving earlier or later, please let us know in the sheet that will be shared with you closer to the event date, so that we can make the relevant drop-off arrangements. 🥾Difficulty: Intermediate. In Mallorca, two guided hiking days on the GR221 at a relaxed pace on well-marked paths with moderate elevation, so sure-footedness and good fitness are required. On the mainland there are no hikes, but plenty of walking (roughly 4-10 km a day), including uphill climbs to the castles of Guadalest and Xàtiva. ✈️How to get there? • Arriving: Palma de Mallorca airport has direct flights from most European cities. Ferries also run from Barcelona (approx. 7.5 hours), Denia (approx. 5 hours) and Valencia (8-9 hours). • Leaving: We finish in Barcelona, one of Europe's busiest airports with fast rail links in every direction, so you can fly home or keep travelling. ✅What is included? • Community leader & local guide for the entire trip (fluent in English, German & Spanish) • 10 nights shared accommodation (quadruple share in Mallorca). Note: Upgrade options, including a single-room supplement, are available. • All public transportation in Mallorca and private transportation for the entire road trip • 2 days of guided hiking on the GR221, one of Europe's top-voted trails • Christmas Day lunch in Palma and a guided tour of Palma's old town • Entry to the Drach Caves • Guided walks in Alicante (castle & old town), Valencia (Mercat Central, La Lonja de la Seda & the cathedral), Roman Tarragona and Barcelona (Gothic Quarter, Passeig de Gràcia, Sagrada Família & Park Güell; entry tickets for the last two are an optional add-on) • Guided visits to Castell de Guadalest and Xàtiva Castle • Entry fees to the Santa Bàrbara lift, Guadalest castle, Xàtiva castle and the Tarragona amphitheatre • Group spot at Barcelona's official New Year's Eve celebration on Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina • Organizing lunch & dinner places. Note: Participants pay for their own meals. ❌ What is not included? • Flights to Palma, from Palma to Alicante on December 28, and home from Barcelona. We'll share the group flight to Alicante so we all travel together, and we can book any of these for you on request. • Lunches and dinners (apart from Christmas Day lunch) • Entry to the Sagrada Família and the Park Güell Monumental Zone (see Optional Add-Ons), and interior tickets for Casa Batlló and La Pedrera • The historic Sóller train to Palma (optional) • Drinks, personal snacks and personal expenses • Travel insurance • Any optional activities not specifically mentioned as included ➕Optional Add-Ons • Room upgrades, including a single-room supplement • Timed entry to the Sagrada Família on January 1. The basilica only opens 9:00 to 14:00 that day and slots are limited, so tell us early if you want one. • Timed entry to the Park Güell Monumental Zone, with the Dragon staircase, the Hypostyle Room and the mosaic terrace. The forest side of the park is free and open to everyone. 🚀What is Next? • WhatsApp Group: You will be added to a WhatsApp group dedicated to this event. This group is where you can connect with trip mates, coordinate arrival options and stay in touch. • Trip Briefing: You will find a link in the WhatsApp group description to a detailed trip briefing document providing details on what to expect, how to prepare etc. • Trip Info Session: Closer to the trip date, the guide will organize a group video call to go through the trip briefing document and answer any queries / concerns you may have. • Google Photos Album: You will find a link in the WhatsApp group description to the shared Google photos album where you can upload and view all shared photos and videos from the trip. ℹ️ Other Things of Note: • Bases are Mallorca (5 nights), Alicante (1 night), Valencia (2 nights) and Barcelona (2 nights). • English is the main language spoken during this trip. • Late December is mild on both legs, usually around 15-18°C by day and 8-10°C at night, colder up in the Tramuntana and in Barcelona after dark.