Ten Days In Northern Catalonia / September

Good on you for exploring catalunya outside of Barcelona, so few tourists go beyond the city, and as you'll have a car that unlocks a lot of great sites that aren't so easily reached with public transportation.

The biggest improvement I think you can do is try to balance your itinerary a bit, right now it's very heavily skewed towards the coastline. You may be surprised to hear that actually local catalans head inland towards the mountains for their holidays to escape the foreign tourist masses on the coast.

I'd drop Stiges and Begur, I think you're already covering what these places offer with the other coastal towns and villages you're visiting.

Instead I try to spend a night or two in one of these old medieval mountain towns that are so popular to holiday in for local Catalan families. Rupit (my favorite), Besalu, Camprodon, Queralbs etc all work well. For a totally off the beaten path small city in Northern Catalonia consider Vic, charming and historic.

Thank you so much, Carlos! You’re absolutely correct that the trip needs some time in the mountains! I will look to add time in Vic, Rupit, and/or Besálu, maybe as a drive out of Tossa to Girona or devoting a night in one of these places. I see there is a music festival in Vic during my holiday. I’ll look to pass on that. Have to believe parking would be hard to find. I also see Vic is a place for Fuet. I’d walk miles from parking just for the sausage! Will keep Sitges only because it gets us closer to BCN at the end of the trip. It also offers one last night of hearing the waves on the shore. Great tips and more to consider in the days ahead. Thanks again!

Yes, good itinerary — EXCEPT — for trip to Collioure I would not hire a car. Collioure is one of my very favorite places — and it's only 10,10€ each way on the train — or, a bit more if you take the AVE up to Girona then switch to local train. Driving will take much longer.

That’s interesting, @Bill Sinclair! Thank you! I keep seeing that a train from Barcelona to Collioure will take a bit more than four hours and driving only a bit more than two. I think I do want a car to take the route along the sea to Cadaqués. I am also interested in taking a day trip from Collioure to Ceret, France.

"I keep seeing that a train from Barcelona to Collioure will take a bit more than four hours…" Where are you seeing this? Rome2Rio? Trainline?
We took the train for my birthday weekend last November — the journey took 2 hours 57 minutes and cost 10,10€. We could have, had we wanted, taken the AVE from Barcelona to Girona then change for Portbou media distancia train and then Collioure — journey time: 1 hour 46 minutes plus ten minutes or so waiting time at Cerbere. *(1) But we chose the slower route without changes until Portbou.
My partner's sister (also from the U.S.) took the faster journey in January this year. She was delighted. She had had the same problem of finding accurate travel time information. She uses Rome2Rio — which repeatedly gave her directions to travel to Perpinya and then double back to Collioure.
*(1) Barcelona to Girona AVE = 39 minutes plus Girona to Portbou 42 minutes plus Portbou to Collioure 25 minutes.
I think part of the problem is that apps and websites such as Rome2Rio and Trainline only use algorithms which use information for tickets available via internet rather than include tickets which are not available on the internet and have to be purchased in person at the departure station. Obviously they only make money through selling tickets on the web. Just my two cents' worth.

Driving from Barcelona to Collioure, consider stopping at the Dali Museum in Figueres. We found it fascinating and well worth a visit.

If planning to go to the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres, which I agree is very interesting, I'd recommend buying a ticket online before arrival. Buying the evening before could be sufficient, but I cannot guarantee that. Tickets are timed, and the place gets some bus tours, so it would be possible to simply show up and be told the first ticket available is for 2 or 3 hours later.

We found Ceret to be utterly charming. I was going to write a post recommending it, but I now see you are planning a visit. Evidently, Picasso and some of his contemporaries hung out there for several years. There are reproductions of some of their works done in ceramic tile in various public places. The Museum of Modern Art and that of Musical Instruments are small, but interesting.

Thank you, @Bill Sinclair. You are absolutely right that my quick searches on travel times have been on Rome2Rio. Good to know. I’m a DieBahn user to confirm trip times but hadn’t done so to reply to you. I’ll keep it in mind that Rome2Rio gives odd information, at times. Still plan to rent a car for the duration of the trip to give flexibility and ability to move about.

@Rosalyn, I will want the car to get to Ceret, and @ecraven, to drive around or through Figueres. I really don’t think I’ll go to the Dalí Museum there. I already have tickets for Dali’s home on Port Lligat. Dali’s life certainly was interesting. If I am overtaken with adoration for his works, I’ll consider a museum stop but I’m not really a fan. I’m not really a fan of Picasso either but I find his work more interesting and I’ve visited a museum or two in Spain just to see Picasso works. I’d be happy to find some Picasso in Ceret, but I’m heading there just to see great scenery and a charming town. Any tips on Ceret? I’m not finding much here on the forum.

I already feel as though my trip is too short!

If you want to get an idea of the Dali museum in Figueres check out the virtual visit here:
https://www.salvador-dali.org/en/museums/dali-theatre-museum-in-figueres/visita-virtual/
It's excellent.
Another vote for Vic, we were just passing by but would like to return for a longer visit
https://slowtravelitalyspain.blogspot.com/2018/11/it-comfortable-night-in-our-hostal-in.html?m=1

Thank you, @Tinac! The Dali Museum space looks cool. Maybe this museum becomes a maybe sight on my list. Will try to get to Vic!