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Join Jean Power in Fabulous Barcelona, Spain!

April 23 - May 8, 2025


Barcelona is one of our favorite desitinations for a Beadventure. What makes it so special is staying right in the middle of all that makes this city so special--from the fabulous architecture, the beautiful plazas, quaint shops, and great food. The tour provides you with some free time so you can conveniently explore what is of special interest to you. When combined, it makes for an incredible two weeks!

Founded as a Roman city, Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and today is an important cultural center, particularly renowned for the architectural works of Antoni Gaudi. Join us and be inspired by its culture and art. 

Internationally recognized bead artist Jean Power will join us on this Beadventure. We'll have a three day workshop on "Sacred Star," a project she designed inspired by La Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona.

Itinerary

Day 1. Wednesday, April 23. Arrive in Barcelona.
Today you’ll fly into Barcelona (airport code BCN) and travel to our “home” for this Beadventure—the modernist Hotel Gaudi, located only 100 meters from La Rambla. If you arrive early feel free to explore the neighborhood and stores along La Rambla. At 7 p.m. we will gather in the hotel lobby for our welcome dinner at “Los Caracoles,” an historic and charming restaurant, one of the oldest in Barcelona, which is an easy walk from the hotel.
Meal included: dinner

Day 2. Thursday, April 24. Tour Barcelona.
After breakfast, we’ll take a 3-hour historic walking tour of the Gothic Quarter, led by longtime resident and licensed tour guide Iraida Marten. Following lunch together, we’ll orient ourselves to the city with a two-hour tour aboard the “Hop On-Hop off” bus. The rest of the day and evening you’ll be free to further explore Barcelona on your own (your “Hop-On” bus ticket is good through early evening, should you want to travel other routes).
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 3. Friday, April 25. Palau Guell & Some Free Time.
After breakfast we’ll visit the Palau Guell (located across the street from our hotel). The palace was one of Gaudi’s earliest commissions, built for the industrialist Eusebio Guell. It is one of (and perhaps the first) example of Art Nouveau architecture in the world. You’ll be on your own for lunch and the rest of the day and evening will be yours to further explore this fascinating city.
Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4. Saturday, April 26. Palau de la Musica & Bead Shopping.
In the morning we will tour the breathtaking Palau de Musica—a gem inside and out. The concert hall was completed in 1908 and has been a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. The intricately detailed stained glass, sculptures, mosaics, and metalwork are beautiful—and the acoustics are amazing. 

Following the tour, we’ll walk over to one of the largest bead shops in Barcelona, “My Mineral Style.”  After shopping, you’ll then be free to explore on your own. For those interested, we can walk back to the hotel, down the Rambla, looking in on the beautiful displays of fruit, vegetables, and seafood at the Boqueria Market.
Meals included: Breakfast

Day 5. Sunday, April 27. Workshop with Jean.
Today we'll have our first workshop with Jean in the conference at our hotel. We'll break for lunch (included) and finish up around 5 p.m. The evening you will be free.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 6. Monday, April 28. Masterful Work of Antoni Gaudi.
Our guide will pick us up at the hotel at 8:30am for our first excursion with Explore Catalunya: We visit Montjuïc for a photo stop of the breath- taking city views and a walk from the Arc de Triomph through the Parc de la Cuitatdella, then around noon, continue on to have your breath taken away by the famous Gaudí masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Expiatory chapel, which has been under constructions since 1882—and stillis. Gaudí took over as chief architect in 1883, transforming the project with his architectural and engineering
style, combining Gothic and Art Nouveau forms.

Following our guided tour, we will have lunch. We then will further explore the work of Gaudi by visiting Parc Guell, a public park composed of gardens and architectonic elements that was designed by Gaudi. Here you’ll again see Gaudi’s architectural genius in which he put to practice his innovative structural solutions that later became the symbol of his organic style. We’ll return to the hotel in late afternoon; you’ll be on your own for dinner.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 7. Tuesday, April 29. More Gaudi! Casa Batlló and La Pedrera.
In the morning, we’ll walk up the Rambla, crossing the Plaza Catalunya to the lovely Paseo de Gracia, one of Barcelona’s loveliest thoroughfares and home to many beautiful modernist buildings and upmarket shops. We will tour the iconic Casa Batlló, one of the most recognizable of Antoni Gaudí’s masterpieces. Following lunch (included), we’ll walk to the nearby La Pedrera (also known as Casa Mila), a modernist apartment complex, the last civil work designed by architect Antoni Gaudí, built from 1906 to 1912. It houses a very comprehensive museum dedicated to the genius of Gaudi; the rooftop chimneys and views are not to be missed. Once the tour is completed, the rest of the day and evening will be free.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 8.  Wednesday, April 30. Montserrat and Codorniu Wine Cellar.
We’ll start the day at bit early (8:15 a.m. In the lobby—our
guide will meet us and we’ll walk a short block to the bus on the Ramba) Our first stop will be to Montserrat, which is home to one of the most important religious sites in Spain. A residence for the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, the mountain also provides one of the most spectaculars views of Catalonia. The history of Montserrat goes back to 880 when a group of shepherd children saw a bright light descending from the sky in the Montserrat mountains. It also is home to the L'Escolania choir, a boys' choir of sopranos and altos based at the abbey. We’ll have lunch at a rural restaurant, Can Cassols, then we'll then tour the beautiful and historic Modernist Codorniu wine cellars where we will tour the world’s largest underground cellars; learn about the invention of cava in the late 19th century; and enjoy a sip or two at a tasting! Your evening will be free.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 9. Thursday, May 1. Workshop with Jean.
Today is a holiday in Spain (May Day, also knows as Labor Day or International Workers' Day) and many of the local shops and venues will be closed. So we're going to continue our workshop with Jean. Your evening will be free.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch.

Day 10. Friday, May 2. Exploration of Salvador Dali.
Today will be an all-day excursion to Figueres to see the Dali Museum as well as Dalí’s home in Cadaques on the Costa Brava. We will immerse
ourselves in the world of Salvador Dalí and learn about his life and work. We’ll admire paintings and other mind-bending creations by the 20th-century Spanish artist at the stunning Salvador Dalí Museum in his birthplace of Figueres. We’ll then tour his beloved Costa Brava to see some
of his favorite places, such as the coastal town of Cadaques and the Salvador Dalí House in Port Lligat. During the day we’ll stop for lunch; your evening will be free.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 11. Saturday, May 3. Explore on your own!
You’ll be on your own today--oh boy!
Meals included:  Breakfast

Day 12. Sunday, May 4. Girona & Pals Costa Brava.
Today we’ll get started around 8 a.m. for our visit to the beautiful medieval city of Girona. Home to just over100,000 people, here you’ll find winding medieval streets. The city has been dominated by many different people, and, as a result, has a great richness of architectural heritage—from its Cathedral, founded in 1038 on the site of a former Mosque, to the spectacular Roman walls, along which you can walk. We’ll then visit the pristine medieval village of Pals that grew out of what was once a fortress, where we will have lunch. We’ll return to Barcelona around 7 p.m.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 13. Monday, May 5. Free day--and then Flamenco!
Another free day for you to explore new places--or return to that shop where you know you really want that memory from Barcelona! In the evening we will take a short walk down the Rambla to Tablao Cordobes for dinner and a Flamenco show.
Meals included:  Breakfast, dinner

Day 14. Tuesday, May 6. Mosaics Class--and (optional) Picasso Museum tour.
In the morning we will walk to Studio Mosaiccos for a two-hour class in which we experience the “Trencadis” mosaic technique, developed by Gaudi. At a “make and take” session, you’ll create a mosaic souvenir, such as a small mirror or plaque. After our class, the rest of the day will be free. As we will be in the neighborhood, you may want to visit the Picasson Museum (tour not included; cost is about 15 Euros). It is said that the Picasso Museum is important in understanding Pablo Picasso’s formative years, including his deep relationship with Barcelona that was shaped in his adolescence and youth, and continued until his death. The rest of the day you will be free.
Meals included:  Breakfast

Day 15. Wednesday, May 7. Workshop and Farewell Lunch.
In the morning we’ll have our final workshop in the morning with Jean. After the workshop we will have a "farewell luncheon," followed by a free afternoon and evening.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch

Day 16. Thursday, May 8. Depart. 
Today you’ll depart for home or on to other destinations that you may have planned!
Meals included: Breakfast

Important Note: The final itinerary will be very similar to the above. We reserve the latitude to make improvements based on our experiences in Barcelona. Be assured if there are any changes, the result will be an even better experience!!!!

About your project . . . "Sacred Star"
Jean's project was inspired by the star that since 2021 has sat on top of one of the towersof the basilica of La Sagrada Familia. It has a stand base on which the star can be placed, just as the star now sits above the tower!

The project is designed to be an ornament / decoration and is 11cm (4.5  inches) across at the widest point. It uses size 15 Miyuki seed beads and size 11 Cylinders i.e. Delicas or Aikos. It's beaded using Brick and  Peyote Stitches and is an intermediate level project. An individual star point (there are 12 in the ornament) work beautifully as earrings, pendants, or rope ends.

 

 

About your teacher Jean Power . . .
Jean Power is a multi award-winning jewellery designer whose work in beads is inspired by geometry, form, color, and the beads themselves. World-renowned for bringing a unique modern twist to this ancient art-form, Jean is the author of nine books on beading and jewellery-making, and travels extensively teaching her unique designs. You can see more of her work on her website at www.jeanpower.com

 

About your tour leader Carol Moore . . .
Carol and her family (son David and daughter Daniela) spent 8 happy years living in Barcelona as her husband Salvador’s job required an expatriate assignment (NOT a hardship post!!), where she learned to speak excellent Spanish (though not Catalan!). Four years ago, Carol stumbled upon City Beads in Chicago by bizarre coincidence at which she took her first class and became an enthusiastic member of the “City Beads Tuesday Beading Group.”  Combining beads and her love for Barcelona is a dream come true and she can’t wait to show you many of her favorite places to see, shop, and eat!!  Carol and Salvador have since moved from Chicago and now divide their time between their home in San Juan Capistrano and Salvador’s family home in Queretaro, Mexico. 


Trip Details

Trip Cost
4895 Euros for shared hotel room; single supplement (based on availability) will be approximately  an additional 1300 Euros (click here to convert currency)

Non-beader discount: 150 Euros

Payment Terms
To guarantee your spot on this trip, send in a $1,000 deposit and submit an on-line registration form. Balance will be due 120 days prior to start of Beadventure (see Conditions & Responsibilities for more information).

Trip Cost Includes:

  • 15 nights lodging in a shared room at Hotel Gaudi, a block off La Rambla
  • Extremely knowledgeable tour leader and professional guides on tours
  • Entrance and tour fees for:
    • Gothic Quarter private tour
    • Hop-on-hop-off bus tour
    • Palau de la Musica guided tour
    • La Sagrada guided tour
    • Parc Guell guided tour
    • Dali Museum and Home guided tours
    • Casa Batillo guided tour
    • La Pedrera guided tour
    • Girona guided tour
    • Pals guided tour
    • Montserrat guided tour
    • Codorniu Cava Tour guided tour
  • Mosaics hands-on Gaudi inspired workshop
  • Ground transportation for all itinerary activities
  • Workshop with Jean
  • About 50% of meals

Trip Cost Does Not Include:

  • Airfare to and from Barcelona
  • Airport transportation to and from the Barcelona hotel
  • Travel insurance (highly recommended)
  • Workshop kit
  • About 50% of meals

To Sign Up

To guarantee your spot on this trip, send in a $1,000 deposit and completed registration form after reviewing Beadventures' Conditions & Responsibilities information. Final payment will be due 120 days prior to the start of the trip.

Trip Notes . . . IMPORTANT!

Travel Insurance
You are making a big investment in your upcoming travel. In spite of all your planning, travel can be unpredictable--from cancelled flights to last minute illness. To help protect the investment you are making in your upcoming trip, you are strongly encouraged to purchase trip insurance. Research options by clicking here.

Fitness level
There is a great deal of walking on this trip, some of which will be on uneven cobblestone streets, and stairs.  As a result, this trip is not for people who have difficulty walking or other mobility issues.

Workshop Supplies
Bring your customary beading supplies, bead mat, and a battery-powered light.