Coastal Freedom Trail – Walter Benjamin Escape Route I 6 days I MAR I APR I MAY I JUN I OCT

Coastal Freedom Trail and Alberes mountains OR Escape cols of the Alberes mountains

DATES 2023

9-14 April 2023

16-21 April 2023

7-13 May 2023

15-20 May 2023

4-10 June 2023

Coastal Freedom Trail

We have 2 options, the classic Coastal Freedom Trail crossing the Alberes mountains staying in all hotels and the Escape cols of the Alberes mountains which links together escape routes above the coast.  Over 100,000 people escaped this way during WW2 either along the coast before the German controls increased or up into the mountains later in the war to evade them following a secret map from the mayor Azuma in Banyuls sur la Mer. It was part of the Varian Fry escape line within the Pat O’Leary. Accommodation is all in hotels. This coastal freedom trail, follows the escape route taken by Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin during WWII. You will hike from Collioure, France to Cap de Creus, Spain along the Vermillion coast of the Costa Brava. Unsurprisingly, the coast (in French the Côte Vermeille, in Spanish the Costa Brava) and its fishing villages have long attracted many artists, among them Dalí, Picasso and Matisse, who were drawn by the bright Mediterranean light. This trip includes four or five days of trekking and a six day trip in total. Options are to stop in Llanca, walking to the Saint Pere de Rodes monastery or continuing straight to Port de la Selva. You will be accommodated in stylish  2-3* hotels during your journey and a 1* hotel in Portbou. Bags are transferred each day so you only need to walk with a day sack. You can arrive into Barcelona airport or Perpignan airport or train station. Many flights in and out of Barcelona are available and it is possible to reach Perpignan or Collioure easily by train to join.

Escape Cols of the Alberes mountains

This route also climbs Pic Salifort on the way and visits Col de Banyuls used both in the Spainish civil war and during WW2 and is generally tougher with more height gain than the classic route. There is a wild camp refuge experience so you can really feel what it was like to be an evadie! Both routes are ideal for groups and families alike. We have an indepth knowledge of where these routes went so if you are tracing the footsteps of a passeur, escaper or  would just like to experience it and see the signs of the past and find out more we can help! We have also helped peopple to discover where thier relatives crossed. Lisa Fittko herself was an iconic female passeur who survived to write a book so her inspiration lives on.

If your preferred dates are not available, please contact us to enquire about alternative dates.

“Fantastic coastal walk; Anne was a knowledgeable and extremely competent guide and leader.

Her interest in the history of the Freedom Trail shone through and she shared this with us as we walked”

– Susannah Hacon

Itinerary

Day 1 We pick you up from Perpignan airport or train station and make the transfer to Collioure, close to where Walter Benjamin started his journey to Spain. Alternatively you can arrive into Barcelona and catch the train to Collioure. Perpignan was in touching distance of freedom and was one of the final stepping stones leading to Spain and ultimately the free world beyond. Perpignan was one of the final stepping stones to Spain and ultimately Gibraltar and beyond and strategically important to the PAT and Francoise lines after visiting memorial camp de riversaltes which housed many prisoners and refugees from 1939. In the evening you will have the opportunity to look around Collioure and see the Chateau de Collioure. You can also fly into Barcelona and meet us in Perpignan which is a short train ride away. 2 or 3* Hotel

Day 2 Walk Collioure to Banyuls sur la Mer via Cap de Bear via Port Vendres  (17.5km + 231m or +700m) 5+hrs

We begin walking to Port-Vendres where Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin began his escape journey after arriving by train from Marseille. Lisa and Hans Fittko helped hundreds of refugees over the Pyrenees to Spain) and onto Barcelona, Madrid, Badajoz and Lisbon. We start taking in the Fort Sant Elme and head out past the Batterie Mally ruins to the Cap de Bear. We continue around the coast to Banyuls sur la mer. Alternatively it is possible to climb up from Port -Vendres to visit the Tour de Madaloc (656m) en route. We will take lunch in a café en route. 3* Hotel (B,L)

Day 3 Walk Banyuls sur la mer – Puig Mas – Col de Rumplissa – Portbou (13km + 700m) 6hrs

Walter Benjamin escaped crossing the Col de Rumplissa assisted by Lisa Fittko on the F route or Lister route with three other German Jews. On leaving Puig Mas we climb up through wine groves to reach the col. A memorial route is marked and we have the opportunity to visit the castle of Querroig before descending, at times steeply to Portbou to make the escape into Spain. The refugees route runs below the road and is concealed by the mountain overhang, so that it couldn’t be seen by the French border sentries who patrolled above. At some places the road and the path get very near each other, and there the refugees had to be attentive. Many escapees boarded the night train to Barcelona and others walked on. Evening visit to Walter Benjamin Memorial. (13km +500m) 1* hotel or hostel (B,L)

Day 4 Walk Port Bou to to Port de la Selva

 Walk Portbou – Port de la Selva making an early start via some remote beaches on the Cap de Ras. Opportunity to swim in the afternoon or take a tougher route by the monastery St Pere de Rodes. It was clear the refugees were meant to be keep moving through Spain; in the words of the foreign minister of the time “they were passing through Spain as light passes through glass, leaving no trace”. The Lister line first headed to Barcelona and then Madrid and Lisbon to Havanna.  2 or 3* hotel (B,L,D)

We drive up from Llanca to the fabulous monestir Sant Pere de Rodes, a former benadictine monastery before dropping down to Port de la Selva. Often the coastal routes were closed off due to Nazi check points such as at Cebre and it was necessary for escapees to take to the mountains… 2 or 3* hotel (B,L,D) Long day 18km +600m

Day 5 Walk Port de la Selva – Cap de Creus lighthouse, early start. (7hrs) (16.2km +437m)

Cap de Creus park is a stunning terrestrial and marine park, the first to be created in Spain. We walk through fascinating scrubland with a huge array of plant life, reptiles and marine birds. Common toad, Ocellated lizard, Mediterranean turtle, eagle, peregrine falcon, owls, gulls, terns, shearwaters and shag can be seen. Spectacular and unusual rocky scenery don’t disappoint as we make our way to the fascinating coastline and a lighthouse. We have the chance to make an optional visit to the Dali house museum where Dali lived for a long period. Drive to Barcelona for our celebratory dinner.  (B,L)

Day 6 Departures from Barcelona airport

Time to relax in the morning before departing. We stay in the heart of Barcelona close to the Placa Catalunya

Catch a mid-morning airport bus from at Plaça Catalunya for the airport with Aerobus https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/airport/transport/barcelona-airport-bus-aerobus.html