PRICE: from 1269€
WHEN: April to October
DURATION: 6 days
NEAREST AIRPORT: Barcelona
Tour Summary
Barcelona can justifiably claim to be the Mediterranean's most colourful and exciting city with a past just as vibrant as the present, the perfect place to set out on a culinary adventure that will take you though the winding streets of the Gothic quarter to the rural beauty of the Penedes wine area. You will discover Las Ramblas, arguably the most eclectic shopping boulevard in Europe and the fertile genius of Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera and Casa Batllo.
The Penedes has a winemaking history going back to the middle ages. Although famous for its sparkling Cava, it is divided into three sub regions: Bajo, known for its powerful reds; Medio, where Cava comes from; and Alto, a humid, chalky area producing sweet wines amongst others.
Your voyage will include hands-on experience of cooking the Catalan way, understanding the ingredients and learning the secrets of masterchefs. You will visit the wineries, taste the range of great of regional wines and meet their winemakers.
On your way, you have the choice of being chauffer driven or have a hire-car equipped with GPS to take you to the dramatic Montserrat mountains and the home one of Spain's most sacred monastery. Access is by cable car and on your escorted tour you will see the Spanish holy of holies, the Montserrat Virgin. Looking south across the vast landscape and you might just make out the masia where you will spend the next two nights.
To complement the inspirational features of this tour, we have selected a superior 4-star hotel in central Barcelona within walking distance of its principal sights and Spain's first bio-hotel fashioned from a homely farmhouse with a large, walled garden and swimming pool.
To round things off, you will have a seafood lunch by the sea in the picturesque resort of Sitges on your way back to the airport.
Day One - Barcelona
Your gourmet vacation starts with a private transfer from Barcelona Airport to our selected hotel in the centre of Barcelona. Check-in at our hotel and free time to settle. Evening free before starting your gourmet adventure.
Day Two - Barcelona
Your gourmet expert guide will take you in the first gastronomy adventure visiting the famous Boqueria food market. Enjoy an incredible contrast between colours and activity, ideal to discover why Mediterranean cuisine is internationally known due to its ingredients.
Your culinary expert will guide you to the best booths of fruit, vegetables, meats, seafood, bread and desserts. After the market visit your culinary guide will take you through the winding streets of The Gothic quarter enjoying the Cathedral, a few churches and squares, explaining the history of Barcelona with its Roman and medieval past. In this walking gourmet tour you will be stopping in speciality food shops for tastings of Catalan cheese, charcuterie, pastries, olives and chocolates.
For lunch you will be taken to some of the numerous tapas bars to sample some of the specialities of the Spanish cuisine accompanied by delicious local wines. Guided walking tour of the Modernist district enjoying the famous buildings of world renowned Architect Gaudi, including Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera and Casa Batllo.
Day Three - Barcelona
Following breakfast, you will head to our venue for your first hands-on cooking class. This cooking workshop consists in cooking a 4-course meal of our traditional cuisine where everybody gets to cook and you see the whole process for all the recipes prepared followed by the meal, accompanied by wine and water. This will be an example of a set menu: Tomato soup shot flavoured with Idiazabal cheese, Potato omelette with tomato bread, Seafood paella, Catalan cream
In the late afternoon at 18.00 you will assist to our location for a commented wine tasting, immersing you in a wine experience right in the centre of Barcelona. You'll learn about Spanish wines with four tastings accompanied by typical snacks in a unique wine shop. The wine tasting is led by an English and Spanish speaking wine expert, who will share the history of local wines and its different tastes.
Day Four - Barcelona-Penedes
You will pick up of your car hire fitted with GPS for your next gourmet adventure. Before arriving to our selected local gourmet hotel in Penedes we suggest driving to Montserrat crossing picturesque provincial villages.
You will arrive to the free car park at the bottom of Monserrat and will take the electric-cable to the incomparable setting of Montserrat Mountain and discover The Royal Basilica of Montserrat and the Monastery. Once your visit is complete and after some free time for wandering around and perhaps lunch next to the Monastery, you will drive to our next culinary destination: Penedes.
Your hotel in Penedes is a Farmhouse surrounded by vineyards and typical crops from the area where you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the mountains of Montserrat to the castle of Sant Marti Sarroca. This Masia is a Biohotel the first country hotel of its type in Spain and it has a garden where they produce the freshest organic products and in season for their meals. Welcome gift and aperitif. In the evening you will have your second cooking class with the hotel owner showing how to prepare three local dishes and a desert made with organic ingredients from the garden and local suppliers. Afterwards you will enjoy your meal paired with local wines in a comfy dining room or in the outdoor terrace (weather permitting) accompanied by the chef and owner.
Day Five - Penedes
Rural Breakfast based on organic, fresh and healthy local products. During breakfast introduction to organic cuisine, its principles and bases. You have free time on your own to explore the area either driving or we can provide bicycles, before your next cooking class in the early evening. Next you will be going to the local market visiting some of the farmhouse suppliers.
After the market experience you will have a superb guided visit to one of the leading wineries in Penedes learning their unique characteristics and unique wine-and cava making methods. Wine tasting accompanied by snacks. We can suggest local wineries to visit or the big famous producers like Codorniu or Torres. Free time for lunch.
Or maybe, before the special treat awaiting for you in the evening perhaps you might want to have a home- made light lunch in one of the best family-run restaurants in this wine region experiencing the wonderful gastronomy in Penedes.
Return to your hotel to relax. In the evening you will have a third hands-on cooking workshop of a special tasting menu arranged by the owner for your enjoyment, learning different cooking and presentation techniques including some local tricks. Dinner based on the dishes prepared will follow.
Day Six - Departure
This fantastic culinary adventure finish with a typical breakfast from the area. We suggest you to drive to the wonderful seaside town of Sitges to enjoy a walk by the beach, perhaps some seafood specialities and a stroll through Sitges Unique old quarter, before continuing to the airport where you will leave your car before catching your flight.
Tour Prices
Price Per Person: 1.269 EUROS
3 days car hire+GPS (1*)
Price Per Person: 1.419 EUROS
Car with driver guide (2*)
Minimum 2 people (3*)
Duration - 6 days / 5 nights.
(1*) You are provided with a car hire and GPS (petrol is excluded) to travel from Barcelona to Priorat and return.
In Penedes a guide will be with you throughout.
(2*) You will be picked up from Barcelona and taken back to Barcelona.
(3*) SPECIAL PRICES for groups with 4 people or more.
Hotel Supplements or Reductions
275.00 EUROS
Single supplement
Guide supplement if requested for the 5th day 200 Euros.
Departures
From April to October- Every Week.
From November to March- On request.
We can also organize a similar tour subject to your requirements of number of people and days, budget etc,
please e-mail us on [email protected].
BOOK NOW e-mail us at [email protected] with the departure date and number of people.
Price Includes
Private transfers from Barcelona airport.
Car hire for 3 days with GPS or Private transfers to and from Priorat, driver guide throughout.
Personalised English/Spanish speaking local expert guides throughout the tour: Barcelona and Penedes (except on Saturday morning and afternoon).
Five nights accommodation based on double occupancy with private bath.
Five full breakfasts.
A tutored wine tasting in Barcelona.
Three hands on cooking classes, one in Barcelona and two in Penedes, includes lunches or dinners.
A full day guided excursion with a gastronomic tour including Boqueria Market, Gothic quarter heritage and delicatessen shops and Gaudi architecture in the afternoon: Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera and Casa Batllo (one entrance included) Tapas lunch included.
Four lunches including wine. Two in Barcelona and Two in Penedes.
All Taxes.
What is not Included
Travel insurance.
Flights to Barcelona.
Tips.
Meals not specified.
Personal expenses.
Optional visits.
Petrol for car hire.
Note: If any of the published accommodation, range of wineries or restaurants in the tour becomes unavailable,
others of similar category will be allocated.
Note: Upgrade of wineries and/or restaurants will have a supplement. Please request.
By booking your trip with The Unique Traveller you agree to our Terms and Conditions
EXAMPLE OF ACCOMMODATION IN BARCELONA AND PENEDES
Condes de Barcelona
(Barcelona) 4 Star
The hotel Condes de Barcelona 4* star is superbly located in Paseo de Gracia, in the heart of modernism Barcelona, opposite the famous building "La Pedrera" from Gaudi, just a few minutes of Plaza Catalunya and Barcelona' old quarter. The Hotel is formed of two old palaces from the 19th century, It has 235 rooms and the restaurants are run by chef Martin Berasategui who has seven Michelin Stars.
Location:
This attractive hotel is situated in the tourist heart of Barcelona, in Paseo de Gra¡cia, the most elegant avenue of the whole city, right in front of Gaudi masterpiece La Pedrera and within walking distance to all of Barcelona's major attractions. It is located in a typical Barcelonan modernist building, declared monument of interest by the city's town hall.
A wide range of restaurants, bars, clubs and the best boutiques are located in the immediate vicinity.
The Rooms:
All the pleasantly furnished rooms comprise of a private bathroom, hairdryer, direct dial telephone, satellite/ cable TV, Internet access, a minibar, a double or twin beds and a safe. The heating can be individually adjusted and the air conditioning is centrally regulated.
There are two kind of rooms in terms of decoration: classic (picture) and contemporary, but both are equipped equally.
General Facilities:
The large reception is manned 24 hours a day and the hotel also has a safe, a currency exchange and lift access. Further facilities include a piano bar and an a la carte restaurant. Business guests may take advantage of the conference facilities with Internet access, WLAN access points, communication possibilities and secretary and hostess services. Guests can additionally make use of the room and laundry services, as well as a garage and an open car park. Roof top terrace with swimming pool
We have contracted similar hotels in all central areas in Barcelona:
Gothic quarter, Ramblas and Eixample like Granados 83, Barcelona Catedral, Petit Palace Barcelona etc.
Typical Masia in Catalonia (Penedes)
(Priorat) 3 Star
