Spanish Culinary, Wine & Cultural Tours
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Spain & France
Wine Tour on the Border of Spain and France
Itinerary | Features | Prices | Travel Options
Highlights of your unforgettable visit include:
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Accommodations in a 5-star luxury hotel in the Spanish countryside and in a 5-star luxury wine spa, picturesquely situated at the foot of the Montserrat Mountains
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Multiple visits to exceptional French and Spanish wineries including tours of cellars and vineyards by the vineyard owners, and complete with wine tastings
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Gourmet cooking lesson with Spanish chef and 3-course meal paired with wine
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Guided tours of both French and Spanish castles, and a charming medieval French seaside town
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Accommodations for 2 nights in a 5-star luxury wine spa (double occupancy)
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Fine dining for both lunch and dinner consisting of local products paired with extraordinary wines
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Elegant dinners at the wine spa hotel
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Your tour begins with airport pickup and check-in to a 5-star luxury hotel in Perelada, a town famous for its castle and vineyards. You and your guide will share a welcome cocktail and you will receive an itinerary of your personalized tour, a map and plenty of suggestions of restaurants and free time activities. A light dinner will be served at the classic style hotel restaurant.
This morning, your day starts with a visit through Peralada's rich wine making history, dating back to the 14th century. A wine expert will describe the unique factors of Catalan geography contributing to the development of these wines, then lead you to the winery to taste a variety of cavas, whites and reds. The Gran Claustre cava or Grand Cloister cava, which is the finest cava available at this vineyard, is a cava that is still fermented in the same process and location the Carmelite monks of the 14th century used to prepare it in their monastery. After a few tastings, you will see both an ancient wine press and the current wine and cava making facilities, in Peralada's 13th century castle.
Lunch today is just a short walk away in a cozy stone restaurant, which once served as a rectory in the 14th century. Here you will enjoy a delicious lunch abounding in local products of this countryside locale before a free afternoon to indulge yourself at the wine spa. The unique and rejuvenating properties of the wine based treatments will help relax your mind and provide your body with a sense of well-being.
After a restful afternoon, you will return to the castle to enjoy a sumptuous Spanish dinner.
After breakfast, you will embark on a day trip into the vineyards of Southern France. On a picturesque drive through vineyards with views of the sea, you will make your way to the neighboring French town of Banyuls, famous for its natural sweet wines. The Grenache and Carignan vintages take advantage of an exceptional climate, with a lot of sun and a strong wind called tramuntana, which gives the wine a unique character and a surprisingly savory bouquet.
Midway through your drive, you will visit a small cellar owned by the descendants of well-known French sculptor, Aristide Maillot, who will personally show you the vineyards and share the history of the region. After a mid-morning stroll, you will sample the best of the wines you have seen as grapes on the vines. Next, we will continue to the oldest and most prestigious cellars in the area, with some family owned vineyards dating back to 1639.
After your tastings, we will arrive to the coastal town of Colliure, a beautiful French Mediterranean town that will welcome you to its picturesque views, happily situated stone homes and its majestic castle. You will stroll the same streets trodden by the painters and bohemian artists who have taken refuge in this lovely seaside town. Lunch will be enjoyed at a restaurant famous for its traditional fine French dining, and notably its fish dishes. And after a delightful meal, an easy walk to explore the castle above, and still more of the town awaits.
This evening will return you to Spain for an authentic Spanish meal married with the best wines of the Figueres, during a cooking lesson provided by a Catalan chef in his cooking school. Whatever local specialty tempts you most- fideuá, seafood paella or Catalan creme - will be the menu for the night!
This morning’s adventure will take you to the most well known cava cellar in the world—Codorniu. The modernist style cellar was designed by famous architect Puig i Cadafalch. Here you will encounter subterranean galleries more than 18 miles (30 KM) long where the cavas undergo the second fermentation. You will have the opportunity to try the best of these cavas, made from the primary white grape varieties: Macabeo, Xarel.lo, Parellada and Chardonnay. After trying these cavas, you will have lunch at a local restaurant that pairs all of their dishes with wines to further celebrate both the local food and wines of the region.
This evening you will transfer to a luxurious 5-star wine spa just outside of Barcelona in the Penedés region lying at the foot of the Montserrat Mountains. The wine spa, a former villa residence dating back to the 16th century, provides an exceptional combination of modern luxurious accommodations, splendid natural beauty from the surrounding mountains and vineyards, and pampering treatments, to make for an unforgettable stay. Tonight’s informal dinner will be in one of the wine spa's dining rooms, located above an old cellar from the days of the villa. The night provides the opportunity to get acquainted with this little slice of heaven.
After breakfast, you will be ready to explore the Priorat vineyards. The Priorat region is famous for its mineral-rich soil, slate (called licorella by the locals), which creates a unique humidity for the vines. This soil and the little rain that comes while the grapes are maturing results in full ripeness of the grape. This creates a wine with high graduation that has more than 14% alcohol content.
This particular family-owned wine cellar you will visit this morning in the Priorat region, was awarded one of Robert Parker’s highest ratings and he regards it as one of his favorite vineyards. Perhaps this will be one of your favorites too after a morning stroll with the vineyard owner through his fields, and seeing firsthand the starting point for world class wine.
Your gracious hosts at the vineyard and cellars also own a small restaurant in the heart of the nearby village, where you will enjoy an authentic Catalan lunch. This afternoon you can take a walk in the vineyards and foothills, or relax with one of the many spa treatments.
Dinner this evening will be in the wine spa’s elegant dining room located in the main building of the 16th century villa. Choose from the offerings of the cellar’s many wines and relax on the final evening of your wine getaway.
Your tour concludes with a lovely breakfast at the wine spa hotel, followed by a transfer to Barcelona for your departure.
We hope you join us for this unforgettable experience!
Your Wine Tour on the Border of Spain and France includes:top
- English speaking expert culinary guide/chauffeur at your entire disposal
- All transfers
- Accommodations for 3 nights in a 5-star luxury hotel in the Spanish countryside
- Accommodations for 2 nights in a 5-star luxury wine spa (double occupancy)
- 5 full breakfasts
- All the culinary, cultural visits and tastings indicated in the itinerary
- 3 dinners with wines
- 3 lunches including wine in local restaurants
- 2 private cooking classes followed by meals (lunch or dinner)
- Online Personal Travel Webpage including daily itinerary, general local information, details of places of interest, suggestions for restaurant reservations, and your free time, etc.
- Customized Travel Journal, including the information from your Personal Travel Webpage, which you can take with you to use as a reference throughout your tour
- Travel Insurance
Your Wine Tour on the Border of Spain and France does not include:
- Flights
- Meals and Drinks not Specified
- Personal Expenses such as Telephone, Minibar, etc
- Tips and Gratuities (Restaurants, etc)
- Cancellation Insurance
Wine Tour on the Border of Spain and France dates:
Available upon request all year round.
Wine Tour on the Border of Spain and France Prices:
Please note our tours are available for PRIVATE GROUPS ONLY and are not scheduled tours for mixed groups.
The tour price varies depending on the Travel Option you choose. Please click on the option which suits you best in order to request a quotation.
In order to find out more about Gourmand Breaks' Travel Options, please Click Here
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