Spanish Culinary, Wine & Cultural Tours
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Spain & France
Northern Spain & France Food & Wine Tour
Itinerary | Features | Prices
Highlights of your unforgettable visit include:
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Accommodation in a 4-star luxury hotel in Barcelona; on the Costa Brava in an amazing 4-star 11th Century Castle hotel
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Accommodation in boutique hotels in Carcassonne, San Sebastian and the Penedes region
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Guided tours in Barcelona, the old town of Girona; San Sebastian and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao
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Visits to Carcassonne, Lourdes/Pau/Toulouse and Biarritz in France
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Two visits to exceptional Spanish wineries, including tours of the cellars and vineyards and complete with wine tastings
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Tastings of exquisite gourmet Spanish foods, including tapas, ham, cheese, olives and wines.
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Fine dining for lunch and dinner consisting fresh local products paired with extraordinary wines
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Dinner at a Michelin 3* Restaurant with wines
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You will start your stay with airport pickup by chauffeur driven luxury car, which will transfer you to a magnificent 4-star traditional Spanish style hotel in downtown Barcelona, located in a converted 16th century palace of a wealthy Duke which is deep-seated in its history. Your hotel enjoys an excellent location in the Barcelona Gothic Quarter. The rooftop bar provides an astonishing view of the sea, the Old Port, Montjuic Mountain and Columbus Monument. On your first night in Barcelona, you have free time to enjoy however you wish. We have plenty of suggestions for romantic restaurants and sites to see. Perhaps you would like to visit the magnificent Sagrada Familia cathedral by night and then escape to a secluded Michelin starred restaurant nearby?
After your first evening in Barcelona and enjoying an appetizing breakfast, you will meet with our Gourmand Breaks expert guide who will discuss with you your personalized tour itinerary. Apart from having available your Online Personal Travel Webpage, you will also receive a Personal Travel Journal with your day by day itinerary details, and plenty of suggestions for restaurants and free time activities. Our representative will also gladly introduce you to the Spanish history, traditions and Catalan Cuisine. In addition, he will give you a free cell phone for the duration of your tour and you will be given a 24-hour Gourmand Breaks telephone number available for any consultation or emergency that you may have.
Afterwards, accompanied by your guide, you will traverse the city on an exclusive gourmet walking tour through the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona. You will start with a guided visit to La Boqueria market, Spain’s largest marketplace. Our expert culinary guide will lead you around the best booths and you will taste some of the best local seasonal produce at one famous La Boqueria bar, frequented by celebrities. A glass of a fine brut nature cava will surely feel good with a tapa of Chanterelle mushrooms, or fresh cockles, squid or maybe even scrambled eggs with wild asparagus.
Your journey will pass by a few architectural feats including the famous Cathedral and Santa Maria del Mar Church. You and your private tour guide will then visit a small prestigious delicatessen, specializing in local cheese, where you will taste their delicious specialties, whilst the shop owner tells you the secrets of the best Spanish cheeses.
Your gourmet walking tour will be continued with an informal lunch at a prestigious specialized Iberian ham venue, where you will sample exquisite Spain's best Iberic "bellota" hams, Joselito, 5 Jotas and other finest brands, accompanied by "pan con tomate", and paired with excellent local wines. You will learn why the acorn only fed free range Iberian pigs are called "olive trees with four legs" and how to distinguish a really good ham.
For the rest of the afternoon and evening you are free to either return to your hotel and relax or further investigate the mysteries of Barcelona!
After breakfast, you will meet your guide and spend a morning following the works of internationally renowned Spanish architect, Antoni Gaudi. Your private tour starts on the Passeig de Gracia with a visit to the famous Gaudi architectural masterpiece, La Pedrera, where you will marvel at the remarkable city view from the rooftops of this singular building. Then, your specialized guide will take you on a private visit to the astonishing unfinished church, la Sagrada Familia, the most representative design of the genial architect.
Once you have finished exploring the world of Gaudi you will return to your hotel and you will be greeted by a car rental representative who will be awaiting you with your premium rental vehicle complete with GPS. You will then travel to your new home for the next four (4) nights - an authentic Spanish medieval castle, an architectural jewel that was built eight centuries ago. This hotel offers all of todays luxuries while still maintaining the old world and grandeur of a castle. After checking in to the hotel you will be free to relax and discover your surroundings by exploring the hundred-year-old forest and a splendid olive orchard surrounding the hotel, overlooking the hills of the senic Emporda countryside.
This morning after a lovely breakfast, you will make a visit to an excellent vineyard in Peralada with a long tradition of wine making, which was commenced by Monks in the 14th century. On your private visit to the vineyard you will learn from a wine expert of the unique factors of the Catalonia geography that contribute to the development of these wines, and then taste a variety cavas, whites and reds in the cellar. The famous Spanish surrealistic painter Salvador Dali was often seen drinking their cava and popularized it all over Europe. This new popularization of the “Spanish champagne” increased awareness of the drink and eventually led to conflict over the name with France. Finally the name was changed to “cava” rather than Spanish champagne, as before! After a few tastings, you will head across the lane to a 13th century Romanesque castle to see both an ancient wine press and current wine making facilities.
At lunchtime you will be the special guest of a local Catalan chef at his modern, but still cozy, cooking school, just a short drive from Perelada. You will join him for an afternoon of inspired cookery Catalan style! You will have the opportunity to participate in the chef’s preparations or, if you prefer, you can sit back with a glass of wine and enjoy his cooking from aperitif to dessert. Our chef appears frequently on local TV and has a charming personality, so feel free to ask him everything you would like to know about the Spanish cuisine!
Afterwards you will make the short drive to Figueres where you will view the masterpieces of Dali in his museum. The great artist purchased the museum building and he personally oversaw the reconstruction and renovation. Now restored in a style appealing to Dali, it is home to some of his greatest works of surrealism.
Your evening is free to relax and enjoy your hotel or even to visit local small villages or the seashore.
Thanks to a breakfast fit for royalty at the castle, you will be ready for a morning exploring the picturesque fishermen´s village of Cadaques. The town is known for its breathtaking beauty and history of famous Bohemian artists, including Dali. You will notice the artistic influence on this town as it is apparent in the lingering feel of the laidback and creative atmosphere. We you will visit the summer seaside home of Dali, complete with his works and arrangement of rooms, where you can have a glimpse into his life. Next, you can follow his footsteps as you enjoy a delightful lunch in one of the charming local haunts of the artist. The fresh fish and seafood of this seaside village will be enjoyed in the same places in which the locals eat. You will experience the atmosphere of this town in an authentic way as you try a few of the locals’ favorite seafood dishes. After enjoying your lunch you will make your way to Sant Pere de Rodes' Monastery, set at the top of a hill with magnificent views all around and towards Llafranc. After your busy day, you will surely enjoy a relaxing evening at your hotel and perhaps dinner in the hotel restaurant or at one of the local restaurants.
This morning after a luxurious breakfast at your castle, our guide will await you for a private visit to Girona. In the old town, you will discover a magnificent Girona Cathedral with the widest Gothic nave in all of Europe. You will meander through the famed Jewish Quarter, where each winding narrow street brings quaint and specialized shops to discover, you will visit the beautiful Arab baths.
Lunch today will be at Celler de Can Roca, a 3-star Michelin restaurant owned by three local Catalan brothers. Local recipes are the inspiration for the exquisite dishes served here, from delectable parfaits to the most appreciated wild mushroom soufflé. The enthusiasm and creativity of Chef Joan in his cooking is only matched by sommelier Josep’s expertise at pairing the perfect wines with your dinner. Both are complemented by the third brother, Jordi, and his delightful desserts. From aperitif to dessert, you will remember this dining experience for years to come!
This afternoon you are free to spend your time just as you wish. We suggest a visit to the most chic of the coastal towns in Costa Brava, Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc. Starting first at a light house near a quaint Mediterranean seaside inn with a sunny outdoor terrace, you could enjoy an aperitif, the view and breeze of the sea. There are plenty of scenic walks to explore the area and picturesque ocean front spots to see as well.
Today, after breakfast, you will leave for Carcassonne in France (a drive of approximately 2 hours). On the way you will visit the spectacular castle of Peyrepertuse, the largest of the famous medieval cathar castles, and relatively well-preserved. The views across Languedoc are spectacular, with sister castle Quéribus, the Pyrenees and even the Mediterranean, clearly visible.
Finally, you will arrive at Carcassonne - a perfectly restored, medieval walled fortress town which sits majestically above the River Aude and Canal du Midi. Carcassonne has an entire city that is a castle, in La Cite, the fortified upper city; it is an excellent example of a medieval fortified town whose massive defences were constructed on walls dating from Late Antiquity. Stroll along the cobblestone streets, browsing shops selling Medieval wares and try the classic peasant stew cassoullet at on of the many cafes.
Tonight you will stay at a lovely hotel, overlooking Carcassonne with its castle and drawbridge, nestled in greenery, offering you a haven of tranquility where you can recharge your batteries after your journey, even though it is only a 5 minute walk away from the main monuments and restaurants in town. Ideal for discovering the city and all its secrets. The rest of your day is now free to enjoy dinner either at the hotel or a local restaurant and to really enjoy Carcassonne to the full.
This morning you will leave behind the walled castle of Carcassonne and travel to Toulouse - called the Ville Rose ("Pink City") of France and the capital of good life. Toulouse is an absolute must for everyone wanting to explore France - the cosmopolitan and enthusiastic Ville Rose joyously mixes heritage and lifestyle, great cultural events, chic boutiques and very typically French cafes on many of it's beautiful squares. You are bound to be seduced by the incomparable Toulousain lifestyle!
Your journey now leads you to Biarritz which has long made its fortune from the sea: as a whaling settlement from the twelfth century onwards, in the 18th century doctors recommended that the ocean at Biarritz had therapeutic properties, inspiring patients to make pilgrimages to the beach for alleged cures for their ailments. Biarritz became more renowned in 1854 when Empress Eugenie (the wife of Napoleon III) built a palace on the beach (now the Hôtel du Palais). The British royal family regularly took vacations in Biarritz: European royalty such as Queen Victoria, Edward VII, and Alfonso XIII of Spain were frequent visitors. Biarritz's casino (opened 10 August 1901) and beaches make the town a notable tourist centre for Europeans.
Having toured the town and perhaps relaxed on the front overlooking the sea and "taken tea" or enjoyed a cool, long drink, your journey continues with a short drive to San Sebastian, where you will check into your hotel and be able to relax after your long day and maybe take dinner in the hotel.
After a delicious and leisurely breakfast at your hotel, your experienced Official Local Guide will be waiting for you and you will leave for a tour of San Sebastian, its wonderful "beach in the city"; so famous as the best city to eat in Spain! Your guide will show you around all the most interesting parts of the city, prior to leading you to the tapas area, where you will be privileged not only to go to the best bars, frequented by local foodies, but also to sample the specialities of each place. Although tapas were invented in Andalucia they became perfected in San Sebastian and a walk through the old town before lunch time with its many bars shows why. Each bar is bursting with so many different tapas and the Spanish tradition suggests to have one or two tapas and a wine in one bar and move on to the next bar.
In the afternoon you will visit the nearby picturesque seaside town of Hondarribia ("sand ford" in Basque), situated nearby to the French border on a little promontory. The town has an ancient old quarter with walls and a castle from where you can enjoy a gorgeous view of France and the mountain of Jaizkibel.
For a really special dinner, you may wish us to make reservations for you at one of the famous Michelin starred restaurants of the area, Akelarre, Arzak or Berasategui - the choice is yours!
This morning after breakfast, you will leave for Bilbao to visit the famous Guggenheim Museum. The Guggenheim Museum is a museum of modern and contemporary art designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, built by Ferrovial and located alongside the Nervion River, which runs through the city of Bilbao to the Atlantic Coast.
Following your visit to the Museum you may wish to take a slow drive back to San Sebastian, as the rest of your day is free to visit that which is most interesting in your field. In the evening you will enjoy dinner at the Restaurant in your hotel. Your hotel is owned by Spain´s most popular TV chef which makes the restaurant incredibly famous and we are sure you will enjoy the delicious Basque cuisine for which he is so well known.
Early this morning, immediately after breakfast, you will leave with your chauffeur for La Rioja region (approximately 2 hour journey). On arrival in La Rioja you will go to the famous Barrio de la Estacion in Haro, the cradle of la Rioja wine and start with a private guided visit to a unique, still family run Lopez de Heredia Winery. Proud of being old-fashioned, they still construct their own barrels on site and do not expect to see modern sophisticated machinery there, it is all done traditionally - and the wines are truly outstanding. For a hundred and thirty one years, three generations of the López de Heredia family have devoted themselves to vineyard care, a scrupulous selection of grapes, ageing in oak barrels in the heart of deep underground galleries, and the later ageing in bottles – the result being wines with an exceptional bouquet. Special mention ought to be made of their white wines. If there is one bodega experienced in producing old white wines, it has to be López de Heredia where they age white wines in oak for as long as reds; the result is much more surprising than might be expected. You´ll have an excellent tour of the facilities finalised with a tasting in the rather modern Zaha Hadid designed wine shop where you will sample their main wines such as Viña Tondonia Reserva and the very individual Viña Gravonia white.
Following your visit to the winery, we suggest you take a short trip to Laguardia, which is one of the most perfectly preserved medieval villages in Spain. Laguardia is a medieval hill hamlet (called "villa" in Spanish), reminiscent of Tuscan hilltop villages. It is surrounded by an ancient wall, and has a delightful jumble of cobblestoned streets lined with "Tabernas", wine shops, palaces, and cafes. Laguardia was founded in the year 1164 by King Sancho Abarca, and the spectacularly preserved wall dates back to the 15th century. The entire village became protected as Patrimony of Spain in 1964. The name "Laguardia" originates from "La Guardia de Navarra", the "Guard" of Navarra, referring to its strategic importance in the kingdom of Navarre.
We are sure you will enjoy a late lunch in this delightful hamlet before continuing your journey towards Barcelona, where you will rest for the night in a delightful 4* hotel with views of the Montserat mountains, approximately 50 minutes from Barcelona Airport.
Day 12 top
Following a wonderful night´s sleep after your journey from La Rioja region, we hope you will enjoy a relaxed and leisurely breakfast before checking out of your hotel and departing for Barcelona Airport, where you will hand over your car and mobile phone at the car rental office before catching a flight to your next destination.
We hope you will enjoy this private tour with Gourmand Breaks and look forward to assisting you in every way possible to make this Luxury Tour one which you will remember for years to come!
This tour may be extended to 14 (fourteen) days by including one night in Toulousse, the "pink city" and an additional night in La Rioja region, including a further winery visit, prior to return to Barcelona
Your Northern Spain & France Food & Wine Tour includes:top
- Accommodations for 2 nights in a four star grand luxury hotel in the heart of Barcelona (double occupancy)
- Accommodations for 4 nights in a luxurious, charming four star castle hotel (double occupancy)
- Accommodation for 1 night at a delightful French Chateau hotel (double occupancy)
- Accommodation for 3 nights in a charming seaside four star hotel nearby to San Sebastian (double occupancy)
- Accommodation for 1 night in an exceedingly comfortable small hotel in Igualada, recommended for its good food (double occupancy)
- 11 Full breakfasts
- Two gourmet lunches, with wines
- Luxury car rental for the 9 days you will be outside Barcelona, including GPS and insurance (Audi, Mercedes or similar, with automatic transmission)
- One private guided walking tour in Barcelona (Boqueria, Gothic quarter, Gaudi route, Gourmet tastings)
- Two private guided visits to Perelada and Marques de Riscal wineries, assisted by in house expert and finished with complete tasting of their finest wines
- Gastronomic menu dinner at luxury 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Girona, paired with wines
- Online Personal Travel Webpage including daily itinerary, maps, general local information, restaurant reservations, details of places of interest, and suggestions for your free time, etc.
- Customized Travel Journal, which will include the information on your Personal Travel Website, that you can take with you to use as a reference throughout your tour
- Free use of a cellphone (please see Terms & Conditions)
- Travel Insurance
Your Northern Spain & France Food & Wine Tour does not include:
- Flights
- Meals and Drinks not specified
- Personal Expenses such as Telephone, Minibar, etc
- Tips and Gratuities (Restaurants, etc.)
- Cancellation Insurance
Northern Spain & France Food & Wine Tour dates:
Available upon request all year round.
Northern Spain & France Food & Wine Tour Prices:
Please note our tours are available for PRIVATE GROUPS ONLY and are not scheduled tours for mixed groups.
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