About Gourmand Breaks
The Company
Gourmand Breaks is a Spanish travel agency, located near Barcelona, Spain and specializes in gastronomic, fine wine and culinary tours. Our tours cater both to the enthusiastic amateur and to the dedicated professional. We operate in Northern Spain, in the Catalonia region by the Mediterranean Sea, and truly are experts on the cuisine, sites and offerings of this rich area.
We have acquired years of experience in the world of gastronomy and the hotel and restaurant industry and to put it simply, we just love great food and drink. Our company consist of enthusiastic and experienced foodies, who know our area inside and out. We think that one of the finest pleasures in life is a great meal in great company. It is our passion for Spanish food and wine that motivates us to share with our clients, and our knowledge and experience with the region that allows us to organize fabulous tours where you will discover the best of our cuisine and culture. We know all the best kept culinary secrets in this rich part of the world and we want to share them with you!
Thanks to our network of contacts in the gourmet world and our extensive research of gourmet locations in the north of Spain, we have selected the best in the business to attend our clients. In many cases, these are our friends, who open their home and wine cellar to us so we can enjoy local product peacefully together. We hand select all of our restaurants, wineries, and luxury accommodations, which are the top in their category in terms of comfort, charm, character and service.
Why Spain and Catalonia?
Spain is the hottest cooking vacation destination in Europe at the moment, experiencing a major gourmet Renaissance, similar to the French Nouvelle Cuisine boom in the early nineties. And according to Bon Appetit Magazine, “Barcelona is not only challenging Paris, but may have even surpassed it as the most exciting place to eat in the Old World”. Aside from its deep-seated traditional roots, Spanish cuisine is living an unprecedented moment of splendor and international recognition.
The Catalonia region is located in Northern Spain, next to the Mediterranean Sea. And in the words of culinary critic Colman Andrews , “Catalan cuisine is Europe’s last great culinary secret”.
Come and discover this last great secret for yourself!
Our Traveler
Our food and wine tours are high end, offering tailored, personalized service and exquisite itineraries to individuals and groups (companies welcomed). These trips are designed for passionate amateurs and professionals and combine an entertaining mix of wine and food tasting, local market excursions, hands-on cooking with visits to the kitchens of local chefs , and cultural sites and events.
What you can Expect
You will discover the local culture through the regions gastronomy, fine wines, countryside and architecture, but you will not be left on your own to do it! Like we said, we have selected the very best in the business, and this foremost applies to our tour guides, who are looking forward to showing you around.
Our Guides
You and your small group will have a completely guided and chauffeured tour, and even if your group is just two people, your guide will always be at your disposal. Our guides are natives, fluent in English, Spanish, and Catalan, and will provide personalized attention as he or she accompanies your group for the length of your visit to show you the sites, answer your questions or help you with whatever needs may arise. Simple tasks can be tricky when away from home, like buying extra film, and your guide will assist you, whenever you wish!
Our Hosts
You will be fascinated by what you learn from our local experts, both our tour guides and our gourmet gurus will have a wealth of knowledge. Masters of traditional cooking will provide cooking classes based on typical Mediterranean fare, while young chefs will introduce you to the regions specialties in avant-garde cuisine. Our experts will share your table and will tell you all about our local produce, the history, the processes and in short, the secrets of our cheese, cured meat, olive oil, and wild mushrooms, to name only a few. You will discover places which only people with local knowledge can show you and you will delight in the regional food at authentic restaurants.
Our Chefs
In addition to enjoying meals in traditional restaurants where you have to know what to order, you will dine in famous Michelin starred restaurants, with local products made poetry by the best Spanish chefs. These dining experiences will have an emphasis on matching food and drink whether using traditional pairings, like wild game and red wine, or using more innovative pairings, to include beer and chocolate. Prepare to indulge your senses.
Our Accommodation
Your accommodations will match the excellence of your dining experiences as you will visit the most fashionable places in cosmopolitan Barcelona and explore medieval villages where time has stood still. You will spend your nights in small designer hotels, medieval castles and cozy country houses. You will be able to relax in luxurious spas, enjoying massages surrounded by tranquility and nature. Or if you choose, you can explore the local countryside on foot for a more idyllic experience. We will take care of every small detail which will make your stay comfortable and enjoyable.
Tour Dates
Our tours are offered all year round, with a selection of specialized seasonal tours. We offer grape and mushroom picking in autumn, olive oil preparation in winter, snails and “calçots” cuisine in spring, to name a few. For a group with a particular interest or date, we can organize completely customized trips covering the activity and dates required!
Please follow these links to view our FAQs and Terms and Conditions and Contact Us
