Spanish Culinary, Wine & Cultural Tours
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Culinary Tours
Culinary & Art Tour in Northern Spain
Itinerary | Features | Prices | Travel Options
Highlights of your unforgettable visit include:
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Accommodations in a 4-star converted palace hotel in the heart of Gothic Barcelona and in an authentic Spanish stone castle in the countryside
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Gourmet cooking lessons with Spanish chefs and 3-course meals and a market shopping experience in Spain's famous market, La Boqueria
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Guided tours of Gaudi's architecture, the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, a 13th century castle, fishing villages, Greek ruins and the old Jewish quarter of Girona
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A day visit to a local winery including a tour of cellars and vineyards, and complete with wine tasting
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A fine luxury dining at a famous 19th century Catalan author's villa
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Tastings of exquisite gourmet Spanish foods including ham, cheese, olives, wines, dried fruits, nuts and chocolate
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You will start your stay with airport pickup and check-in to a 4-star luxury hotel at an old palace within the Gothic District of downtown Barcelona. A fruit and chocolate basket will be waiting for you in your room to welcome you. You will share a welcome cocktail with your guide and receive an itinerary of your personalized tour, a map, and plenty of suggestions of restaurants and free time activities. We suggest dinner at the charming and elegant hotel restaurant, but a variety of informal venues are also just a short walk away.
On the morning of your first day, you will visit La Boqueria Spain’s most important and lively marketplace offering the freshest produce and variety in all of Europe. During the tour of the market, you will be educated on local products, which you will use in your cooking class. Next, you will embark with your chef and culinary guide for a gourmet cooking lesson and will use the freshest and finest ingredients available in La Boqueria to prepare lunch. Whatever local specialty tempts you most - fideuá, seafood paella, suquet, or Catalan creme - will make up your meal. You will enjoy the personalized attention of our chef and a sumptuous lunch.
After lunch, you will head up the Passeig de Gracia for a walking tour of the fanciful works of Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi and visit his famous Casa Batllo. Throughout Gaudi's work, you will see much of his architectural inspiration came from his experiences in nature. Once you have worked up an appetite, we will stop into a posh and fashionable gourmet chocolate boutique to sample the city’s finest. The walking tour will be concluded with a remarkable Spanish sunset enjoyed over the city from the rooftops of Gaudi's architectural masterpiece, La Pedrera.
This evening you will have free to discover the lively city and restaurants of Barcelona on your own. Our guide, however, is always at your disposal if you would prefer it!
Today you will traverse the city on a gourmet walking tour through the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona! Your journey will pass by a few architectural feats as well, including a gothic cathedral, Santa Maria Church. The Gothic Quarter is considered the heart of Barcelona and home to an abundance of tucked away gourmet cafes and shops.
You will take the path of Picasso on the famous Avignon Street, taste fresh Spanish cheeses at a charming local cheese shop paired with a little wine and stop at the oldest venue in Barcelona for refreshments, dried nuts and fruits, and see the process first hand. You will visit a delicious traditional delicatessen and sample Spain's famous hams, cold meats and sausages, all provided by local farmers. The meats will be complemented by fine Penedes and Priorat wines, including ecological varieties from nearby Barcelona vineyards. To round out our tasting day of Barcelona’s best, we will finish off with dessert at the oldest venue for chocolate and churros the city has to offer.
Surely after this day of activity you will welcome the Spanish siesta time and relish a free evening on your own. As always, our guide is at your disposal if you would prefer! Perhaps you would like the guide to escort you to an illuminated night view of Sagrada Familia and recommend a fine dining venue nearby.
After breakfast and the experience of touring bustling Barcelona, you will be picked up from your hotel and transferred to the beautiful and serene countryside of Figueres. You will start your day with a visit to the vineyards of the excellent Perelada winery to see firsthand the starting point for world-class wine and the winemaking process from grape to bottle. You will learn from a wine expert of the unique factors of the Catalonia geography that contribute to the development of these Spanish wines, then head to the winery to taste a variety of wines including cavas, of whites and reds.
From the cellars we will head across the lane to a 13th century Romanesque castle Castillo Perelada where you will see both an ancient wine press and the current wine and cava making facilities. The castle visit will also include a tour of the largest private library in Spain, a visit to the castle's church and a collection of crystal and ceramics.
You will enjoy a relaxed and light lunch abounding with local produce in the countryside. In the afternoon, we will transfer to your new home for the next 3 nights - an authentic Spanish medieval castle, an architectural jewel that was built eight centuries ago. Unwind after the city hustle and bustle by exploring the hundred-year-old forest and a splendid olive orchard surrounding the hotel, overlooking the hills of the picturesque Emporda countryside. This leisurely evening will be spent getting acquainted with the grounds of the castle and enjoying all the amenities of your fairy tale residence before enjoying a romantic dinner by candlelight. Or maybe you would prefer to explore the picturesque seasde fishermen villages a short drive away? The choice is yours, our guide is always at your disposal with suggestions or optional excursions, if you like.
Thanks to a breakfast fit for royalty at the castle, you will be ready for a morning exploring the picturesque fisherman village of Cadaqués. This seaside village is renowned for its breathtaking beauty and its history of famous Bohemian artists, most importantly Dali. You will notice the artistic influence in the lingering feel of the laidback and creative atmosphere. You will visit the summer seaside home of Dali, complete with his works and arrangement of rooms, to have a glimpse into his life. There are several restaurants we recommend for lunch, including a few historic artists' haunts. But, the choice is yours!
The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore all the area has to offer. Both your guide and chauffeur are at your disposal if you would like. Choose between the multiple activities and routes we will offer, so you are sure to see the attractions and spend your vacation exactly as you wish!
This morning begins with a trip to the nearby Empuries area for a visit to ancient Greek ruins. Enjoy a walk that is bordered on one side by Greek ruins and on the other, the bright blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. You can go down to the beach to relax after the stroll or perhaps explore the old stone village at the end of the walk.
Lunch this afternoon will be at the former villa of female author Caterina Albert, who wrote using the male pseudonym "Victor Catalá." This author attended a female cooking school at the turn of the century and the chefs today cook using her hand copied recipes that have captured her ancestors recipes over the past hundreds of years. The meal will not be complete until you try a tasting of sweet wine from the ancient cellar.
After an afternoon of rest at the castle, this evening you will be the guest of a local Catalan chef at his cooking school for a sumptuous and authentic Spanish farewell dinner. You will join him for a night of tapas, traditional seafood or paella and wine in Catalan style! Feel free 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.
The meal will end with one of the famous Catalan desserts, but your evening does not have to! We can recommend places in the area to see the night life of Spain one more time or, if you like, you can be escorted back to the castle to enjoy your evening there.
Your tour concludes with a lovely breakfast at the castle, followed by a chauffeured transfer to Barcelona for your departure.
We hope you join us for this unforgettable experience!
Your Culinary & Art Tour in Northern Spain includes:top
- English speaking expert culinary guide/chauffeur at your entire disposal
- All transfers
- Accommodations for 3 nights in luxurious 4-star gothic palace hotel (double occupancy)
- Accommodations for 3 nights in authentic stone Castle from the 13th century(double occupancy)
- 7 full breakfasts
- All the culinary, cultural visits and tastings indicated in the itinerary
- 2 private cooking classes followed by meals
- 1 tapas lunch
- 2 lunches including wine in local restaurants
- 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 Culinary & Art Tour in Northern Spain does not include:
- Flights
- Meals and Drinks not Specified
- Personal Expenses such as Telephone, Minibar, etc
- Tips and Gratuities (Restaurants, etc)
- Cancellation Insurance
Culinary & Art Tour in Northern Spain dates:
Available upon request all year round.
Culinary & Art Tour in Northern Spain Prices:
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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