Spain: Barcelona and the Catalan Countryside

This 8-night trip offers an immersive gastronomic exploration of Barcelona and the surrounding Catalonia region. This isn’t a typical packaged vacation — instead, we’ll dive deep into the rich culinary heritage that defines Catalonia for travelers who are interested in food. You’ll engage directly with local artisans, winemakers, cheesemakers, olive oil producers, farmers, chefs, and business owners who shape the region's foodscape. And though we're in Spain, Catalan is the dominant language and culture in this region, especially in the countryside where it usually takes precedence over Spanish. 

Catalonia is famous for its blend of Mediterranean flavors and Pyrenean influences -- sea and land. You’ll cook and eat dishes such as escalivada (roasted vegetables), calçots (a seasonal winter green onion grilled and served with romesco sauce), and butifarra (a traditional Catalan sausage). We’ll explore coastal seafood dishes like suquet de peix (a Catalan fish stew) and rural staples of inland Catalonia, including artisanal cheeses and slow-cooked meats like escudella i carn d'olla, the region's famous winter soup. You’ll also experience the daily tradition of pa amb tomàquet (tomato-rubbed bread), a quintessential Catalan experience.

Wine plays an integral role in Catalonia’s culture, and on this trip you'll taste carefully curated selections and pairings with your meals, including sparkling Cava, but also complex reds. Cava is crafted primarily from three important grape varietals: macabeo, xarello, and parellada. The unique microclimate of Penedès, characterized by the moderating influence of the Montserrat mountain range and the terroir of calcareous clay, limestone, and sandy soils, create ideal conditions for these indigenous grapes. While we are not able to physically visit every wine region in Catalonia, we can certainly try as many as we can from other surrounding areas like Priorat, Empordà, Montsant, Terra Alta, and Pla de Bages and try other varietals like garnacha, cariñena (samsó), tempranillo (ull del lebre), sumoll, trepat, malvasia, and more. Whether you're a wine expert or a complete beginner, you'll learn a lot on this trip about sustainable viticulture and how to appreciate good wine.

Overall, this trip will be a small group experience to build connections among us but also with locals we meet along the way, giving insight into the traditions of Catalonia and helping us reflect on our own relationship with food in relation to American culture. The trip will be led by @nycgourmand, in collaboration with local friends from Barcelona Slow Travel in Spain. 

See below for pictures from previous trips and also say hello and follow me on Instagram: @nycgourmand

Tentative Itinerary*

Day 1: Depart USA for Barcelona

Day 2: Arrive in Barcelona

• Airport pickup and drop off at hotel 

• Check in today to your Barcelona hotel

• Welcome dinner for traditional Catalan cuisine: we will get to know each other tonight as well as an introduction to the food and wine of the region.

• Stay at the hotel in Barcelona tonight.

Day 3: Paella and the Secret to Socarrat  

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Today you'll learn how to make traditional Spanish paella from scratch, starting with saffron-infused rice, fresh seafood, meats, and a variety of vegetables. Most importantly, you'll learn how to achieve the perfect socarrat, the crispy, flavorful rice layer at the bottom of the pan.  The key elements of a good paella are the pan itself, the cooking techiques, and quality ingredients such as Bomba rice, saffron, fresh seafood--large prawns, mussels, and clams--along with chicken or rabbit. 

• In the evening, we will visit a small bar specializing in organic, natural, and biodynamic wines.  We will have an informal course to learn about natural wine, in addition to tasting, pairing, and appreciating wine in relation to food.  We'll also familiarize ourselves with the indigenous grape varietals of Catalonia.  Dinner at the wine bar. 

• Stay again at the hotel in Barcelona tonight.

Day 4: Local Markets, Local Hangouts, Local Neighborhoods

• Breakfast at the hotel; we will then take part in one of the following experiences...

• Option A: A visit to one of Barcelona's fish markets to explore the local seafood industry with a focus on sustainability, traditional fishing practices, and the challenges of maintaining healthy marine ecosystems. We'll meet fishmongers to learn about the variety of seafood caught along the Catalan coast. Lunch will feature a selection of fresh seafood tapas near the market. 

• Option B: A traditional Bodega crawl. Barcelona's bodegas are beloved neighborhood spots where locals once bought wine in bulk. Nowadays, they serve as social hubs to hang with friends, have a drink, and have an informal meal. We'll visit a few bodegas and take part in the hora de vermut—the Catalan ritual of enjoying vermut with some snacks in the late morning to open up your appetite for lunch. Along the way, you'll learn how to order tapas like a local.

• Stay at the hotel in Barcelona tonight before an early departure tomorrow morning.

Transition to the Countryside

Day 5: Gallecs and Montseny, Immersive Farm-to-Table Cooking Experience and Farmstay

• Today begins with a visit to local farmers in the morning to gather fresh ingredients in the village of Gallecs.  Our hosts will provide us with a rustic and traditional farmer's breakfast in the open air.  And here, you'll learn the proper way to drink from a porrón.

• We'll then travel to a 13th century farmhouse in Montseny natural park, outside of the village of Figaró, where you'll stay for a night and participate in a 24-hour Traditional Oven Cooking Experience to prepare several dishes throughout the evening and for the next day. We'll head to the forest to chop wood for the oven and forage for wild asparagus, herbs, mushrooms, and other ingredients.  We will use the traditional oven to cook food at various points of the fire: when the heat is most intense and also throughout the night as we slow-cook meat overnight for lunch the next day. (Don't worry -- you don't have to stay up all night!)

• Dinner will be a hands-on cooking experience, where we’ll prepare our dishes to be cooked in the oven.

• Stay at the farmhouse for one night.

Day 6: Penedès Wine Region and Vineyard Workshop

• We'll start the day with a traditional Catalan farm breakfast: cured meats, local cheeses, eggs, bread, seasonal fruits, and more.

• After breakfast, go on a guided hike through Montseny Natural Park, then return for lunch, which will consist of the overnight slow-cooked meats, such chicken, goat, and lamb, winter vegetables, and foraged herbs / aromatics.

• After lunch and departure from the farmhouse, we'll be picked up in the afternoon in the village of Figaró and taken to Penedès for the Vineyard Pruning Experience. You'll learn about the vital role of winter pruning in maintaining vine health and optimizing grape quality during a hands-on workshop. This practical session will cover techniques for selecting canes and shaping the vines for optimal yield throughout the summer. Following the workshop, enjoy a guided tour of the winery, gaining insights into the winemaking process and the region’s unique terroir, before concluding the day with an intimate dinner hosted by the winery's owners, featuring a tasting of their best wines. The day ends with an evening drop-off at our new accommodation in a small village in Penedès. 

• Stay at the guesthouse tonight.

Day 7: Penedès Wine Region continued - Bike Tour or Disgorging Experience 

• Breakfast served by our host at the guesthouse; we will then take part in one of the following experiences...

• Option A: Experience the beauty of Penedès on an e-bike, starting from our guesthouse. This region, renowned for its rolling hills and historic small villages, is a vital part of Catalonia’s wine landscape, particularly celebrated for its high-quality Cava, but also excellent still wines. We’ll visit a winery that pioneered organic and sustainable winemaking in the region in the 1970s, and learn how the grapes are influenced by the unique microclimate created by the nearby Montserrat mountain range. After lunch at the winery, we'll head to a second winery and traditional Cava cellar, where you’ll learn about the intricate Cava-making process, including the two fermentations and the art of aging. Explore the underground cellars where bottles develop complex flavors over time and enjoy tastings of both young and aged Cavas.

• Option B: We’ll begin the day with a visit to a family-run winery, renowned for producing high-quality cavas. Enjoy a homemade lunch with the winemaker and their family followed by an engaging, hands-on disgorging experience. Disgorging is a vital step in the traditional method of Champagne, Cava, and other sparkling wines where the second fermentation occurs in the bottle. During this process, you'll learn how the bottles are turned and tilted to gather yeast sediment in the neck. Then, you'll witness the moment when the neck is frozen in a brine solution, allowing the frozen plug of yeast to be removed. Not only will you gain a deeper understanding of this traditional method, but you’ll also have the chance to participate in the disgorging yourself. In the afternoon, we’ll visit one more producer of organic wines, with a focus on non-sparkling wines, for an overview, tour, and tasting, again hosted by the owner. 

• Dinner tonight will be at a local restaurant in the village or we will have a chef come to the house to cook for us. 

• Stay at guesthouse again for final night in Penedès.

Day 8: Empordà and Girona - Sheep, Cheese, Beer, and Medieval Times

• Breakfast served by our host at the guesthouse.

• Pick-up in Penedès and transfer to a sheep farm in Empordà, where you’ll tour the farm, meet our modern-day shepherd, hang out with a few hundred sheep, and participate in an interactive cheese-making session. Under the guidance of expert cheesemakers, you’ll learn the traditional methods of crafting artisanal cheese from fresh sheep's milk. Afterward, enjoy a tasting of the farm’s aged cheeses along with the fresh cheese you made this morning. 

• Enjoy a traditional Fideuà lunch prepared by a private chef at the farm. 

• In the afternoon, we’ll head to the medieval town of Girona, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore its beautifully preserved city center. As you walk through the narrow cobblestone streets, you’ll discover Girona’s rich history, architecture, and iconic landmarks.   If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you can retrace some steps of important scenes from the show that were filmed here.

• We will then take a brief hiatus from wine and shift to local beer production, led by a craft beer expert who will guide you through best practices in pairing beer with food.  He owns a restaurant in town and will host us for an interactive session where we'll sample at least 7 or 8 tastings of artisanal craft beer brewed in Catalonia and surrounding areas.  We'll have a light dinner at the restaurant, but if you're still hungry you can continue on your own into the night and tapear, or partake in tapas bar-hopping around the city.

• Stay at hotel in Girona.

Day 9: Manresa for Olive Oil, then Back to Barcelona

• Breakfast will be at the hotel. 

• In the morning, on the way back to Barcelona, we’ll visit an olive farm in Manresa, where you’ll learn about olive oil from an olive farmer and professional taster who serves on the regional quality and judging board. During this visit, you’ll gain insight into the olive oil production process and what makes high-quality oil. For lunch, we’ll enjoy a meal prepared by a private local chef at the olive farm owner's home, allowing you to pair the oils with different foods of the inland region of Pla de Bages.  We'll return to Barcelona after the meal.

• Afternoon and early evening free.

• Farewell dinner - We'll say goodbye to each other and to Barcelona over our final meal, which will consist of modern Catalan cuisine at a very special restaurant.

Day 10: Return to USA (or extend your trip!)

• Breakfast at the hotel

• Transfer to BCN airport included

*This itinerary is subject to change and may be adjusted before departure.  The above itinerary serves as overview of what we'll do all week and some modifications may have to happen.  The best efforts will be made to facilitate the exact activities listed, but because we will be exploring non-tourist locations and working with small-scale family-owned businesses, some changes may be necessary at times.  

Inclusions: 

• 4 nights at a three or four star hotel in the city of Barcelona; 1 night at the farmhouse; 2 nights in a private guesthouse in Penedès; 1 night at a three or four star hotel in Girona (8 nights total)

• Single accommodations will be provided, except for the one-night farmhouse stay: you will have your own bed, but may have to share a room with others in our group.

  • • If traveling as a couple or with a friend and would like to share a hotel room, you'll receive a discount.

• Roundtrip airport transfers from BCN to our hotel

• All excursions and activities listed above

• Breakfast daily and any meals mentioned in the itinerary 

• Wine with each meal: wines will be sourced from the region, with a focus on organic, natural, and/or biodynamic products

• Private transportation from city to countryside

• 24/7 on-site presence of tour leader

• Local guides, experts, artisans, and friends who will join us throughout the trip!

Exclusions:

• Airfare to and from Barcelona, Spain

• Medical and trip interruption coverage (strongly recommended to protect your trip)

• Personal expenses during your free time 

Confirmation: Dates TBA

Contact:

• Email: info@saltfirevine.com

• Instagram: @nycgourmand

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