Catalonia Private Food & Wine Tour

This morning, your elegant, charming driver and luxurious Mercedes will pick you up in Barcelona, where the tour begins (ask us if you need help with hotels and touring in Barcelona before the tour starts). Today, you will be heading south into the sparkling wine country of Cava, where an extended Cava Wine Brunch awaits you at Rovellats.

This historic, beautiful cellar dates back more than a century, and it makes renowned sparkling wines. Enjoy a tour of the vineyards, bodega, and a long, wine-soaked brunch in their sculpture-filled, lush garden. You’ll taste delicacies like acorn-fed Iberian ham, country bread baked by artisan baker Jordi Morera (in Vilanova i la Geltrú), mouthwatering Spanish tortilla, dried figs, Marcona almonds, and the famous Cudié Catànies (local praline treats from Vilafranca del Penedès).

After brunch, enjoy free time for a beach walk on the lovely Sitges promenade. This artsy, Art Nouveau town is called the jewel of the Costa Garraf. It is home to many historic mansions dating to the late 1800s/early 1900s, built by returning emigrés who had made fortunes in Latin America & the Caribbean (especially Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela).

Then, it’s on to the Priorat wine region, where you will stay in a dreamy wine resort, Terra Dominicata, ensconced in vineyards and olive groves.

This historic farm, once cultivated by the Carthusian monks of Escaladei, has been transformed into a winery hotel surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. Relax in lavishly appointed rooms and suites, each boasting refined décor and awe-inspiring vistas. Enjoy a rejuvenating swim in the outdoor pool, treat yourself at the hotel’s spa, or explore the hotel’s rich wine cellar.

Today, prepare for an exclusive journey through the stunning terraced vineyards of Priorat, a true gem in the world of winemaking. After breakfast this morning, your chauffeur will escort you to the first appointment of the day, Mas Doix, where you have an extensive tasting of iconic wines to look forward to. The fantastic lineup of award-winning wines will feature ten wines (!), which you will enjoy alongside dramatic views over the wine country. Taste both signature and cult wines from their range, such as Murmuri and Salix (whites); Crestes, Salanques, and Doix (collector favorites); 1902 and 1903 (wines made with hundred-year-old Garnacha and Cariñena); then finish with some of the older vintages, like Doix 2002. Spectacular.

Lunch is a hoot, both casual and supremely gourmet, at El Brots, run by effervescent chef propriétaire Pieter Truyts. Located in the quaint hamlet of Poboleda, Pieter will tantalize your taste buds and offer expert commentary during your wine pairings.

In the afternoon, stretch your legs and breathe in the mountain air on a visit to the tiny, fairy-tale cobblestone village of Siurana, with the best views in the Priorat. This medieval hamlet sits on the edge of a riverside cliff, overlooking dramatic mountain scenery. Take in the sights: the Romanesque church, the ruins of the Moorish castle.

In the late afternoon, your chauffeur will return you to your wine resort hotel.

After relaxing and refreshing this evening, you will dine onsite at the “Mater Terrae” gourmet restaurant in a charming, renovated farmhouse where culinary innovation meets local heritage. Under the skilled direction of Chef Fran Lopez and his culinary team, delight in meticulously crafted dishes made from the freshest ingredients, each perfectly complemented by an array of extraordinary wines.

This morning, you’ll enjoy a visit to a top Priorat (also called “Priorato”) winery in Costers del Siurana, one of Spain’s most prestigious wine estates. A VIP, artisan cellar tour with the owner Carles Pastrana, one of the region’s founding fathers, followed by a remarkable tasting featuring cru wines such as the flagship Clos de l’Obac and the famed sweetie “Dolç de l’Obac.”

After a fun and exciting tasting with the enigmatic Carles, lunch beckons. An innovative, elegant four-course tasting menu, paired with excellent wines, awaits at Restaurant Amics. Amics sets the standard for modern gastronomy in Priorat but is heavily influenced by the region’s culinary traditions. Chef Marc Pi uses only high-quality, local, and seasonal ingredients and is a passionate connoisseur of the region’s wine.

After lunch, in the late afternoon, get some fresh air and enjoy splendid scenery on a fun jeep tour at the mythical Clos Mogador estate run by the Barbier. The Barbier family has a centuries-old winemaking tradition, but René Barbier Ferrer bought his first estate in Gratallops in 1978. Clos Mogador subsequently became one of the defining estates of modern Priorat. After your jeep excursion, you will enjoy a tasting of a range of the bodega’s best wines.

Before returning to your wine resort, explore the tiny Scala Dei hamlet with its ruined Carthusian monastery, founded in 1194, and cute small olive oil and wine shops.

Free evening to dine onsite at your delicious wine hotel restaurant amid vineyards and olive groves.

Today, you will travel north to the picturesque Costa Brava, Spain’s “Wild Coast,” reminiscent of Northern California’s coastline. Break up the journey with some fun food and wine experiences! In the late morning, you’ll visit Casa Vermouth Padró, where you’ll learn about Spain’s most popular aperitif- vermouth. Founded in 1886, this family-run estate makes many stylish and delicious vermouths- white, red, golden, bitter, and aged. Learn all about the history and production, and taste the range. You will become a “Vermut” expert and convert, and this will be your new favorite Sunday pre-lunch tipple.

Then, continue north and stop for a scenic and casual wine lunch in a vineyard with stunning sea views in the itty bitty Alella appellation at the leading estate, Alta Alella. Your hosts will take you on a private jeep tour to their highest vineyard parcel, where you can appreciate the visual amphitheater of vines overlooking the sea. Follow with a pairing of gourmet tapas with six estate wines and cavas. This estate is renowned for its high-end Cavas, mainly using the traditional Pansa Blanca (Xarel.lo) grape and blended with Champagne varietals like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They are also making waves with their dry reds made with classic Mediterranean varietals like Syrah and Grenache (Garnatxa).

After lunch, head to the Costa Brava to your glamorous seafront estate,  La Gavina, which opened in 1932 and has welcomed movie stars ever since, including Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner, Orson Welles, Peter Sellers, John Wayne, Jack Nicholson, and Sean Connery. Settle in and relax in your antiques-filled room with a romantic balcony with spectacular Mediterranean views. Enjoy a glass of bubbly on your terrace, or why not partake in one of the many treatments offered by the hotel’s Spa?

We suggest you try the La Taverna del Mar for dinner this evening, just two minutes from the hotel on the pristine sands of Sant Pol Beach. With spectacular ocean views and a blend of modernista elegance and local culinary traditions, specialties include rice dishes and freshly caught seafood.

This morning, visit the utterly whimsical and highly entertaining Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres. The internationally known Dalí was as famous for his flamboyance and exhibitionism as he was for his surrealist imagery. At this outrageous museum, you will find a fantastic collection of his surrealist paintings, watercolors, charcoals, pastels, prints, and sculptures, not to mention his bizarre installation art like “Face of Mae West Which Can Be Used as an Apartment.” Salvador Dali famously quipped, “The one thing the world will never have enough of is the outrageous.” This museum is a living testament to that, an experience to behold!

After a morning of culture and art, a gourmet extravaganza will follow. Enjoy a phenomenal, “slow food”- style (12-course) lunch in a breezy, stylish Cadaqués at Compartir. This early-18th-century townhouse has a large outdoor patio, relaxed but professional servers, and top chefs at the helm (who previously worked with Ferran Adrià at his now-closed gastro temple, el Bulli). The concept is “sharing,” and dishes are served tapas-style at this rustic-chic gem.

The afternoon is yours to explore Cadaqués. This village is located near the French border and is the quintessential Mediterranean fishing village. Apart from working fishing boats, it’s full of art galleries, gorgeous boutiques, bougainvillea-lined alleyways, and photo ops at every turn.

As evening approaches, return to your resort and enjoy free time to explore its gastronomic offerings, like the candlelit piano terrace restaurant.

Today, prepare for an enchanting journey through some of the Costa Brava’s most picturesque beach villages. With the luxury of a private chauffeur at your disposal, you can set your own pace and fully tailor the day’s activities to your desires. Start the day at pretty Tamariu, 500 meters of sand in a perfect horseshoe cove, backed only by a pedestrianized street lined with cafés and restaurants. Stroll around, take in the striking scenery, and sip on a café before heading to the equally delightful Calella de Palafrugell. This ancient fishing village is perfect for wandering the narrow streets lined with quaint fisherman’s dwellings. Its rugged, rocky coastline is formed of a string of small coves. You can look down on several of them as you stroll along the coastal path into Llafranc.

This heavenly seaside town is another perfect example of what makes the Costa Brava unique: two-story, whitewashed townhouses with splashes of color on the shutters, contrasting against the rich green pine forest hills leading down to the turquoise crystalline waters.

Lunch is on your own here, with our suggestions for one of the many divine eateries. Casamar, for example, is super.

After lunch, enjoy a digestive walk along the gorgeous coastline of Aiguablava. Pristine, clear, turquoise waters gently lap the white shores. Follow the winding roads around to explore the darling coves of Sa Tuna, with its pretty whitewashed fisherman houses set against the pine-covered hills, and then Sa Riera, one of the larger beaches in the area yet beautifully preserved with its traditional character.

And before heading back to your resort, we’ll show you two of the cutest medieval villages in Costa Brava- hill-topped Pals and darling Peratallada.

Dinner tonight is a highlight at Michelin-starred Els Tinars. This restaurant has a long family tradition dating back decades. Its attractive, Mediterranean-inspired dining rooms set the scene for elegant, cozy dining built around the best seasonal ingredients.

This morning, you will drive south to Catalonia’s capital city. Barcelona is one of Europe’s most glamorous and energetic cities, with an astounding collection of beautiful art and architecture and a high concentration of stunning restaurants and wine bars. Kick off the day with a private Gaudí tour led by your art expert guide. You’ll visit Park Güell, see the mesmerizing façade of Casa Batlló with its dragon-scale roof, visit La Pedrera and explore the Sagrada Família. When your confirmed program includes a tower visit, you’ll ascend by lift and descend on foot.

Carry on with an afternoon of wining and dining through Barcelona’s medieval Barri Gòtic district with its narrow alleyways and old stone palaces. Lunch will be an amusing mix of history, food anecdotes, and plenty of wine tasting.

Free time then to settle in and relax at your grande dame of a hotel, El Palace Barcelona, located on one of the most famous boulevards in Barcelona. Relax and enjoy your room and the hotel’s old-world glamor.

Dinner tonight will be arranged at a carefully selected Barcelona restaurant, with wines chosen to accompany the menu.

Today, you will enjoy a fun, hands-on private cooking class in Barcelona with your personal chef Candido. Meet your chef in the lobby of your hotel this morning and zip on down to the dazzlingly colorful Boqueria Market. The Boqueria is the most photogenic and spectacular covered market in Spain, if not Europe. Stall after tantalizing stall offer shoppers a never-ending selection of goodies from exotic fruits from around the world, particularly Asia and South America; prepared half coconuts with spoons “to go,” candies and nuts in every color; countless sea creatures and fish from the Mediterranean, Atlantic and further afield; cured Spanish hams (Iberico, Bellota, etc.) and artisan charcuterie; Foie from Girona; dozens of wild mushrooms, ceps, boletus and truffles from Spain, France, Italy; high-end Spanish olive oils from Extremadura, Catalunya, Andalusia and Rioja- and more! You will shop for the ingredients together, and your chef will let you sneak in a few tastings.

Then head to his nearby cooking studio, and together, you will prepare three courses, which could include Strawberry Gazpacho, shrimp in a garlic sauce, razor clams in Sherry, Seafood Paella, and Crema Catalana, all generously accompanied by Albariño and Rioja wines.

The afternoon is yours to shop, sightsee, or relax. This evening, you will have a tasting-menu dinner at three-Michelin-starred Lasarte, directed by Martín Berasategui and led in the kitchen by chef Paolo Casagrande. The menus change seasonally, and as an idea of flavor combos to expect, they have featured dishes like Citrus pickled oyster with a short poultry broth and radish granita; Squid tartare with green apple juice, and licorice emulsion; Charcoal ox fillet, braised cabbage, smoked corn, tubers with shallot and Porto sauce; Carbonara with fine herbs, crayfish and Iberian jowl with Sherry-cured yolk; and Creamy basil, lime and bergamot sorbet. This will be one of your most memorable gastronomic events, without a doubt!

This concludes your luxury tour of Barcelona and Catalonia. You will go back with great memories and even better pictures! Transfer to Barcelona’s airport or the next port of call. We look forward to seeing you again!