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Traveling with Atlas Obscura amid COVID-19 How We’re Adapting Our Trips Destination Requirements (via Embassy Pages)The region of Catalonia in Spain has a long history of doing things their own way. From the distinct languages to the autonomous legal standing within Spain, the area surrounding and including Barcelona in Northeastern Spain has forged its own unique traditions and culture. Join us as we venture into the Catalonian countryside. We’ll discover unusual wines, fantastic food, unmatched hospitality, feats of human wonder, spectacular scenery, and meet the people behind the natural and biodynamic wine movement. We begin and end in Barcelona, but our focus is on discovering the culture, customs, and products of the oft-untouched gems of the wider Catalonian region.
Gastro Obscura Trips: inspiring wonder and curiosity about the world through food and drink.
Arrive in Barcelona and settle into our hotel located near Plaça Catalunya. We’ll meet at 6 p.m. for a proper welcome, then set out before dinner for a vermouth tasting at a fantastic local wine shop near our hotel. We’ll continue on foot through the Gothic Quarter to a hidden underground cellar of a Barcelona restaurant serving tasty Catalan fare. We’ll enjoy our welcome dinner with wine pairing in an atmospheric setting. Along with a delicious dinner we’ll be treated to a dynamic overview of Spanish wines that will set the stage for what is to come in the following days.
Casa Bonay or similar, Barcelona
Dinner
We’ll take off from the hotel at 10 a.m. to catch a local commuter train into the Barcelona hills. Here, just 20 minutes from the center of Barcelona, we’ll find the Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola. On an easy hike we’ll enjoy the lush park and incredible views of the city before making our way to the Can Calopa de Dalt estate. Here we’ll discover a fantastic hidden wine production cooperative and a special work center and residential home for people with disabilities. The project aims to produce quality wines in Barcelona and promote the social and labor integration of people with psychological challenges who participate actively in the entire process. The farmhouse on the estate preserves late-Gothic elements from the 16th century. After enjoying a wine tasting and delicious lunch we’ll be picked up and drive 30 minutes north to D.O. Alella, Spain's smallest wine region. Our destination is a vineyard and green tech farm where we’ll learn about a variety of farming techniques and get our hands dirty in the process. The concept was created in an effort to develop farming technology that will help to fight climate change. Afterward, we’ll stop in the town of Alella to visit a 150-year-old wine shop before returning to Barcelona. The remainder of the evening is yours to explore at your leisure.
Casa Bonay or similar, Barcelona
Breakfast, Lunch
This morning we’ll depart Barcelona and make our way to the Penedes wine region. In a local vineyard of D.O. Penedes, we’ll meet the famous Vilafranca del Penedes Castellers. Among many unique Catalonian traditions, this one, dating back to the 18th century, is especially distinct, so much so that it has been recognized as a UNESCO “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible History of Humanity.” In town squares across the region, they build towers up to ten levels high, made entirely of people. The sport of human tower building seems to be most popular in Vilafranca, where teams of people gather in the town square to build these monuments to courage, teamwork, and strength. We’ll learn the history and strategy of this unique art form and may even try to build an easy tower arrangement ourselves. We’ll then pay a visit to an innovative and rebellious local farmer and winemaker leading the way in the natural wine movement. We’ll take to his fields to learn all about his philosophy and production before sitting down for lunch and a tasting at his winery. Our final destination for the evening is the town of Falset in the Priorat. We’ll check in to our comfortable boutique hotel and the remainder of the evening is free for you to explore.
Hotel Sport or similar, Priorat
Breakfast, Lunch
Today we’ll set out to appreciate the modern Priorat renaissance in winemaking, starting with a visit to one of the region’s prettiest and most informative family vineyards. We’ll be welcomed with warm hospitality and a special tasting. Then we’ll be whisked off to the tiny village of Gratallops to experience the charming character of one of the first wineries established in the region. Here we’ll have a fantastic, traditional lunch in the winery paired with the full range of the estate’s wines. After lunch we’ll visit the charming little town of Porrera where we’ll meet the owners of a family-run winery for a tour of their beautiful vineyards and a tasting of their fabulous vintages. Return to Falset and the remainder of the evening at leisure.
Hotel Sport or similar, Priorat
Breakfast, Lunch
We’ll begin the day in the fresh air at the clifftop village of Siurana. After an easy, scenic hike, we’ll enjoy, weather permitting, a rustic barbeque picnic lunch under the majestic Montsant mountain range. After lunch we’ll visit Casa Gran, an historic, 300-year-old building that was previously home to the Carthusian monks of Scala Dei and is now a modern wine project. We’ll have a private tour of the monastery with a local history expert to learn about the monastic order which introduced viticulture into the area. We’ll return to the hotel for a relaxing evening.
Hotel Sport or similar, Priorat
Breakfast, Lunch
Today we’ll drive one hour south to the Delta d’Ebro to a floating mussel and oyster farm and restaurant. Our visit includes a tour to learn all about their project and a delicious, fresh lunch on the Mediterranean Sea. We’ll open a few bottles of cava to celebrate a wonderful trip together before returning to Barcelona. We’ll have a farewell toast on the rooftop of our hotel and share memories of our unforgettable week together.
Casa Bonay or similar, Barcelona
Breakfast, Lunch
Today, head homeward or on to your next destination—or, if you'd like, spend a few more days exploring Barcelona. Until the next adventure!
Breakfast
The listed price of the trip is per person based on double occupancy.
You’re in good company. Solo travelers typically make up about half of our small groups. With curiosity at the center of our experiences, there’s a natural camaraderie that develops over the course of a trip. We have two options for you:
Shared Room: You’ll be matched with another solo traveler of the same gender.
Private Room: Have your own room, subject to availability, for a supplemental cost of $980. After booking your trip, please request a private room when you fill out your traveler information form and we’ll add the option to your booking and final balance.
You should plan to arrive in Barcelona by 3 p.m. on Day 1 and make your way to the group hotel near Plaça Catalunya. You are free to depart anytime on Day 7.
If you're booking on the October 2022 departure, consider arriving early in Barcelona and joining our Barcelona Behind the Scenes trip.
Travelers should be comfortable staying on their feet for long stretches at a time and walking up to four miles over the course of a day. We'll be out and about most of each day, with time to rest at lunch and dinner, both of which take place on the later side in Spain.
Joining this trip directly supports the unsung heroes of the vineyard—hardworking, independent people who, through their daily working life, are working towards sustainable practices and to preserve local traditions embedded in wine and food. Aside from the financial support that comes from your trip fees, you can contribute to the preservation of community spirit and memory by sharing the stories of the places and people we visit, and honoring the traditions we encounter along the way.
Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated, though in most cases ingredients can't be substituted or omitted from particular dishes. If you have a severe allergy, please contact us to find out if this is the right trip for you.
Visa requirements for Spain vary depending on traveler citizenship. Please check requirements for travel to Spain and any countries passed through in transit. A passport is required for international travel. We recommend your passport expire at least six months after your return home.