Experience Catalan Cuisine across the region

Catalonia is one of the leading gastronomic destinations thanks to its variety of landscapes, which results in a wide range of high quality produce. Moreover, there is a real tradition of Catalan cuisine, with the first recipe book written in Catalan dating back to the 14th century. But its traditional character leaves space for innovation, with some of the most world awarded chefs like the Roca brithers, Ferran Adrià or Carme Ruscalleda.

Festivals

Gran festa de la Calçotada, Valls, Costa Daurada (January)

This popular gastronomic festival fills the streets and squares of Valls with Calçots, colours and sounds. Calçotada is a Catalan tradition that consists of meeting friends and family to eat Calçots (a type of spring onion) which are grilled on the barbecue, dipped in Romesco sauce and eaten wearing a bib to avoid staining clothes! The day includes a varied programme of traditional festive events, parades, calçot-related competitions, calçot-grilling demonstrations, a calçotada market and calçot-growing, sauce-making and eating competitions, plus a tasting. Originally from Valls, these are eaten all around Catalonia, usually outdoors during winter.

The Snail Festival, Lleida, Terres de Lleida (May)

Catalonia’s Aplec de Caragol (Snail Festival) has become an internationally-recognised gastronomic event which sees 200,000 hungry visitors consume 12 tons of snails over one weekend in the city of Lleida. The festival features chefs preparing local delicacies including paella, grilled meats and sausages, stews and salads, and of course, snails. The festival includes competitions and music hosted by the Federation of Snail Festival Social Clubs, with the 100 participating social clubs each preparing dishes and hosting events.

Welcome to the Farm, Catalonia (June)

Welcome to the Farm sees local farmers, gastronomic hotels and world-class restaurants open their doors to travellers to uncover their culinary secrets and savour Catalonia’s fresh produce, from fine wine and cava to fresh meats and local cheeses. Farmers from across Catalonia will hold open days to showcase their gardens, herds, workshops and fields, as well as providing unique insight into their production methods. Foodies can sample exclusive menus at a number of local restaurants and will have an opportunity to purchase directly from local producers. The initiative is sponsored by the Alicia Foundation, a Catalonian research centre devoted to technological innovation in cuisine, the improvement of eating habits and the evaluation of food and gastronomic heritage.

Cavatast, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, Costa Barcelona (October)

95% of Catalonia’s cava comes from the Penedès region and, in October, cava-lovers can sample the best that the region has to offer at the highly anticipated Cavatast festival in Sant Sadurní D’Anoia. Almost 50 cava producers, restaurants, butchers, bakers and chocolate makers will display cavas and other products for tasting over the three-day event. Visitors can sample cava and local produce, learn about the different makers and purchase local products, as well as take part in the different activities available such as guided tours, specialised workshops and cava pairings at local cellars and cava wineries.

Tours and Experiences

Visit the Wine Cathedrals in the Conca de Barberà

One of the most outstanding wine tasting experiences of the Conca de Barberà is the Modernist Wineries Route, with a visit to the famous Catedrals del Vi, or wine cathe­drals. The itinerary reflects the dynamism of the cooperative movement at the beginning of the 20th century, and the interplay between this social and economic movement and the Mo­dernist architecture of the time. The route includes six Moder­nist wineries which are open to the public, all built between years 1913 and 1920: Agríco­la de Barberà, Vinícola de Sarral as well as the modernist wineries of Espluga de Franco­lí, Pira, Rocafort de Queralt and Montblanc. www.costadaurada.info/en/activities/wine-tourism/do-conca-de-barbera

Swim with tuna on a Tuna Tour
As a destination, Catalonia offers many opportunities to get close to wildlife. Among these, none are as unique as the Tuna Tour in l’Ametlla de Mar. Located south of Tarragona, the Tuna Tour offers travellers the chance to learn from local experts about the history, fishing, feeding, research, biology and gastronomic value of bluefin tuna before diving in and snorkelling among hundreds of the giant fish. The story of tuna is an integral part of Catalan history and cuisine, and guests will also have the chance to sample local tuna as part of the tour. www.tuna-tour.com

Experience the Catalan markets

Catalonia’s markets are places of true gastronomic culture. The markets are not only a means to purchase fresh produce, they are a part of Catalan society. Further than La Boqueria market in Barcelona, there are other markets all around Catalonia worth visiting, all varied with broad offerings. Some of the most important ones are Granollers (Thursdays), Vic (Tuesdays and Saturdays), Girona (Monday to Saturday) or Valls (Wednesday and Saturday) - Travellers have a market for each day of the week. Moreover, all along the Catalan Coast visitors can attend fish auctions, and bring the fresh fish directly to the table.

Drink wine aged at the depths of the ocean

The wine at Hotel Cala Jòncols in Costa Brava is truly unique. Their wine is aged under the sea at a depth of 27 metres with the bottles having been carefully selected to those that are best adapted to the submerged conditions. On the seabed, the wine is affected by varying factors, such as the water pressure, the lack of oxygenation through the cork, the movement of the bottle due to the currents, the light level and the exchange of salinities with the wine. www.calajoncols.com