Discover the Gastro Delights of Catalonia
Ever wanted to eat like a local and devour some proper authentic cuisine?
For food lovers abroad, sometimes tourist menus offer little by way of different flavours, experiments or experiences but we know how to get the best from your holiday dining. If you happen to be in the Catalonia region of Spain this summer, you’ve struck gold as far as eating and drinking are concerned. This is a real gastro hotspot where you can get away from every day food that you’d eat back home and simply get stuck into the region’s mouth-watering dishes.
You can sample amazing food all over Spain and this is especially true of Catalonia, where there’s an abundance of restaurants, tapas bars, gourmet shops and markets to tickle your taste buds. The Catalan obsession with food is obvious in just about every eaterie you care to set foot in but a great way of getting to the heart of the region’s gastronomy is by joining in on one or two specially organised food tours where you can see (and taste!) first-hand the exquisite local dishes and culinary secrets of the Catalan kitchen.
Not only will you experience some wonderful food and drink, you can also learn a little about the place too, especially if you’re in Barcelona. Food enthusiasts can combine tours of the city with their quest for seriously top nosh.
One of our favourites is the Barcelona Street Food and Craft Beer Tour.
This three hour waking tour which includes an expert guide will show off the sights and sounds of this beautiful city and let visitors try some delicious trendy food all washed down with locally produced beers.
Another good choice is this walking tour of Barcelona’s Catalan Gastronomy that takes you on a guided tour of the city’s Gracia neighbourhood and will teach you the essential flavours of the cuisine as well as getting inside tips on where to eat and drink in Barcelona.
Or, if you fancy escaping to the Catalan countryside from your base in Barcelona, this traditional food and wine trip is a real winner –
This full day excursion takes small groups to enjoy fine wine, cheeses, home-cured hams, olive oil, and traditional Catalan lunch…with spectacular scenery thrown in for free!
As most of you know, a popular item of the Spanish palate is the famous Iberian ham, which is a speciality in Barcelona. There is a fun tasting experience trip available where you can sip Cava, wine or beer while you learn about the production methods used to create this delicious meat as well.
If you want to get really serious there’s a much pricier option for a private cookery class and gourmet experience in Barcelona. On this four hour trip, foodies can learn to shop, cook and eat like a local; discovering the produce and stalls of La Boqueria market. After buying essential ingredients you can prepare some classic Spanish dishes – all under the guidance of a professional chef.
Speaking of La Boqueria, this place is actually something of a must see attraction in its own right. Here you can buy all manner of food stuff and ingredients if you fancy some self catering or even a picnic on the beach, you will be spoilt for choice for seafood, meats, cheeses, olives, fruits and much more at this bustling and vibrant market place which is actually one of the biggest food markets in Europe. Any food lover to Barcelona simply must visit and enjoy some tapas and drinks at one of the bars after a stroll around the busy stalls.
Cookery classes are becoming a bit of a trend for holidaymakers, not just in Spain but all over the world. However for the purpose of this feature, we’re sticking with Espana and who could even think about food and cooking in this country without mentioning paella?!
Learn to cook one of Spain’s classic dishes in this fun 3 hour class, where a chef will show you how to prepare this delicious feast like an expert.
If you want to do your own thing and just go to some of Catalonia’s finest restaurants then you have plenty to choose from. There are also a number of restaurants in the region that have been awarded Michelin stars and at last count, there were 54 in total, proving that the region takes its food and dining experiences very seriously.
E Celler de Can Roca, Girona twice ranked number 1 in the world!
Cerveceria Catalana, Barcelona
Whether you eat in the cheapest or the priciest restaurants, here are some of the popular Catalan dishes you can expect on the menu:
Escudella d’Olla: A hearty catalan stew.
Suquet de peix: Seafood stew.
Fideua: A noodle based version of paella.
Pan con tomate: A catalan staple of bread rubbed with tomato.
Crème Catalana: A deliciously sweet custard dessert.
If we’ve got your mouth-watering and you fancy a trip to any of the places mentioned such as Barcelona, Girona, Sitges or Tarragona, check out some of our great partner deals today and take yourself off for a culinary adventure… or just go for the sunshine, we don’t mind but you DO have to eat too.