With 65 Michelin stars, the home of Cava and a unique seabed aging process for wine, Catalonia is a must-visit for foodies.
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 brothers, Ferran Adrià or Carme Ruscalleda.
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.
The galaxy of the Michelin stars
Catalonia is home to 54 restaurants with 65 Michelin stars between them. From the Pyrenees to the Terres de l’Ebre, and from the Costa Brava and Barcelona to the western lands, the foods of the region stand out in the skilful way they are prepared. One of the main highlights of 2017 winners is that, for the first time, there is a restaurant in the city of Barcelona with three Michelin stars: Lasarte, run by the chef Martín Berasategui, who also has a restaurant in the Basque Country that bears his name and also has three stars. There are a further two restaurants in Catalonia with three Michelin stars: Restaurant Sant Pau (Costa Barcelona), run by the chef Carme Ruscalleda, and El Celler de Can Roca (Costa Brava), run by Joan Roca.
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
For information on events and festivals in Catalonia, visit https://experience.catalunya.com/en
