One Week in the beautiful Penedes wine and Cava region
The best kept secrets a stones throw from Barcelona
General overview
What – 1 week (7 days, 6 nights), all inclusive holiday, small groups 4 – 8 people. A slightly easier holiday with gentler walks and less moving in terms of accommodation. The first 2 nights we stay in a country house and then move to a charming town house with a garden and pool for 3 nights. The last night we stay in a little Hotel in the charming town of Villafranca de Penedes.
Self guided – I don’t guide the walks but that does’nt mean you will be left to figure things out for yourself, far from it everything will be arranged and clearly explained on a daily basis. When changing hotels luggage will be collected after breakfast and transferred for you to the next Hotel.
What to expect – Typical day will start with a good breakfast in the hotel/guest house before setting off for a beautiful hike through a wide variety of sceneries, terrains and environments. During the day you will usually be stopping for a good 3 or 4 course lunch of classic Spanish and Catalan dishes in one of the village restaurants and visiting a local wine cellar for a tour and/or tasting.
Where – The Penedes wine region is approximately half way between Barcelona and Tarragona.
Getting here – Nearest airports are Barcelona or Reus both are around an hours drive to the starting point.
When – Best times to visit is spring, early summer or autumn, April, May, June, September, October.
What to bring – obviously depends on the time of year but generally a small day pack with, water 2 bottles, food/snacks, sun screen, hat, light rain jacket, phone, camera, shorts and light long trousers (to avoid scratching from bushes) ski/hiking pole (optional but sometimes the ground under foot is lose broken up slate which on steep slopes or wet can be a bit slippery).
The Region – Many people have visited Barcelona but have no idea that one of Spain’s largest, best known wine regions is on it’s doorstep. As well as producing a huge variety of wines of all colours it’s the home of Spains famous sparkling wines, Cava. The region sits at the foot of the impressive Montserrat mountain, best known for the famous and popular Monastery, sat on the top of the mountain. The surrounding area is made up of hills, woods, streams and of course vineyards running right down to the down to the coast.
Walking – A reasonable level of fitness is required, although I’ve made a conscious effort to make this the easiest walking holiday so far. Not too challenging but still beautiful, most days you’ll walk 5 – 10kms.
The Food – A lovely combination of typical no nonsense hearty, Catalan food serving great local meats, vegetables and seafood with some fine dining in ‘posh’ restaurants thrown in for good measure. Most days we’ll have a substantial lunch out in a restaurant and then eat a lighter, tapas type dinner at ‘home’, served by the hosts.
The Wine – The Penedes has a truly impressive range of wines but what it’s best known for is it’s world famous Cavas made using the traditional Champagne method, usually with the local varieties of Macabeo, Parelladea and Xarello. In order to make a Cava you need to make a wine first so all the Cellars we visit make both wines and Cavas.
What’s included in the price? – Accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, detailed maps and directions, wine cellar tours and tasting, luggage transfer.
What’s not included in the price?– Your flights or travel to Santiago de Compostela, additional snacks wines and drinks bought in cellars, restaurants or bars. Most importantly INSURANCE it is your responsibility to make sure you have adequate cover, David will not, in anyway, be held responsible for any injuries, accidents or lost and stolen goods.
Price: From 895€ per person based on 2 people sharing
Email: Any questions, enquires etc please contact David at davidsimms53@gmail.com
Click here to see the Penedes itinerary
