Day 1 - Barcelona Arrive in Barcelona and check into your 5-star city-center hotel. Meet for lunch at a top Bistronomic restaurant in Barcelona. These Bistronomic restaurants are making news for their market-driven contemporary approach to Catalan cuisine, and many appear in the 2011 Michelin guide. Share a guided walking tour through the Modernist District, stopping by architect Antoni Gaudi’s most famous buildings. Enjoy a private minibus up to the hilltop overlooking Barcelona to visit Gaudi’s Parc Guell and take in the unforgettable view of the city. Day 2 - Barcelona Tour Barcelona’s famous Boqueria Market, guided by a culinary expert who will highlight the market’s stellar seafood and charcuterie selections. Explore the astounding variety of ingredients available to Spanish chefs, many of whom come to the market in the morning to eat breakfast at market bars such as Pinotxo or Quim de la Boqueria, famous for their market-fresh cuisine. After the market visit, take a gourmet walking tour through the Gothic quarter, stopping in specialty food shops for tastings of Catalan cheese, charcuterie, pastries, and even artisanal candy. Meet for lunch in an avant-garde tapas restaurant to experience this quintessential Spanish cuisine. Afterward, delight in a chocolate-making demonstration and tasting with a Catalan chocolatier whose shops are found in Barcelona, Tokyo and New York. Enjoy dinner on your own in a recommended restaurant or tapas bar. Day 3 - Madremanya Say farewell to Barcelona and head toward Madremanya, a charming village located close to the shore. On the way to Madremanya, stop for lunch at a one Michelin-starred restaurant. Upon arrival, check into your boutique hotel, which consists of a series of restored 15th-century townhouses, and enjoy the afternoon at leisure. During free time today, consider visiting the nearby Salvador Dalí castle, or work up an appetite by simply strolling the medieval village’s charming downtown streets, country roads, or swimming in the hotel’s inviting outdoor pool. Consider renting bicycles to ride the beautiful trails of the region, perhaps with an experienced and learned local guide. This evening, meet Chef Vicenç, the hotel restaurant’s acclaimed chef and your instructor for the week. Enjoy a guided Spanish wine tasting session with the hotel’s expert sommelier and a cooking class with Vicenç. You will assist him by making traditional Catalan and Spanish tapas: buñuelos de bacalao, patatas bravas, calamares fritos, or other time-honored dishes of the region. Appreciate these efforts by leisurely savoring dinner with chef Vicenç, accompanied by a selection of wines. Day 4 - Madremanya A driver and guide pick you up for a private guided winery tour to the Empordà wine region near the Pyrenees. Visit one of the region’s best wineries to explore the vineyard and taste the wines with the owner Jaume. Everyone will together enjoy a traditional Catalan grilled lunch. Tonight, spend dinner in the hotel’s renowned La Plaça Restaurant, where traditional Catalan cuisine is inspired by a little sophisticated contemporary flair. Feast on a tasting menu of the restaurant’s in-season specialties. Day 5 - Madremanya Experience a leisurely and scenic walk along the coast this morning, and visit a beautiful small coastal town on one of the most famed stretches of Catalonia’s exquisite Costa Brava. On days when the catch has been plentiful, there is a fish auction in L’Escala. L’Escala is also famous for their salt cured anchovies, and you will have a tasting. Treasure the spectacular seascape while having lunch in one of the coast’s many outdoor restaurants overlooking a delightfully picturesque cove filled with painted fishing boats. Return to Madremanya and enjoy the rest of the afternoon at leisure. This evening, learn about the Catalan olive oil in a guided olive oil tasting led by Chef Vicenç, after which you will partake in another cooking class with chef Vicenç. Dinner with wine follows. Day 6 - Girona Say a fond farewell to Madremanya. Transfer to historic Girona, a historic city known as “Little Barcelona”, and participate in a gourmet tasting tour, stopping at specialty food shops for tastings of Catalan cheese, Iberian ham, and typical regional sweets. Enjoy lunch and the afternoon on your own in this town filled with magnificent restaurant options. Day 7 - Girona Participate in a private walking tour through the winding streets of the city’s market, the old town and the historic Jewish quarter. Take in the scenery, the street life, and the charming local flavor. Enjoy lunch and free time on your own at one of this vibrant city’s many fabulous, welcoming restaurants. Tonight, the tour will culminate with a highlight dinner at the region’s 3-Michelin-starred restaurant – one of the top restaurants in the world. Dinner guests will enjoy a private tour of the restaurant’s wine cellar and kitchen. Day 8 - Departure Prepare for your return journey home. Notes: The trip price is based on the included services and the number of people traveling. Trips start from $400 per person per day. This trip is available year round and is fully customizable, whether your ideal trip would last three days or three weeks. Please contact Epicurean Ways for detailed information and suggestions. Let us help you complete your Spanish experience. 
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