Tour Description
Our Tour Concept & Itinerary
The concept of this tour is to introduce our guests to authentic Barcelona cuisine, with its charismatic tapas bars, regional ‘surf and turf’ ingredients and delicious drinks.
STOP 1. We’ll start by exploring a local market, where (unlike at the Boqueria) you’re likely to be the only tourist. Here we’ll taste delicacies, such as Spanish olives, and we’ll engage with the market traders and begin to understand the everyday rhythms of food and life in the Catalan capital. (Note: during weekends the market is closed and will be replaced by another restaurant stop).
STOP 2. During our next stop we’ll visit a an authentic Catalan tapas bar where we’ll taste some of the iconic dishes of croquetas, pimientos padròn and pa amb tomàquet. The latter is a rustic favourite of locals, and we’ll learn how to make our own with tomatoes, olive oil, salt and garlic. We’ll also try a local wine from the Penedes, and if you’re feeling brave you’ll also have the chance to drink some wine from the legendary Spanish drinking vessel, the porron….
STOP 3. Next we’ll visit a Basque bodega (bodega = wine bar) where we’ll enjoy a vermouth or possibly txakolin, a traditional wine from the north of Spain. To eat we’ll order the likes of mushrooms with white wine, Spanish omelette and Iberian ham, and we’ll see how the ham is cut in the traditional way with a cuchillo jamonero.
All along the way you’ll hear the stories behind the dishes you taste, the venues you visit and the city we love, so that by the end you’ll be left with not only a delighted palate and full belly, but also a fantastic insight into life in Barcelona.
Sample Tastes (food)
- Fuet (cured sausage)
- Jamon Iberico, aka the world’s best ham
- Spanish olives
- Pam amb tomaquet (the famous Catalan tomato bread, which you will make yourself!)
- Croquetas
- Pimientos del Padrón
- Mushrooms in white wine
- Aubergine chips with honey sauce
Sample Tastes (drink)
- Penedes wine (red or white)
- Homemade vermouth
- Txakoli wine
The above are typical examples, but dishes may vary on the day, depending on group size, stops made (if a regular stop is closed), and the tastes of the group as a whole.
Context
- Insight into Barcelona’s gastronomic traditions
- An understanding of what is meant by surf and turf / mar y muntana and how it shaped local cuisine
- The history of the medieval Born district
- Local stories and modern Barcelona
Experiences
- Visiting a local market (week days only)
- Making your own pan amb tomaquet (tomato) bread, a simple dish that is the pride of Catalonia
- Drinking from a traditional porron (be careful not to spill any!)
- Walk the streets of Barcelona’s most liveliest district, El Born
Vegan, vegetarian or other dietary requirements? We can replace any dish with something appropriate for you! Just let us know in advance.
Tour Practicalities
The cost of the private tour starts at €69 per person.
Private tours can be booked any day of the week, but please note that the market is closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. We recommend booking for a week day if possible.
The tour lasts approx. 3 hours
The meeting point is outside Santa Caterina Market (nearest metro station is Jaume I).
Why Book With Us?
- All inclusive price. Covers all food and drink in the tour description, expert guide, plus all taxes, booking fees etc.
- We are local. Our small team has been living in Barcelona for over 25 years in total. We support local farmers, market traders, bodegas / restaurants, and stores, and everything you taste on the tour has been grown and/or produced in Barcelona, Catalonia or Spain. Our company is registered and pays taxes here in Spain.
- Small group. We prefer exploring in a small group, for a more intimate and authentic experience.
- Sustainability. Because we taste only regional and Spanish products our tour has a low carbon footprint. Furthermore our tour takes place in less touristic markets, restaurants and back streets (in one of the most beautiful districts in Barcelona): and, by avoiding areas like La Boqueria and Las Ramblas, you are part of a more sustainable way of travelling, rather than contributing to the problems of mass tourism and overcongestion.
- New kids on the block. We are the latest food tour to launch in Barcelona… and for that reason we have gone out of way to design what we believe is the very best food experience in the city! Otherwise what would be the point 😉
