Gastronomy and wine tourism

Cava is a world-famous sparkling wine that no important meal or celebration can be without. It’s part of our everyday life, a fixture of the dining table. As children we wonder whether those bubbles we aren’t allowed to taste will tickle our mouths. But have you ever wondered how and why cava began to be produced in the Penedès area? The story takes us to Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, covering dramatic events of the 19^th-century history when phylloxera wiped out 90% of Europe’s vineyards...

Set between the Catalan Pre-Coastal Range and the Mediterranean coast, the DO (Designation of Origin) Penedès is an outstanding winegrowing area with the largest production yield in Catalonia. The quality of the soil, the sun exposure and the sea breeze go a long way to explaining the success of wines and cavas capable of surprising even the most demanding of palates. The region also has the largest number of wineries, along with a wide-ranging wine tourism offering that you can also enjoy with the family.

The Grand Tour of Catalonia is a 2,000-kilometre trip inspired by the great trips of the mid-19^th century. It can be completed in its entirety in 13 days or taken at a more leisurely pace, split into five sections of between five and seven days each, which means that you can plan a short break depending on the number of days you have available. Here are three suggestions for a motorhome trip through the finest landscapes of the regions of Barcelona.

It’s easy to talk about sustainability, but putting it into practice can sometimes be more difficult. When making plans for the weekend or a longer break, you may not know where to start looking, so today we’re offering you some great ideas for practicing responsible tourism in the Vallès Oriental region.

The Bages region has been home to vineyards since the 16^th century. However, in recent years, the wines produced there have obtained the DO (Designation of Origin) Pla de Bages quality seal. The local grape variety of the region is picapoll, which produces a fruity white wine with a fresh bouquet and a wonderful texture and personality, as you will discover on the DO Pla de Bages Wine Route.

The grape harvest has always been a festive event. Since ancient times, grape harvesting has been conceived as a ritual, either because of its Mediterranean roots or because of the camaraderie generated among teams of grape pickers. Although the process is mostly mechanised nowadays, picking grapes from the vine is still a reason for celebration, and there are many towns and cities in the regions of Barcelona that organise harvest festivals where everyone is welcome. So get your diary out!