Gastronomy and wine tourism

With over 100 kilometres of blue Mediterranean coastline, it is easy to understand why the municipalities of Costa Barcelona have such a close relationship with the sea. The origins of many villages, towns and cities in Maresme, Barcelonès, Baix Llobregat and Garraf, lie in fishing, maritime trade and shipbuilding – origins that for many of these places are by no means a distant memory. Along this stretch of coastline, fishing remains one of the main industries – a fact that you can see for yourself, if you visit any of the seafood auctions that take place on the region's quaysides every day.

Barcelona is the land of wines. More than 2,500 years ago, the Romans and Iberians cultivated vines to produce the favourite drink of the gods, a drink that has shaped the landscape and culture of the regions of Barcelona. Just a stone’s throw from the city, you can enjoy three DO (Designation of Origin) wine areas that offer such a wide range of activities and experiences that you’ll want to keep coming back to try them all.

If you don’t know how organic, biodynamic and natural wines differ from each other but you’d like to find out, take a trip around the regions of Barcelona. From Alt Penedès to Maresme, passing through Bages, there are many wineries that adopt a green approach to winemaking, producing extremely high-quality wines without harming the environment. Some of the names may well ring a bell, while others will be new discoveries: small, family-run companies with limited production and strong environmental awareness. The seven suggestions below are likely to make you a convert to sustainable wine tourism.