Uncover the local delicacies and the local character of Northern Spain and Portugal.
Explore the sights, sounds and tastes of northern Spain and Portugal on this food-led adventure. Immerse yourself in culture, history and cuisine as you taste local produce at Santa Catarina Market, whip up Catalan specialties in a cooking class and wander the stunning Gothic Quarter. Enjoy the wealth of tapas bars in Logrono, explore the medieval streets and underground wine caves of Laguardia. Venture north to one of Spain’s most celebrated cities, San Sebastian, where beautiful beaches, historic buildings and a thriving food and arts scene bask together under a beaming sun. Experience a traditional Asturian sidreria (cider house) near Oviedo, taste tapas in Santiago de Compostela, capital of Spain’s Galicia region and famous for marking the end of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail. Discover the proud fish-mongering heritage of the port city of Vigo. Then step across the border to uncover the flavours of Portugal, featuring African, Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern influences. Sip your way around the Douro Valley, a stunning region responsible for introducing the world to port wine, and enjoy a home cooked dinner and a farm stay in the Alentejo region – fast gaining a reputation as a hotspot for Portuguese gastronomy. Finish up with glass of Ginjinha (wild cherry liqueur) in the charming city of Lisbon.
Why you’ll love this trip
- Be surrounded by the culture of Catalan cooking (and by jamon hanging from the ceiling) in Barcelona’s many delis
- Local, fresh produce is at the heart of Catalan food – get a chef’s insight into the best ingredients at Santa Caterina market
- Sip a glass of famous Rioja in the unique surrounds of Laguardia – in the centuries old cellars beneath the medieval walled town
- Uncover the local specialties of Asturia and Galicia, sampling true Asturian cider poured in the traditional style, and eating fresh Galician mussels straight from the sea in A Coruna
- Few places know how to do a farmers market better than Potes – it’s been happening here in the same spot since the 1200s
- Cook up a Galician feast using Vigo’s finest seafood
- Sip world-class wines in the spectacular Douro Valley wine region
- Discover why Alentejo is Portugal’s best kept foodie secret on a farmstay
- Stand around with the Lisbon locals and enjoy a tipple of cherry liqueur
Itinerary
Day 1: Barcelona
Day 2: Barcelona
Day 3: Logrono
Day 4: San Sebastian
Day 5: San Sebastian
Day 6: Bilbao / Picos de Europa National Park
Day 7: Oviedo
Day 8: Oviedo
Day 9: La Coruna / Santiago de Compostela
Day 10: Santiago de Compostela
Day 11: Vigo – Porto
Day 12: Porto
Day 13: Douro Valley – Porto
Day 14: Alentejo Farmstay
Day 15: Evora – Lisbon
Day 16: Lisbon
Day 17: Lisbon
Inclusions
Meals
5 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 5 dinners
Transport
Public bus, Taxi, Train, Private vehicle, Ferry
Accommodation
Hotel (15 nights), Farmstay (1 night)
Included activities
- Barcelona – Cava or Vermouth tasting
- Barcelona – Market visit with tastings
- Barcelona – Cooking class
- Logrono – Tapas Crawl
- Laguardia – Wine cellar visit and tasting
- San Sebastian – Basque cooking class
- San Sebastian – Market tour
- Picos de Europa – Cocido Lebaniego cooking demonstration and dinner
- Potes – Market visit and brunch
- Arenas de Cabrales – Cheese tasting
- Oviedo – Asturian cider house visit and tasting
- Picos de Europa – National Park Visit
- Oviedo – Guided walk and market tour
- A Coruna – Fish market visit and seafood lunch
- Santiago de Compostela – City night walk
- Vigo – Fish Market Tour and Cooking Class
- Porto – City Tasting Tour
- Douro Valley – Guided Day Trip with Wine Tasting
- Alentejo – Farm-cooked Meal
- Evora – Day Trip
- Lisbon – Fado Show & Dinner
*CONTACT US FOR FULL TRIP DETAILS*
INT-ZMZLC
Images Courtesy of Intrepid Group