Spain & Portugal Real Food Adventure - 16 Days

Hola! Welcome to Spain. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight in Barcelona. If you arrive early, maybe explore the streets of the old Gothic Quarter, check out the Picasso Museum or wander the tree-lined boulevard of La Rambla. After the meeting, maybe jump straight in and sip on a glass of cava or vermouth in a local bar, or head out on a tapas crawl with your group and taste some bite-sized Catalan dishes.

This morning, get ready for an authentic introduction to Catalan cuisine on an Urban Adventure market visit and tapas tour. Join locals as they indulge in the fine art of eating and drinking, something Spaniards are champions of! Immerse yourself in the buzz of street life and market stalls and listen to stories of the past and everyday life in Barcelona. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore more of the city's hotspots. You might like to get cultural with some Gaudi at the Casa Mila or check out the La Sagrada Familia. Maybe get lost in the mysterious alleys of the Gothic Quarter and finish the day with a sip of red wine from a porron (a traditional glass pitcher).

Ride the rails east to the prized vineyards of the La Rioja wine region and Logrono. Logrono sits on the banks of the Ebro River and is the capital of Spain’s most renowned wine region. It also boasts one of the most distinguished culinary traditions in the country and is home to some of the best tapas bars in Spain. When you arrive, get your bearings on an orientation walk, then visit a nearby winery and enjoy a tasting of their locally grown produce. Later, you’ll go on a walking pintxos tour – a Basque-style tapas crawl. This is the perfect opportunity to sample a bit of everything, as each bar has its own specialty. Taste some grilled chorizo or wild mushrooms and wash them down with a glass of the region’s famous red.

This morning you’ll travel to the seaside city of San Sebastian – a jewel of the Basque country and a city obsessed with food. When you arrive, take an orientation tour of the Parte Vieja (Old Town) – a mix of alleyways wedged between the bay and the Urumea River. This afternoon, maybe continue exploring the city before heading to your farm stay accommodation. Tonight, sit down to a traditional Basque dinner at your accommodation – maybe try marmitako (tuna and potato soup), bacalao al pil-pil (cod in olive oil sauce) or txuleton (grilled beef steak).

One of the secrets to the success of San Sebastian’s food scene is its obsession with high-quality, local and seasonal ingredients. This morning, you’ll head to Ondarroa Port – a small fishing village on the Basque coast. Here, you’ll stroll along the port and fish market, learn about the daily work and discover the historical role women have played in the fishing industry. After, visit a local business where you’ll explore different types of fish and the preparation process – and choose the fish you’ll cook later today! Back at your farm-stay accommodation tonight, you’ll join a cooking class. Here, you’ll prepare your chosen fish alongside locally produced vegetables and pair the dish with local wines before sitting down to enjoy your homemade meal.

Visit an organic cider house in the Picos de Europa National Park. Here, you’ll discover the artisanal cider-making process, from the organic cultivation of the apples to their final production. Taste different varieties of cider, including the exclusive Ice Cider, then sit down to lunch. Designed exclusively at the cider house, the apple will be the star of every dish and each bite will be a tribute to local cuisine and sustainability. Later, travel to Oviedo – the capital of Asturias located between the Cantabrian Mountains and the Bay of Biscay. When you arrive, set off on an orientation walk through the medieval Old Town and past pre-Romanesque churches, monuments and grand houses with your local leader.

This morning, take a bus to A Coruna in the region of Galicia, taking in the scenic Galician coastline along the way. Visit the fish market in the Praza de Lugo and see the range of seafood on offer. Maybe sit down to a fresh seafood lunch, then, like thousands of pilgrims before you, end your journey in the capital of Galicia – believed to be the final resting place of the apostle St James. The old city of Santiago de Compostela holds many delights within its walls, all overlooked by the mighty cathedral. Take a walk with your local leader around the Old District, through the arcaded stone streets and past the archbishop’s imposing palace. Maybe spend the night in one of the cafes, bars or tapas restaurants in the Old Town.

After breakfast, travel to Cambados – a municipality in Galicia known for its seafood and white wine. When you arrive, you’ll join a seafood workshop. Discover the ancient trade of shellfish gathers, see firsthand the different cultivation jobs of the prized mollusk, and learn how the specimens are harvested. Next, it's time to visit a canning factory. Watch the production process, ending with a tasting of different products paired with local wines. Tonight, head out for dinner with your group to celebrate your last night in Northern Spain!

Ola! Welcome to Portugal. Your second part of the adventure starts in Porto – a coastal city known for its medieval riverside district, azulejo tile-covered buildings and, of course, fortified port wine. You have a welcome meeting at 6 pm where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. After, get to know each other over an included dinner of one of Porto’s (and Portugal’s) favourite dishes – the francesinha. Although technically a sandwich, it’s most definitely a meal – and one you’ll need a knife and fork for! After, you could take an evening stroll along the river or grab a drink at one of the city’s many wine cellars.

Taste your way around Porto today while exploring the city’s old bridges, cobbled streets, merchants’ houses and cafes. Led by a local guide, you’ll start with coffee and pastel de nata (the famed Portuguese custard tart). Continue through the Ribeira District, sampling local specialties like bolinho de bacalhau (salted cod fritters) and a glass of wine, then pop into a classic tasco (bar) for a cachorrinho (Porto’s mini version of the hot dog) and a cold beer. Finish the tour at a traditional mercearia (family-run grocer) with a charcuterie board and a glass of port wine. You have free time for the rest of the day – maybe pull up a chair in a taverna and order another glass of port.

Take a scenic morning drive through the Douro Valley. Your first stop of the day is Quinta da Pacheca (winegrowers since 1738) for a guided tour, picnic lunch and wine tasting. Over a couple of glasses of local wine (and a port, of course), you’ll share an assortment of olives, sausages, fruits, salads, regional cheeses and more. Then continue to the Coa Valley – known for the combined efforts of passionate locals to rewild the area, starting with the reintroduction of ancient cow breeds. Your accommodation tonight is a homestay in the historic village of Castelo Rodrigo. Take some time to enjoy the views of the surrounding hills, then regroup for a home-cooked dinner showcasing local produce. You could also check out some of the Coa Valley’s open-air paleolithic rock art paintings nearby.

Say ciao to the Coa Valley and drive south to the medieval village of Marvao in the Alentejo region. Have lunch at a farm on arrival, then visit a local olive oil producer – this part of Portugal is known for its centuries-old olive groves. Walk around the factory and learn how this liquid gold is made before enjoying a tasting (a bottle of this stuff makes an excellent souvenir!). To round off the tour, you’ll plant an olive tree. Then continue the drive to your hotel in Castelo de Vide – considered one of Portugal’s best-preserved medieval towns. Relax or take some time to stroll the cobbled streets of the old Jewish quarter before enjoying an included dinner at the hotel.

Drive further south to Evora today. Evora is the capital of Alentejo and is steeped in history – as seen in the centrally located Roman Temple. Check out the highlights on an orientation walk with your leader, then enjoy free time for lunch. The city is famous for bread soup and pork clam stew – but just ask your leader if you need recommendations. Then it’s time to hit the road to Lisbon, arriving in the late afternoon. Take some time to freshen up, then regroup for an orientation walk of Portugal’s capital. Along the way, you’ll get to try ginjinha, a sweet cherry liqueur from Lisbon. The rest of the evening is free. Maybe ask your leader for authentic dinner options or check out a live fado show – a genre of Portuguese soul music that originated in Africa and has evolved to suit the streets of Lisbon.

Spend the morning exploring Mercado da Ribeira (aka Time Out Market) – a historic market with stalls selling fresh produce and artisanal goods, bars and even a cooking school. Then make a detour to Loja das Conservas – a quirky deco store selling canned fish from 17 different national canned fish outlets – for a tasting. You’ll then head to the Belem neighbourhood for a pastel de nata cooking class. First made in the 16th century by nuns, the mixture of crispy pastry and creamy egg custard filling is Portugal’s best-known dessert. If you have time, you might also want to stroll past the pastel-coloured buildings up to the Sao Jorge Castle – one of the city’s best views. As it’s your last night together as a group, you could head out for farewell dinner together and raise a toast to a brilliant week eating your way around Portugal.

With no activities planned, your trip comes to an end after breakfast. If you’d like to spend more time in Lisbon, just speak to your booking agent.