7 days- Madrid 3 nights and Barcelona 3 nigths
Nº of participants: from 2 people
All year round upon request
We offer a trip full of contrasts, for Madrid, capital of Spain and queen of Spanish cuisines and Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, the gateway to Europe and the Mediterranean Sea.
Madrid, a city that never sleeps.The vibrant and modern capital of Spain, will surprise you with its majestic historical quarters and magnificent avenues, monuments, gardens, and large variety of cultural activities and excellent taverns and restaurants.
It is the European capital that has absorbed most regional cuisines of our country.
Located on the shores of the Mediterranean , Barcelona is a cosmopolitan city with great cultural significance both commercial , financial and touristic . Barcelona is one of the most popular European cities , but not only for his art, but also for its sunny beaches combined with a suggestive and excellent cuisine.
During these days you will have a cooking class in both cities to learn the Madrid and Catalan recipes, tasting the peculiarities of each cuisine. You will have fun in authentic tapas tours by discovering curious taverns and bars in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona and Madrid of the Austrias historic centre. Learn from our expert guides on art Gaudí and about the Court and palace in Madrid history .
We will also take you outside these capitals for Toledo, declared a World Heritage Site and known as the city of three cultures because Christians, Arabs and Jews lived together. Also visit the famous fishing and artistic village of Sitges.
A culinary and cultural explosion….
B- Breakfast L- Lunch D- Dinner
Day 1- L or D
This tour begins in Barcelona or Madrid. Private transfer from airport to our modern and centric hotel situated right in the centre.
Welcome lunch or dinner at a charming restaurant in the heart of the city.
Day 2 –B/L. Old taverns, tapas and cultural walking tour in historical old quarter.
Buffet breakfast.
Your guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel. From your guide will lead you on a private walk through some interesting sites which currently form part of what is known as the Madrid of the Hapsburgs, in the area surrounding the beautiful arcaded Main Square (Plaza Mayor) , the amazing Royal Palace, just in the beautiful Opera plaza, and visiting gorgeous bars and cheerful old taverns at the most famous tapas quarter, telling you fantastic legends of the history of Madrid. Of course we will visit The San Miguel Market, meeting point for friends to start a tapas experience.
Snacking and drinking your way through the evening from bar to bar is incredibly Spanish, and can be lots of fun. Grabbing a “tapa”, a small portion of food, and a drink at one place just leads to someone saying “lets go to that place down the street,” where they might offer a better tapa. Anything from shrimps cooked in garlic, clams in sherry sauce, ham croquettes with a béchamel sauce, stuffed peppers, pickles on cocktail sticks, , cheeses and hams,….can be enjoyed as a tapa…just delicious¡¡¡
*Optional: Gourmet and sweet tour with chocolate tasting. If you want to enjoy a very special ride. Taste and learn a little about the history and origin of chocolate, or the hand of a master chocolatier and visit several gourmet establishments, from a local market for fresh products, a deli and bakery to a pastry. Quite a temptation
Dinner on your own.
Day 3- B/L Full day excursion to Toledo
Buffet breakfast
Just 33 minutes in high speed train AVE from Madrid, Toledo is a must visit. Toledo is one of the Spanish cities with the greatest wealth of monuments. Known as the “city of the three cultures”, because Christians, Arabs and Jews lived together there for centuries, behind its walls Toledo preserves an artistic and cultural legacy in the form of churches, palaces, fortresses, mosques and synagogues. This great diversity of artistic styles makes the old quarter of the capital of La Mancha a real open-air museum, which has led to it being declared a World Heritage Site.
Your guide will explain to you the great history and legends of this magic place and will take you to savour the specialties of this region, Castile.
We will finish the visit with the pleasure of trying the famous artisan “marzipan” of Toledo. A fresh sweet very tempting.
Lunch at a typical tavern where you will taste the specialties.
Rest of the afternoon free for shopping and back to Madrid. Dinner on your own.
Day 4- B/L Visit to Market and hands on cooking class
Buffet breakfast
We will start the day visiting a local food market. Learn about our variety of fresh products, from hundreds of fishes, to different Iberian hams, cheeses and olives, a pleasure to your sight.
Then, we will enjoy a hands-on Cooking Class at a prestigious Cooking School in Madrid. The workshop will last about two and a half hours and will consist of a complete menu- first and second dish and dessert -based on regional or other typical Spanish recipes. We will finish with a delicious lunch based on what we have prepared. (OPTIONAL: if the group is less than 6 people we can enjoy the class at a chefs exclusive home)
Transfer to train station or airport for Barcelona. Transfer to your hotel and check in.
Dinner on your own.
Day 5 – B/L Gaudí art and tapas tour in historical Gothic quarter.( 5-6hours)
Buffet breakfast.
Our friendly guide, will meet you at your hotel. You will then head to Casa Batló, 5 minutes walking from your hotel, an amazing Gaudi creation just in the center of Barcelona. We will then visit the amazing Sacred Family and Park Gúell . Of we go for a lovely walking tour among the magical medieval narrow streets at the Gothic old historic quarter. Enjoy its amazing cathedral and its environs which include the Romanesque church of Santa Llúcia, the City Hall ….. Antique dealers, bookshops, restaurants, and unusual shops maintain the activity of this historical district.
During the walk, we will have a Tapas style lunch so you will learn about this famous Spanish way of enjoying small portions of many different specialities accompanied with wine or refreshing beer.. Snacking and drinking your way from bar to bar is incredibly Spanish, and can be lots of fun. Anything from Iberian cured ham and other catalan sausages, tomato bread, muscles with “vinagreta”, anchovies, shrimps stuffed in garlic sauce ….can be enjoyed as a tapa…just delicious¡¡¡
Afternoon free to explore fascinating Barcelona. Dinner on your own.
Day 6 – B/L Excursion to Sitges. 5 or 7 hours
Buffet breakfast.
Sitges has always been a place that has captivated artists, tourists and general visitors from all parts. For many, the secret is its light and almost 300 sunny days per year, as noted painters, sculptors and writers who, in the late nineteenth century, settled there. Sitges has preserved important medieval and references ancient fishing village, offering visitors a valuable architectural heritage that our private guide will show you for a pleasant walking tour along cobblestone streets.
Typical lunch at renowned restaurant by the sea in the beautiful sea side village of Sitges.
Back to Barcelona or optional winery visit:
Visit with winemaker Manel around its spectacular winery at Montgros Valley. This consists of 45 acres of woodland and 16 acres of vineyards surrounding the winery in a beautiful farmhouse, where they produce their own wines from native varieties such as Malvasia xarel,sumoll, Carignan and Tempranillo. Enjoy a quirky, friendly and exclusive tour and taste very special wines.
Dinner on your own.
Day 7 – B/L Visit to the Boquería Market & Hand son Cooking class
Buffet breakfast.
Our meeting point will be the Boqueria Market, just 15 minutes walking from your hotel. Situated in “ Las Ramblas” , a famous cheerful pedestrian street with traditional shops, the fresh market of “la Boqueria” is one of the most spectacular and nicest food market in Spain. It is famous for the quality and diversity of its produce which comes from around the world. It is located on a site originally intended to be used as the courtyard of the church of Sant Josep. We will meet our chef to buy the ingredients for our cooking class.
Then we will go to our prestigious cooking school , just 5 minutes from the market, and put on our aprons …….The workshop will last about three hours and will consist of a complete menu- first and second dish and dessert -based on regional or other typical Spanish recipes you may wish to learn how to cook such us:
We will finish with a delicious lunch based on what we have prepared accompanied with excellent Spanish wine.
Transfer to airport.
End of services. Culinary Spain wishes you a safe and happy trip back home.
WHAT IS INCLUDED?
IMPORTANT:
OPTIONAL:
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED?
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