The character of a city is best understood through its food. Catalonia, rich in contrasts, invites you on a journey where every city and town with its own character reveals its distinctive culinary identity. Gastronomy acts as a connecting thread, linking the land, producers, and the locals. We invite you to follow a route filled with authenticity, where history, culture, and pure enjoyment blend into a captivating experience. Girona: the legacy full of flavor on the banks of the Ter Girona, famous for its colorful houses suspended over the River Onyar and its impressive Jewish Quarter, has become a global food destination, thanks in no small part to the influence of the Roca brothers. To experience Girona properly, start with fresh, local ingredients at Mercat del Lleó, a true beating heart of everyday life. Here, Girona Food Tours offers routes that include tastings of iconic specialities such as the famous xuixo pastry. The Roca legacy is everywhere—from the haute cuisine of El Celler de Can Roca to more relaxed concepts like Restaurant Normal, as well as spaces dedicated to chocolate (Casa Cacao) and artisanal ice cream (Rocambolesc). Their vision also extends to Esperit Roca, a boutique hotel with two restaurants, a distillery, and an exhibition center, and Vii Girona, a wine and tapas bar in the heart of the city. Girona is the gateway to the DO Empordà Wine Route. Events such as the Tocs de Vi de l’Empordà Wine Fair and the Vívid Festival invite you to pair culture with a glass in hand. And before leaving, make sure to try the distinctive flavor of Girona’s PGI apples. La Bisbal d’Empordà: where ceramics meet rice Not far from Girona lies La Bisbal d’Empordà, a town renowned for its pottery tradition and for offering a perfect pairing of culture and cuisine. After visiting one of its artisan workshops, we recommend stopping by Abricoc, located just outside the town, to pick up high-quality products from both Alt and Baix Empordà. La Bisbal is the ideal place to combine ceramics with discovering the region’s olive-oil tourism, thanks to the Empordà PDO Olive Oil, and the exceptional quality of Pals Rice. Oil Route: the golden treasure of Western Catalonia Venturing into the plains of Lleida means discovering a cuisine deeply rooted in the land, where extra virgin olive oil stands as its most prized jewel. Lleida: from snails to fruit tourism The city of Lleida shines for its seasonal cooking. Its undisputed star is the snail, celebrated at its highest expression during the lively Aplec del Cargol festival. In the fall, during the Festa del Vi, Lleida becomes a showcase for local production. The Lleida Wine Route invites visitors to tour iconic wineries, such as Raimat, and explore their wines under the Costers del Segre DO designation. But Lleida is also Catalonia’s fruit capital. In towns like Aitona, the “Fruiturisme” initiative offers a one-of-a-kind experience: witnessing the beautiful bloom of fruit trees in full flower. The world of olive oil is equally vibrant thanks to the Garrigues PDO. Visitors can explore the Museum of Catalonia’s Olive Oil Culture in Les Borges Blanques and see the work carried out at mills such as Cuadrat Valley and Oli Cometes. Vic and Solsona: authenticity at the markets Inland Catalonia reveals itself through its mountain cuisine. In Vic, cured meats—especially those protected under the Vic PGI Sausage designation—are the heart of the local table. Mercat de Vic is the perfect setting to sample this culinary tradition. Several centuries-old establishments, including Casa Ordeix and Ca la Teresona, offer tastings and workshops that connect visitors with traditional cooking, which can later be enjoyed in contemporary interpretations at restaurants like Noir et Blanc. In the Solsonès region, Solsona preserves its rural character with an authentic market where local producers sell the fruits of their labor, from artisan cheeses to seasonal mushrooms. The soul of wine: from Penedès to Bages Catalonia is a land of wines and cavas. Penedès and Bages stand as two essential winemaking epicenters. Vilafranca del Penedès: the wine capital Vilafranca del Penedès, capital of the Penedès DO and closely linked to the Cava DO, is an unmissable stop. A perfect place to begin is the Vinseum, the Museum of Catalonia’s Wine Cultures. The Penedès Wine Route offers wine tourism experiences such as visits and pairings to prestigious wineries such as Família Torres. Good wine pairs with everything, which is why Vilafranca embraces celebrations like the Fira del Gall and Vijazz Penedès with such enthusiasm. And for a fully immersive experience, a stay at Mercer Casa Torner i Güell offers luxury accommodation seamlessly integrated into the local landscape. Manresa: the gateway to Pla de Bages Further inland, Manresa is the ideal starting point for exploring the Pla de Bages DO Wine Route. This designation offers unique experiences, such as tours and tastings at Oller del Mas. The city also celebrates its deep connection to wine through the ViBa Fair. Costa Daurada and Terres de l’Ebre: from haute cuisine to vermouth Southern Catalonia blends its Roman heritage with the bold flavors of the Mediterranean and the excellence of its olive oils. Tarragona: sea, Romesco, and history In Tarragona, the sea dictates what appears on the table. El Serrallo, the city’s historic fishing quarter, is the ideal spot to enjoy traditional seafood dishes, where fresh fish and Romesco sauce take center stage. The Tarragona Market, a modernist, century-old building, is a spectacular showcase of local products. The city is fully integrated into the Tarragona DO Wine Route, and its festival calendar features events such as the Tarragona DO Wine Fair, L’Embutada (the New Wine Festival), and the Siurana PDO Olive Oil Fair. Valls: the essence of the calçotada Valls is the world capital of the calçot. Experiencing a true calçotada is a ritual, and the Gran Festa de la Calçotada is its most iconic celebration. To fully understand calçot culture, the Valls Tourist Office offers guided tours. Valls is also part of the Tarragona DO Wine Route and hosts the annual Music Valls Va de Vins festival. In the surrounding area, you can visit architectural gems like the Nulles Wine Cathedral or enjoy an authentic Padró Vermouth in Bràfim. Reus: vermouth, hazelnuts and modernism Reus, birthplace of Catalan modernist architecture (with landmarks such as Casa Navàs and the Institut Pere Mata), blends architectural beauty with a deep-rooted liqueur-making tradition. The Reus Vermouth Route is a must, where producers like Yzaguirre showcase the excellence of this iconic drink. The city is also a constant showcase for local products, thanks to the Reus Markets, the Reus PDO Hazelnut, and local gastronomic celebrations such as Reus Viu el Vi and the New Olive Oil Fair (Siurana PDO). The Reus Enological Station not only fulfills its historic role but also houses the “Casa del Vermut i del Vi”, an enotourism center that introduces visitors to the building’s history and explains why Reus is known as the Capital of Vermouth. It’s an essential stop that, when paired with a visit to the Gaudí Centre and a final vermouth at Plaça del Mercadal, becomes one of the most memorable urban food experiences in the region. Montblanc and the Cistercian route Montblanc allows visitors to pair its cultural heritage with tastings at the shop of its old modernist winery. The town promotes the Trepat Route, part of the Conca de Barberà DO Wine Route, where the star grape variety is trepat. Montblanc also hosts the Medieval Wine and Cava Market. Just outside Montblanc, a visit to the Monastery of Poblet is essential. This remarkable monastery, one of the major sites along the Cistercian Route, offers a historical journey into the region’s winemaking past, reflecting the key role monasteries played in wine production since medieval times. The Cistercian Route brings together three DOs (Conca de Barberà, Tarragona, and Costers del Segre), creating the perfect pairing between cultural visits to Cistercian monasteries and wine tastings at wineries across these diverse designations. Tortosa and the essence of the Ebro On the banks of the River Ebro, Tortosa offers a cuisine shaped by the Delta. The activities organised by Njoy often combine cultural heritage with tastings. Iconic products here include small pastries and Baix Ebre–Montsià PDO Olive Oil. Thanks to its proximity to the Terra Alta DO Wine Route and the experiences offered by Viatges Némon, Tortosa is a destination to enjoy adventure and flavor. Barcelona: the world’s great urban table No culinary journey would be complete without immersing yourself in Barcelona, a city that brings together both tradition and cutting-edge gastronomy. Barcelona is a tapestry of flavors—from its municipal markets, where cooking workshops are held, to its Michelin-starred restaurants and slow-food proposals. You can explore its sweeter side at the Chocolate Museum, or dive into the world of olive oil with specialized visits such as Hola Olive. The city also offers some unexpected surprises with unique places like L’Olivera Can Calopa, Barcelona’s only urban vineyard, and restaurants such as Windsor. Several gastronomic hotels help promote local cuisine, including the Alexandra Barcelona Hotel, Hotel Barcelona Catedral, Hotel España, Ohla Barcelona, Ohla Eixample, and the Kimpton Vividora. Food tours (such as those organized by Njoy) and events like the Barcelona Beer Festival, All Those Food Market, and Mercat de Mercats ensure the city remains in constant culinary motion. Barcelona also offers easy access to the nearby Alella DO Wine Route, where you can visit wineries such as Art Laietà d’Alta Alella and Masia Can Roda. This route through Catalonia’s cities and towns with character invites you to experience the region from an authentic perspective, where flavor reflects both culture and history. Because in Catalonia, every bite is a journey. Bon appétit!