When we think of cheese, it’s easy for our imagination to sweep us away to the meadows of France, Switzerland or Italy. But you don't have to go that far to enjoy a delicious example of this dairy product. Here in Catalonia, we boast a deeply rooted cheese making tradition, with each region contributing its own unique character. From the mountains of the Pyrenees to the coast, passing through the inland plains, countless artisan cheese dairies in Catalonia produce excellent quality cheese. When the seasonal migration begins in summer –when the herds go up to the high mountains to graze–, the month of June is especially important in the artisan cheese making cycle, as it falls right when the milk is of the highest quality. That’s why it’s the ideal time to travel around Catalonia and try its star dairy product: cow's, sheep's or goat's cheese. Catalan cheese tasting tours and fairs There is no better way to experience cheese than by tasting it. In June, cheese routes, guided tours and tastings are organised that allow visitors to get to know the work of the livestock farmers and artisans, discover the process of making the products and offer the palate the best flavours possible. This different kind of tourist experience connects us with nature and activates all our senses. Catalonia boasts dozens of activities open to the public throughout the region. Làctium, held every year in Vic, is one of the main Catalan cheese festivals, where visitors can find a vast array of options. There are workshops, live cooking performances, awards ceremonies and even activities for the whole family. One highlight is the San Armengol Fair, one of the oldest in Catalonia, which brings together producers from the Pyrenees in La Seu d'Urgell. This showcase for mountain cheese includes competitions, tastings, culinary routes and cultural activities. A history rooted in the mountains Cheese has a long history in Catalonia, especially linked to livestock farming and the rural tradition. Cheese production dates back several centuries, almost as far as Roman times, like in many other European countries. Here, however, this practice is deeply rooted in the mountain villages of the Pyrenees, where it was more common to find milk-producing herds and where transforming milk into cheese allowed it to be preserved for long periods of time. Despite the passage of time, the cheese-making tradition has remained particularly active in the Pyrenees. Throughout this extensive mountain range we can find some of the best artisan cheese farms in the region. Yet the high mountain pastures of Ripollès and Garrotxa, as well as the green valleys of Alt Urgell and Pallars Sobirà are not the only places that make excellent cheeses. You can also find them inland, as in Segarra, and on the coast, as in the Empordà, where you can taste exquisite cheeses that offer a wide range of flavours: from intense cheeses to soft and aromatic ones.