Montserrat and Penedès Food and Wine Small Group Tour

The monks who shaped Catalan food are still part of the story.

A small-group food and wine tour from Barcelona visits four tasting stops in the Penedès region and at Montserrat: a medieval farmhouse for cheese and wine, a former Benedictine monastery for cured meats and seasonal delicacies, another 16th-century farmhouse for olive oil, and a winery for cava and wine. The group stays under eight people, a live English-speaking guide leads the tastings and explains the region's gastronomic history, and a traditional Catalan lunch at the farm restaurant is included. The tour runs 10 hours and operates only in English.

The experience

You meet your guide in central Barcelona and travel by minivan through the Catalan countryside toward Montserrat, the craggy mountain that defines the landscape. The first stop is a medieval farmhouse in a village known for cattle and cheese, where you taste local cheese and wine while looking out at the north face of Montserrat across the fields. From there, you drive to Santa Cecília, a former Benedictine monastery now a mountain shelter and an example of early Catalan Romanesque architecture. Your guide explains how the monks shaped the region's farming and food traditions as you sample seasonal treats: almonds, peaches, honey, or home-cured meats depending on what the farm has that day.

The route then circles Montserrat to show you the south face, where the climate and landscape shift enough to support olive trees and vines instead. You leave the minivan and walk with your guide through olive groves to a 16th-century farmhouse that once belonged to the Monastery of Montserrat. Inside, you see the old olive mill and medieval water tanks, learn how olive oil is pressed and why different types taste different, and taste several varieties. Lunch follows at the farm's restaurant: traditional Catalan dishes made from products grown on the property, with an option to upgrade to a Sunday menu of typical local specialties if you book that day.

After lunch, you head into the Penedès, the region's main wine area, known for cava production. At a local winery, a guided tour takes you through the underground cellars and barreling room to see how cava is made, then you taste four different types of cava and wine. The minivan brings you back to Barcelona as the afternoon light crosses the landscape behind you.

What’s included

• Transport by air-conditioned minivan from Barcelona.
• cheese and wine tasting at a medieval farmhouse.
• a visit to a former Benedictine monastery with seasonal local delicacies.
• olive oil tasting and a tour of a 16th-century farmhouse's mill and water tanks.
• a traditional Catalan lunch at the farm restaurant.
• a guided winery tour with tastings of four different cava and wine varieties.
• a live English-speaking guide throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday and FridayDeparts at 09:00

Book up toStart time

GroupUp to 16 · max 9 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effort

Operated by Explore Catalunya

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to taste your way through the region's food and wine without organizing the stops, the tastings or the drive yourself. The guide handles the history and the route, and the small group size means you get personalized attention at each farmhouse and the winery.

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Top questions

What exactly do I taste on this tour?

You sample local cheese and wine at a medieval farmhouse; seasonal delicacies like cured meats, almonds, peaches and honey at a former monastery; several types of olive oil at a 16th-century farmhouse; and four different cava and wine varieties at a winery in the Penedès region.

How long is the tour and what's included in the price?

The tour runs 10 hours from Barcelona. Included are transport by air-conditioned minivan, all four tastings, a traditional Catalan lunch at the farm restaurant, and a guided tour of the winery with cava and wine tastings. Your guide speaks English and leads the whole day.

What is Montserrat and why do we visit it?

Montserrat is a craggy mountain that rises above the Penedès region and shapes the landscape and climate around it. The tour circles the mountain to show both the north face, where the climate supports cheese and wine production, and the south face, where olive trees and vines thrive in a different climate.

Can I do this tour on a Sunday, and does it matter?

Yes, the tour operates on Sundays. If you book a Sunday departure, you can upgrade your lunch to feature typical local Catalan dishes instead of the standard farm menu, though this is optional.

Is this tour physically demanding?

You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The day includes a short walk through olive groves between the minivan stops, but most of the tour is spent traveling, tasting and eating at the farmhouses and winery.

What's the minimum age for this tour?

You must be at least 18 years old to participate in the wine and cava tastings.