After settling into our hotel, we’ll walk together for our first meal at Franca, an innovative Catalan restaurant. Recently opened by three young chefs looking to redefine Catalan cuisine, the restaurant's menu features dishes that showcase their innovative approach, which is forward-looking while also honoring tradition. Tonight, we’ll have the cozy restaurant to ourselves, and, as we gather around its big tables, we’ll talk about the days ahead and and the culinary adventures that await us.

In the morning we’ll set out to begin our exploration of Catalan identity, in this case through the charming Gràcia neighborhood. Located just outside of the city’s busy center, Gràcia still feels like the village it once was, filled with small restaurants and shops that have been in business for generations. On our tour of the neighborhood, we’ll visit several of Gràcia’s most iconic food spots as well as its lively locals-only public market, getting a taste of what makes this area such a wonderful showcase for Barcelona and its culinary traditions.

After a short rest back at the hotel, we’ll go as a group to experience one of the most utterly unique and distinctly Catalan traditions, that of the Castellers. Dating back to the 18th century, this ritual revolves around groups that work together to form gravity-defying human towers that are the highlight of local festivals. We’ll get to witness one of these groups practice and teach the next generation of castellers how to scramble up to the top of the tower. For those of us brave enough, we’ll get a chance to go shoulder-to-shoulder with members of the group and help form the tower’s base.

Today we’ll take it slow, as we have a very special invitation for lunch in the home of a wine producer who happens to be an excellent cook. We’ll head to the nearby village of Rabós to meet our host, Jordi Esteve, part of a new generation of local winemakers in Catalonia’s agrarian Empordà region crafting natural wines from indigenous grape varieties. We’ll enjoy an al fresco tasting in Jordi’s vineyards, accompanied by his homemade charcuterie and cheese. Our effusive host will welcome us into his magical world of production before lunch – where we won’t just eat together, we’ll prepare it together. Jordi will teach us how to make fideus a la cassola (casserole-style noodles), along with the preparation of nut-based picada and a specific Catalan style of sofrito.

After our time with Jordi, we’ll check into the rustic Mas Falgarona, a boutique inn housed in a 17th-century farmhouse that will be our base for exploring the Empordà region over the next few days.

Wild, hyper-seasonal plants have long been a hallmark of rural Catalan cooking, and the recent rise of Catalan fine dining has taken this foraged tradition even further. On this day, we will meet Evarist March, a botanist and forager who works with the celebrated local chefs the Roca brothers, and set out together into the pastures around Mas Falgarona to study local edible plants and gather what we need for the evening meal. 

After exploring the grounds, we will pause for a picnic; then, well-fed and newly informed, we will return to the hotel for a hands-on cooking session led by Pau. It will be a full day of learning, cooking, and, of course, eating together in the wild.

Today it’s time to head down to the sea and take in Catalonia’s captivating Mediterranean coast. We’ll start our day along the coast in stunning Cap de Creus, a protected nature reserve that juts into the Mediterranean and is said to have inspired works by both Salvador Dalí and Picasso. Here we’ll meet Moises Tibau, one of the last fishermen working in this area, who will treat us to a cruise aboard his boat.

Back ashore, we’ll learn from him the secrets to a perfect allioli and how to clean anchovies. Then we’ll head to his fishing hut for a seaside lunch of freshly prepared lobster rice and other maritime delicacies, followed by a favorite local dessert – a sponge cake dramatically flambéed with spiced rum. As a special treat, we’ll also visit the Dalí House Museum, a surreal structure filled with stunning works of art.

In 2027, we will head to Girona to check in to our new and final destination for the trip.

After our day down by the sea, we now head into the mountains and to one of Catalonia’s most unique landscapes, the volcanic valley of La Garrotxa. Thanks to its fertile soil and ideal climate, this area is home to some of the most iconic Catalan agricultural products, such as the delicate and creamy Santa Pau beans and ratafia, a liqueur made out of green walnuts and herbs. Before heading to the volcanic area, we will begin the day by visiting the gardens of the Michelin-starred restaurant Les Cols, touring the grounds with their expert gardener. From there, we will visit a local grower on the volcanic slopes and taste the celebrated Santa Pau beans right where they are cultivated. For lunch, we will roll up our sleeves and gather around the grill to prepare and share a relaxed barbecue together.

In the late afternoon, we will return to the hotel for a final free evening, with time to relax or grab a bite in town.

Take the morning to relax and work up an appetite for our final meal together. After a week of going deep into the Catalan culinary context – cruising the waters, walking the pastures, and learning from producers – it’s time to treat ourselves.

In the afternoon, we’ll head to the town of Olot, where Chef Martina Puigvert will welcome us to the family-run Les Cols, one of the region’s destination restaurants. Over a late lunch that creatively incorporates many of the ingredients and products we’ve learned about this week, we’ll get a taste of the chef’s creativity and her loyalty to local ingredients.

After lunch, we’ll return to the hotel for one last farewell drink together to toast our week of exploration and learning.

We end our trip in Catalonia. After breakfast, we will depart our separate ways or those who want can stay to continue exploring. Until the next adventure!