Famous tapas and paella dish in Barcelona, Spain

Immersive Food & Culture Tour of Barcelona

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Spain

Places Visited

Barcelona

Suggested Duration

8 Days

Food and culture are inseparable in Barcelona. Historical backstreets are overflowing with tapas and bodegas, art nouveau neighborhoods are enlivened by food markets, and restaurants celebrate art as well as cuisine. In wider Catalonia, you find decadent vineyards that are surrounded by quaint, old-world villages. Handcrafted to honor Barcelona’s culinary and cultural realms, this eight-day tour weaves history and art with tapas tours, fine dining, Catalan gastronomy, and two sublime wine regions.

Customizable Itinerary

Expand All

Trip Highlights

  • Live the history with a tapas and taverns tour of the El Born backstreets
  • Luxuriate in the charming villages and old-world vineyards of Priorat, Catalonia’s DOCa wine region
  • Discover Catalonia’s art nouveau movement with visits to La Sagrada Familia, Palau de la Musica Catalana and houses that were designed by Antoni Gaudi
  • Experience two of the world’s finest restaurants, with a 19-course small plate menu at two of the world’s best restaurants
  • Wander the lanes of old Barcelona and feast all your senses in La Boqueria market
  • Go off the beaten track to discover local favorites with a food and market tour of the Gracia neighborhood
  • Pop the corks on a day trip to Penedes, where bucolic vineyards are home to Spain’s best Cava (sparkling wine)
  • Journey through 2000 years of Catalan art, with a particular focus on Miro and Picasso
  • Dine on Catalan designed pintxos with a guided tour through Poble-Sec

Detailed Description

The people of Barcelona like to showcase their culture through their food with tapas being a primary example. Chefs took this Andalusian style of cooking and made it entirely their own. So, in Barcelona, you find Gothic-style bodegas and taverns that are hidden in many neighborhoods. Here, they love to do things differently. Gaudi and company did the same thing but with art nouveau as they began an architectural movement and made it distinct to the region. Much like the cuisine, they enhanced a style and created something that is much more revered than the original. Another example comes from Poble-Sec where the Basque style of pintxos has been given a Catalan twist.

Here, the culinary and cultural realms are inseparable. You can listen to historical tales in a tiny Catalan village while gazing over seemingly endless vineyards. Fine dining restaurants present their creations in an artistic style that is influenced by old city residents: Miro and Picasso. Moreover, and perhaps most poignantly of all, eating and drinking are two essential components of day to day life. Food is never something to rush; it is something to savor and something to create a memory around every single day. The locals love the food, and you will love it too, whether a backstreet bodega or a Michelin-starred restaurant. More importantly, you will love the culinary side to the culture and how so much of the day is dedicated to eating.

Celebrating both the gastronomic and historical realms, this eight-day tour through Barcelona is a mix of private tours and off the beaten track neighborhoods. It is far more than a list of restaurant reservations. The idea is to feel the local culture through the food, whether that’s at 2,000-year-old streets, art nouveau marketplaces, or those restaurant terraces that make the city so inviting. Local chefs and food connoisseurs lead your tours as their specialisms help them showcase the distinctive pieces of culinary culture. Over the eight days, you will find the city’s patchwork history can be stitched together by all the flavors that roll around your palate.

Start with the famous El Born neighborhood, dining on tapas as the streets whisper of Roman legend and Gothic ghouls. Then, travel off the beaten track on day two when you travel to Gracia a neighborhood for understanding a Catalan culinary tradition, particularly at the local food markets. Wine is integral to culture in Barcelona, and Spain’s best sparkling wine comes from Penedes, which is just an hour away from the city. Spend day three popping the Cava corks before the iconic art nouveau architecture is your focus on day four. A pintxo tasting in the evening in Poble-Sec follows Gaudi and company for the opportunity to taste how local produce of Catalan has restyled the Basque invention.

The second half of this vacation follows a similar style, marrying gastronomic experiences with cultural highlights. Wander the oldest parts of Barcelona on day five before incredibly modern Michelin dining. Explore Penedes on day six, which is a DOCa wine region of quaint villages and luscious reds. Journey through Catalan art on day seven, which will be followed by deconstructed tapas at one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. By day eight, you will be in a very local frame of mind and will be determined to keep food part of your daily life back home. Looking for the best Spain travel experiences? Consider browsing our Spain travel reviews page.

Starting Price

$3,200 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.92 stars based on 2419 reviews.

Spain Travel Review: Art History, Architecture, Historical...
"Zicasso’s trip planner and her team did an outstanding...

Reviewed By jean k.

Spain Vacation Review: History, Art, Culture, Wine, Tapas,...
"Our family had an incredible vacation in Spain, thanks...

Reviewed By Rachel O.

Spain, Portugal Luxury Travel Review: Barcelona, Madrid,...
"The Zicasso tour company did a wonderful job planning our...

Reviewed By Glinda L.

Spain Luxury Trip Review: Sevilla, Ronda, Granada, White...
"If you are looking for a beautiful and memorable private...

Reviewed By Karen M.

Spain Luxury Vacation Review: Barcelona, Seville, Ronda,...
"The Zicasso travel agency put together an enjoyable, comprehensive...

Reviewed By Brian H.

Spain Travel Review: Madrid, Toledo, Ronda, Barcelona, Sevilla,...
"Wow, just wow! This trip was absolutely fantastic, made...

Reviewed By Mimi k.

Your Dream Vacation

in 3 simple steps

  1. 1

    Describe your dream trip

  2. 2

    Get matched with top travel specialists

  3. 3

    Book the trip

Free service - no credit card required