Barcelona – Fantastic City of Spain

Barcelona’s vibrant culinary scene is a haven for foodies and wine aficionados alike. Dive deep into the heart of Catalonian cuisine with our recommendations:

✧ FOODS NOT TO MISS

• Cap i pota is one of the most famous slow cooking specialties of Catalan culture, using the head and hooves of game meat to create a delicious stew. Gaig, a Michelin-starred restaurant that serves traditional Catalan cuisine, has its own version.
• Did you know that Catalonia grows its own rice? Indeed, you’ll find plenty of succulent rice dishes paired with seafood, meats, or a mix of the two. Although Paella is the most well-known, there are plenty of other delicious variants to try. We recommend Arròs negre (black rice), which is a Catalan specialty that gets its color from squid ink and Arròs Caldoso, a type of rice in broth.
• Cod fish reins king in Catalonia, thanks to its abundant supply in the North Atlantic Ocean and permanent fixture on menus during Lent. Some popular cod dishes include Brandada (salt cod purée very often used to fill the small piquillo red peppers ), Esqueixada (cod salad with onion, olives and extra virgin olive oil), and the traditional Bacallà a la Catalana (cod fillets roasted with pine nuts and raisins). 
• What’s a meal without a little dessert? Thankfully, Barcelona shines in the sweets department. Satisfy your sweet tooth with a pot of Crema catalana (similar to crème brûlée), Mel i Mató (sweet cheese drizzled with honey), or Coques (a type of sweet flatbread usually with a crème pâtissière filling).
• There’s no better way to spend a lazy afternoon in Barcelona than to enjoy Vermouth hour. La hora de vermut typically takes place on weekends between 12pm to 2 pm and is an essential social activity that involves catching up with friends and family (drinking some vermouth, a glass of wine or an ice-cold beer).

✧ WINES REGIONS AROUND

Although Barcelona is considered to be a massive metropolis, there are plenty of wine regions within a short drive! We’ve complied a handful of the best wine regions near Barcelona: 

• DO Alella – Although Alella is one of the smallest DOs in Spain, it still packs a powerful punch in the wine world. This is also one of the oldest wine regions, as winemaking has been going on since the ancient Roman times.
• DO Penedés – Long considered to be one of the country’s best wine-producing regions, DO Penedés owes its success to the variety of landscapes and microclimates that allow many different grapes to flourish. More than 130 wineries, many of which are small, family-owned ventures, can be found along this region.
• DO Cava – Cava, which is second only to Champagne in total sales of sparkling wine, has become the drink of choice across the world over the last 30 years. The “Cava Capital” is situated in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia, less than an hour’s drive from Barcelona. Here, specialized Cava bodegas have been producing this sparkling wine following the same méthode traditionnelle as in Champagne since the end of the 19th century.
• DO Plà de Bages – Named in honor of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, this region is one of the newest Designation of Origins in Spain. Located in the shadows of the Montserrat mountains, Plà de Bages is characterized by a middle mountain Mediterranean climate that lends itself to grapes of excellent quality. One type to note is the Picapoll, a small white grape variety that gives off fruity aromas and a pale yellow color.
• Corpinnat – One of the newest players in the game, Corpinnat began after a group of prominent producers split with DO Cava to create their own E.U.-recognized sparkling wine association. Corpinnat, which fuses Catalan and Latin words, means “from the heart of the Penedès.”and aims to promote a stricter set of guidelines for creating high-quality cava (versus mass-produced bottles).

In any case, we invite you to check the Spanish Wine Regions here more in depth.