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Map of Spain & Portugal Real Food Adventure including Portugal and Spain

Uncover the local delicacies and the local character of Northern Spain and Portugal.

Explore the sights, sounds and tastes of northern Spain and Portugal on this food-led adventure. Immerse yourself in culture, history and cuisine as you taste local produce at Santa Catarina Market, whip up Catalan specialties in a cooking class and wander the stunning Gothic Quarter. Enjoy the wealth of tapas bars in Logrono, explore the medieval streets and underground wine caves of Laguardia. Venture north to one of Spain’s most celebrated cities, San Sebastian, where beautiful beaches, historic buildings and a thriving food and arts scene bask together under a beaming sun. Experience a traditional Asturian sidreria (cider house) near Oviedo, taste tapas in Santiago de Compostela, capital of Spain's Galicia region and famous for marking the end of the Camino de Santiago pilgrim trail. Discover the proud fish-mongering heritage of the port city of Vigo. Then step across the border to uncover the flavours of Portugal, featuring African, Mediterranean and Middle-Eastern influences. Sip your way around the Douro Valley, a stunning region responsible for introducing the world to port wine, and enjoy a home cooked dinner and a farm stay in the Alentejo region - fast gaining a reputation as a hotspot for Portuguese gastronomy. Finish up with glass of Ginjinha (wild cherry liqueur) in the charming city of Lisbon.

Start
Barcelona, Spain
Finish
Lisbon, Portugal
Destinations
Portugal, Spain
Style
Original
Theme
Food
Code
ZMZLC
Physical rating
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1, Max 12

Why you'll love this trip

  • Be surrounded by the culture of Catalan cooking (and by jamon hanging from the ceiling) in Barcelona’s many delis

  • Local, fresh produce is at the heart of Catalan food – get a chef’s insight into the best ingredients at Santa Caterina market

  • Sip a glass of famous Rioja in the unique surrounds of Laguardia – in the centuries old cellars beneath the medieval walled town

  • Uncover the local specialties of Asturia and Galicia, sampling true Asturian cider poured in the traditional style, and eating fresh Galician mussels straight from the sea in A Coruna

  • Few places know how to do a farmers market better than Potes – it’s been happening here in the same spot since the 1200s

  • Cook up a Galician feast using Vigo's finest seafood

  • Sip world-class wines in the spectacular Douro Valley wine region

  • Discover why Alentejo is Portugal’s best kept foodie secret on a farmstay

  • Stand around with the Lisbon locals and enjoy a tipple of cherry liqueur

Is this trip right for you?

  • The cuisine of Spain and Portugal includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Spain and Portugal which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.

  • There’s some transferring to-and-from different forms of transport on this trip. You'll need to carry your own luggage on and off transport, so make sure it doesn’t exceed our weight and size recommendations. You can find this information in the 'Packing' section of the Essential Trip Information.

  • In order to see (and eat!) as much we can, this trip features some long travel days (up to 5 hours). These are a great chance to soak in the Portuguese scenery and get to know your fellow travellers a little better.

  • Summer temperatures in the areas visited can be very high (up to 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s important to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability to that season.

Portugese Custard Tarts in a local shop front window in Lisbon, Portugal.
Travellers in Lisbon eating Portugese Custard Tarts on an Intrepid Travel tour.
View from scenic point overlooking Guell Park in Barcelona, Spain.
Two local men playing traditional Spanish guitar in a courtyard in Barcelona, Spain
Taste the beautiful cuisine of Portugal and Galicia in our Real Food Adventure
A serving of fresh fish for lunch cooked with a traditional Portugese method.
Travellers looking at delicious food options in a local stall at a market in Barcelona, Spain.
A traditional tram travelling through the streets of Lisbon, Portugal.
Traditional style tapas with mackeral, peppers and crusty bread in Spain.
Travellers enjoying a Spanish sunset
Taste the beautiful cuisine of Portugal and Galicia in our Real Food Adventure
Traditional tapas of chorizo and peppers on crusty bread in Spain
Female traveller with a cup of fresh, ripe strawberries in Lisbon, Portugal on an Intrepid Travel tour.
Aerial view of the spectacular habour in San Sebastian, Spain.

Itinerary
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Hola! Welcome to Spain. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. For those who arrive early, perhaps explore the streets of the old Gothic Quarter, check out the Picasso Museum, wander the tree-lined pedestrian boulevard of La Rambla, or take the funicular to the top of Montjuic or Tibidabo for some incredible views. After the meeting, jump straight into your Real Food Adventure by feeling the rhythm of Barcelona, sipping a locally produced cava or vermouth in a local bar then perhaps continuing on a tapas crawl, tasting rustic bite-sized Catalan dishes.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Barcelona - Cava or Vermouth tasting
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

This morning, get ready for a truly authentic introduction to Catalan cuisine with a passionate and well-regarded local chef. Taste your way through the stalls of La Boqueria Market and pick up some fresh ingredients for a cooking class. Hang out with the stall holders as you select the best piece of meat, feel for the crispest vegetable and choose the freshest seafood. Afterwards, your host will guide you in crafting the Spanish classic - paella. Sit down to a leisurely lunch accompanied by a glass or two of wine from the nearby Penedes region. Spend the afternoon exploring more of the city's food hotspots or get cultural with some Gaudi at the Casa Mila or La Sagrada Familia. Maybe get lost in the mysterious alleys of the Gothic Quarter and finish the day with a sip of red wine from a Porron – a traditional glass pitcher.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Barcelona - Santa Caterina Market Tour
  • Barcelona - Catalan cooking demonstration and lunch
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
Special Information

Ride the rails east to the prized vineyards of the La Rioja wine region and Logrono (approximately 3.5 hours). Logrono sits on the banks of the Ebro river and is the capital of Spain’s most renowned wine region. It also boasts one of the most distinguished culinary traditions in the country and is home to some of the best tapas bars in the whole of Spain, all crammed into its small medieval centre. Logrono is a charming city of medieval fortifications, where much work is being done to restore it to its full glory. This evening you’ll go on a walking tour of the Old Quarter, wandering down Calle del Laurel and the 60 or so taperias (tapas bars) that line the way. This is the perfect opportunity to sample a bit of everything, as each bar has its own speciality – taste your way through some grilled chorizo or wild mushrooms, and wash them down with a glass of the region’s famous red.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Logrono - Tapas Crawl
Meals Included
  • Dinner

This morning you’ll stop past the Logrono market where you might like to pick up some treats for a picnic lunch later. Then take a local bus (approximately 30 minutes) and go back in time in the historic walled town of Laguardia, perched atop a rock foundation. The entire centre of Laguardia is traffic free as underground lies a maze of tunnels, used to make and store wine for centuries. Here you’ll tour Laguardia's wine caves and then enjoy a guided tasting through some of the region's distinct varietals. Later in the afternoon, transfer to the stunning seaside San Sebastian – jewel of the Basque country and a city obsessed with food (approximately 2 hours). Take an orientation tour of the Parte Vieja (Old Town) – a mix of alleyways wedged between the bay and the Urumea River. This evening perhaps join your leader for an optional tour of the neighbourhood streets for a txikiteo of pinxtos, a Basque-style tapas crawl that will fill the senses – and stomach – with the unique flavours of the region. Don’t forget to wash them down with txakoli – a slightly fizzy white that’s the region’s signature wine.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Laguardia - Wine cellar visit and tasting
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

One of the secrets to the success of San Sebastian’s food scene is the obsession with high quality, local, seasonal ingredients. The best way to experience this firsthand it to visit the traditional food markets of La Bretxa or San Martin, and you’ll do just that this morning before a masterclass in Basque cuisine. In this hands-on cooking class, you’ll learn how to prepare some of the signature dishes of the region, and you’ll also taste Basque products including idiazabal – a local cheese, and txakoli – a lightly sparkling dry white wine. The afternoon is free you to explore the town or surrounding area more. Perhaps catch a cable car to Monte Igueldo for some truly spectacular views or take a trip along the winding coast to the nearby small fishing village of Getaria. Maybe discover San Sebastian’s beaches, shops and charismatic streets, or dive into pinxtos bars that range from the traditional to the experimental.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • San Sebastian - Basque cooking class
  • San Sebastian - Market tour
Meals Included
  • Lunch

Continue east to Bilbao (approximately 1 hour) – a city that was revitalised by the arrival of the Guggenheim Museum. Spend some free time perhaps visiting Frank Gehry’s sweeping metal building and the artistic treasures housed inside and out. Afterwards, climb by bus (approximately 3 hours) up to the Picos de Europa National Park. The park is not what many people picture as Spain – it’s an alpine landscape, high, cool, lush and green, with forests, deep gorges through the cliffs, and grassland dotted with photogenic toffee-coloured cows. Covering some 647 square kilometres, Picos de Europa is Spain's second largest national park and spans across the three provinces of Asturias, Cantabria and Leon. For dinner, a classic Cantabrian dish is on the menu – Cocido Lebaniego. Cocido Lebaniego is a rich, hearty stew of black pudding, pork shoulder, chorizo and locally grown chickpeas. Enjoy a cooking demonstration followed by your own cocido tasting. Be sure to enjoy your dinner with some crusty bread and a glass of cider.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Picos de Europa - Cocido Lebaniego cooking demonstration and dinner
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
If you wish to explore the Guggenheim Museum, we recommend pre-purchasing your ticket for the 11am timeslot. This will allow you a few hours to enjoy the site before you leave Bilbao.

This morning you'll have the option to head into the National Park where you can go for a walk or you may like to take the funicular higher into the mountains for spectacular views over the surrounding valleys. Afterwards, head to the small mountain town of Potes, nestled in the National Park. Bordered by ancient monasteries, Potes is brimming with centuries of history, and is a quaint tapestry of bridges, narrow streets and old houses. You will arrive in time to experience the wonderful weekly food market, where you’ll enjoy a market brunch. Depending on the season, you may get to savour locally grown apples, cherries, tomatoes, olives, asparagus, or walnuts. On the way to Oviedo, the ancient capital of the region, drive to the charming hillside village of Arenas de Cabrales (approximately 1 hour). Here there’s the opportunity to taste famous Cabrales cheese – a natural blue cheese produced by farmers using a traditional artisan method. Next, stop past an Asturian cider house – the traditional drink of the region. Enjoy a glass in the local style, poured from a bottle held high over the head into a glass at the knee to produce natural carbonation. You will then arrive in Oviedo by late afternoon (approximately 1.5 hours).
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Potes - Market visit and brunch
  • Arenas de Cabrales - Cheese tasting
  • Oviedo - Asturian cider house visit and tasting
  • Picos de Europa - National Park Visit
Meals Included
  • Lunch

Take a walk around the handsome city of Oviedo, with its unique personality, quaint pre-Romanesque churches, elegant streetscapes, fine monuments and grand houses. At the heart of the town sits the impressive Gothic San Salvador Cathedral. You’ll also enjoy an introduction to wonderful local products of Asturia at El Fontan market, home to excellent fish stalls beneath a canopy of wrought-iron and glass. This afternoon is free for your own exploration. Perhaps take a trip up to the port city of Gijon for fresh seafood and sweet-filled bakeries, or the fishing village of Luanco for a relaxing drink on the promenade. For dinner, consider heading to Calle de la Gascona, which is lined with lively sidrerias (cider houses) serving a wide range of raciones (tasting plates).
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Oviedo - Guided walk and market tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

This morning, take a bus to A Coruna in the region of Galicia (approximately 4 hours), taking in some of the spectacular Galician coastline during the drive. Here you will visit the impressive fish market in the Praza de Lugo and marvel at the range of seafood on offer. Lunch on fresh seafood at a nearby café, with other delicious non-seafood options available. Then, like thousands of pilgrims before you, end your journey in the capital of Galicia, believed to be the final resting place of the apostle St James (approximately 30 minutes). The beautiful old city of Santiago de Compostela holds many delights within its walls, all overseen by the mighty cathedral. Take a walk around the Old District lit up at night, through the arcaded stone streets, the spacious Praza del Obradoiro and past the Archbishop’s imposing palace. Santiago is home to more than just pilgrims, with the large population of students from the university enhancing the city’s nightlife. Perhaps spend the night in one of the cafes, bars or tapas restaurants in the Old Town.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • A Coruna - Fish market visit and seafood lunch
  • Santiago de Compostela - City night walk
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Enjoy a morning tasting tour around some of the city's best food gems, including the celebrated Mercado de Abastos (Abastos Market). Perhaps even indulge in a cheeky pre-noon glass of wine. At 6pm this evening there will be a meeting to welcome any new travellers joining you on the next stage of your adventure. Afterwards, get to know your fellow travellers over a traditional Galician meal. For seafood lovers, tasting pulpo a la gallega (Galician style octopus) is highly recommended!
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Dinner
Special Information
As this is a combination trip, the travellers in your group and your group leader are likely to change after the morning market visit and tasting tour.

Today you may be required to move to a different hotel in Santiago, for the next section of your trip. Your leader will let you know if this is the case and will help with the transfer to the next hotel.

There will be a welcome meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary and meet travellers joining you. It’s important that you attend the meeting as your new leader will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Hit the rails on a morning train to Vigo, departing at approximately 9.30 am and arriving 1 hour later. The vibrant city of Vigo is found on the banks of the Ria de Vigo (Vigo Bay), one of the most important bays in the Rias Baixas region. Not surprisingly, the city has a proud fishing history, with a rich bounty of seafood at its fingertips. The city is one of Europe's most important producers of shellfish. Take a ferry ride to a seafood market, then take part in a Galician cooking class culminating in a hearty lunch. In the late afternoon transfer over the border into Portugal. Arrive in the charming city of Porto by evening (approximately 1.5 hours). Tonight, you are free to explore at your own pace.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Vigo - Fish Market Tour and Cooking Class
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Stretching along the banks of the River Douro, Porto is one of Portugal's most romantic cities. Known for majestic bridges, medieval riverside district with its cobbled streets, merchants’ houses and cafes, Porto is also well known for one more thing; surprise, surprise – Porto is the birthplace of the fortified wine, port. Don’t worry, we’ll get to that soon enough. Start your day a little lighter, with coffee and pastries on a guided food walk. Sample local specialties including bacalhau (dried, salted cod) and finish with a sip of the city's namesake drop. The afternoon is free for you to explore at your leisure. Perhaps pull up a chair in one of Porto's atmospheric tavernas.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Porto - City Tasting Tour
Meals Included
  • Lunch

Enjoy a full-day tour of the Douro Valley. See the beautiful landscapes of the Duoro River region on a relaxing drive around the villages of Sabrosa and Pinhao, home to the stepped terraces and vineyards where port and other varieties are made. Visit two wineries, learn about port production and enjoy a tasting or two of this iconic regional wine. Enjoy lunch at a traditional restaurant before returning to Porto in the late afternoon. Enjoy another evening of free time in this lively city.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Douro Valley - Guided Day Trip with Wine Tasting
Meals Included
  • Lunch

Travel south to Lisbon by train (approximately 3 hours), then take a private vehicle to an agriturismo located near Arraiolos in the Evora district (approximately 1.5 hours). Surrounded by undulating wheat fields dotted with grazing cows, this is the perfect way to experience the Alentejo region. This area is renowned for its cork plantations, vineyards and celebrated products, including the coveted Azaruja sausage made from black Alentejo pigs (known locally as Iberico pigs). Perhaps take a pre-dinner walk around the property and enjoy the peace and quiet. Get to know your hosts over a home-cooked dinner of plants harvested from their own and nearby farms. Depending on the season, your meal may include tomatoes, leafy greens, olives and pears.
Accommodation
  • Farmstay (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Alentejo - Farm-cooked Meal
Meals Included
  • Dinner

Bid your hosts farewell and continue to the UNESCO-listed city of Evora, capital of the Alentejo region. While you’re here, visit the ruins of the ancient Roman Temple of Evora and the Cathedral of Evora, a massive Gothic structure begun in the 12th century. Continue to Lisbon, a city that manages to be at once glamorous and laid-back, arriving by early evening. Toast your arrival with a glass of the city's favourite cherry liqueur, ginjinha.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Evora - Day Trip
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Get acquainted with this beguiling city on an orientation walk. Along the way, stop in at one of the city's iconic eateries for a tasting of (arguably) the country's best Portuguese custard tarts. First made in the 16th century by nuns, this mixture of crispy pastry and creamy filling are arguably Portugal’s best-known dessert. Celebrate your arrival in Portugal’s capital city tonight with dinner accompanied by fado, a genre of Portuguese soul music that originated from Africa and has evolved to suit the streets of Lisbon. The show will be accompanied by petiscos, Portugal's answer to tapas!
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Lisbon - Fado Show & Dinner
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Your Real Food Adventure ends this morning. There are no activities today and you are free to leave at any time, provided you comply with the hotel's internal check-out time.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 5 dinners

Transport

Public bus, Taxi, Train, Private vehicle, Ferry

Accommodation

Hotel (15 nights), Farmstay (1 night)

Included activities

  • Barcelona - Cava or Vermouth tasting
  • Barcelona - Santa Caterina Market Tour
  • Barcelona - Catalan cooking demonstration and lunch
  • Logrono - Tapas Crawl
  • Laguardia - Wine cellar visit and tasting
  • San Sebastian - Basque cooking class
  • San Sebastian - Market tour
  • Picos de Europa - Cocido Lebaniego cooking demonstration and dinner
  • Potes - Market visit and brunch
  • Arenas de Cabrales - Cheese tasting
  • Oviedo - Asturian cider house visit and tasting
  • Picos de Europa - National Park Visit
  • Oviedo - Guided walk and market tour
  • A Coruna - Fish market visit and seafood lunch
  • Santiago de Compostela - City night walk
  • Vigo - Fish Market Tour and Cooking Class
  • Porto - City Tasting Tour
  • Douro Valley - Guided Day Trip with Wine Tasting
  • Alentejo - Farm-cooked Meal
  • Evora - Day Trip
  • Lisbon - Fado Show & Dinner

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Spain & Portugal Real Food Adventure trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 14 Farmstay) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

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