Catalan Food and Wine Day Trip from Barcelona w/ Lunch**Cava Tasting in Penedes Wine Region**

Discover the flavors and aromas of Catalan food and wine on this small-group day trip from Barcelona. Sample cheese and wine in a beautiful medieval farmhouse overlooking Montserrat; taste local delicacies like home-cured meats at a former Benedictine monastery; and sample different types of olive oil at a nearby farmhouse. We'll have a traditional Catalan lunch at the adjoining restaurant, then treat you to a guided tour of a winery including a cava and wine tasting. Relax on board our climate-controlled minivan and enjoy the scenery of the Catalan countryside. We'll make a stop in a village to sample local cheese and wine, further enhanced with views of the north face of Montserrat. Then we'll head to Santa Cecilia, a former Benedictine monastery and paragon of early Catalan Romanesque architecture. Here we'll learn about the history of the region - including how the monks influenced local farming and gastronomy - and sample locally-grown almonds, peaches, honey or home-cured meats, depending on the season. Next we'll drive around Montserrat to explore the south face, whose climate and topography are ideal for growing olives and grapes. Our next stop is a 16th-century farmhouse, originally the property of the Monastery of Montserrat. We'll tour the old olive mill and medieval water tanks, and learn about pressing techniques and the various kinds of olive oil. Then we'll sit down for a traditional lunch made with produce grown on-site. Those joining the tour on Sunday will taste even more local flavor with a menu featuring local Catalan dishes. After lunch we'll drive to Penedes, a wine region known for its cava, or Catalan sparkling wine. We'll tour the underground cellars and barreling room of a local winery and learn how cava is made, finishing off with a tasting of four different types of cava and wine.