Barcelona, In Moments: Wine Tasting, Sailing, and Unforgettable Bites
Barcelona is a truly exciting city in Spain. There is so much to see and do, you simply cannot fit it all into a single visit. On our recent trek to Barcelona we focused our time and spent 3 unforgettable days wine tasting, sailing and enjoying the fantastic food scene.
Bouquet d’Alella Winery
Spain in known for it’s wines in many regions of the country. Just 30 minutes outside the city of Barcelona, the Alella wine region feels like a hidden gem. It’s actually one of the smallest wine regions in Spain, but it's packed with history (the Romans were sipping here!) and character.
As a part of a small tour group we visited Bouquet d’Alella winery. This beautiful family-run organic winery is tucked into the hillside in an estate they’ve maintained for 6 centuries. The family were grape growers for many years, before they started making wine. Some of the family still lives in the lovely home.
Our tour walked us all throughout the property and then into where the grapes are pressed and the cellar where the wine is aged. The entire wine making process takes place right here on the estate. It was interesting to learn a little bit about the family winery in this tiny wine growing region in Spain.
But after a tour through the vineyards and cellars, you remember you are here for the wine. We first sampled the signature Pansa Blanca grape of this region. If you like a crisp white, not overly fruity or oaky, this is a wine for you.
Next we got hands-on with a fun little food moment — making our own pan con tomate! Rubbing fresh tomato and garlic on toasted bread while sipping wine. So simple and so delicious. We also tasted some delicious Manchego cheese. Tasting, eating and soaking in the view was such a simple pleasure — that can quickly turn into a favorite memory from any trip.
The vineyards are perched on sunny hills overlooking the sea, and the local grape, Pansa Blanca, really thrives in the warm coastal air and sandy soil. We also tasted a Syrah and a Garnaxa Negra, another local varietal. All the wines were very good, but our favorite was their signature Pansa Blanca.
We loved our time at the winery in Alella, just outside of Barcelona. We felt far from the busy city, enjoying a bit of peace with fine wine at Bouquet d’Alella! To find more of their wine experiences click: HERE
Sailing on the Mediterranean
Since it was July, and very warm, we thought it would be a good idea to get on the water, so we booked a sailing tour that coupled with the wine experience. After the winery, we hopped back on our small group tour bus and headed to the marina, where our sailboat was waiting to take us back to Barcelona.
Our captain was friendly and very knowledgeable about the area. Soon after boarding we were off to the sea.
It’s such a unique and memorable way to return to the city. By late morning, the sun was already strong, so getting out on the Mediterranean felt like the perfect escape. Just after leaving the harbor you could already see the city in the distance. The boat ride is approximately 90 minutes.
A Unique Day of Site Seeing
It was a peaceful, scenic ride back into the city. Sailing past the coastline with a glass of champagne in hand was such a memorable way to return to Barcelona — relaxed, refreshed, and ready for the next part of our day.
In the center of Barcelona you can’t miss the enormous site the Sagrada Familia, which has been under construction continuously for over 100 years.
If you look closely at the building on the left (The W Hotel), you can make out the shadow for Sagrada Familia. Our captain really knew these waters as he sailed just to the spot to capture the view.
If you’re looking for a fun and memorable way to see a different side of Barcelona, we definitely recommend visiting a local winery, sailing along the coast — or doing both like we did! We booked our tour through Viator.
Espacio UMA Restaurant
When we travel we usually try to have 1-2 special dinners. Barcelona is known for it’s food scene so it was a great place to find a fabulous dining experience. Our good friends had been to UMA a couple of years ago and highly recommended it. The restaurant is rated by Michelin guide, so we knew it would be pretty special. We made a reservation about 2 months in advance for a weeknight and had no trouble getting in.
When booking the reservation, you make a choice as to which of the pre-fixe menus you’d like. We chose the “Essence,” their entry level menu, not for price, but it had the fewest courses (8). Once we were seated our waiter asked if we’d like to expand to the “Classic” menu, which was 10 courses. It was not that much more, so we said, “why not?”
Every dish was a work of art. Better yet, every bite, of every dish tasted incredible. Since the chef is from the Basque region on the Atlantic side of Spain, his menu was heavily inspired by seafood dishes, which was fine with us. While the tasting dishes are small, each is loaded with a complexity of delicious flavors and textures.
When we got to the 5th course or so we were asked if we’d like to enhance the next dish with fresh truffles. In a once-in-a-lifetime experience, of course you say “yes!” We’d also selected the wine pairing to go with our meal. This dish had the most unique pairing, a Spanish sherry. The dry sherry did pair very well with the dark, rich sauce and umami flavor of the truffles.
Deliciousness in Every Single Bite
One of the last dishes, was yet another local fish with on a bed of soft, creamy foam.
Regrettably, we did not capture the names of all of the dishes on the menu. If you look on their website, you do see a sample menu but it changes seasonally for the best ingredients.
The kitchen, open to the dining room, was quiet and extremely well organized. All the dishes were served synchronized throughout the meal.
We ordered the cheese plate (also at an additional cost) but forgot to take a picture of it. It was amazing, like everything, as the chef hand selects the cheeses from all over Spain.
The grand finale was not one, but two desserts. Below is the second dessert, as selection of chocolates. Wouldn’t it be fun to be the pastry chef here?
As foodie nerds, we are always excited when we get invited to the kitchen after a world class meal. Our wait staff at UMA invited us to come back at the end of service. We wanted to thank the chef, but he’d left for the evening. We were happy to meet a sous chef, who is a student at a local culinary academy. What a place to serve your culinary school internship!
Our evening came to a close and it was time to say goodbye to an incredible dining experience. We loved UMA and would highly recommend dining here for a once-in-a-lifetime meal! Find their website: HERE
Bar Cañete
We met some fellow Americans on our sail that had relocated to Barcelona. After our Michelin star experience, we were looking for a more casual dinner so we asked them for a recommendation. They said, without hesitation, Bar Cañete. The good news is that Cañete was a 10 minute walk from our hotel, located in the historic old town of Barcelona.
There is a great vibe the minute you walk into the restaurant. We went “early,” by Barcelona standards, at 8:30PM and just waited a few minutes for our reservation.
You have a choice of table or the bar. We chose the bar, for a livelier experience. We were seating right at the bar in front of the oysters. So guess what we started with?
The food is tapas style, small plates, ordering as you go. We started with a glass of Spanish Alberino, to go with our oysters. We shared several dishes until we were stuffed. Everything was delicious and the prices, so reasonable!
You could tell the staff had worked here for a long time and loved their jobs. The bar was loud, boysterious and lively. We loved every minute of it! They were happy to take plenty of selfies. (Note: their motto on the sign in the background.)
If you want fun, local dining experience while in Barcelona, try Bar Cañete. Find their website: HERE
Grand Hotel Central
So where to stay in Barcelona? There are hundreds of choices. For us, this was a special 3 night stay so we splurged and stayed at a highly recommended hotel from our travel professional, Grand Hotel Central. There was a delicious breakfast served every morning, the rooms very well appointed and, the highlight, a rooftop bar and pool area.
We now know why Barcelona is a favorite stop in Spain (and in Europe!) It has history, culture, fabulous weather and a great food scene. It will not be our last visit and we hope this inspires your trek to this amazing city!
Want to See More of Barcelona?
Check out our full post visiting the most iconic site in the city and one of the most visited churches in the world, Basilica Sagrada Familia.
Sunny squares, waterfalls, sea views and a beach day—just a few of the reasons we fell for this colorful corner of the Côte d’Azur.