La Gastronòmica — Tour Review

Zoom out. What's the big picture here?
Volcanic soil, shrimp-rich waters, and a patchwork of groves, vines, orchards and rice paddies earned Catalonia the title of 2025's World Region of Gastronomy—but a quick wander through the supermarket aisles won't give you the full flavor. To bring the region's deliciousness to life, La Gastronòmica's unique foodie tours play on senses beyond taste. 'ViViVi' pairs wines with live cello or violin performances inside a 12th-century church. 'Popi' offers a fisherman's-eye view of the coast: A traditional boat ride followed by a feast of the day's catch from Palamós fish market, veggies from nearby farms, and Empordà wines. 'Sea Road' peppers a gentle coastal hike with tales of local myths and legends, pausing at particularly magical spots to refuel on snacks and wine—all from small local producers, of course.
Tell us about your fellow tourees.
Tours are private and can be fully personalized.
How are the guides?
As you'd expect, hosts Clara and Jaume know their region—and their food. Clara is a sommelier with a Master's in Gastronomic Communication and the author of five books on wine and gastronomy. Jaume trained as a chef at Barcelona's prestigious Hofmann Cooking School. They're as engaging as they are knowledgeable, and work to a full-plate/full-glass philosophy, which is our life mantra, too.
Anything you'll be remembering weeks or months or years from now?
The settings elevate everything. Traditional round-table tastings have their place, but eating fresh-that-morning seafood on a small boat, near the source, feeling the salty sea breeze on your skin… ahh, it's hard to top.
So: money, time—how can we make the most of both?
There are two ways to savor the region's gastronomy. One is seated in a smart city restaurant, eating an utterly fabulous tasting menu from a beautifully upholstered chair. The other scraps the pomp. It's snacking on farm-to-fingers bites while trekking the region's terrain, uncovering local history and cultural quirks, and staring hypnotically at the ocean with a wine glass in hand. If you're leaning towards the latter, bookmark La Gastronòmica.

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