The Olèrdola complex. A guide to 4,000 years of a Penedès wine country hilltop town

Olèrdola museum, built in refurbished old masia / rectory overlooking the Penedès wine region and Montserrat, Olèrdola monumental complex

Sitting proud on top of a limestone hill, overlooking the vineyards of the Penedès wine country, and the framed by the majestic Montserrat Mountain in the background, Olèrdola is a fascinating look into the history of wine and wine culture in the Barcelona and Catalonia area of Spain. The Olèrdola complex is located 45 minutes … Read more

Spain’s wine regions in numbers and maps

Priorat wine region vineyard near Cartoixa d'Escaladei. Private wine tour

In our guide to the wine regions of Spain, the Spanish wine regions are divided into the twelve traditional regions, and the first table shows the how much quality wine is produced for each region, in other words wines that can be sold under the DOP wine appellation. However, a little less than half of … Read more

Guide to the wine regions of Spain, part 2

Xarel·lo (Xarello / Xarel-lo) grape variety in late summer, with grapes ripening. Growing in the demonstration plot of Caves Llopart winery, Penedès, Barcelona, Spain

The wine regions of Spain Our guide to the wine regions of Spain began in Part 1 covering the wine regions of Alto Ebro including La Rioja, the Andalusian wine region, the Aragonese wine region, the Balearics wine region, the Canarian wine region, and the Cantabrian wine region. Here in Part 2 we will cover: … Read more

Guide to the wine regions of Spain, part 1

The cycle of wine - vineyard, grape, wine in Spain. Tiles in the Llopart winery

The wine regions of Spain Spain’s wine country covers a bewildering array of landscapes, regions, and wine styles, from the Albariño white wines of the Atlantic Galicia in the northwest, to the sherries of Andalucía in the south, to the Tempranillo red wines of Rioja, to the sumptuous Cavas – sparkling wines – of Penedès, … Read more

Classification order of Spanish Wine appellations – What do DOP, DOCa, DOQ, VP, VC, IGP Mean?

Classification Spanish Wine appellations

The denominación de origen system in Spain is used to regulate the quality and geographical origin of Spanish food and drink products. This system is similar to that found in other European countries, and is part of EU regulations. The denominación de origen system covers products such as cheese, olive oil, ham, and vinegar, but here … Read more

Guide to the fiestas of Barcelona and Catalonia, Spain

Festa Mercè, Barcelona

The Catalan and Spanish people love to celebrate and their festival traditions are unique, lively and colourful. No matter when you visit Barcelona and Catalonia, Spain you are bound to stumble upon one festival or another. The traditional festivals (called ‘festes’ in Catalan and ‘fiestas’ in Spanish) are celebrations of the land and sea by … Read more

Chauffeur-driven Tesla S for your private tour of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

Tesla S. Image courtesy Autolux

As a family-run, sustainable tour company, we at Artoba Tours are delighted to now offer our private tours of Barcelona and Catalonia in a chauffeur-driven Tesla Model S electric car. Tesla are at the forefront of electric cars and sustainable travel, and are undoubtedly at the forefront of luxury sustainable vehicles. So it’s a perfect … Read more

Private wine tours Priorat – selection of organic vineyards

La Morera de Montsant, Priorat privaite wine tour

The Priorat wine region is a paradise for wine lovers searching for private wine tours of wineries and vineyards. Set in breathtaking countryside, the world class Priorat wineries are perched in the steep hills of southern Catalonia. With its roots in wine making going back to the Roman times, the story of viticulture in the … Read more

Catalonia’s ‘La Ruta de l’Atzar’ (Route of Fate) Wins Tourism Video Prize

Screenshot from Turisme de la Generalitat de Catalunya´s 'La Ruta de l'Atzar' (Route of Fate)

Catalonia’s tourism agency has just won the best film prize from the International Committee of Tourism Film Festivals (CIFFT). ‘La Ruta de l’Atzar’ (Route of Fate) is a short film promoting tourism in Catalonia, and follows two women as they retrace the steps around Catalonia of a musician as chronicled in his journal. They see … Read more