Wine week continues - Priorat's old-school Harvestfest

As I mentioned in yesterday's entry, the harvest season has arrived in Spain. And Barcelona is a great place to be to really get in touch with some of the more than 10 DOs within driving distance of the Catalan capital. For those looking for a unique and personal Spanish tour, this weekend's festivities include a real treat for enophiles and history buffs alike: on September 3-4 in the small town of Poboleda in the Priorat wine region is the 12th annual "Festa del Vi i de la verema l'antiga", or Old-fashioned Wine and Harvest Festival.

The show begins on Friday night with a presentation of the wines and a tasting. But the real fun begins Saturday morning. For those early risers or those looking for a unique opportunity to get their hands dirty and get into the roots of the Spanish wine culture, the party begins at 7:00 with a trip to help hand-pick the grapes! This is followed by an open breakfast for everyone and then the wine fair begins. The wine will flow and the fire dances will run, and most of all, you will get an authentic cultural experience that will last you a lifetime.

For more information on this or on how to plan your private tour of Spain, contact The Spanish Touch.

The harvest is upon us! Let the Spanish wines (and festivals) flow

As we exit the heat of August and enter into the late summer, it can mean only one thing for the people in Spain's more than 60 wine-growing regions: harvest time. And the Spanish take their harvest seriously. There is work to be done...and festivals to be held! This weekend in the Barcelona region there great wine experiences in Penedes, Alella and Emporda feature among them:

Today I want to mention the Wine Harvest Festival in Figueres, popularly known as the birthplace of Salvador Dali, and home to his inspirational Theater-Museum. Figueres is also in the heart of the increasingly renowned Emporda region, and the DO is doing a great job at spreading the word. If you get the chance, take a trip up on Sunday to watch the opening in the main square. It promises to be a great festival with wonderful wines!

For more information about the wine festivals or for helping planning your next trip to Spain, contact The Spanish Touch.

Vacation time: a time for planning at The Spanish Touch

Every year around this time I take a few days of vacation to reflect and plan ahead for the next season, and once again it's shaping up to be a world of fun. With private tours around Spain, wine festival experiences, treks through the pre-Pyrenees and our new cooking course in Barcelona, the upcoming fall season promises to be a great time to be in Spain.

We are opening our doors to a wider range of activities, but that doesn't mean we will be trimming anything from our service. As the world slowly recovers from the crisis, we at the Spanish Touch know how important value is for our clients. That's why we are committed to providing the highest value for your vacation: we know that you have a choice, and we want you to get the most for your money. And as a custom tour operation, we go that extra mile to make sure you get the best experience!

For more information or for help planning your next excursion into the fascinating opportunities that await, contact The Spanish Touch.

Weddings in Spain

More and more people are coming to Spain for the weddings. Not just for honeymoons, but as a place to get married. Recently it has become popular, especially among Asian countries, to share their vows in smaller towns rather than the big cities. In the smaller towns, churches frequently date back to the 17th century and add a touch of authenticity and a classic Spanish feeling that so many come looking for.

For more information or to include a visit to one of the smaller towns contact The Spanish Touch.

The Best of Spain - The Best for You

Whether your ideal private vacation in Spain involves days spent lounging on a beautiful beach, sipping an ice cold sangria, hiking through the Pyrenees and stopping to visit thousand-year old churches and friendly, small-town inns, or boutique hotels with internationally acclaimed restaurants and spas, The Spanish Touch can help you with every detail. We believe that our job is to help you have the absolute best vacation possible. No two groups are the same, and so no two vacations should be. Our goal is to bring you the best of Spain by tailoring your visit, offering private guided tours and top value for the money, and our greatest reward is a satisfied client.

So for your next vacation, why not treat yourself and let us take care of you with all the best of Spain!

Frigiliana - Festival of the Three Cultures

Andalusia is well known for its white villages. Dotting the hillsides and tucked between olive groves, these towns are wonderful to explore and ramble through the streets. And if you're really lucky, you can find one that's having its own fair, and then you can see the Andalusian culture in all its colors. Frigiliana is one of the best known white villages on Malaga's lesser-known East side. Just north of the beach town of Nerja, Frigiliana boasts the only remaining molasses factory in Spain, and a history that is equal to that of some of the best and most famous cities in Spain.

The fact that Frigiliana is known as "the town of 3 cultures" indicates a great deal about its past. In this small town of just a few thousand people, Jews, Christians and Moors all lived in relative harmony. And the Fifth Annual Festival of 3 Cultures is a great way to see first hand how this history played out. From August 26 to the 29, concerts, street performances, gastronomic events, and much more will all make your visit to this classic white village a memorable one.

For more information or to include a visit to Frigiliana on your next visit to Spain, contact The Spanish Touch.

Festes de Gràcia - The heart of Barcelona beats loudly

For many people, the Gràcia district of Barcelona represents so much of what Barcelona is: small streets packed with local shops, plazas filled with history and people, a very small-town culture in the heart of the big city... Throw in a couple of Modernista monuments (Casa Fuster, Park Guell, Casa Calvet) and you have one of Barcelona's most unforgettable barrios. And when August rolls around, the neighborhood really turns on the charm. For the next week, the Gràcia district will be host to innumerable concerts, plays, workshops, craft fairs and an incomparable fair atmosphere: Welcome to the Festa Major de Gracia.

The celebration, moved from May to August for reasons historians are still unable to determine, dates back to the 19th century, when Gràcia was still an outlying village and not a part of the city of Barcelona. Whatever the reasons for its inception and subsequent date change, the Festa Major de Gràcia is one of the most important and spectacular festivals in the city of Barcelona.

For more information about this or other festivals, or for help planning your next trip to Spain, contact The Spanish Touch

Peñafiel - Where wine and history meet

Long recognized as the heart of the Ribera del Duero region, the town of Peñafiel, is a thousand-year-old a meeting point for the history and gastronomy of Spain. Dating back to prehistoric cultures, it was in the 10th-century that the city became a focus point for the reconquest of Spain.

Undoubtedly one of the feature attractions of the town is the 15th-century castle, built on the remains of a 9th-century fortress, and regarded as one of the best and most picturesque in all of Spain. Also worth visiting is the old Bell Tower and Church/Convent of Saint Paul. Of course, being so closely linked to the Ribera del Duero region, there is never a lack for great food and wine!

For more information or to include a visit to Peñafiel on your next trip to Spain, contact The Spanish Touch.

Going down the river on a raft in the Pyrenees

I've written before about small town Spain and the enormous satisfaction I get introducing people to some of these quaint festivals, where you really feel at one with the history, culture and people of the region. This Saturday is the "Baixada de Rais", or "Going down the river in a Raft". Dating back to the times when rafts were the most efficient and best mode of transportation on some of the rivers of Catalonia, several towns such as Coll de Nargó, which lies along the Segre River, have upheld the tradition of making wooden rafts and then heading down the river just as their countrymen did in ages past.

Starting at noon, and captained by locals who still hold to the traditions of raft-steering, the boats and men head down a tricky bit of water, dodging rocks and rapids and showcasing their talents. The people of the town are immensely proud of their heritage, and are always welcoming to visitors who come to see this show. In the evening, fireworks light up the river and old city as you enjoy a glass of wine and some tapas with the locals.

For more information about this festival or for help in arranging your next visit to Spain, contact The Spanish Touch.

Feria de Malaga - The Costa del Sol's biggest summertime party

August is traditionally the month for vacation in Spain, and what better way for the locals to enjoy their vacations then with some of the best festivals of the year! Malaga, capital of the Costa del Sol, holds one of the biggest and best known city-wide celebrations every year: the Feria de Malaga. The fair, which is held in honor of the Catholic Monarchs reconquest of the city in 1487, shows Malaga in all its tradition and splendor.

This year, from the 13 to the 22 of August the city of Malaga will once more throw open its arms and doors to all with traditional Andalusian hospitality. There is always something for everyone during  lively daytime stalls featuring impromptu flamenco shows and Andalusian bead making to the copious amounts of Malaga sweet wine available in all styles and sizes. The nighttime festival, on the outskirts of the city at the fair grounds, is a world unto itself, and is for those who want to enjoy the more nocturnal pursuits of eating, drinking and dancing.

Olive Oil Route - Southern Spain's gastronomic wonders

Imagine spending a few days surrounded by nothing but rolling hills, quaint small towns and truly magnificent people. Then add a collection of 16th and 17th century buildings, ancient medicinal springs and an exceedingly generous taste of the fruits of the land and you have a wonderful route called "La Ruta del Aceite" - The route of Olive Oil. 

Many people don't realize that Spain is the leading olive oil producer in Europe, and Andalusia is the heart of olive country. The olive oil route takes through some of the smaller towns that are particularly well known for producing outstanding olive oil, as well as other fruits like peaches, raisins and avocados. 

And it's in these small towns where you really feel like you connect with the local people, they welcome you into their towns and their culture like long lost friends. It's a truly authentic and wonderfully unique way to visit Spain. 

For more information about this or other routes, please contact The Spanish Touch.

Operation: The Great Escape

For anyone who might be visiting Spain at the moment, please bear in mind that this weekend represents the largest mobilization of Spanish vacationers all year. That's right, bigger than Christmas, or even Semana Santa or the Feria de Sevilla. August is traditionally the vacation month, and this year the statistics indicate that more Spaniards are planning on "staying home" than have done for the last couple of decades. Of course, with so many options within driving distance, I can hardly blame them. "The grass is always greener" seems to have reached its breaking point, and more and more people are wising up to the enormous potential for vacation ideas without having to leave the peninsula.

So, if you have any plans for Friday evening and most of Saturday (but especially the morning), I recommend that you take into account that the roads will be packed and maybe just take it easy until the initial wave passes. In the meantime, soak up the culture, the sun and the wonders of Spain!

If you would like help planning your next trip to Spain, contact The Spanish Touch for more information.

Santiago's special Sunday

Last Sunday, July 25, 2010, was the day of Santiago, patron saint of all Spain. For those not familiar with the Camino de Santiago, the pilgrimage through Spain to visit the magnificent cathedral at Santiago de Compestela is one of the most popular and important pilgrimages in Western Europe. People come from all over the world to walk the route, and to see the remains of the apostle James (Santiago in Spanish).

Every so often, the day becomes even more important. Like this year for example, when the date falls on a Sunday, marking a Jacobean or Jubilee year. The next one will be in 2021, so as you can imagine the scenes in and around the cathedral on Sunday were amazing. People waited in line literally for hours just to get a chance to get inside. And the whole city celebrated, with fireworks the night before and

The celebration will last all year, and the Pope himself will be visiting Santiago in November as a part of a two city tour.

Andalusian Treasures Tour

Below is the itinerary of one of our tours from this year, to give you an idea of how we can customize your tour. Because of our hands-on work with each group, The Spanish Touch's tours are all unique and designed to meet needs and desires.

Day 1  

Arrival in Malaga and transfer to the hotel. After lunch a walking tour around the city, including Picasso’s birth house and the Plaza de la Constitución, followed by a brief overview of the tour activities/question and answer period before welcome dinner. Night in Malaga.

Day 2   

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Seville. Day tour of Seville, including the Cathedral (and the outstanding Moorish Giralda tower), the Alcazar and the old Tobacco factory, scene of the opera Carmen. Optional Flamenco show. Night in Seville.

Day 3

Breakfast at hotel. Day trip to the city of Cordoba, ancient home of the Caliphs. Visit the Mezquita and see the old Roman bridge. Evening at leisure in Seville. Night in Seville.

Day 4  

Breakfast at hotel. Jerez day trip, including the Andalusian horse Gala and a visit to a Sherry winery. Afternoon transfer to Granada. Night in Granada.

Day 5  

Breakfast at hotel. Day tour of the city center, visiting the Cathedral, the Moorish silk market and the old Jewish quarter. An optional Tapas dinner out for a true taste of Granada’s exquisite restaurant scene. Night in Granada.

Day 6 

Breakfast at hotel. Morning tour of the Alhambra. Afternoon transfer to Malaga. Night in Malaga.  

Day 7 

Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Malaga airport (2 people). Day at leisure in the capital of the Costa del Sol. Optional day tour to Nerja or Ronda.  Night in Malaga.

Day 8  

Transfer to Malaga airport for return flight to the USA.

  

Tour includes:

• All accommodation as per itinerary
• All transportation as per itinerary in an air-conditioned van.
• 8 meals (7 breakfast, 1 dinner)
• Guided visits as per itinerary
• Entrance fees as per itinerary

Temple of Augustus in Tarragona

Buried underneath the 12th century cathedral in the heart of what was the most important Roman city in Iberia, nowadays known as Tarragona lies the Temple to Ceaser Augustus. At the beginning of July excavations began under the Cathedral in search of the actual temple, which, given the importance of Tarragona during Roman times, could be an outstanding architectural and cultural treasure. This new research is possible now thanks to new, high-tech forms of excavations without damaging the cultural treasure above.

To visit Tarragona and see the remains of what was the Roman Empire's greatest Iberian city, contact The Spanish Touch. 

The Legend of Count Arnau comes to life!

This weekend, in the town of Sant Joan de Abadesses in Catalonia, one of the most popular and oldest legends of Catalunya will be the focal point of the annual XV Cicle de Representacions del Mite del Comte Arnau. 

The legend of Count Arnau tells of a rich Feudal lord who, among many other nefarious deeds, had an amorous affair with one of the nuns at the local abbey in Sant Joan de Abadesses. Condemned to ride forever on a black fiery steed pursued by demonic hounds, the legend of Comte Arnau has become in many ways like the legends of Washington Irving, albeit based on a historical person (he lived sometime in the early 11th century). Many people throughout the years have claimed to have seen the horse and rider galloping through the hills and valleys during the nights, and have heard the howls of the pursuing dogs. In the center of the Plaza Clavé there is a statue to the romanticized figure of the Count, who during the Catalan renaissance became a folklore hero. 


The abbey, which is still standing, is one of the most important abbeys in all of  Catalunya, both for its age (built in the 9th century) and its heritage (it was built by Catalonia's founding father, Wilfred the Hairy, for his daughter). 


Contact The Spanish Touch for more information or to visit the Abbey and even the Mataplana Castle, legendary home to the Count.  

The many faces of Spain

In light of Spain's World Cup triumph, there has been a fair amount of discussion about the different regions and all of Spain uniting under the flag of sports. To me, it was great to see people from all over the country so excited, despite differences in language, culture, history, lifestyle, etc. But it does highlight one of the truly remarkable things about the country: the variety and differences of each area make each region a unique discovery. So when people talk about wanting to visit "Spain", first you should decide which part. Visiting Madrid and the center of Spain is a completely different experience from visiting Andalucia's Moorish heritage or Galicia's rivers and town, Cantabria's rugged coastlines or Catalonia's rich and wonderful heritage.

A visit to "Spain" can be so many things it's no wonder that people always want to come back. Each region offers so much to the visitor, from art museums to monuments to gastronomic treats to spectacular scenery, there is truly much to celebrate (oh, and they won the World cup too)!

Contact The Spanish Touch for more information and a free consultation about the different possibilities for your next vacation in Spain

Discover Madrid & the Heart of Spain Tour

During the months of September and October, The Spanish Touch is offering a limited-time itinerary. This itinerary can be used as an example or taken as is for anyone who wants to maximize their time in Madrid. 


Day 1 - Arrival in Madrid: transfer from airport to hotel. Day at leisure in Madrid. Welcome dinner in Madrid. Night in Madrid. (D)

Day 2 - Breakfast at hotel. Morning tour of Madrid city center, including the Royal Palace, Austrias District, Plaza Mayor and the Puerta del Sol. Afternoon at leisure. Night in Madrid. (B)


Day 3:Breakfast at hotel. Morning transfer to Toledo for a private guided tour of the city of Toledo, including the Cathedral, El Greco's house and the Jewish Quarter. Toledo is a great city to wander around in, so after lunch  spend some time wandering the narrow streets before returning to Madrid.  Night in Madrid. (B)


Day 4: Breakfast at hotel. Day trip to visit El Escorial, the mosoleum-monastery built by Phillip II at the height of Spain's golden age. After the visit, go up to Segovia for a tapas lunch and to see the famous Roman Aqueduct.  Night in Madrid. (B)


Day 5: Breakfast at hotel. Morning Museum tour in Madrid, visiting the most important museums in Madrid, including El Prado and the Reina Sofia, where you can see the masterpiece works of artists such as Picasso, Dalí, El Greco, Velazquez, and many more. Also take the opportunity to visit the AtochaTrain Station, with its botanical gardens and stunning architectural design. Night in Madrid. (B)


Day 6 - Breakfast at hotel. Morning at leisure in Madrid. Afternoon trip to Avila, for a visit including the Cathedral, the route of Santa Teresa (16th century) and of course, the famous Walls. Evening farewell dinner at a classic Madrid restaurant. Night in Madrid (B,D)


Day 7 - Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to airport for return flight. (B)

The price includes:

Private guided tours as per itinerary.
A bilingual Spanish Touch tour guide with 24-hour availability. 
Transfers to and from the airport. 
All hotel accommodation in Madrid . 
All transportation as specified in itinerary in a private car. 
8 Meals (6 breakfasts, 2 dinners) 
All entrance fees on itinerary. 

Price: Starting from $2,495 per person.

World champions!

Congratulations Spain! 1 - 0 win over a very good Netherlands team. First time champions and all of Spain is celebrating tonight.

Spain is preparing

For the first time ever Spain is in the final of the World Cup. And all of Spain is hitting the streets in celebration. If you are fortunate enough to be in Spain today, enjoy the festivities and the match!! Vamos la Roja!!