The Catalonia region in north-eastern Spain has been declared World Gastronomy Region for 2025 in recognition of its rich and sustainable food culture, making it a perfect year for cultured hedonists to take a walking holiday through the glorious hills, esteemed vineyards, medieval villages and storied abbeys of the Priorat area of Catalonia.
Designated by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism, the prestigious 2025 World Gastronomy Region title for Catalonia recognises the region’s diverse, culinary landscape, including its varied wines, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, olive oil and cured meats.
According to European, self-guided walking tour operator, On Foot Holidays, which offers a self-guided, eight-night, inn-to-inn walking holiday through the Priorat area of Catalonia, a hearty meal at the end of a day’s hike is crucial to making a good walking holiday a great one.
On Foot Holidays has sourced an array of great places to eat on its eight-night journey through Catalonia, with five dinners, six picnic lunches and all breakfasts included in the price.
The ‘Catalonia – El Priorat’ walk traverses beautiful, rolling hills between the two famous abbeys of Poblet and Escaladei in Catalonia. Hikers will walk past award-winning vineyards, along hill paths, and past streams and rock pools, all while taking in spectacular mountain views.
Highlights of the walk include tasting the local food and wine, exploring the medieval town of Montblanc, swimming in rock pools and seeing Neolithic rock art. Along the way, guests will stay in comfortable and character-filled accommodation, and their luggage will be transferred ahead each day, meaning they only need to carry a day pack. The walk is medium in difficulty, with 4-6½ hours of walking each day.
A typical Catalan dish to enjoy along the way is botifarra (pork sausage), perhaps with picada almond-flavoured sauce, with lots of opportunities at restaurants and wine bars in villages along the walk to pair excellent wine with fresh, seasonal produce.
Including eight nights’ bed and breakfast, five dinners, six picnic lunches, daily luggage transfers and a physical or digital walkers pack with full maps, directions and information, the Catalonia El Priorat walk is available from £1340 per person, twin-share (approximately A$2790 depending on exchange rates). The walk is available from April to October each year, except August.
* On Foot Holidays offers a 10 per cent saving when two of its hikes are booked at the same time for the one European holiday (discount applies to the cheaper walk). Use code PAIR10. A discount of £40 per room is also offered for walkers opting to use a digital walking guide on their phones without printed materials.
On Foot Holidays offers 37 self-guided walking tours across Europe. Walkers select their departure dates, luggage is transferred between hotels and all routes are designed by locals and tested by On Foot Holidays.
www.onfootholidays.co.uk
