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 (Options: Longer Stays, Customized Itineraries, Additional Activities)
Spain - 3 nights
Available March to October
La Torre del Visco is considered throughout Spain and internationally as one of the most singular, beautiful and romantic small hotels in the whole of Europe. 17 rooms, lovely sitting rooms, an extensive library, grand piano and fresh flowers everywhere, all this in a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere where you will be pampered by Jemma, Piers and their team of charming local staff. Your hosts are British but have lived in Spain "forever", are completely bi-lingual and have a profound knowledge and passion for Spanish history, culture, gastronomy and wine which they love to discuss.
 The hotel is set on a hillside overlooking the river valley to the mountains beyond, surrounded by fragrant gardens and its own 220 acre organic farm which produces most of the fruit and vegetables as well as extra virgin olive oil for the kitchen. The views and the luminosity are unparalleled. A drink on the terrace at sunset, or at night with just the stars for company is an experience never to be forgotten.
The Matarranya region, which you will explore with your hosts is full of gems – medieval villages with gothic castles, hermitages set on hillsides overlooking a patchwork scenery of olives, almonds, vines and pine forests…. Here the traditional fiestas, the folk music and dancing and the gastronomy are still preserved. This world is set against the spectacular backdrop of the National park of the Puertos de Beceite, where you will find rivers with waterfalls, eagles, ibex and wild orchids - a natural paradise.  This is the real Spain that few are privileged to get to know. We are sure, that like all our other visitors wherever they are from, you will find yourself captivated by this area and will find that your stay here will be simply TOO SHORT !
Your cooking classes will take place in the huge kitchen with its original beams and open fire together with all the latest equipment. The gastronomic bustle and mouth-watering smells attract everyone like a magnet. It is the absolute heart of the hotel. Then there is the local produce; organic fruit and vegetables brought straight up from our farm, our very own organic extra virgin olive oil (we have 2000 olive trees), fish and shellfish bought straight off the boats in the Mediterranean ports just one hour and a quarter away. Wonderful local meat, cheeses, honey, the famous Teruel cured ham, second only to the famous "Pata negra" for its quality, black truffles and excellent wines a land of plenty in the true Mediterranean sense. We hope you will enjoy using all these ingredients during the classes with our team of chefs. The program is flexible and ensures plenty of opportunity to discuss Mediterranean food recipes and techniques and indeed any other Spanish topics that may interest you. Day One  Arrival in the afternoon from Barcelona. Your route will take you through some of the best known wine growing areas of Spain; Penedes famous for its cava, (Spanish version of champagne); Priorat, where the distinctive red wines are grown on terraces carved out of the slate mountainside by the Romans, on through Montsant and Terra Alta with their soft, fruity reds to the hotel. If time permits, you may wish to visit the beautiful Cistercian monastery of Poblet. You will find all these wines in the original wine cellar of La Torre del Visco.
Afternoon: Cookery class I. After an introduction to the principles of Mediterranean cuisine you will learn about the process which produces Spain’s wonderful cured ham followed by a practical cured ham cutting demonstration – you will be expected to "have a go". You will then enjoy the ham with the famous tomato bread accompanied by local wines. This will be followed by a delicious three course dinner prepared by our chef. Day Two  Morning : After a leisurely breakfast – we lay out a real banquet of local produce and fresh baking - you will set out for the nearby village of Ráfales. (The energetic may choose to walk the 7 kms. across the valley). There you will visit the olive oil museum where you can observe the olive oil presses used throughout the ages to modern times. This will be followed by lunch in a local restaurant with Aragonese specialities or a gourmet picnic, depending on your mood.
Afternoon: Cookery class II. Following up on the morning’s visit we shall take you through the different varieties of olives and their characteristics, harvesting and pressing methods, and how to prepare eating olives. You will then prepare a series of dishes using our estate bottled oil to be enjoyed at dinner. Another delicious three course dinner Day Three  Morning : After breakfast we shall set out for a guided tour of the wonderful gothic castle and medieval village of Valderrobres followed by visit to local winery and lunch at the in the medieval village of La Fresneda.
Afternoon: Cookery class III: Rice cookery "Mar y Montana". We are very near the rice growing area of the Ebro Delta and rice cookery is an essential part of the Mediterranean diet and a far cry from the touristy "paella". You will learn about the subtlety and variety of rice cookery, the types of rice grown and their use in different dishes and cooking techniques by preparing both a rice dish using fish and shellfish "mar", and a vegetable and meat rice dish typical of the "montaña". At dinner we will be joined by a local oenologist who will explain the different wines he has chosen to accompany each dish. Day Four We shall say goodbye to you after breakfast. Other options to substitute or extend programme: (*Please inquire about pricing) *Excursion to gather aromatic plants and herbs in the area followed by a class on practical application of these plants in dishes, and in herbal remedies traditions still maintained in the area. *4 x 4 excursion with picnic into the spectacular mountain range called Puertos de Beceite which separate us from the Mediterranean coast. Possibility of seeing Spanish Ibex, golden eagles, extraordinary variety of flora *Visit to Picasso museum in village of Horta de San Juan and splendid Convent del Salvador across the valley. *Visit to vulture observatory *Guided walks *Olive oil tasting *Excursion to Ebro Delta to visit oyster and mussel beds, rice growing fields and Tortosa market. *Afternoon class devoted to fish and shellfish cookery. GROUP SIZE A minimum of 1 participant is required to run this tour and the tour is limited to a maximum of 6 participants. HOW TO ARRIVE Travel times by car: Barcelona y Valencia 2,5 hours
Castellón, Reus, Tarragona y Zaragoza 2 hours
Bilbao y Madrid 4,5 hours Airports: Barcelona 250 Km. – Valencia 250 Km.
Reus 140 Km. – Zaragoza 140 Km. Train Stations: Tortosa 65 Km
Zaragoza 150 Km *Pick up is optional and can be arranged - Barcelona 270 € - 130€ Tortosa – one way ; to be paid upon arrival) BOOKING INFORMATION
Please contact us for pricing information. After availability is confirmed, a 50% deposit per person and the completed and submitted registration form will secure your reservation. Final payment is due no later than 30 days before your arrival date. Available March 15 to October 31 *Three (3) nights’ accommodation
*Three (3) breakfasts
*Two (2) lunches with drinks included
*Three (3) dinners (drinks not included except for day 3, dinner with maridage of wine, other drinks not included)
*All planned excursions
*Three (3) hands-on cookery classes of 3 hours *Drinks other than wine specifically included in the programme would be charged separately.
For further inquiries or to register, click here. Click here to return to top of page. CANCELLATION POLICY Please contact us for cancellation policy information. Travel insurance is highly recommended. CLIENT REMARKS Please inquire.
MAP* This exciting region is depicted below. You can also access Google MapsTM by clicking HERE.
*In some cases mapping may give clients a general sense of location due to changes in venue. Please inquire about specific location. Click here to return to top of page. |
