Catalonia walking & food tour, Spain
Excludes flights and compulsory insurance.
Not avialable in August
Description of Catalonia walking & food tour, Spain
This self-guided walking tour through the Baix Emporda region is a wonderful way to experience the natural beauty of Catalunya without damaging the environment. Drawing on intimate local knowledge to create the perfect walking holiday, this seven-day trip incorporates all the region’s natural highlights: the wild flowers in spring, the miles of unspoilt coastline, the lush farmland, the orchards, the fantastic seafood, the local wines, the perfectly preserved medieval villages, the markets, the festivals and, of course, the wonderful weather. Whenever you’re not walking, just sit in a square with a coffee and watch the world go by.
This tour takes in secret coves, undisturbed countryside and perfectly preserved medieval villages. The terrain will vary, from wide forest tracks, to coastal paths and beaches. The coastal path is undulating and can be rough and steep with some short sections of rock hopping, so pack walking boots and maybe trekking poles. Bring a swimsuit, too, for a quick dip to cool off after a hike. You will also have plenty of time to admire the scenery and to enjoy the wild flowers (we supply a factsheet), butterflies and birdlife, as well as some sites of historical interest.
This area of Spain has really fantastic produce and you can enjoy tasting some unique Catalan recipes. Visit an organic olive oil producer, a cheese producer, a small jam factory that creates more than 100 varieties, local markets and the fishing port and fish market in Palamos.
Your accommodation has been chosen for its character, charm, location, cleanliness and friendly welcome. The recommended restaurants offer traditional Catalan cooking with a contemporary twist. Everything on the itinerary has been tried and tested, and after months of research we think we have picked out the best the region has to offer.
The itinerary is designed to suit your requirements and can start on any day, although Saturday to Saturday schedules work best for visits to producers.
Best time to go
In May and early June, wild flowers fringe all the country paths. September and October are the harvest months in Baix Emporda and excellent for walking, with dry sunny days and pleasant temperatures. Orchards are full of apples and pears and the vineyards are busy bringing in their grapes. There are local markets and festivals to enjoy throughout the year.
Price information
Excludes flights and compulsory insurance.
Not avialable in August
Departure information
Travel guides
Reviews
10 Reviews of Catalonia walking & food tour, Spain
Reviewed on 02 Jun 2026 by Jennifer Caron
Outstanding. If I could rewind the week and live it again I would. I figured it was a good sign when each day someone in the group said, "the next time we do this...", especially since none of us had done a walking trip like this before. Mark and Shelley were kind, helpful, well organized, clearly experienced, and provided a well researched experience for us. This trip offers such a great contrast of coastal and beach towns, and inland pastoral towns with ancient architecture and structures. I also loved the variety of paths and trails we walked on from beach board walks, to forest trails, to worn cobblestones and everything else you can imagine. Finally, all of the hotels were great, each with unique features we appreciated, but Hotel Aatu in Peratallada by far stood out as one of the best I've ever stayed at. The staff, the room, the garden and grounds, the pools made for an excellent and relaxing stay. Read full reviewReviewed on 04 Nov 2025 by Deborah Croft
Walking along the coast and the medieval village of Peratallada Read full reviewReviewed on 30 Oct 2025 by Aidan Hollis
Great. Well organized. The host company was very responsive. Read full reviewReviewed on 01 Jun 2025 by Judith Owens
We had a smashing time - if you like walking and eating, this is a good one to go on. It's a close call between the wine tasting organised at Celar Eugeni in Palamos (we added a day) and visiting the Iberian city at Ullastret. Marti was very knowledgeable and had some excellent wines, so well worth the visit if there's time; the ruins and the museum are absolutely fascinating and well worth the trip on the last day. Third place goes to the fishing musuem in Palamos, which is practically on the doorstep of the hotel and also very interesting. Read full reviewReviewed on 06 May 2024 by GayleAnn Gourwitz
The beauty of the Costa Brava was over the top fabulous!... Excellent. Read full reviewReviewed on 13 Apr 2024 by Nick Wake
Excellent walks. Lovely mix of accommodations. Beautiful weather... A fantastic experience. Mark and Shelly are lovely people. Read full reviewReviewed on 08 May 2023 by Rudy Barton
We are well-traveled and have done other (self-guided) walks in Europe. This rates as one of our all-time best experiences. Read full reviewReviewed on 27 Jan 2023 by Steven Zeldes
Most memorable was walking along the scenic coast trails, discovering the local food and wine... Mark with the tour operator provided a great itinerary and friendly support. Read full reviewReviewed on 23 May 2019 by Beth Scherfee
Hiking the coastal trail along the Costa Brava in Catalonia and coming upon one gorgeous cove or beach after another was truly stunning. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
Aims: Our aim is to provide quality self guided tours enabling our guests to experience the natural beauty of the Emporda region of Catalunya without damaging the environment. The main economy in the area is based around agriculture and tourism. Through our walking and cycling tours we support the local economy by booking directly with local owed and run hotels and restaurants, including the ‘Turisme Rural’ initiative. We support local markets and producers by including visits and tastings on foot on our travels.Environmental responsibility - Each village has at least one recycling point and a general bin area. Unlike the UK we can empty our refuse on a daily basis to a local point. Our office is home based and we endeavour to run a ‘minimum paper’ administration and use recycled paper and recycled cartridges. Small rucksacks are provided for walkers and guests are asked to put all rubbish into them for disposal at the end of each day. Packed lunches when provided are in reusable containers and refillable bottles. Guidelines are given to all guests on how to use the walking paths in a responsible manner.
People
Social responsibility - Preserving local culture is of paramount importance to our walking tours. Although Catalunya is part of Spain and everyone speaks Spanish the first language, particularly in rural areas is Catalan. Walking through the many small villages in this area allows contact with the local people, be it asking directions, buying from the local shops, having lunch in the numerous restaurants and cafes or taking part in the festivals and fairs throughout the year. We believe that experiencing local culture makes a holiday memorable and worthwhile and the best way to do this is by foot. Unlike some other areas of Spain, the Biax Emporda is largely unspoilt and has managed to preserve its language and traditions giving it its own identity. This area is covered in pathways and old roads used for hundreds of years by travellers, pilgrims, shepherds and even the odd smuggler! It is important that care and attention are given to these routes to enable their history to live onOur tour always include several visits to local producers. In many ways this strong sense of tradition is what makes this area unique and worthy of a visit. The opportunity to experience other peoples varied culture is an integral part of this holiday. We feel very privileged to live in such a beautiful place and would like the opportunity to share the experience with like minded travellers through walking our tours.
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