We’ve done quite a few food tours at this point: Bologna, Lisbon, San Francisco, and now Barcelona. This one might be our favorite, and not mainly because of the food. It was the people.
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The Group Made the Tour
Our group had one other American, some Australians, a German, and a few Brits. Everyone spoke English, so it wasn’t exactly a United Nations summit, but we were still sitting around a table with people from all over the world, and the conversation never stopped.
At one point one of the Brits asked us to share our British stereotypes. Hilarious. We also got to swap travel tips: they wanted to know where to visit in the US, and we were busy picking their brains about a future UK trip. To be fair, there was a fair amount of alcohol on this tour. It was a pretty effective social lubricant.
Our honest comparison: Bologna was good, but the group wasn’t nearly this friendly. Lisbon’s food was right up there with Barcelona’s, but the social side fell flat. Barcelona was the first tour where the food and the company were both top tier. You can book this tour on Viator.
What We Ate
We ate our way through several stops:
- Pinchos: We started with three types (above). One had red pepper and a vinegar-marinated anchovy, which Chris knew he wasn’t going to like. Another had a very goaty cheese. One of us tasted the goat and the other couldn’t detect it at all.
- Sangria: We made it, then drank it.
- Patatas bravas: Classic, and exactly what you want alongside the sangria.
- Chistorra: At a private kitchen, we had this Basque sausage. Super good.
- Asparagus: We’re not big asparagus fans, and we know the haters will come for us, but this was the best asparagus either of us has ever had. Produce in Europe just hits differently. We have good produce at home, but it’s harder to find and you often have to know a farmer. Over there it’s just what you get at the market.
- Pan con tomate: Simple bread with tomato and olive oil. This was one of our favorite things and we ate it almost every day on this trip.
- Two kinds of paella: At another stop, we got both. Add a few more small bites and dessert (which neither of us can remember, so apparently the sangria worked).
Our Takeaway
A great food tour is about the food and the people you eat it with. If you can, book a small-group tour and talk to everyone at the table. We came home with new travel tips, new friends, and a very long list of things we want to eat again. You can book this tour on Viator.
Thanks for stopping by! Check out our Go See Do Explore Podcast, available wherever you listen to podcasts. To read about some of our previous trips, visit my Trips Page. If you like my photos be sure to “like” my Facebook Page and follow me on Instagram! For my list of gadgets to make your travels easier, click here.
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