The best of the tasty Spanish Mediterranean diet
Traveling is much more than going on vacation. To get to know a destination inside out, you must immerse yourself and participate in its traditions, for example, by joining the locals in culinary activities. From wine and olive tastings to workshops and tapas routes, the best of Spanish gastronomy awaits. Here are some of the tastiest possibilities:
Experience first-hand how Iberian ham is made
Ham that is made from the Iberian pig is a real delicacy. Its preparation process is so meticulous that learning about it is fascinating. Several routes include opportunities to taste this treat: Jabugo, Montánchez, and Pedroches. On these, you can visit the dehesas, or pasturelands, learn how to correctly slice the meat and pair it with wines, and sample it in specialist restaurants… a world of sensations.
Visit the cheese farm and cider presses of Asturias
Asturias has no fewer than 40 different varieties of cheese, Cabrales being one of the best known. In the Cabrales area you can visit some of the natural caves where this cheese, one of the world’s finest blue cheeses, is made. You can also participate in a tasting and learn about the life of the shepherds in a unique setting: the Picos de Europa mountains.
Llagar is the name given to the place where Asturians make cider, the typical drink of the region. Pay a visit to one of them to learn how to pour it in the traditional manner: raising your arm, holding the bottle as high as possible, and trying to get the stream to fall directly into a glass held as low as possible with your other hand.
Try paella in Valencia
One of the best-known dishes in Spain, paella tastes the best in Valencia. We assure you that enjoying it while admiring the views of the Mediterranean Sea will be one of the best gastronomic pleasures you have experienced. If you would like to make the plan a little more unusual, you can combine the tasting with a boat ride through the Albufera Natural Park to learn how the rice is cultivated and how to cook authentic paella over firewood.
Discover the olive oil culture in Andalusia
The Andalusia region boasts the largest olive oil production in the world. If you fancy tasting olive oil, touring an olive farm in a horse-drawn carriage, learning about olive picking, enjoying an authentic Andalusian breakfast or a picnic with local products, Andalusia won’t disappoint. If you want to know all the health benefits of olive oil, relax and take care of yourself at spas and health resorts with treatments based on olive oil.
Enjoy a wine experience in La Rioja
La Rioja is one of the most famous wine-growing areas in the world and has its own designation of origin. More than 80 of the region’s 500 wineries are open to the public to show their vineyards, production processes, how barrels are made, and where their legendary vintages and wine collections are stored. Visiting one of these “temples of wine” is an experience for all the senses.
Discover many more of these delightful experiences!
