Tag Archive for: Spain Food Tours

Things to Do in the Basque Country

Things to Do in the Basque Country

The Basque Country is a region in Spain known for its sprawling valleys and rugged mountains. The region attracts millions of tourists every year, as Argia reports that 4.5 million tourists visited in 2015 — a number that is likely to have only grown since then. If you’re planning a trip of your own to this beautiful region, read on for a list of things to add to your itinerary.

Explore the cathedrals

By Dflandre – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16413873

One of the best ways to appreciate the Basque’s unique landscape and architecture is to explore its two most famous cathedrals, the similarly named Saint Mary’s Cathedral and Sainte-Marie Cathédrale. The former, also called the Cathedral of Santa María, is located in Vittoria-Gastéiz, the peaceful capital of the region. The intricate details of the gothic cathedral were chiselled during its construction in the 13th and 14th century. Not too far in Bayonne, Sainte-Marie Cathédrale’s unique infrastructure makes it a popular site to visit, too. The building is made entirely out of locally sourced red and white stones and overlooks two local rivers. Both landmarks have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites and host regular tours for their visitors.

Go on a food crawl

The Spanish people have a rich food culture and history — a fact to take advantage of on your trip. An obvious place to start is with staples like paella, ham, and tapas. We’ve personally confirmed that Spain is home to the most mouth-watering tapas, and these are definitely something you shouldn’t miss out on during your visit.

In the Basque Country specifically, the place to look for is La Bretxa in San Sebastian-Donostia, a market known for its fresh and high-quality seafood. The variety of things at the market are from nearby ports, straight from the fishermen.

Visit a gaming centre

Espaldazo [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]

For the complete European experience, you can head over to either of the two available land-based casinos in Bilbao or San Sebastian. Gran Casino Bilbao is an excellent choice if you enjoy classic table games like Blackjack and Roulette. Poker tables for games like Texas Hold ’em are also available in the facility.

Of course, the rise of online gaming portals has been both a boon and bane for land-based casinos like Gran Casino Bilbao. Although foot traffic and revenues have undoubtedly taken a hit because of the emergence of online gaming opportunities, these have also made experiences in gaming centres all the more unique, and introduced more people into the excitement of different casino activities. With this in mind, online gaming and casino magazine Expat Bets continues to provide comprehensive casino guides for expats and travellers from around the world on top of giving them a taste of popular games like Big Bad Wolf and Dragon Dance. That’s because there is much more to enjoy on both sides of the spectrum, which sites like this and Gran Casino Bilbao stand as a testament to. If you plan on dropping by the casino at Bilbao, keep in mind that you can play the slot machines from 10 am until 5 am the next day, while table games run from 5 pm until 5 am.

Learn from the museums

Bilbao is also the home of one of the world’s best museums — The Guggenheim Museum. Filled with contemporary and modern art, this attraction is a must-visit for the artsy tourist. The unique curves and appearance of the building itself is considered a masterpiece designed by architect Frank Gehry, who is known for his unconventional style.

A quainter option is found in Bayonne, in the Musée Basque. It houses over 2,000 artefacts that tell the story of Bayonne and the Basque Country, and is the largest ethnographic museum in the region.

All in all, there are hundreds of things to do for travellers who find themselves in the Basque Country, where enriching one of a kind experiences await at every corner. We love talking about Spain and other famous food destinations here on Dominique Rizzo, because like this breath-taking Spanish region, there is a myriad of places around the world to learn about and explore, sights to see, and food to taste — all just waiting for you to get there.

Where to eat in Barcelona

Where to eat in Barcelona, Tips from Chef Dominique Rizzo as She Savours the World of Travel, Food, Wine and Cooking

Hi fellow travellers to Spain and welcome to Barcelona.  On the eve of  my Pure Food Wine & Cooking Tour “A Taste of Spain, Unique Catalonia“, here are a few more tempting insights into this majestic city to whet your appetite.

Tip 1.  The best Tapas in the city

Tapas where do you start and where do you finish and that is just in Cervecería Catalana with their fantastic choices, start at one end of the bar and try each one is our advice.

 

Image: Barcelonaroom


Tip 2. Churros at Xurrieria Dels Banys Nous

churro is a Spanish traditional deep fried-dough pastry that is powdered with sugar and sometimes dipped in chocolate as a snack.  It is a decadent number that you must try at least once.

Image by Yaho Dkr

Tip 3.  Must do restaurant in the Ravel neighborhood
Suculent” on Rambla del Raval, 45 is one not to miss if you love seafood.

Image by Miguel Lanos

Tip 4.   The ultimate experience 
The word on the street is that “Enigma” by Albert Adria (Carrer de Sepúlveda, 38-40, 08015 Barcelona, Spain) offers a dining experience of a life time.

Image by Nicholas Leong

Tip 5:  For chocolate like you have never tasted before
For chocolate check out Enric Rovira Chocolatier.  His chocolates are works of art. (Sant Geroni, 17, 08296 Castellbell y Vilar, Barcelona, Spain)

Image: www.gastronomiaalternativa.com

Tip 6.  For the deli lovers
Call into La Pineda (Carrer del Pi, 16, 08002 Barcelona, Spain) in the Gothic Quarter – it’s a feast and celebration of Spanish foods.

Image: Jossh Pappon

Tip 7. Mercat De La Boqueria (the marketplace)
 One of the best Spanish Barcelona experiences is to eat at Mercat De La Boqueria (La Rambla, 91, 08001 Barcelona, Spain); find the bar called El Quim de la Boqueria; one of its delicacies is baby squid with egg.

 

Tip 8.  And just another thing ….. 
There is no tipping just round up the total.
Dinner is usually eaten very late (10p.m.) after bar hopping and tapas.

Travel tips

Essentials To Pack in your carryon:  Medications, Prescriptions, Passport copy, Passwords, European adaptor, phone/ipad/laptop chargers; an outfit (in case your luggage is delayed), sunglasses.
And in your suitcase:  swimmers, hat, sandals, espadrilles.

 

Follow Chef Dominique Rizzo on her “A Taste of Spain” travels in “Unique Catalonia” on her Instagram page She Savours the World.

A Taste of Spain, Unique Catalonia where we go, places we visit

A Taste of Spain, Unique Catalonia - Chef Dominique Rizzo in Barcelona

Experience A Taste of Spain, Unique Catalonia in September 2018 starting in Barcelona

Here is an insight into where we go and a bucket-list of the top places we visit in each city, what to look out for on your free days, the best bites we will be trying along the way and tastes not to be missed.  Let’s start with Barcelona as it is our first destination.

Where we go

Barcelona, the capital and largest city of Catalonia, with a population of about 6 million including the city and outer suburban regions sits as one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. Barcelona was founded as a Roman city, in the Middle Ages where it became the capital of the County of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon as an economic and administrative centre of this Crown and the capital of the Principality of Catalonia. Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today not only an important cultural centre but also renowned architecturally with the works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Places we visit

**La Sagrada Familia

Taste of Spain, Unique Catalonia - La Sagrada Familia

Photo credit: http://www.sagradafamilia.org/

Like many of Barcelona’s architectural feats, La Sagrada Família was and continues to be, controversial. For years scholars have debated whether engineers strayed too far from architect Antoni Gaudí’s original vision (he died when just a quarter of the project had been realized). And while many citizens deem La Sagrada Família the greatest achievement of Catalan building, others view the structure as a glaring, expensive parody of it. Academic bickering aside, it’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of this place, which, pending completion in 2026 after 150 years of construction, will be the tallest religious building in Europe. Fusing Gothic and Art Nouveau styles in unprecedented ways, the basilica also draws on nature as a central inspiration. The hyperboloids, bright colours, and unconventional animal representations (e.g., chameleons, turtles, pelicans) epitomize Gaudí’s belief that nature and the divine were inextricably linked. Insider tip: Lines here are notoriously long, so it’s advisable to purchase tickets in advance.

**Las Ramblas

Taste of Spain, Unique Catalonia - Las Ramblas

Photo credit: By Ralf Roletschek – Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44806990

No visit to Barcelona would be complete without a stroll through Las Ramblas, the wide, shady boulevard that runs through the heart of the city from Plaça de Catalunya down to Port Vell. Whether you’re taking in a street performance, ambling beneath the trees, or people-watching from a terrace, there’s never a dull moment here. To get a bird’s-eye view of all the action, finish your Ramblas route at the 18th-story mirador at Columbus Monument for panoramic views of the city and sea. Just be sure to watch your wallet around these parts: this is pickpocket central.

**Cava and Vermouth

Taste of Spain, Unique Catalonia - Cava and Vermouth

Prosecco and other budget sparklers rely on industrial carbonization to make their wines bubble. But Catalan cava, like fine champagne, gets its effervescence and complexity from bottle fermentation. You can taste some of the region’s best bubblies at La Vinya del Senyor, a cozy, understated restaurant with several by-the-glass boutique cavas to choose from. If you’re lucky enough to snag a table on the plaça, you’ll be rewarded with views of Santa María del Mar’s 14th-century façade.

On sunny weekend afternoons, neighborhood bars fill up with locals out to fer el vermut, the Catalan ritual of catching up with friends over a few dainty glasses of this aromatic, garnet-red aperitif, customarily garnished with an orange slice and an olive. Barcelona’s best vermouth bars, like Morro Fi, blend their own vermouths by infusing fortified wine with any range of botanicals, but in a pinch, the bottled stuff is perfectly passable, too (just ask the bartender for a quality Catalan brand such as Vermut Yzaguirre).

**Museu Picasso

Taste of Spain Unique Catalonia - Picasso

Pablo Picasso may have hailed from Málaga in the south of Spain, but he chose Barcelona, the city where he apprenticed as a young artist, as the location for his namesake museum. Housing 4,251 of Picasso’s early works in sculpture, paint, and engraving, it’s a virtually complete representation of his portfolio all the way up to the Blue Period. Picasso’s art isn’t the only draw at Museu Picasso, though; the five adjoining 13th and 14th century residences that comprise the museum are precious in their own right.

**La Boqueria

A Taste of Spain Unique Catalonia - La Boqueria

Photo credit: EuroCheapo

A gastronomic mecca that attracts more than 45,000 visitors a day, La Boqueria may be the most famous food market in the world, and for good reason. Its endless stalls entice shoppers with abundant displays of the region’s finest cheeses, charcuterie, seafood, and produce. Some vendors have adapted over time to tourists’ demands, but for a taste of how things were at La Boqueria way back when, sidle up to the bar at Pinotxo, where quick-witted 75-year-old Joan Bayén (“Juanito” for the locals) has been churning out hearty country fare like cigrons amb botifarra negre (stewed chickpeas with black pudding) and calamarcets amb mongetes (tender baby squid and white beans) for a half a century.

**Barri Gotic

A Taste of Spain Unique Catalonia - Barri Gotic

Photo credit: By Llull – http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=14973110&size=o, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4025194

No place on earth can hold a candle to Barri Gòtic when it comes to concentration and breadth of Gothic architecture. This is the most ancient part of the city, where labyrinthine streets empty into medieval plaças. Yet amid all the antiquity, Barri Gòtic boasts some of the city’s best shopping. Handmade espadrilles, or alpargatas as they’re known in Spain, make cheery, affordable souvenirs; find them at La Manual Alpagatera, worth a visit if only to marvel at the floor-to-ceiling stacks of sandals available in every hue and style. For rarer finds, wake up early on a Sunday morning to explore the Mercat Gòtic, where you can treasure hunt for antiques and, if luck strikes, witness a traditional Catalan dance on the plaça called the “Sardana.”

**Castle of Muntjuic and El Mirador del Alcalde

A Taste of Spain Unique Catalonia - Castle of Muntjuic and El Mirador del Alcalde

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Mirador de l’Alcalde is a belvedere overlooking the sea and the city which boasts spectacular 180º panoramic views. Dotted here and there, the tallest, best-known landmarks rise up among the densely built-up city, while the sea, the harbour and beaches can be viewed with admiration and respect. The Mirador was designed by Joan Josep Tharrats, and opened in 1969 it comprises of a series of terraces set out on different levels which feature a series of attractive gardens and ornamental fountains. A curious mosaic made from shards of recycled glass demarcates the different levels of the belvedere. At the top, there is a cooling fountain designed by Carles Buigas. There are also two noteworthy sculptures: L’Homenatge a Barcelona (Tribute to Barcelona) by the sculptor Josep Maria Subirachs, and the popular Sardana, by Josep Cañas.

Dominique Rizzo

Top 10 reasons to book a Dominique Rizzo Food Tour

There are so many travel tours on offer every year and it can be tough choosing the right tour for you. Dominique Rizzo’s Personally Escorted Tours are a great way to travel and here are the Top 10 reasons to book a Dominique Rizzo Food Tour:

  1. A tour gives you an extra sense of security – strength in numbers, plus the expertise of a guide to help you through. Some people just aren’t interested in all of the finer details in planning a trip, and they don’t want to deal with changing them while they’re travelling. It’s all about relaxing, right? So if you want all the details taken care of for you – the hotel bookings, the transfers, the restaurant choices, the sights to see and things to do once you arrive – then an escorted tour is a perfect option.
  2. If you’re really worried about the language barrier, however, particularly in places that don’t see too many tourists, it can be nice to have a guide who’s both a source of information and a translator. You will find you will gain a deeper knowledge of the area and it’s a great way of learning some of the language.
  3. Since all the members of the group are experiencing the same sites, conversation and friendship are inevitable between members. New friends and relationships are easy to gain through escorted tours.
  4. A tour guide is also provided for escorted travel groups- Tour guides can be a great benefit for members of a group because they can get more questions answered and can obtain in-depth history about certain sites, unlike those who may be viewing these sites alone. A tour guide can also be very valuable in cities that use a foreign language you’re not familiar with. The tour guide can help you with shopping and ordering food to make sure there is no communication breakdown between languages.catania-markets
  5. Planning of transportation, navigation, food and entertainment has already been taken care of. Your only job is to wake up in the morning and your day is laid out for you. The package price that is given for an escorted tour is also generally the full amount you will pay for your trip, not including any souvenirs or extras you pick up along the way. Most of the time, meals, site admissions, transportation and lodging are included in the price. We survey our past clients to get feedback on the tours which helps us to create new itineraries that include sites that have received good reviews and exclude sites that past travellers were not impressed with.island-food-platter
  6. After running many tours Dominique understands the needs and requirements of travellers and is personally available to assist travellers in any way.
  7. Dominique has personally designed the tours to include down time, understanding that we all need a holiday from the holiday sounds crazy but travelling can sometimes be exhausting and we all have different lifestyles and different reasons for taking time away.
  8. Dominique has personally visited many of the attractions and worked closely with the guides to bring you a unique tour that is tailored to her tour requirements with a focus on exceptional food, showcasing all types of cuisine styles and not eating the same thing through out the tour.

    dominique-about-travel-quote

    Wineries

  9. Dominique’s tours also include a focus on art, history, wine, experience and enjoyment. These tours are not a cookie cutter tour where you are only taken to places with hundreds of other people. Also she understands that a tour is not about seeing every church and museum in every town and with diversity of activities and having the days flowing perfectly into each other allows for a relaxed tour full of surprises.
  10. Dominique’s innate hospitality and service means she is there to meet you on arrival and say good bye when you leave and we all know there is nothing better than a friendly, familiar face to greet you when you arrive in a foreign country and wish you well on your way home.

Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island Tours are Personally escorted Tour by Dominique. Dates are available for 2019  click here to find out more.

Tag Archive for: Spain Food Tours