Winter Getaway: 6 reasons to visit Penedès
January 2023
Winter season offers good plans, especially for food lovers, because it sees the beginning calçots and xató season. Coming to the area to find a nice restaurant, to taste the local cuisine and find new corners for sure brings happiness! If you are one of those people that is constantly looking for the next best thing, here are some ideas to plan a weekend outing. We will guide you so you can feel satisfied!
Winter marks the beginning of pruning in Penedès vineyards, so the wood from the vines is perfect for bonfires to grill calçots - local sweet onions that are the star of the season, only lasting from December to March. Get ready to get your hands dirty and do it ike locals: peel the grilled calçot and dip it into romesco sauce. They are delicious, but make some room for a big ration of grilled meat and a fantastic dessert!
The best part of a calçotada is that it makes for a great event to gather friends or family. So get together to experience a calçotada surrounded by vineyards. There are plenty of calçotada menus in restaurants, but also in wineries. Visit us now, the season is short!
Another good excuse to come to Penedès in winter to have fun with the gastronomic experiences offered by wineries. Wine tastings, outdoor picnics -it is not that cold!- all kinds of local products, and elaborations... it definitely may give you warmth and comfort! You will be surprised by the variety of things to taste!
It is a good season for wine tours: less crowded, chances to meet the winemaker and a good glass of wine to warm your soul. Each winery has its own personality, unique location, family history and great products. Choosing one of the more than 70 certified wineries in the Penedès Wine Route is a difficult task, but on our website you can filter them by location, type of product, architecture, type of activities, tour with the winemaker, pet-friendly, with restaurant... in addition, we have a full page with all the details of the winery tours. You are just a click away to book them!
If you are looking for new ways to discover Penedès with your family, you will love this route. It is a panoramic route by car that links 5 viewpoints with very unique architecture: La Cadira, La Bardera, El Circell, Sant Pau and El Balcó.
At the top of each one, the views of the Penedès area are very different: facing Montserrat mountain, looking down at fields of peach trees, olive trees and vineyards, an overview of the peaks of the upper Penedès, and on clear days, you could also spot the sea. But surely, it is the intermediate points between Miravinyes that will surprise you the most and make you step into a more unknown Penedès.
Let the little ones play by scanning the QR codes at each point, to hear audio stories, legends and curiosities.
La Ruta del Xató is not only a gastronomic festival to discover and taste the different xató recipes spread throughout the Penedès area- there are at least 5 different versions! Xató is an original product of these area, an intangible heritage that you cannot miss durign the winter season and that we will serve you with great pleasure in all its versions.
But above all, Ruta del Xató is a social event, the best excuse for great and fun get-togethers. Check out the calendar of the popular xatonades in Calafell, Vendrell, Sitges, Vilafranca del Penedès and Vilanova i la Geltrú and start your gastronomic journey this season!
Just as our heritage continues to stand the test of time, we like to see its mark pass from generation to generation. Therefore, it is up to us to make the younger people aware of the places of interest in Penedès that have marked the different eras. Castles, monasteries, museums, remains, old town centers... New and young visitors discovering places with hundreds of years of history. Isn't that a great idea?
Those who love to go for a walk, a hike or a ride on a bicycle, we recommend to start following Penedès Turisme's Wikiloc. Wikiloc is a very popular APP, where we can share the best outdoor trails for hiking, cycling and many other activities.
Most likely, you will end up discovering very different landscapes, since all our routes cover a whole lot of the Penedès area: from itineraries in natural parks facing the sea, trails among a sea of vineyards and paths through Mediterranean forests.
You will always have some route to try, but don't worry, because you can do them at your own pace, just going for an easy walk, a family hike or planning a two-day personal challenge. Your new favorite place to practice your favourite hobby is just around the corner.
