Spain Itinerary

Bold Flavors, Bold Designs: THE Cuisine and Culinary Educator: Gabriella Ranelli de Aguirre Culture of Northern Spain itinerary:

® THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA September 25- Presented by Travel Programs October 4, ® 2009 spain itinerary

Join us for a splendid culinary and cultural tour of Catalonia and the Basque Country, and discover why Spanish cuisine, like Spanish architecture, is captivating Americans with dazzling and sophisticated invention. Spain is a country of strong, seductive flavors – rich red pimenton, saffron, cumin, and some of the finest olives and olive oils in the Mediterranean. But these regions of the Iberian peninsula also offer succulent fresh seafood, traditional and innovative rice dishes, tender baby lamb, fine dry-cured hams and sausages, wild mushrooms, fresh and aged cheeses, and wines that garner praise from consumers and critics alike. From the elegance of three-star restaurants to time-honored rituals like tapas, the imagination and creativity of Northern Spain is dazzling the gastronomic world.

Our tour will begin in Barcelona, arguably Europe’s most scintillating city, and then we will move down to the Priorato, one of Spain’s newest and most interesting wine regions. Next will be Rioja, one of Spain’s oldest and most acclaimed wine regions, where we will stop in the small hill town of Laguardia. From there we will go on to the Basque country, Bilbao and San Sebastian, cultural capitals of the Basque region with more three-star restaurants per capita than any other part of Europe. En route we will take the opportunity to see a number of buildings by Spain’s (and the world’s) most exciting architects – from Gaudi to Gehry – and speculate on the relationship between the two great arts, creating cuisine and creating culture.

THE ITINERARY BELOW IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

Day 1: Friday, September 25 (Barcelona) We will welcome you to Spain with a glass of cava, Catalonia’s favorite bubbly, at our hotel – the former Compania de Tabacos de Filipinas. This magnificently restored hotel lies right in the middle of the Rambla, Barcelona’s main shopping and strolling boulevard. After an introduction to Catalonia and its cuisine, we will set off for one of the city’s foremost restaurants. After sampling a special tasting menu, we’ll have a chance to chat with the chef. Hotel: 1898, D

Day 2: Saturday, September 26 (Barcelona) A short and leisurely morning walk will lead us to the Boqueria, one of Europe’s oldest and most vibrant markets. Later our fascinating local guide will give us an insider’s tour of the city, including some of Barcelona’s most renowned architecture, such as modernist (Gaudi, Puig-Cerda) traditions and the exciting work of new young architects like EMBT (Enric Miralles and Benedetta Tagliabue) and their delightfully inventive Santa Caterina Market. After a stop at the chocolate museum, where Easter eggs have been raised to an art form, we will convene in one of the city’s top gourmet haunts. There we will be treated to an immersion in Catalan products, including a multitude of artisanal cheeses and cured meats. The afternoon will be free for you to relax or explore Barcelona on your own. We will meet again for dinner at Barcelona’s most chic and animated tapas bar. Hotel: 1898, B, L, D

1 2 3 Day 3: Sunday, September 27 (Barcelona) We will set out in the morning for the wine country, crossing the acres of vines dedicated to the production of Spain’s sparkling wine, Cava. Further south the vines change to olive trees and we will be escorted through the estate of one of Spain’s most exclusive boutique olive oil producers. Set on beautifully manicured grounds, the production methods are state-of-the-art and their exclusive planting and pruning methods have drawn experts from around the world. We will be invited for a professional- commented tasting. In the afternoon our wonderful Catalan chef will welcome us into her lovely country home. She will teach us some traditional Catalan specialities, and we will sit down for a delicious dinner with local wines. Hotel: 1989, B, L

Day 4: Monday, September 28 (Barcelona – Priorato) We will check out of our hotel and head south to the Priorato, a wine area that has experienced an amazing renaissance and is gaining recognition for extraordinarily high- quality red wines. We will visit the marvelous Clos de l’Obac, one of the pioneer wineries of Priorat’s quality revolution. After a tasting of their wines and lunch, we will head to La Selva del Camp, where we will check into our hotel – a small, modernist jewel designed by Domenech i Montaner on the edge of the Mediterranean. We will enjoy a light dinner at the hotel. Hotel: Mas Passamaner, B, L, D

Day 5: Tuesday, September 29 (Priorato – Laguardia) We will check out of the hotel and get an early start. We will leave the mountains of Monsant behind and cross the plains of Aragon, stopping in Zaragoza for a visit to some of the striking monuments and to have lunch. Our afternoon destination will be the walled medieval village of Laguardia. We will be in the middle of Spain’s most acclaimed wine region, as you will see from the tempranillo vineyards blazing with color just before harvest. In a 16th century noble house, we will have an introduction to the various styles of Rioja and the innovations taking place there, along with some traditional tapas to accompany the wines. Hotel: Villa de Laguardia, B, L, D

Day 6: Wednesday, September 30 (Laguardia) We will start the morning off with a brief visit to Ysios winery, primarily to view the extraordinary building designed by Santiago Calatrava, one of Spain’s most prominent architects (Calatrava is doing the new transportation hub at the World Trade Center). We will then have an in-depth visit of Lopez de Heredia, a venerated family winery whose primary wine, Viña Tondonia, is a collector’s dream. They are pairing the old with the new in their recently build Zaha Hadid tasting room. We will meet with family members and share an extensive tasting with them. Next door is Bodegas Roda, a state-of-the-art winery, where we will compare methods and taste of some of Roda’s most important vintages. Lunch will be with the winemakers at a delightful local restaurant that specializes in modern innovations of traditional Riojana dishes. After lunch we will stop at Marques de Riscal, with its spectacular Frank Gehry designed building. In the evening those who wish can enjoy an optional traditional Rioja dinner at a favorite local spot within walking distance from the hotel. Hotel: Villa de Laguardia, B, L

1 2 3 Day 7: Thursday, October 1 (Laguardia – Bilbao – San Sebastian) After an early morning checkout, we will proceed to Bilbao, the industrial and commercial capital of the Basque region. A former grimy port town, it has been revitalized by some of the most exciting architectural developments in Europe. After a brief tour of the city center we will meet at the Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum. You will have free time to explore the exhibitions and exterior of the museum on your own. Lunch will be in a delightfully informal restaurant in the museum, and afterwards we will continue by bus to San Sebastian and check into our hotel, the historic Maria Cristina. Dinner will be a pintxos (tapas in local dialect) tour of the small and charming old quarter of this beautiful city. Hotel: Maria Cristina, B, L, D

Day 8: Friday, October 2 (San Sebastian) We will start the day with a panoramic tour of enchanting San Sebastian, ending in La Bretxa, the local market. San Sebastian is famous for its male-only sociedades gastronomicas, or eating clubs. After the market tour we will take our purchases to a private tasting room for a hands-on cooking class with an expert Basque chef, and a sampling of local products. A leisurely lunch will follow with a carefully prepared range of Basque wines to accompany the dishes we have prepared. You will have the afternoon and evening free for some last minute shopping in this chic seaside resort famous for its stylish boutiques. Dinner will be on your own to try some of the other top-rated restaurants in this culinary mecca. Hotel: Maria Cristina, B, L

Day 9: Saturday, October 3 (San Sebastian) In the morning we will set off into the hills above San Sebastian to visit a shepherd who makes prize-winning Idiazabal cheeses, a local Basque cheese that has achieved international renown. We will take a quick tour of a family-run Txakoli winery, which overlooks the Cantabrian Sea on the coastal pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Next we will go on to Getaria for an informal seaside lunch in the lovely fishing village. Our farewell dinner will be at the Michelin three-star restaurant, Arzak, one of the two most acclaimed restaurants in Spain. There we will visit the kitchen, the laboratory for food experiments, and the wine cellar. Hotel: Maria Cristina, B, L, D

Day 10: Sunday, October 4 (Departure) Departure day. We suggest that you book your departure flight from the San Sebastian airport.

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS Barcelona www.hotel1898.com Priorato www.maspassamaner.com/ing/hotel.html Laguardia www.hotelvilladelaguardia.com/default_contenidos.asp?id_idioma=2 San Sebastian www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=86

CULINARY EDUCATOR American born, Gabriella Ranelli de Aguirre is an experienced translator and art historian. She worked in contemporary art galleries in New York and Madrid before moving to Spain in 1989. Gabriella is an international reference on Basque cuisine, appearing frequently in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Gourmet, and other publications. She holds a Masters in Viticulture and Oenology, and as the founder of Tenedor Tours, has spent the last 10 years introducing people to the wonders of Spanish foods and wines.

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