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Cooking & Walking in the Pyrenees

from £1248 pp

Spain , Pyrenees

8 days

Max 8 people

What you'll do

Combine hands-on cookery lessons with walks in spectacular scenery to discover the gastronomy & natural beauty of the Spanish Pyrenees; spend days preparing delicious traditional dishes then walk in the National Parks, while staying 7 nights in a 17th century farmhouse.

The unspoilt region of Aragon in the Spanish Pyrenees, known for its gorgeous landscapes and rich history, will be the setting of this 7 night / 8 day Spanish cooking and walking holiday. Nestled in the valley of the river Ara, you will find the carefully restored 17th-century farmhouse which will act as your starting point for all walking and cooking excursions.

This tranquil location sets the scene for several incredible walks through the region to the historic and famous village and scenic sites. Then, you’ll be able to take a break from walking in the on-site, modern kitchen for three courses in traditional Spanish cooking, including how to make tapas.

This gorgeous region of Spain allows you to experience and immerse yourself in the natural beauty surrounding you. Walk to the Basa de la Mora, or lake of the Moorish Woman, and picnic near what is known as one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in the central Pyrenees. Several excursions to the National Park of Ordesa – both on foot and by 4×4 – take you through enchanting glacial valleys and past geological rock masses that have stood guard for centuries.

Get closer to the local culture with several visits to various sites including a private home still containing the traditional kitchen and a small rural chapel with an interesting history.

On top of all of that, you will get the chance to tour a local bodega, taste the various cheeses at a small dairy farm, sample honey from a beekeeper, cook with the regional liquor from a nearby liquor distillery, and learn to sample and appreciate olive oil like a fine glass of wine at the family-owned olive oil mill. Close encounters with the local artisans allow you to understand what life in this quiet region is truly like.

During your holiday, stay in a gorgeously renovated 17th-century farmhouse in any of its 7 guest rooms, complete with a wonderful view of the surrounding grounds or mountains. Each room has a private en-suite bathroom, WiFi, and various other modern amenities. The grounds include a vegetable patch used to cook your meals, beautiful gardens, and a courtyard with a library and small gym, the ideal place to unwind and immerse yourself in the local culture and cuisine.

Your Local Host:

Simon and Lucy

English-born hosts, Simon and Lucy, moved to Spain 7 years ago and fell in love with the unspoilt corner of the Spanish Pyrenees where they found their farmhouse. They refurbished the farmhouse in 2011, and now use it as a base for a wide range of small-group activity holidays.

Both Lucy and Simon are passionate about nature and the outdo.. Read More

Experience Itinerary

Arrival

– Arrive in Albella
– Check into your room anytime after 5pm and settle in
– Enjoy a refreshing welcome drink along with the chance to meet Simon and Lucy, your hosts for the week
– Have your first evening meal at the farmhouse

Accommodation

Stay in a beautifully restored 17th century farmhouse in the heart of the Spanish countryside. Surrounded by mountains and gorgeous valleys, the serenity and isolation allow you to unwind and unplug from the everyday bustle.

– Your accommodation in the heart of the rural hamlet of Albella surrounded by the magnificence of the Spanish Pyrenees in the unspoilt valley of the Ara river
– You’ll stay in a renovated 17th-century farmhouse lovingly restored by your hosts, Simon and Lucy
– There are a total of 7 twin/double guest rooms, decorated with antiques and traditional decor
– If you are travelling solo, stay in a twin/double room for sole occupancy with no single supplement
– Most rooms have private bathrooms with rain showers and heated towel rails
– Extensive grounds with open views
– Free WiFi in the common areas
– Free car parking if you choose to drive
– Small, on-site gym
– Courtyard
– Library and sitting room for guest use
– An on-site restaurant caters all of your meals throughout your stay
– Accommodation is included for 7 nights / 8 days
– Check in anytime after 5pm on day 1 and check out by 11am on day 8
– Please note this accommodation does not have disabled access and is not suitable for those with restricted mobility

Local dairy farm visit, first walk, & first cookery course

– Enjoy a buffet breakfast at the farmhouse
– Depart for the mountain village of Saravillo, where you will visit a small dairy farm which produces various goat’s cheeses, yoghurt, and milk
– Watch the production process and taste some of the delicious cheeses
– Head to the Basa de la Mora, or lake of the Moorish Woman for your first walk to the lake, which is heralded as one of the most beautiful mountain lakes in the central Pyrenees
– Eat a hearty picnic lunch here, surrounded by the amazing pre-summits of Cotiella before returning to the farmhouse
– Using produce from the dairy visit, begin your first cookery workshop in our modern, catering-capable kitchen
– Dine in the spacious dining room this evening on some of your creations

Ordesa National Park walk & second cookery course

– After breakfast, head to Ordesa National Park for a walk through the enchanting valley, Valle de Otal, complete with mountain streams, marshy meadows, and a wide variety of flowers followed by a picnic is this beautiful setting
– Look out for the Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture), as well as other beautiful wildlife
– On the way back, stop in Broto to visit a small local family business where they make the regional liquor, Pacharan
– Return to Albella and the farmhouse for refreshments and your second cookery workshop, using your recently acquired Pacharan
– Enjoy an evening meal in the farmhouse dining room

Bearded Vultures, stunning views & medieval town of Ainsa

– Breakfast at your leisure, then leave for an area that supports the highest population of Lammergeier (Bearded Vulture) in Europe and walk to view points to see these beautiful biards in their natural habitat
– Lunch is enjoyed at a mountain restaurant where you will eat delicious home-grown produce and cooking; perched on the hillside, you may just catch a glipse of more wildlife during your meal
– In the afternoon, there is a circular walk to see an 11th century chapel in a dramatic setting before stopping at the medieval town of Ainsa as you head home
– Return to Albella for your evening meal and coffee

Private house tour & tapas cookery course

– Today, stay local in the Albella hamlet with a short walk to the chapel of San Urbez
– Then, visit a private house in the village of Casa Cebollero, which takes you back in time with its traditional Aragonese kitchen complete with a central fire for cooking and intricate stone floors
– Eat lunch
– Return to the farmhouse kitchen for your third cookery workshop on the secrets of Spanish tapas
– Dine on your creations and relax with refreshments before a light dinner

Wine region visit & olive oil mill tour

– After your buffet breakfast, leave for Somontano, the closest wine region in Aragon and just over an hour’s drive from the farmhouse
– Somontano, meaning ‘under the mountains’, aptly describes the gorgeous region which sits in the foothills of the central Pyrenees less than 35 miles from France
– Take this opportunity to walk to a breathtaking view point en route to one of the many bodegas
– After a picnic lunch, visit a family-run ecological olive oil business
– Stop at the medieval town of Ainsa, wander the narrow streets, and shop for souvenirs before sampling the local tapas for dinner

4x4 excursion to Ordesa National Park

– Enjoy a leisurely morning at the farmhouse after breakfast
– Eat a delicious homemade lunch before departing for Torla
– Today take a 4×4 excursion to Ordesa National Park for stunning overviews of this wondrous natural landscape
– Marvel at the panoramic views across to Monte Perdido, Brecha de Roland, and the Massif, plus learn a bit of the the valley’s history, the wildlife, and the flowers
– Return to Albella for a light dinner

Departure

– Eat a leisurely breakfast and enjoy a flexible departure time depending on your flight schedule and timing

Pyrenees

Location Info

Stay in a beautifully restored 17th century farmhouse, and wake up to stunning views of the Spanish Pyrenees and surrounding valleys, just a few hours from Barcelona or Zaragoza airports. The serenity and beauty of this wild region is the perfect place to improve your cooking, photography, or Spanish as well as enhance your walking or meditation holiday.

Features
– 2 hours from Zaragoza airport and 3.5 hours from Barcelona airport
– Located in the heart of the Spanish Pyrenees in the rural hamlet of Albella
– Traditional 17th century farmhouse has been restored to a high standard
– Surrounded by extensive gardens and stunning mountain views
– Stone balconies extending from some of the rooms
– Ensuite bathrooms with heated towel rails and thermostatic rain showers
– Double, twin, or single rooms available (1 shared bathroom option)
– Sitting room ..

What's Included

What's Not Included
  • 7 nights accommodation at the 17th century farmhouse in a twin/double room
  • Prices are per person and there are NO single supplements for solo travellers
  • You can check in any time after 5pm on Day 1 and check out by 11am on Day 8
  • Spanish cookery lessons on days 2, 3, and 5
  • Breakfast buffet, picnic lunches, and homemade dinners
  • All wine with meals
  • Coffee or tea after meals
  • All extra tea, coffee, or infusion, plus fresh mountain spring water
  • 6 days of guided walks and excursions
  • Guided visit of Albella village
  • Stop at medieval town of Ainsa
  • Tour of local chapel of San Urbez
  • Cultural walk where you may see Lammergeier, the Bearded Vulture
  • Several walks through the National Park of Ordesa
  • 4×4 excursion through the National Park of Ordesa
  • A tour of a local, family-owned olive oil mill
  • Honey tasting at local beekeeper (subject to availability)
  • Visit to local distillery to see production of the regional liquor
  • Excursion to the Somontano wine region and tour at a local bodega
  • Please note these are sample itinerary activities and can be subject to change but will be replaced with an alternative activity
  • All cooking materials and ingredients for the classes

Cooking & Walking in the Pyrenees

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