Wine country outside Girona can be surprisingly friendly. This 5-hour local wineries tour takes you into the Empordà countryside, where vineyards climb the slopes of the Albera mountains, and it mixes cellar time with a real Catalan meal. You visit two boutique wineries with owners on hand, then taste around 15 reds, rosés, and whites.

I especially like how the guide connects the dots between grapes, aging, and the human choices behind each bottle. I also love that breakfast is not an afterthought: you get a typical Catalan breakfast with cheese and sausages that makes the wine tasting feel like a local ritual, not a showroom.

One thing to keep in mind: the second stop has a different feel, with more attention on the place’s art side than a pure wine-focused lecture. If you’re chasing only the most straightforward wine talk, set your expectations accordingly and enjoy the variety.

Key takeaways before you go

• Small group (up to 6) keeps the pacing relaxed and the Q&A actually useful
• Empordà vineyards and local food cues make the region feel tangible, not abstract
• Two wineries with different styles helps you compare Catalan wine approaches in one morning
• Cellar visits from owners and guides show how tradition and newer tech work together
• Catalan breakfast with cheese and sausages sets you up for tastings without going heavy on bread alone

Girona wine tour in the Empordà: why this region works

If you want Catalonia wine without the big-tour, big-bus vibe, this route makes sense. The Empordà area is full of vineyards spread across the countryside, and the scenery is shaped by the Albera mountains and their slopes. The practical result: you get plenty of places to understand why grapes grow where they do, and why wine here can taste distinct from other parts of Spain.

This isn’t a tour built around seeing famous landmarks. It’s built around tasting and learning what makes local production tick. You’ll get that through short driving stretches, guided stops, and the chance to stroll through vineyard areas where grapes are growing right now.

The value for me is the balance. You’re not just drinking. You’re getting context for what you’re tasting and how it’s made.

How the van time fits (and why you won’t feel trapped)

You’ll meet your guide at Plaça Sant Feliu, beside The River Caffe, and then head out by air-conditioned minivan. The schedule is set up to use transit time as part of the experience, not just time to kill.

There are a couple of driving segments built into the day, including a longer ride at the start and shorter legs between the two wineries. That matters because wine tours can turn into a blur if you’re constantly on your feet. Here, the pacing is structured: drive, stop, taste, drive, stop, taste, then head back to Carrer dels Calderers, 19.

Two more practical notes:

• You’ll be with a small group of up to 6 people, which keeps the guide’s attention on the group.
• You should plan for sitting time. This is not a walking tour.

Stop 1: Empordalia (Celler de Vilajuïga) with breakfast and first tastings

Your first winery stop is Empordalia (Celler de Vilajuïga), and it’s built as the foundation of the morning. You’ll spend about 75 minutes there, with a mix of visit, breakfast, wine tasting, and regional food.

This is a smart way to start because breakfast anchors your senses. When you taste wine on an empty stomach, everything can feel harsher or confusing. With food in front of you, you’re more likely to notice aromas, balance, and how tannins behave.

At this stop, you’ll also get the kind of cellar tour that helps the tasting click. The winery owners and your local wine guide explain the process of making wine, and the visits focus on how they combine tradition with newer technologies. Even if you’re not a “wine theory” person, this kind of explanation is useful because it gives you a simple map to understand what you’re drinking.

And yes, there’s a lot of tasting. The tour is designed around about 15 wines total, and the first stop gives you a chunk of that selection. One past guest specifically called out that the first stop included 6 wines alongside the breakfast, and that pairing of commentary plus sipping felt like a highlight.

Possible drawback here: because breakfast and tasting happen together, you’ll want to pace yourself. If you rush through the first pours, the later variety can start to feel similar.

Understanding wine in two approaches: traditional vs new generation

One of the most useful parts of this tour is the way it frames winemaking as a mix of old and new. You’ll learn how local wine is made in two different ways: one that leans on traditional methods, and another shaped by a new generation of production choices.

Why this matters to you: wine descriptions can sound like marketing. When you hear how a winery treats fermentation, aging, and equipment differently, the tasting becomes easier to interpret. You stop thinking in vague categories like “good” or “smooth,” and you start thinking in terms of what changed.

You’ll hear these comparisons during guided cellar visits, and you can also spot the practical “how” in the space: the way they handle production, the setup they use, and how the tour guide connects it back to flavor.

The tour also sets up the region context beyond the cellar. As you travel through the countryside, you can taste locally made products such as sausages, anchovies, olive oil, and cheese. Even when it’s just small bites, it trains your palate for the kinds of salty, savory notes that often pair well with Catalan wine styles.

Stop 2: Terra Remota and a more artsy, slower-feeling tasting

The second stop is Terra Remota, with about 1.5 hours for a guided tour and wine tasting. This is where the vibe shifts a bit.

Instead of only focusing on a clean, wine-first story, Terra Remota comes across as a place with broader interests. One past guest described it as feeling more like a family hobby, with extra emphasis on the art collection. The wine tasting itself was still enjoyable and well guided, but if your top priority is maximum wine education, you might want to treat the art presence as part of the setting rather than a detour.

The tasting at this stop is still meaningful. The same past guest who mentioned the art side also noted that the tasting menu at the second winery offered 9 wines. That’s important for your expectations because the tour overall aims for about 15 different wines; not all of them will necessarily be poured at equal depth.

How to handle this stop: slow down. If a place leans more “experience” than lecture, your best move is to listen for the winemaking notes you do get and then taste deliberately. Take a moment between pours and compare what changes from the first winery’s style.

The wine tasting menu: what you’ll pour and how to taste smart

The tour is designed around tasting about 15 different wines, with selections that include red, rosé, and white. That variety is a big part of the value. It helps you understand what you like without needing to know every grape name up front.

One practical tip: don’t try to rank every wine immediately. Instead, do three simple comparisons:

1. Red vs rosé vs white: which textures and acidity patterns feel best to you?
2. First winery vs second winery: does the flavor profile shift, and in what way?
3. Food pairing vs plain tasting: pay attention to how cheese and sausages change what you notice.

Because the tour includes regional bites like cheese, sausages, and anchovies as you move through the area, you’ll likely taste more “real-world” pairings than a purely classroom-style tasting.

Also, expect that the guide will explain what you’re tasting. That’s where the tradition vs new generation lesson becomes practical: you’ll recognize the choices you just heard about.

The Catalan breakfast: cheese and sausages, plus a real sense of place

Breakfast here is the kind you remember later, not the kind you forget five minutes after. You’ll have a typical Catalan breakfast at the Empordalia stop, and the core details are straightforward: cheese and sausages.

What makes this valuable isn’t just the food. It’s that the meal is used to support the tastings. Cheese brings fat and saltiness; sausages bring savory depth; together, they help you detect fruit, acidity, and balance in ways that are harder when you’re drinking alone.

If you’re worried about wine tasting feeling too heavy, this breakfast approach helps. You’re fed, but you’re not forced into a full restaurant plate.

One more detail to keep in mind: there’s also mention of regional food as part of the first winery stop. That reinforces the sense that this is a local production day, not just a drinking event.

Price and value: is $175 fair for 5 hours of wineries?

At $175 per person for about 5 hours, the cost isn’t “cheap,” but it can be fair depending on what you compare it to.

Here’s what you’re paying for that actually matters:

• Entrance fees for 2 wineries
• A guide focused on wine education and explanation
• Transport in an air-conditioned minivan
• A typical Catalan breakfast
• Tasting around 15 different wines
• Bottle of water

If you were to build this yourself—getting to wineries, hiring a guide, paying for tastings, and organizing breakfast—the price often starts to look less dramatic. The small-group size also pushes the value upward, because the guide can spend real time with you.

What might make you pause: one past guest felt the second winery’s wines were on the expensive side when it came to buying bottles, and they even reported a billing mix-up for one bottle they were trying to sort out. That doesn’t mean it happens every time, but it’s a good reminder. If you decide to buy a bottle at Terra Remota or anywhere else, double-check the receipt before you walk away and confirm the quantity and total.

Who should book this Girona wineries tour

This is a great fit if:

• You want two wineries in one go without dealing with transportation logistics yourself
• You enjoy learning the basics behind what you’re tasting, not just drinking
• You like food-and-wine pairings that feel Catalan and practical
• You prefer a small group experience

It may be less ideal if:

• You mainly want a strict, wine-only educational lecture. The second stop can lean more “place experience,” with art also in the mix.
• You’re traveling with kids. It’s not suitable for children under 18.
• You have mobility impairments. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.

If you’re a solo traveler, couples, or a small friend group, the setup works well.

Practical tips to make the day smoother

• Bring a light layer. Wine cellars and the van can swing in temperature.
• Pace your tasting. Aim to remember differences, not just how much you drank.
• Ask questions early. The small group size is your window to get answers that match your interests.
• If you’re sensitive to strong flavors, note that tasting includes sausage and anchovy-style local flavors as you move through the day.
• If you buy wine, check your receipt carefully so you don’t have any unpleasant surprises later.

Should you book Girona Experience’s local wineries tour?

If you want a Girona-area wine day that feels local, structured, and food-friendly, I think it’s a strong choice. The best part is the combination: a true Catalan breakfast, a guided comparison of traditional and newer winemaking approaches, and tastings across two different wineries.

Book it if your priority is learning and tasting with context, not rushing through a long list of stops. Skip it if you want only a pure wine lecture with zero “other interests” at the second location.

In short: it’s a solid value when you compare what’s included, and it’s one of the better ways to understand Catalan wine without turning the day into a maze.

FAQ

Where do I meet the guide?

Meet your guide at Plaça Sant Feliu, beside The River Caffe.

What’s the duration of the tour?

The tour lasts 5 hours.

How many wineries do we visit?

You visit two wineries.

What’s included in the tasting?

You’ll taste approximately 15 different wines, with selections of red, rosé, and white.

Do I get breakfast?

Yes. A typical Catalan breakfast with cheese and sausages is included.

Is transportation included?

Yes. You travel in an air-conditioned minivan.

Does the price include wine entrance fees?

Yes. The entrance fee for both wineries is included.

Are hotel pickup and drop-off included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included.

Is this tour suitable for children or mobility needs?

It is not suitable for children under 18 years, and it is not suitable for people with mobility impairments.