The Penedès, cava country
The Penedès is cava's home region and it sits next door: plains of vine, three-century houses and Sant Sadurní d'Anoia as the capital of the Spanish toast. An escape done by train out and — prudently — by train back.
The cava train
Commuter trains from Sants or Plaça Espanya reach Sant Sadurní in about an hour. The big cava houses are a short walk from the station; family farmhouses ask for a taxi or a visit booking with pickup.
Tours and tastings
The great houses offer tours descending into century-old cellars with a final tasting; the family ones open by appointment and tell the harvest in family terms. Book your language for weekends, which fill.
Lunch among vines
Winter calçots and xató the rest of the year are the region's pantry. Several wineries run restaurants overlooking the vineyard: the long lunch between vines is the correct format for the day.