Culture and Gastronomy Holiday Spain
A varied and interesting week that combines culture, nature, walking and gastronomy in the breathtaking Spanish Pyrenees.
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€1695 per person
No Single Supplement Solo travellers have their own private ensuite bedroom, at no extra cost.
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Holiday Price
€1695 per person
“On our Gastronomy and Culture holiday as well as cooking, we visited some beautiful Spanish villages, castles, cathedrals, wineries, an amazing olive oil factory, lovely restaurants and even the house of the local mayor.” Patrick. Tasmania.
With gentle walks our Culture and Gastronomy Holiday Spain will explore the central Spanish Pyrenees. A land rich in history, architecture, gastronomy and culture. Neolithic Dolmens mix with formidable forts, medieval monasteries, majestic castles, ancient ruins and Romanesque churches.
The May week coincides with our village fiesta on the final day of the holiday. An authentic Pyrenees experience well off the tourist trail.
In October the week is planned to include the local fiestas in a nearby village which celebrates the national holiday of Pilar.
We are Simon and Lucy, your hosts, a husband and wife team who pride ourselves on our personal service, the care we take and our attention to detail.
You will be staying at our exceptional, renovated farmhouse, within a UNESCO Geopark, a place of particular geological interest and close to two other parks. The National Park of Ordesa and Monte Perdido, a UNESCO world heritage site, and the Natural Park of Sierra de Guara, now itself with UNESCO world heritage status.
The group size is limited to a maximum of 8 people.
Why not organise a group of friends! We can make this a private, tailor made holiday.
Questions about this trip?
We've compiled answers to common questions on our FAQ page. Here you'll find information about booking, travel, accommodation, and catering for individual needs. For anything else, please contact us at holiday@aragonactive.com,
Supporting local conservation
We support directly and indirectly the Foundation for the conservation of the Bearded Vulture, and Birding Aragon. This includes financial support, as well as highlighting the conservation work done in our area, on each of our holidays.
Culture and Gastronomy Holiday Spain Itinerary
The bullet point itinerary below gives an idea of what we will be doing during a typical week.
Please note: this is strictly a no-smoking holiday.
DAY 1:
- Arrival at Casa Allué, Albella.
- Dinner and a chance to meet the group.
DAY 2:
- Morning walk exploring Albella and the nearby villages. Finally arriving in Janovas which has a brutal but fascinating history (6km 250m descent).
- Picnic lunch.
- Afternoon cookery class.
DAY 3:
- Morning visit to a 10th century monastery. This has some of the finest examples of Romanesque carvings in Spain.
- Picnic lunch.
- Afternoon in a fortress town dating back to the Romans, and the former capital of Aragon .
DAY 4 :
- Morning visit to a local goats cheese producer.
- Afterwards we will go for a walk in an alpine valley with breathtakng scenery.
- Picnic lunch.
- Afternoon return to Albella.
- Evening meal.
DAY 5:
- Today we head south to Somontano.
- In the morning we have a guided tour of the Moorish citadel of Alquezar.
- Lunch at our favourite restaurant.
- In the afternoon we visit a bodega for a wine tasting
- Evening light supper in Albella.
DAY 6:
- Today is a rest day so we can catch our breath with no travelling.
- There are options for walks, a guided tour of the village chapel and a visit to a neighbours house.
- Lunch, a traditonal paella cooked outside on the terrace.
- Light evening supper.
DAY 7:
- Morning walk above a gorge in the Ordesa National Park to see raptors including the magnificent Bearded vulture.
- Picnic lunch.
- Afternoon visit to the medieval town of Ainsa.
DAY 8:
- A flexible timetable depending on departure times.
Stay at our traditionally restored 17th century Farmhouse.
We are Simon & Lucy, your hosts, and we live in the tiny hamlet of Albella, with just eight permanent residents. An authentic Pyrenean experience….
Where we have the right recipe to make your holiday truly memorable.
Spacious bedrooms, deluxe ensuite bathrooms, and comfortable communal areas with Wifi.
Dining out on our large terrace from May to October.
Fresh produce that is locally sourced, or straight from our organic veg patch.
Local Somontano wines.
Whether it is breakfast, picnic lunches or evening meals, we prepare everything with care and passion.
For more details on the accommodation click the button below.
Just Some of Our Reviews on this Holiday…
“We spent a fabulous week with Simon and Lucy at their beautifully restored farmhouse, which had the best facilities we experienced over our six-week stay in Europe. The generous meals provided were of the highest possible standard. Over our Gastronomy and Culture week we did lots of walking, cooking, had picnic lunches, visited some beautiful Spanish villages, castles, cathedrals, wineries, an amazing olive oil factory, lovely restaurants and even the house of the local mayor. We eperienced a very lively and charming feast day for the local saint, which was a wonderful way to finish off our week. We learnt so much about the culture, history, wildlife of the area. I cannot recommend this stay highly enough. Simon and Lucy were the perfect hosts and our week with them was the highlight of our six-week European holiday.”
Patrick. Tasmania. Culture and Gastronomy Holiday Spain June 2019
The ‘missus’ and I are just home from a Culture & Cooking week at Casa Allue. The scenery is stunning, the area rich in history, the house characterful – but comprehensively modernized where it counts and supremely comfortable. Simon, Lucy and family + dog Hera are welcoming, enthusiastic, knowledgeable hosts. Food (and wine!) are first-rate – with a heavy emphasis on home-grown and local produce. We both firmly intend to visit here again.
Eric & Hilary. UK. Culture and Gastronomy Holiday Spain October 2018
“Lucy tailored and customized for us a schedule of guided hikes, visits to historical sites, wine and olive oil tastings with some free time outdoors to enjoy the amazing sunny weather.
The healthy, home-cooked meals were another bonus.
When one of my boots started to fall apart, Simon was kind enough to help repair them. When the sole from the other boot separated, Simon loaned me a pair of his old boots to go hiking in. I was very grateful. By the end of the week, my wife and I felt that we had spent this time with Simon, Lucy and their daughters as friends or family, and not as clients. We both want to go back sometime and try one of their other programs.”
Ross & Maria. New York. Culture and Gastronomy Holiday Spain April 2017
“Amazing week with very attentive hosts and superb food. Very many highlights including our visit to the monastery, going to a bodega and seeing vultures with Simon, and of course Penny and Sofi!
The guided walks were perfect, we learnt so much about the area. And to top off our visit we enjoyed the annual village fiesta the night before we left. Thank you.”
Mary & Hilary. Arundel. Culture and Gastronomy Holiday Spain May 2016
How to get to us at Casa Allué
We recommend to all guests that they make travel arrangements to Zaragoza.
There are direct flights into Zaragoza airport from London Stansted. Alternatively, Zaragoza has high-speed rail links from Barcelona and Madrid. Journey time from both cities is approximately 1½ hours.
From Zaragoza we offer a minibus taxi transfer service, collecting from the airport and the railway station to our Guest House in the Spanish Pyrenees. Transfer time is just under 2 hours. Cost €80 return per person.
Click the button below for detailed information and instructions on travelling to Zaragoza.
Booking
Availability & Reservation
Reserve your place by completing the form below.
If you are in any doubt about your suitability for this holiday please contact us before completing this form.
Once completed you will get a summary of your trip with the total cost.
Email: holiday@aragonactive.com
Tel: (0034) 679 345 623
Select Trip Dates & Guests
Simply select your trip date and the number of guests, then proceed using the 'Next' button.
We require a €150 deposit per person as part of the reservation process. Our secure on-line payment system accepts all credit cards.