Our first road trip after lockdown

It had been a while since the last time we went on a road trip around our beautiful country. After being locked up for nearly three months, we were very excited when we heard we could finally move freely around our sanitary area when we entered Phase 2.

Therefore, we planned a road trip around the counties of Baix Penedès, Alt Camp and Priorat, areas which are very rich in vineyards, olive trees, sun and pine forests.

This is the zone where dad’s family is from, so we know a thing or two about where to go and what are the best roads to drive around in.

Also, we went with two friends who also live in the zone, so we did an insider tour around the territory.

We visited wineries, had breakfast in a beautiful sunny village, visited cultural heritage and, most importantly, had the best time ever.

We went with our Carrera 911 997 S and our friend with his brand new 718 Cayman GT4. 

It was very exciting to “try” to follow this amazing GT4 in blue color through all those curvy roads. The sensation of driving a Porsche sports car on these landscapes is unique. 

It feels good to feel the speed of Porsche. We had been hungry for it.

We started the route from Calafell and went to Valls, where our friend lives. We met there and drove uphill around a road with lots of curves to get to Poblet, a small village which is considered a world heritage site by the UNESCO.

Everything was closed because of the pandemic, but we were able to see the beautiful monastery and buildings around it without anyone disturbing us. It was magical.

We then went to Prades to grab some breakfast, as we were starving.

We sat on a table in the central square of the town and had coffee and croissants under the shining sun.

We were shocked to see the huge number of cyclists and bikers that ended their routes (or made a pit stop for breakfast) in Prades. The local cafés were full!

After breakfast we drove around the Alt Camp and then went to Priorat, a county that never ceases to leave us in awe. The vast extension of vineyards, the Serra de Montsant and the ancient tiny villages make it one of our favorite parts of Catalonia and even the world. If we had to give you a tip on things to do here, we’d clearly say go to a winery to have a wine tasting! We promise you they won’t let you down.

The Priorat wine is DOQ, and it is characterized by an intense flavor provided particularly by the Grenache and Carignan varietals, the signature grapes of the territory. The vines are cultivated in slopes that have a gradient of 15% to 60%, have to live through harsh conditions and the grapes are strictly picked up by hand, factors which only add up to the unique personality and flavor of the wine.

After enjoying the views of the fantastic territory and enjoying the curvy roads that characterize it, it was only natural that we stopped in Gratallops (a local village) to buy some local produce. We got some red and white wine, jams and extra virgin olive oil.

Fun fact: the proof that Catalonia is such a small territory that you always find someone you know anywhere you go is that in that small shoo we went to we found two of our neighbors and the owner was the cousin of a friend of dad’s. Given that we were only 7 people in the shop, including my dad, our two friends and myself, I’d say that is a pretty big coincidence. As we say in Spanish, “el mundo es un pañuelo”.

After that, we started going home, fully satisfied from this nice day and looking forward to the next road trip.