A Taste of Spain

What It Is and Where It Operates

A Taste of Spain is a boutique travel agency founded in 1999 that runs its own private culinary tours, cooking classes and food-and-wine activities exclusively in Spain. The site emphasizes that "A Taste of Spain does not operate in other countries" and is "100% specialized in Spain". The company is run by "four partners" who are "native Spaniards sharing a passion for the culinary culture" of the country and have "extensive background in the Spanish fine food sector". The site states that it was "the first culinary travel agency of its type in Spain" and describes itself as deliberately "small enough to provide our clients with a personalized and top quality service, at a reasonable price". All tours are organized directly by the company's partners and the site explicitly notes "we do not resell other agency's programs", making it an operator of its own tours rather than a marketplace. Its by-region menu lists Andalusia (Seville, Malaga, Granada), Catalonia (Barcelona), the Balearic Islands (Mallorca), the Basque Country and La Rioja (San Sebastian, Bilbao), Galicia (Santiago), Madrid and La Mancha, and Valencia. Prices are given in euros, and enquiries go to culinary@atasteofspain.com.

The Range of Tours and Experiences

The site groups its offer into multi-day tours and shorter activities. The featured tours are The Ultimate Foodie Tour of Spain, Flavors of Andalusia (a choice of six, seven or twelve days), Basque Country for Foodies (5 days covering San Sebastian and Bilbao), Catalan Cuisine (five days in the Costa Brava), Manchego Cheese, Wine & Saffron (two days along the Don Quixote trail from Madrid), Galicia, Seafood & Wine, Ibérico Ham, from Farm to Fork, and Olive Oil at its Best. The activities menu covers cooking classes, tapas tours and tastings and workshops, and there is a separate section for food professionals.

The Ultimate Foodie Tour of Spain is the one scheduled group departure. It runs eight days through Madrid, La Rioja, the Basque Country and Barcelona, for a group of "From 10 to 16 people," and the page says the company has "been running this culinary tour since 2012." It is priced "from 4,500 Euros per person (Land only, double occupancy)." The 2026 departure of November 8 to 15 is marked fully booked, and 2027 dates are May 9 to 16 and October 24 to 31. The highlights list stays at 4* centrally located hotels, a visit to the Boqueria market with a local chef followed by a hands-on Mediterranean cooking class, a meal at a members-only Gastronomic Society in the Basque Country, private visits to small family-run Rioja and Cava wineries, a meal themed around Ibérico ham and Sherry, and a pintxos crawl in San Sebastian. The about page says the tour is programmed twice a year for solo travelers and those who like traveling with others.

The Private Tapas Tours are the shortest product. The page says they are "Available in Barcelona, San Sebastian, Seville, Madrid and Malaga," upon request all year round, privately organized from 2 people. Included are "A friendly English-speaking local foodie to guide you throughout the experience," tapas and drinks at several venues over about 2½ hours, and all local taxes. Prices run from 155 Euros per person for a group of 6, from 180 Euros per person for a group of 4 and from 260 Euros per person for a group of 2. The page promises "No hurries, no hassle, no large groups."

How Tours Are Organized

Apart from the Ultimate Foodie Tour, everything is private and built on request. The about page says "We work on an upon request basis, always for private groups, starting from 2 people," which lets the company adapt "dates, length, content." It adds that all tours can be privately organized year round, combined and adapted, and each tour page offers to add extra activities, for example before or after the Ultimate Foodie Tour in or around Madrid or Barcelona, or to extend a trip into Andalusia or Galicia.

On the tapas tours, the page says the guide helps choose dishes "based on your personal tastes and the regional or house specialties." It also says food allergies and special preferences can be taken into account, that the tour can be adapted for kids as a family activity, and that guests who like cooking can book a private class with a tapas focus. Testimonials on the tapas page name guides, such as a Madrid guest praising a guide called Rocio; these are the company's chosen reviews. The about page credits the company's base of loyal clients, whom it calls the true "A Taste of Spain ambassadors," and quotes a client who booked on a friend's recommendation.

Booking and Communication

Booking is by form or email rather than an online checkout. To reserve a place on the Ultimate Foodie Tour, the page asks for name, email, chosen dates and number of persons, and says the company will get back "to confirm your booking." Private tours and activities start with the contact form or culinary@atasteofspain.com, and the site invites requests even for trips it does not list, saying "we like to be challenged!" The footer links to an FAQ and Terms & Conditions. The homepage also lists press features and memberships, and links to the company's Tripadvisor page.

What the Site Does Not Settle

The site does not set out a deposit, payment schedule or cancellation rule on the tour pages; those are left to the Terms & Conditions and the booking exchange. The Ultimate Foodie Tour price is land only, so flights and anything outside the itinerary are the traveler's to arrange, and the page does not list what a single traveler pays. The site does not give prices or durations for its cooking classes on its pages that describe the tapas tours, and the multi-day regional tours are listed with lengths but not prices on the homepage. The site does not state how far ahead a private tour must be requested.

A Taste of Spain suits food-focused travelers who want Spain only, planned by a small team of Spanish partners, either as a private trip shaped around their dates or on the one small-group departure. Travelers who want to book instantly online, or who want a single low-cost tapas walk joined with strangers, will find the private, on-request model less suited to them.