The village trip

We meet, as usual, just before 6.00am at the crossroads and the coach sets off towards Barcelona, stopping for our breakfast of a bocadillo, (made at home the night before), and coffee, at a motorway service station, finally reaching our first destination at around 9.30am.

Click left on any picture to see it full size.

And here we are at the centre of the Codorníu bodegas. Click HERE to go tho their website. Cava was born here in 1872. Note the "Gaudi" touches to the reception centre above, although buildings here were designed by the Art-Nouveau architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch.

The vineyards have been going since 1551, through 17 generations so far.

We were taken down to the bodegas...

...where there is room for 100 million bottles of cava. The wine undergoes a second fermentation which involves a long ageing process which ends with the "dégorgement" to remove the sediment.


In the UK we drink sparkling wine as an aperitif. In Spain it is usual to drink it after the main course with the desert. According to Codorníu literature, there is a Cava to drink at every stage of the meal. Margaret drinks it at any time!


We then passed this distinctive range of mountains known as Montserrat, on our way to...


...a paper mill. The Museu Molí Paperer de Capellades. Click on the name to see it's interesting web site. Not paper in it's original sense but paper which has been recycled from cloth!


Inside, all the machinery still works from the water wheel, (for demonstration pursposes only).


After, we had a great meal at the restaurant over the road.


Then in the afternoon, the 3rd and final visit which was to the Reial Monestir de Santa Maria de Poblet. Click on the name to go to the web site.


This is a real working monastery with actual monks although there is quite a lot of emphasis placed on their wine produce! Then just after 6 o'clock it was onto the coach and back to our own village after a thoroughly good day out.