Free walking tours in Sant Sadurní d'Anoia and what to see

Must-sees

Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, in the Alt Penedès about forty-five kilometres from Barcelona, is the capital of cava. Beneath its streets and among the surrounding vineyards are many of the country's best-known wineries. The most iconic is Codorníu, whose Modernista complex was designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch in the early 20th century and is protected as a Cultural Asset of National Interest. Freixenet, next to the station, is the town's other big house, and around them are dozens of family wineries.

To understand cava before heading down into the cellars, start at the Cava Interpretation Centre, in the old Fassina de Can Guineu distillery, right in the centre. In the town, the Gothic bell tower of the parish church and several late 19th and early 20th-century Modernista houses stand out. Among the vines on the outskirts is the hermitage of Sant Benet d'Espiells, of very old origin, reached by one of the waymarked paths leaving the town.

Free tours and guided visits

There are no regular free walking tours in Sant Sadurní: what you do here is guided winery visits, which tour the underground cellars and end with a tasting. The big houses, such as Codorníu and Freixenet, have regular visits, and many family wineries show their facilities by booking. The Cava Interpretation Centre offers a visit with audiovisuals and a tasting, and day trips to the Penedès including the town's wineries leave from Barcelona.

How long to spend

In a full day you can do two winery visits, stop at the interpretation centre and take a look at the Modernista houses. For a more relaxed pace, spend two days and add one of the vineyard paths or a trip to Vilafranca del Penedès. From Barcelona you can arrive by commuter train, so it also works as a day trip without a car.

Where to stay

Accommodation in the town itself is limited, with a place or two near the centre and the station, convenient if you travel by train and walk between wineries. To sleep surrounded by vines, the farmhouses and rural houses around the rest of the Alt Penedès are a good option. Vilafranca del Penedès, a few minutes away, has more choice, and you can also make the visit from Barcelona.