Enjoying a sightseeing tour, a nature walk and a wine tasting with a group of Internations

It was a great idea to combine a sightseeing tour, with a nature walk and a...wine tasting (!!!) all around Arenys de Mar, a fishermen village close to Barcelona (40 km away), that lies between the Mediterranean Sea and Corredor Montnegre NP (a very hilly Park!).

I met the Internations group at Arenys de Mar's -my beloved hometown!- train station. From there we started walking and strolling around Arenys de Mar and a handful of its highlights (Riera, Salvador Espriu's house, locks with Habsburg and Borbons symbols, the myriad of old streets from XVI-XVIII centuries...).

After the fast visit to Arenys de Mar we headed to the coastline and we walked all along the coast while visiting and enjoying the harbour (Port d'Arenys de Mar), the huge "Edifici Calvari" -that does not only host a good restaurant but the largest colony of housemartins of this town: 120 nests!- and, finally, the vast and pretty wild beach named Platja del Cavaió.

It is in this beach that the Mediterranean stream named "Rial de la Serp" has its mouth. We followed this "Rial" (Mediterranean dry stream) upstream to get our vineyard, managed by a group of -my- friends. Rigth there, Nani (http://www.tastandcasa.cat/) was waiting for all of us. Let me stress that forms part of this cooperative of friends ("Cooperativa del Rial de la Serp") and apart from being a close friend he is an outstanding wine expert. Nani showed the group our wine-cellar and tiny vineyards and, obviously, he warmly answered all questions about wine culture and our wine.

Once we learnt "everything" about the culture of wine -where we belong to!- he conducted an unforgettable wine tasting, besides the farmer's cottage, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Our white wine named "Aloc", a "Pansa Blanca" from Maresme -our "comarca" or county- and red wine - Edetaria, from Terra Alta- were the stars of the tasting!

After some wine glasses and "fuet" -catalan dry sausage-, chips and olives we walked back to the harbour. A nice paella was waiting for us at Restaurant Mont Calvari and we enjoyed it under the empty nests of housemartins -that will arrive in 6-8 weeks-. We talked for nearly 3 hours and...we said good-bye one to another and...till next time! Welcome anytime! Benvinguts a Arenys de Mar!