Girona Food & Market Guided Tour

Marc was interesting and spoke many languages. His enthusiasm for history and food was clear to see. The walk was very informative and the variety of food was excellent. Really helped us to experience Catalonia. We had a fabulous day out, thank you, Marc!

We booked a private food and market tour for the four of us with Marc and, having now experienced it, felt it represented excellent value for money. There are obviously cheaper – and even nominally “free” – ways of being shown around Girona, but I don't think that is really comparing like with like. This was almost five hours spent with an extremely knowledgeable local guide, substantial amounts of excellent food and drink along the way, and an experience that felt genuinely personal rather than like following a rehearsed tourist route. After a brief introduction to Girona and Catalonia, we started with morning coffee and xuixos, Girona's wonderful local custard-filled pastries, together with the story behind them. From there Marc gradually led us through the city, stopping for superb mature local hams, cheese and Cava, nougat and artisan chocolates, before taking us through the indoor market and eventually to Sol Gastrobar for an excellent and very substantial tapas lunch. Croquettes, calamari, patatas bravas and local beef were accompanied by a drink of our choice, before we continued on to finish with a rather spectacular gelato. The food was excellent, but what really made the tour was everything that happened between the stops. As we walked, Marc brought Girona to life – its bridges and buildings, Sant Feliu, the old fortifications, the narrow lanes of the Jewish Quarter, the market and, above all, the history, culture and very strong Catalan identity that have shaped the city. He was equally interested in hearing about what we had already experienced in Girona and relating that to what he was showing us. Marc was joined by Femke, a new member of his team from the Netherlands who was learning more about the tours, and she was delightful company too. Perhaps the best compliment I can give Marc is that it never really felt like being taken around by a tour guide. It felt much more like spending an afternoon walking through Girona with an extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic friend who happened to know the history of his city, where to find some excellent food and, most importantly, how to communicate his enthusiasm for both. Our advertised four-hour tour eventually lasted around four hours and forty-five minutes, simply because Marc was so generous with his time and so willing to stop, talk and answer questions. At no point did we feel that he was watching the clock or trying to move us on. If your sole criterion is finding the cheapest way of seeing Girona, there are obviously other options. If, however, you value an experienced guide, a genuinely personal experience, excellent local food and drink, and the opportunity to understand something about the city and its people rather than simply seeing the sights, this is worth paying for. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for. We certainly felt that we did. Highly recommended.

Great experience! Marc is interesting and knowledgeable and warm. We tasted a variety of traditional foods and explored the history of Girona, and spoke to a number of locals about their food traditions too. As he got to know us, Marc refined the tour around our preferences and even stayed a little long so he could show us how to get to the city walls. Would definitely recommend.