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Top 10 wineries near Barcelona to visit in 2019 – Best wine and cava tours

by Mar June 5, 2019
Written by Mar
Wineries near Barcelona feature

Wineries near Barcelona main

This article was first published on August 2, 2016 and  is updated regularly.

Do you want to visit some wineries near Barcelona but don’t know where to start?

Here you will find everything you need, from the list of the most famous and best wineries near Barcelona to tips for organising your visit independently, and suggestions for group and private tours. Because a winery tour is the best day trip from Barcelona.

Why should you read this article?

I have visited all the wineries on this list and I grew up in one myself. My father makes wine (but you can’t visit our winery) and my brother in law works for Torres. I grew up in the wine region next to Barcelona so I breathe and live Catalan wine.

For this article, I planned my trip to the best wineries near Barcelona with the help of my brother in law who studied oenology (wine making).

We did a lot of research between the two of us, he called wineries, I read a lot, with the idea of putting together everything there is to know about the wine country near Barcelona, a region we are both very familiar with, that is, the vineyards of the Penedes and cava region, the closest vineyards to Barcelona.

Having grown up in the region and in a winery myself, I knew a lot of the wine labels and was familiar with all the big names in the wine industry in Catalunya, my father works with all of them too, this is a small world after all.

I used this expertise to pick the oldest, most relevant or representative wineries and cava producers I would recommend friends visiting to include in a few days of wine touring near Barcelona. This list does not include the easiest wineries to visit or the ones that the tour companies take you to, which may be beautiful and great, but are not the most iconic. The wineries on this list are the most established and renowned near Barcelona.

Let’s take a look at the list of the best wineries close to Barcelona that made the cut.

Contents

  • Wine tastings in Barcelona
  • The wine regions and vineyards near Barcelona
  • Albet i Noya: The best winery near Barcelona to understand the origins of organic wines in Spain
    • DIY tour of Caves Albet i Noya
    • Tours which stop at Caves Albet i Noya
  • Torres: One of the most acclaimed wineries in Europe
    • DIY independent visit to Torres Wines
    • Organised tours which include Torres Wines
  • Gramona: Hand crafted Cava winery near Barcelona
  • Agusti Torello Mata: Premium & modern Cava winery near Barcelona  
  • Codorniu: The pioneer Cava winery close to Barcelona
    • DIY independent visit to Codorniu
    • Tours which include Codorniu
  • Freixenet: For the largest Cava producer near Barcelona
    • DIY independent tour of Freixenet
    • Organised tour of Freixenet
  • Cava Llopart: For the vineyards near Barcelona with the best views and longest tradition 
    • DIY independent tour of Llopart
    • Organised tour of Llopart
  • Recaredo: For the pioneer in biodynamic wines in Spain
  • Finca Viladellops: A traditional winery with heritage 
  • Jean Leon: Hollywood fairytale-winery near Barcelona 
    • DIY independent tour of Jean Leon
    • Organised tour of Jean Leon

Wine tastings in Barcelona

A lot of people ask me about wineries in Barcelona.

But technically, there are no wineries IN Barcelona, at least not in the city or the metropolitan area. There are plenty of wineries and vineyards near Barcelona you can visit, some of them as close as just 30min by car or under an hour by train and public transportation, but none in the city.

While this post is about wine tours near Barcelona, if you are interested in wine tastings without booking a winery tour, there are a few tours IN Barcelona with a Sommelier which are also a fantastic way to learn more about Catalan wines. Here are my recommendations for wine tasting tours in Barcelona:

1. Catalan and Spanish wine tasting with a Sommelier: This tour takes place in the center of Barcelona and includes either 3 or 5 wines to taste with tapas and insightful commentary from a sommelier. Book it here.

2. Wine tasting and tapas: If you want to learn about the wine regions of Spain in general, this tour will give you more background on the various appellations and then sample 5 wines with tapas. The tour can also be done privately. Book here

3. Gourmet wine and food tour: Lastly if you want to do some wine tasting but also want to put emphasis on the food, this tour is longer (5h instead of 2h) and includes tapas as well as gourmet dishes and wine and cava tasting. Book here.

And don’t forget to save my articles on Barcelona like this 4 day itinerary to Barcelona, my guide to one day in Barcelona, this travel guide to Sitges near Barcelona or my complete guide to Sagrada Familia. 

The wine regions and vineyards near Barcelona

"Wine regions in Catalunya"

Wine regions in Catalunya

As you can see in the above map of wine appellations in Catalunya the closest wine regions to Barcelona are Alella, Penedes and Cava. Because of the breath and range of wineries, I will focus on the ones in Penedes and Cava, just south of the city.

There are almost 180 cellars and 2,800 wine farmers in the Penedès Appellation. The concentration of wine cellars is incredible, not least because there are both regular cellars as well as cava wineries, but the wine region is small enough that you can drive through all of it in less than an hour.

As soon as you approach the region, you will notice the rolling hills covered in vineyards and other Mediterranean trees like olive groves and cereals. Wine making is in the life of almost everyone living in the Penedès.

Denominació d’Origen Penedès or DO Penedes is the Catalan name given to the appellation (more about what a DO is here). It’s also the region where most of the Cava is produced with 280 cava producers, some of which are also listed as wine producers in the Penedès DO. So by visiting this area you also get the chance to learn more about Cava production end-to-end.

However, since with so many vineyards and wineries near Barcelona, it is difficult to understand who the key players are, what the most scenic or picturesque wineries are and which ones you should put on your bucket list. So let me help you. Along with the combined knowledge and experience of my father (a wine producer himself) and my sister’s husband this article suggests the best vineyards and wineries near Barcelona.

If you are staying in Barcelona, I have written an in depth guide on where to stay in Barcelona including all the districts and best luxury hotels. It’s a great guide for both first timers and frequent travelers, giving quite a bit of inside info on the location. And here is my ultimate travel guide to Barcelona.

Private driver to visit the wineries
While I explored the area independently by renting car and booking each tour, not everyone wants to drive themselves and going wine tasting also means you may not be able to drink much so hiring a private driver to take you to your chosen wineries is the best option. Try this one

Albet i Noya: The best winery near Barcelona to understand the origins of organic wines in Spain

Wineries near Barcelona Albet i Noya

Albet i Noya country house

It is thanks to a Danish wine importer that organic wines arrived in the Penedès wine region and in Spain.

Young Albet i Noya, already a vegetarian in the 70s when the idea had not been heard before in the country, wanted to further his lifestyle philosophy, so he approached the Wine Growers Association with the idea of testing organic wines and volunteered to try it out in his land. He was a visionary, and he succeeded, not only in growing organic wines, but also in convincing others to join him.

Today, 40 years later, around 60% of the Penedès wineries are organic.

You can read my review of the visit to Albet i Noya winery here. The winery offers some of the most interesting and pleasant tours, with some time to enjoy the wines on their garden under the shaded trees.

DIY tour of Caves Albet i Noya

Albet i Noya offer several types of tours.

You can go on a winery tour, join an ebike tour or a full tour with wine pairing lunch. Check all timings and book directly on their website.

Tours of the winery run on Monday to Friday at 10am, 12 noon and 3pm.

E-bike tours are available on Monday to Friday at 9am.

The Wine and food pairing tour is available on Monday to Friday at 10am, 12 noon and 3pm.

Tours which stop at Caves Albet i Noya

Visitign Albet i Noya can also be done on a tour which is convenient if you don’t have a car or want to enjoy the wines. Drinking and driving is not allowed in Spain (obviously!). Here are my suggested options:

1. This wine tour includes Albet i Noya and Pares Balta, another long standing winery in Penedes worth visiting. Book here.

2. If you prefer to take it all in, I highly recommend a walking tour which stops at Albet i Noya and also hikes through a couple of local villages which are very pretty. Views of Montserrat included. Book this tour here.

3. For a complete wine and cava experience that combines Albet i Noya with Llopart, the oldest cava maker (read more further down in this article) and Mas Comtal, another great winery. Book here.

Torres: One of the most acclaimed wineries in Europe

Torres winery

Torres winery – Source: Torres

Torres wines are some of the better known and most widely respected wine brands in the country.

They are also one of the largest producers in Spain, having 1,300 hectares under their ownership, and have been awarded several international accolades from “The world’s most admired wine brand” to a “Lifetime achievement award” for the founder.

Torres has been producing fine wines since the 70s and owns estates in several wine appellations beyond the Penedès including Priorat, Rioja and Rueda in Spain. One cannot visit the Penedès and not stop at Torres. Torres also owns land and wineries outside of Spain, namely Marimar Torres in Chile and California.

The tours of the main Torres winery and estate in the Penedes include a ride on a train through the wine production area with translations in all languages, followed by a wine tasting at the shop. Read more about what to expect on a tour here.

DIY independent visit to Torres Wines

If you have your own car or want to take a driver, tours at the winery directly are available:

– From Monday to Friday at 11am, 1pm and 3:30pm, Saturdays at 11:30am, 1pm and 3.30pm and Sundays and holidays at 11:30am from November to March

– From Monday to Friday at 11am, 1pm and 3.30pm, Saturday at 1pm, Sundays and holidays at 10.30am from April to October.

Buy tickets for the Cheese and wine pairing tour here or tickets for the ham and wine pairing tours here.

Book a private tour of Torres with your own driver and a cellar visit and tasting here.

Organised tours which include Torres Wines

There are 3 tours that I would recommend and which include Torres Wines:

1. Join a Tour of Torres winery + Sitges (my home town and the prettiest coastal village near Barcelona) + Montserrat. This includes famous Montserrat mountain, monastery and church plus lunch by the sea and a visit to the winery so it’s a perfect combo. Book here

2. For those who want to be active, choose a walking tour which starts at Torres winery and heads to Sant Marti Sarroca, the capital of the cava region, through the vineyards. Book here.

3. Go all in (my favorite!) and visit Jean Leon (scroll down to read about it), Torres Wines and one of the two most important cava producers, Codorniu (also more info further down). Book here.

Gramona: Hand crafted Cava winery near Barcelona

Cava Gramona

Cava Gramona

Gramona is one of the smallest and most beautiful cellars in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia, the Cava’s Capital. Organise a visit and they will guide you down several basement floors under the busy streets of the city.

The guide will lead you through the silent underground maze of alleys lined up with Cava bottles resting and waiting to be disgorged for what was one of the most fascinating, genuine and beautiful wine tours I have ever taken, especially because we got to see the manual disgorging of the bottles done live just for us, something which is not done in a lot of cava wineries anymore where everything is mechanised.

Don’t forget to buy a bottle or two to take home for that special celebration (I am still keeping a bottle of Gan Reserva 2005 for the day my partner proposes 😉

Gramona is a small and family-owned cava winery which does not run organised tours but they are happy to welcome you on a private tour, which can be done in English. You can book directly with the winery here.

Getting to Gramona is easy as the main cellar is located in the village of Sant Sadurni d’Anoia which can be reached via Rodalies train from Barcelona. The journey takes 45min and there are four trains every hour.

Agusti Torello Mata: Premium & modern Cava winery near Barcelona  

Winery tour Agusti Torello Mata

Winery tour Agusti Torello Mata

If you consider the long tradition of wine and cava making in Catalunya, Agusti Torello Mata is not one of the oldest wine producers, but his contribution to the industry make him and the brand a relevant one.

Hailing from a tailoring family, he wanted to enter the wine industry from an early age, but without a family tradition, he had to do so in other ways. How? By opening the first ever wine lab in the area in the 70s and then starting the Cava Guild where he is Honorary President.

A visit to Agusti Torello i Mata will most likely give you the chance to meet the man himself, since he likes to wander the shop and cellar on the weekends and say hi to any visitors.

The winery is known for the famous Kripta wine which is shaped like the ancient Roman Amphoras that were used to transport wine to Rome 25 centuries ago and is one of their most awarded Cava wines and one Catalans drink in special occasions.

This small winery near Barcelona does not organise group tours but you can reach out to them directly for a private visit which can be done in English. All the details are available here.

The winery is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 1pm and from 5pm to 7pm and on weekends from 11am to 2pm. They offer three types of tours: a basic Reserva visit, a Gran Reserva visit and a Premium visit ranging in price from 10 euro to 50 euro and all include wine tastings and some small bites that are paired with the wines (rose with raspberry ice cream anyone?).

I recommend the Premium visit where you can sample their top of the range wines.

Codorniu: The pioneer Cava winery close to Barcelona

Caves Codorniu Exterior

Caves Codorniu Exterior. Wikipedia Angela Llop (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The word Cava is undoubtedly associated with Codorniu. They started Cava production in 1872 and have built a family empire ever since making it the oldest family business in Spain until 2018 when the business was sold to the Carlyle Group after years of internal family disagreements.

When you visit this winery near Barcelona, you not only get to learn about cava making and Modernism architecture, but also get a peek into the 30km (you heard that right) of underground tunnels built on the side of the hill, below the winery to store the bottles. You explore those on a small train, very cool. Read my review of Cava Cordiniu.

The cellar and visitor center are located inside a very famous building which is a good enough reason to visit. The building was designed by Gaudi contemporary Puig i Cadafalc and is a great representation of Modernism. Codorniu also produces wine under the Raimat brand and owns several other estates.

DIY independent visit to Codorniu

Winery Tours of Codorniu run at 10am on Thursday (except public holidays) in English and on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays in Spanish.

You can get there by Rodalies train from Barcelona to Sant Sadurní d’Anoia station and then take a taxi from the train station. The journey takes 45min and there are 4 trains every hour.

Book here

Tours which include Codorniu

Despite being one of the most important (and oldest) cava producers in the world, there are not a lot of organised tour options to visit Codorniu, and that is a shame because the winery visit and the architecture are stunning.

There is a tour that combines Codorniu and Montserrat in one day and which will allow you visit the winery.

Book it here.

Freixenet: For the largest Cava producer near Barcelona

The largest Cava producer and the brand name most commonly found outside of Spain is Freixenet. Selling over 100 million bottles a year, Freixenet have expanded into several other wine appellations and geographies after purchasing many other brands.

Freixenet started exporting wines to the US in the 1930s and its international profile has only but expanded since then. Today, they export to over 100 countries and produce wine in 16 different wine regions from California to Argentina to Australia.

Christmas in Spain does not start until the Freixenet Christmas ad has aired. It’s the most anticipated advert in the country year after year and usually features celebrities. The ad is the company’s way of sharing their best wishes for the holiday season. It is therefore akin to switching the Christmas tree lights on.

DIY independent tour of Freixenet

Freixenet offers tours of the winery with a cava at the end.

Tours run Monday to Sunday and public holidays, at 12 noon in Spanish and 11.30pm in English.

Freixenet is one of the easiest wineries near Barcelona to get to because it is accessible by Rodalies train from Barcelona to Sant Sadurní d’Anoia station and then a short walk. The train takes 45min and there are 4 trains every hour.

Book your tickets here

Organised tour of Freixenet

There are a few options to visit Freixenet on a guided tour and these are the ones I would recommend.

1. Go on a private tour of Freixenet which also includes a visit to La Fassina, an interactive center in Sant Sadurni d’Anoia where the history of cava is explained. Book here.

2. Make it a wine day and visit 3 wineries near Barcelona, Jean Leon, Torres and Freixenet to have a bit of wine and a bit of cava while exploring three of the most legendary Spanish wineries  Book here.

Cava Llopart: For the vineyards near Barcelona with the best views and longest tradition 

Cava Llopart Montserrat views

Cava Llopart Montserrat views

After Codorniu decided to make sparkling wine following the Methode Champenois, local winemakers followed. One of them was Cava Llopart, selling their first bottle in 1887 and are still using the same label today.

Their Gran Reserva Tour is a great 360 degree visit of the vineyards, the cellar and the tasting room. Situated up in the Subirats hills, the views are a lovely way to kick off the day. It’s also easy to reach by car, like most other wineries near Barcelona.

DIY independent tour of Llopart

You can book your Cava Llopart tour directly with the winery here.

Cava Llopart opens Monday to Friday from 9am to 2pm and from 3pm to 7pm and on weekends and public holidays from 10am to 2pm. Tours are offered in English.

There is no direct public transportation to the winery which is up on a hill so the best way to get there is by train from Barcelona to Sant Sadurni d’Anoia and then taking a taxi from the train station to the winery.

Organised tour of Llopart

Because it is hard to get to Llopart independently, here are two tours I would recommend:

1. Half day tour of Llopart only, exacly the one I did, with winery tour, wine tasting and brunch with cold cuts, cheeses and bread with tomato and with transport from Barcelona. Book it here

2. For a complete wine and cava experience that combines organic winery Albet i Noya with Llopart and Mas Comtal, another great winery. Book here.

Recaredo: For the pioneer in biodynamic wines in Spain

Recaredo

Recaredo – Credit: Recaredo website

Although this family business started making Cava in 1924, they are best known for being the first certified biodynamic winery (2006) in the Cava and Penedès wine appellations. The brand’s name is the first name of the owner’s grandfather, who started the business in the 1920s.

Of all the wineries near Barcelona, Recaredo has the most outstanding profile in the biodynamic world. Recaredo does not offer organised tours but is open to private visits and tours booked directly via their contact form.

Finca Viladellops: A traditional winery with heritage 

Viladellop

Viladellops – Credit: Finca Viladellops website

This relatively new winery has a history dating back to 1877. Although they stopped producing wines, closing their cellar in 1980, they re-opened in 1999.

What makes this winery interesting is the location in the tiny 18-country house village of Viladellops. The town was founded in the 10th century when the Spanish conquered the castle of Olèrdola from the Moors and the area was repopulated. The castle’s tower is intact so you can visit it after seeing the winery. You can also visit the Chapel the Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem built at the same time as the castle.

Caves Viladellops does not offer organised group tours but you can book a visit directly with them here. There are three different types of tours which run daily at 11am and include a visit plus tasting. If you have a large group, they can also organise a lunch in the winery.

Jean Leon: Hollywood fairytale-winery near Barcelona 

Jean Leon Chardonnay

Jean Leon Chardonnay. Flickr dpotera (CC BY 2.0)

Jean Leon was born in the north of Spain as Ceferino Carrion. He wanted to be an actor, so he left Spain at the early age of 19 as a stowaway in a ship to New York. He eventually arrived in Hollywood, where he first worked as a waiter at Frank Sinatra’s restaurant La Villa. After working his way up, he opened the well known Beverly Hills restaurant La Scala with James Dean.

But he eventually returned back to Spain and used his English-acquired name to open a winery in 1963 which has become synonymous with premium wines. He is also credited with bringing some of the French grape varieties to Spain.

Jean Leon is part of the Torres Group that acquired the winery in 1994, but is managed as an independent company and brand.

DIY independent tour of Jean Leon

Jean Leon offers lots of tours and guided visits from simple tastings of 3 wines to a full Catalan brunch and Premium tastings. You can book the tastings here.

If you want to further your wine knowledge, there are also min-courses in wine making, wine tasting and aroma classes, wine blending lessons, walking/ebike/scooter tours of the vineyards, and cheese and ham pairings. There are also dramatized tours where an actor will tell you Jean Leon’s Hollywood dreams. More information here.

Alternatively, for something more elaborate, try their gastronomic experiences which are a step beyond the rustic tastings and tapas and offer something a bit more innovative.You will also find paella workshops. See all the options here.

Organised tour of Jean Leon

Tours of Jean Leon alone are rare and I did not find any.

However, there is a great tour that includes a visit to Jean Leon, Torres Wines and one of the two most important cava producers, Codorniu, which makes for a great wine day out of Barcelona.

Book here.

Tip: the best way to explore the wine regions near Barcelona is by car. So check out these tips for renting a car in Spain to help you plan.

Add this to your #wineoftheworld Pinterest board

Top Ten Wineries to Visit Near Barcelona Spain

If you’d like to read more about Spain, check these posts…

  • 7 Quintessentially Spanish habits and customs that you need to know
  • Top 10 wineries near Barcelona to visit in 2019 – Best wine and cava tours
  • Albet i Noya – the pioneer in organic winemaking in Spain
  • Things to do in Sitges, where to eat and best beaches
  • Review of Lasarte, Barcelona’s first 3 Michelin star restaurant
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I've been on luxury trains in South Africa, from Joburg to Cape Town on the Rovos Rail.
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I've been on two luxury trains in India, The Golden Chariot through Karnataka and the Maharajas Express across Rajasthan.
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I took the Trans-Mongolian Express on the same train that's on the photo. We traveled for 14 days from Moscow to UlaanBaatar in Mongolia where we attended the Nadaam Festival.
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This time, I took the train from Almaty in Kazakhstan to Ashgabat in Turkenistan, visiting the main Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan.
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Have you ever been on a luxury train?
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#Luxurytrain #Luxurytravel #silkroad #uzbekistan #kazakhstan #turkmenistan #ladyinred #GoldenEagleLuxuryTrain #ViatgersDC #catalanspelmon
Instagram post 2190088942622231722_945610586 SILK ROAD - How many is too many Mars? ;) .
Having some fun with Photoshop and the Presidential suite at the Golden Eagle luxury train while on our way to Turkmenistan.
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#LuxuryTrain #SilkRoad #Ladyinred #catalanspelmon #ViathersDC #luxurytravel #Turkmenistan #Uzbekistan #SheIsNotLost
Instagram post 2187190630332045385_945610586 TASHKENT - Can you guess who that is and where I'm.standing?
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This is Cosmonauts metro station in the capital of Uzbekistan. The oldest surviving metro system in central asia.
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Since 2018 you are allowed to photograph the many ornate and themed stations and platforms in the metro including this one devoted to Soviet astronauts like Yuri Gagarin the first person to travel to space. .
Tue colours of the tiles change from blue to black and white like the Earth's atmosphere.
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The metro could not be photographed until 2018 because it was set aside as an air shelter in case of nuclear attacks this being a sensitive military target heavily guarded.
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#Tashkent #Metro #Uzbekistan #SilkRoad #ViatgersDC #catalanspelmon #yurigagarin #astronaut #travel
Instagram post 2185741690449525730_945610586 JODHPUR - Scroll all the way to see a panoramic view.
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The Blue City of Jodhpur in Rajasthan has a city core with most houses painted in blue, inside and out. This has given the city its nickname .
The colour is associated with the Brahmin, an Indian caste of teachers and priests that follow Shiva and like to paint their houses blue, the colour of this Hindu God.
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The colour is also believed to keep mosquitoes away and, let's admit it, makes for amazing photography.
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#Hosted by @indiasomeday #Jodhpur #Rajasthan #IncredibleIndia #IndiaSomeday #MyNextVacay #SheIsNotLost #TLPicks #girlpowertravel #travelingwomen_ #Ladyinred #ViatgersDC #catalanspelmon
Instagram post 2183117215862352122_945610586 SINGAPORE - I love Singapore's colonial shop house architecture but did you know there are 4 marked style periods?
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The most typical and recognisable style is this one, with the ornate facade and the top windows that were typical of the 2nd half of the 19th century, but there are 3 other from later periods the last one of which evolved into Art Deco architecture (with the square facades straight lines and high spyres).
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These houses on the picture are in Emerald Hill, a very high end area off Orchard Road that is quiet and lined with very expensive and pretty homes.
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Shophouse architecture can also be found in Malacca and Penang, in Malaysia.
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#YourSingapore #Singapore #SGIG #singapore_insta #SingaporeArchitecture #singaporeinsiders #EmeraldHill #Shophouse #singaporeig #VisitSingapore #ViatgersDC #catalanspelmon
Instagram post 2180684707539431680_945610586 MERV, TURKMENISTAN - a UNESCO site in the middle of the desert that was inhabited by several civilisations from the Bronze Age till the Middle Ages.
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Although not much of Merv has been preserved and a lot still needs to be excavated, this Mausoleum to Sultan Ahmed Sanjar is the only full structure standing. .
It is said that when the Moguls ransacked the area they spared ig for fear. .
The mausoleum dates to the 12th century and it had a dome decorated with  lie glazed tiles as was typical in the area.
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The mausoleum does not hold his tomb because they were worried about tomb robbers so it ended in another unknown location. .
This structure and Sultan Sanjat are found on Turkmenistan notes.
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#Turkmenistan #BBCTravel #NatGeoTravel #TLPicks #centralAsia #desert #UNESCO #Merv #AncientArchitecture #SilkRoad
Instagram post 2179257215733694078_945610586 BUKHARA - I have never been so happy to wake up at 5am than to explore the empty streets of Bukhara as the sun was rising.
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This ancient city along the Silk Road still has many well preserved mosques, markets, caravanserai and madrasas most of which have these truly stunning domed gates. I could stare at them for hours, each unique, each the result of so much intricate work.
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Alone with just our cameras, tripod and a thick sweater (it was really cold!) @edwin.grummitt and I wandered the streets waiting for the sunlight to hit the blue tiles, it was magical. I have him to thank for this great shot.
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#Bukhara #Uzbekistan #madrasa #IslamicArchitecture #ladyinred #catalanspelmon #silkroad #silkroute #travelphotography #sheisnitlost #girlswhotravel #dametraveler
Instagram post 2177808460953986184_945610586 SAMARKAND - The completely breathtaking Registan Square with it's three madrasas and many mosques is one of the most impressive sights I have ever seen.
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Samarkand was one of the most famous stops along the Silk Road and it's filled with incredible sights.
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I have to say I could have spent a whole day just in this square looking at the details of all the buildings. .
Photo by my best friend and favourite travel partner @edwin.grummitt
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#SilkRoad #Samarkand #Uzbekistan #RegistanSquare #SilkRoute #BlueTiles #GoldenEagleLuxuryTrains #Registan #Ladyinred #catalanspelmon
Instagram post 2176401653081626703_945610586 KHIVA - Khiva used to be a major stop along the Silk Road and is famous for this large blue minaret that you see in the background and which is in fact unfinished.
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As a stop in the Silk Road, it gathered importance centuries ago, but for sobering and dark reasons as it was home to one of the most important slave markets in the region and to a large prison.
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Today, Khiva receives some tourism although it is less famous than Samarkand or Bukhara. It is often referred to as a living museum because most of the old buildings are now used for tourism infrastructure and shops but are not inhabited.
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I'm standing atop the former wall of the citadel some parts of which have been preserved.
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#SilkRoad #Khiva #Uzbekistan #Citadel #catalanspelmon #girlswhotravel #TLPicks #NatGeoTravel
Instagram post 2173462647486320005_945610586 STEPPE - I love train travel, I always have, and if its onboard a luxury train even better. Fine China, silverware, crystal glasses and a cooked to order breakfast the train makes its way across the Uzbek steppe. .
I never knew how much of central asia is vast emptiness, pure dusty desert with little life, kilometer upon kilometer of nothingness to the naked eye. But there is life, just hidden and adapted to the extreme heat and cold, to the lack of water.
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This is why the cities along the Silk Route were so important to traders and caravans, among so much hardship, they were real oasis.
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I couldn't peel myself away from the window trying to imagine what it must have been like. .
#Uzbekistan #SilkRoute #Eggbenedict #GoldenEagleLuxuryTrains #LuxuryTrain #CentralAsia #Viewfromthewindow #girlswhotravel #Breakfast #RiseandShine #LuxuryTravel #NotSponsored #Steppe

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