Barcelona: Sailing and Alella Winery Tour with Wine Tasting

Barcelona’s coast and Alella’s vineyards make an unexpectedly good pair. This four-hour outing trades city streets for a sail to El Masnou, followed by a family winery visit in one of Catalonia’s oldest wine areas. You get sea views, a vineyard walk, three wines, and a private van back to Barcelona.

I like the mix of sailing and local wine, since neither part has to carry the whole day. I also like the small group limit of 11, plus the generous onboard snack service. The main consideration is time: the winery visit lasts about 1.5 hours, and one recent booking wished it had been longer.

Key points at a glance

• Sail from Moll de Mestral: The trip begins inside Port Olímpic and takes you along the Barcelona coast toward El Masnou.
• Visit a 14th-century farmhouse winery: The family-run property is surrounded by vineyards and the Mediterranean Sea.
• Taste three Alella wines: The tasting comes with cheese, sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit.
• Learn about organic vineyard work: The vines have been cultivated for more than 25 years using organic and modern methods.
• Return by private minivan: After the winery, you ride back to Barcelona rather than retracing the sea route.
• Small-group format: The maximum group size is 11, with English- and Spanish-speaking guides.

Why the sea-to-wine combination works

Many Barcelona excursions keep you in the city or send you inland by bus. This one gives you two distinctly Catalan settings in a short block of time: the Mediterranean coast and the Alella wine country just outside the city.

The sailing leg is not simply transportation. It gives you a different view of Barcelona and the shoreline, with about 1.5 hours on the water. The tour includes water, soft drinks, beer, wine, or cava, along with a snack of cheese, sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit. That makes the boat ride feel like part of the outing rather than a transfer you have to endure.

The route begins at Moll de Mestral, inside Port Olímpic. You meet at the sales tent for BDA Sailing Experience, at mooring 1547. Give yourself enough time to find the correct section of the port, since Port Olímpic has several piers and walking around with bags or beach gear is not ideal.

The boat then heads to El Masnou, a coastal town northeast of Barcelona. From there, a private transfer takes about 15 minutes to reach the winery in Alella. The return journey takes about 25 minutes by private van.

Sailing from Port Olímpic to El Masnou

The sailing portion lasts about 1.5 hours, which is long enough to enjoy the coast without turning the outing into a full day at sea. You can sit back, take photographs, and have a drink from the courtesy service. The boat offers a more open and relaxed start than a standard coach departure.

You should bring sunscreen, water, and comfortable clothing. The supplied information does not mention towels, so do not count on having one available. You also need to take seasickness seriously. The tour is not recommended for people prone to motion sickness or people with back problems.

The boat is covered by port services, surveillance, mooring, insurance, fuel, and final cleaning. Those details are easy to ignore when comparing tours, but they help explain what the price includes. You are not paying just for a short cruise. The sailing operation, onboard service, transfers, guide, winery visit, and tasting are bundled together.

The group size is limited to 11 people. That does not guarantee a completely private boat, but the format is small enough to feel more personal than a large sightseeing cruise. For one group of nine, the boat was arranged privately for the group, which suggests that larger bookings may sometimes receive a more private setup. You should confirm that point before booking if a private boat is essential.

El Masnou and the short ride to Alella

El Masnou marks the change from sea to countryside. You leave the boat and transfer to a private van for the short ride inland. The transfer is only about 15 minutes, so you do not lose much of your half-day to transport.

The tour offers two possible orders. On one schedule, you sail first, transfer to the winery, and return to Barcelona by van. On the other, you visit the winery first and return to the city by sailboat. The order matters if you care strongly about having the boat at the beginning or end of the experience.

Check the exact schedule when you book. The supplied timing lists the sailing first, followed by the winery, but the operator may run the route in reverse. Either way, you receive both main parts of the experience.

Alella’s old wine tradition

Alella is one of Spain’s oldest wine areas. Its wines were known in Roman times as Laietan wines, and the Roman writers Pliny and Martial referred to them. In the Middle Ages, Alella wine was favored at the Seu de Barcelona, the city’s cathedral, and later it became one of Catalonia’s notable export wines.

That background gives the tasting more meaning. You are not simply sampling three bottles chosen for a generic wine excursion. You are learning about a small Catalan wine region whose products have been tied to Barcelona and the wider Mediterranean for centuries.

The winery is a family property housed in a beautiful 14th-century farmhouse. It is surrounded by vineyards and sits near the Mediterranean, giving the visit a clear sense of place. The setting is a major part of the appeal. You are seeing where the wine is made rather than tasting it in a city shop or hotel room.

Walking through the vineyards

The guided vineyard walk lasts within the 1.5-hour winery portion. You learn how the vines are cultivated and how the winery uses organic and modern techniques. The vines have been grown for more than 25 years, so the visit connects current farming methods with an established family operation.

This is a useful stop for anyone who wants more than a quick tasting. The vineyard walk helps explain how local conditions and farming choices affect the wine in your glass. You also get a chance to walk outdoors before sitting down for the winery visit and tasting.

The limitation is the clock. The winery segment includes the vineyard tour, winery tour, explanation of Alella’s wine history, and three-wine tasting. That is a lot to fit into 1.5 hours. If you enjoy wine education or prefer slow tastings, you may wish the schedule allowed more time. One recent participant specifically wanted a longer stay at the winery.

You should also remember that this is a compact introduction, not a full-day vineyard program. You are getting a well-rounded look at the area, but not a long lunch, several winery stops, or a leisurely afternoon among the vines.

The three-wine tasting and snack service

The tasting includes three wines produced by the winery. The experience also includes cheese and fruit at the winery, while the onboard snack service adds sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit. Drinks on the boat include water, soft drinks, beer, wine, or cava.

The food matters because the tour covers a four-hour stretch that crosses a normal meal period for some schedules. You will have something to eat, but the information does not promise a full meal or extra food beyond the stated snack service. If you need a substantial lunch, plan accordingly.

The tasting is well suited to people who want a gentle introduction to Catalan wine. You can ask questions about the production process and the region while trying three examples. The bilingual guide speaks English and Spanish, which makes the tour practical for international visitors and Spanish-speaking groups.

No guide names are provided, so you should not book this expecting a particular host. The important point is the live bilingual guiding, which covers the coast, vineyard, winery, and local wine story in one outing.

How the transport affects the experience

The transport plan is one of the tour’s strongest practical features. You sail in one direction and use a private van for the other, so you do not repeat the same route. After the boat reaches El Masnou, the van takes you to Alella. Following the winery, the van returns you to Barcelona if the sailing comes first.

The standard return point is Moll de Mestral, the same port area where you begin. This keeps the outing self-contained, but it does mean you need to make your own way from Port Olímpic to your next Barcelona stop.

The total listed duration is four hours. The stated activities add up to about 1.5 hours of sailing, 15 minutes of transfer, 1.5 hours at the winery, and 25 minutes back to Barcelona. Since tour schedules include boarding, disembarking, and changes between transport, allow the full four hours rather than planning something immediately afterward.

Is $152 a fair price?

At $152 per person, this is not the cheapest way to taste Catalan wine. You are paying for a premium small-group format, a sailing excursion, onboard drinks and snacks, two private transfers, a guide, port services, insurance, fuel, and a three-wine winery visit.

The price makes more sense if you value convenience and variety. Booking a separate sailing trip, arranging transport to Alella, and finding a winery visit would take more planning and might cost as much once transfers and food are added. Here, the operator links the pieces into one half-day outing.

The value is weaker if you mainly want a long winery visit. You receive only about 1.5 hours at the property, and the tour does not include a full meal or a second winery. Wine enthusiasts who prefer slow tastings may find the schedule too tight.

For couples and small groups who want an easy change of pace from Barcelona, the price is reasonable. The package also works well for a group of friends. A group of nine was accommodated with a private boat, though you should confirm private arrangements before relying on that possibility.

Who should book this outing?

I would choose this tour if you want to combine several easy pleasures without spending a full day away from Barcelona. It suits people who enjoy coastal views, light sailing, local history, and wine but do not want to organize several separate bookings.

It is also a good choice if you have already seen Barcelona’s main sights and want a regional experience. Alella is close enough to reach without a major journey, yet the farmhouse, vineyards, and wine traditions give you a clear sense of Catalonia beyond the city center.

This is less suitable for anyone with serious back problems or a strong tendency toward seasickness. You should also reconsider it if you need a full lunch, dislike organized schedules, or want several hours at a winery.

Bring a camera, sunscreen, water, and comfortable clothes. Pets and bikes are not allowed, and alcohol or drugs beyond the provided drinks are prohibited.

Booking and cancellation details

You can cancel up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option lets you hold a place without paying immediately, which is useful if your Barcelona plans are still shifting.

The tour runs in English and Spanish. Since availability and departure times can vary, check the start time and whether the boat or winery comes first before you finalize your plans.

Should you book the Barcelona sailing and Alella winery tour?

Book it if you want a polished half-day that mixes Mediterranean sailing with a genuine family winery visit. The farmhouse setting, Alella’s long wine tradition, three local wines, and private return van give the outing more substance than a standard city cruise.

Skip it if the winery is your main priority and you want a long, unhurried tasting. The strongest reason to choose this experience is the combination: you get the coast, the countryside, the wine, and the transport in one four-hour plan. That balance, plus the small group and included snacks, makes it a sensible splurge for a Barcelona stay.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

You meet inside Port Olímpic at Moll de Mestral, at the BDA Sailing Experience sales tent near mooring 1547.

How long does the experience last?

The listed duration is four hours. The schedule includes about 1.5 hours of sailing, a 15-minute transfer to the winery, about 1.5 hours at the winery, and a 25-minute return transfer.

Does the tour always sail before visiting the winery?

No. The operator offers two possible orders. You may sail to El Masnou first and then visit the winery, or go to the winery by van first and return to Barcelona by sailboat.

How many wines are included?

You taste three wines produced by the winery.

Is food included?

Yes. The boat provides cheese, sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit, along with water, soft drinks, beer, wine, or cava. Cheese and fruit are also included with the winery tasting. Extra food is not specified.

What languages are available?

The live guide provides the tour in English and Spanish.

Is the tour suitable for people with seasickness or back problems?

The experience is not recommended for people prone to seasickness or people with back problems. It is also not suitable for pets or bikes.