A former convent and theatre, the Liceu hasn't always resembled the opera house we see today. Its history is full of ups and downs and mysteries that make this cultural icon a key venue which we invite you to discover on a guided tour of the building.
You'll walk through its most representative areas, starting with the historic lobby, in the eclectic Catalan Renaixement style. From there, you'll continue to the auditorium, an exact replica of the impressive horseshoe-shaped hall designed by the architect Miquel Garriga i Roca in 1847. You'll go up to the Hall of Mirrors, an imposing room with a ceiling decorated with allegorical paintings and texts referring to art and music. You'll discover the new foyer, the area where people used to relax during the interval and currently a multi-purpose room which hosts small-scale performances.
You can also visit the Cercle del Liceu, a private club and one of the most important examples of Catalan and Spanish art nouveau.
At Bodegas Jean Leon you'll take a guided tour and taste some of their wines. Depending on the season, you can also taste the barrel-aged grape must and even the grapes straight from the vine. At the winery they will also tell you some interesting anecdotes about its founder, Jean Leon, who was a friend and confidant of many Hollywood stars, as well as a pioneer in planting varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chardonnay.
At Bodegas Torres, you'll go on a guided tour and be invited to pair three wines with three typical Catalan cheeses. You'll have the opportunity to find out about and sample the products from a winery that has been based in the Penedès for three centuries. Since then, the surname Torres has been inextricably linked to wine. Today, the company has more than 1,300 hectares of vines and its wines are sold in more than 140 countries around the world.
At Cavas Freixenet you'll enjoy a guided tour of the winery and be able to sample their cava with typical products from the Penedès, the country's wine-growing region par excellence. You'll discover, first hand, the history of this family business which began producing cava in the early 20th century and now has more than 18 wineries in seven countries on three continents.
Are you ready to discover and savour the Penedès?