Barcelona: Sailing and Alella Winery Tour with Wine Tasting

A sailboat ride along the Catalan coast followed by a tasting at a family winery makes a fine change of pace from Barcelona’s busy streets. I like the contrast between seeing the city from the water and walking vineyards above the coast, and I like that the visit includes three Alella wines rather than just a quick glass at the end of a drive.

The main trade-off is time. The winery visit and tasting take about an hour and a half, and one person wished for longer there. You’ll also want to consider the sea: this tour is not suitable for people prone to seasickness or those with back problems.

Key points to know before you go

• A coastal sail links the two parts of the day: The boat ride to or from Port of Masnou takes about 1.5 hours.
• Alella is a wine region with a long past: The visit covers local wine history as well as how the winery makes its wines.
• The winery is a family operation in a 14th-century farmhouse: You’ll tour the building and walk vineyards cultivated for more than 25 years.
• Three wines are included: The tasting is paired with a snack; the boat also has cheese, sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit.
• The group is capped at 11: A bilingual English- and Spanish-speaking guide accompanies the small-group outing.
• The route can run in either direction: You may sail to Masnou and transfer to the winery, or start by van and return to Barcelona by sailboat.

From Barcelona’s marina to the Catalan coast

The tour begins at Moll de Mestral, inside Port Olímpic. Look for the BDA Sailing Experience sales tent at mooring 1547. From there, you board a sailboat for the coastal leg to Port of Masnou, or, depending on the day’s route, you may head to the winery first and take the boat on the return.

That flexibility matters because the outing is not simply a boat trip with a winery tacked on. The sailing is one of its two main experiences, and the order can change. Confirm which direction is planned when you book so you know whether your boat ride comes at the start or end of the day.

The sail takes about 1.5 hours. It offers a different view of Barcelona and the coastline, with time to sit back and watch the city recede. The boat has a courtesy drinks service, including water, soft drinks, beer, wine, or cava, and a snack spread of cheese, sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit. This is useful, but it is not a substitute for a full meal. Extra food is not included, so eat beforehand if you need more than a light snack.

The experience is described as luxury sailing, but no particular boat model or onboard amenities are specified. I’d think of the value as the combination of a sailboat, a small group, and the route along the coast, not as a promise of a particular level of cabin comfort. Towels are not provided, and sunscreen, water, a camera, and comfortable clothes are sensible things to bring.

A short transfer into Alella wine country

At Port of Masnou, a private transfer takes you to the winery in Alella. The ride is listed as about 15 minutes on the way from the port to the winery. After the winery visit, a private van returns the group to Barcelona, a journey listed at about 25 minutes.

Alella is one of Spain’s oldest wine regions, and the tour gives you context for why this small coastal area has mattered for so long. The wines were known in Roman times, when writers Pliny and Martial referred to wines from Laietania. In the Middle Ages, Alella wine was favored at Barcelona’s cathedral, and later it became one of Catalonia’s wines exported overseas, including to places with large Catalan communities.

That background helps turn the tasting into more than a pleasant stop for a drink. You learn how the wines connect to the area and its past, then see a working winery and vineyards rather than only hearing about them. The guide speaks English and Spanish, so the tour can suit a mixed-language group, though the available information does not identify individual guides.

Walking vineyards around a 14th-century farmhouse

The family winery is set in a 14th-century farmhouse surrounded by vineyards and the Mediterranean Sea. The vineyard walk is a useful part of the visit: you get to see the setting where the grapes grow, while the guide explains the local wines and the winery’s approach.

The vines have been cultivated for more than 25 years and are now grown using organic and modern techniques. That combination of long-established vineyard ground and current practices is a nice way to understand how a small producer can carry local traditions forward without treating wine-making as a museum piece.

The exact route through the vines and the amount of walking are not specified. You should expect to be on your feet for at least part of the visit, and comfortable clothing is recommended. If walking is difficult for you, ask the operator about the route before booking rather than assuming the vineyard portion is easy to skip.

Three wines, plus a look inside the winery

After the vineyard walk, the group visits the winery and tastes three wines made there. The tasting is the clearest payoff for anyone who wants to connect the region’s history and grape-growing to what ends up in the glass. You are tasting wines produced by the family winery, not a generic selection from across Spain.

A snack accompanies the wine, with cheese and fruit noted for the tasting. On the boat, the included snack service is more varied: cheese, sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit. Since the tour’s extra food is not included, don’t count on a substantial lunch. The four-hour format is best treated as a half-day outing with light refreshments, not a meal-centered tour.

One practical point: the winery portion is scheduled for about 1.5 hours, including the tasting. That leaves time for a vineyard walk and a winery tour, but not an unhurried afternoon among the vines. If wine-making is your main interest, you may wish the visit lasted longer. If you mainly want an introduction to Alella with a tasting, the format should feel more balanced.

The winery has been a particular highlight for some who have taken this outing, especially the opportunity to walk the vineyard, learn about the process, and taste the wines. A group of nine had a private boat for its sailing portion, though the standard tour is described as a small group of up to 11. Don’t assume every booking will have a private boat; the stated group limit is the more reliable expectation.

Four hours, with two ways to travel

The tour lasts about four hours. The listed segments add up to roughly 3 hours and 40 minutes: 1.5 hours of sailing, a 15-minute transfer, 1.5 hours at the winery, and a 25-minute van ride back. The remaining time allows for transitions, though actual timing may vary.

There are two route options. In one, you sail from Barcelona to Masnou, transfer to Alella, and return to Barcelona by van. In the other, you travel to the winery by van first and take the sailboat back to the city. The sequence changes, but the core experiences remain the same: coast, winery, vineyards, and three wines.

This format is especially useful if you want a guided wine visit without arranging transport yourself. The boat and van connect the stops, so you do not need to plan a separate trip to Alella or find your own way back. The small-group limit also keeps the outing more personal than a large coach excursion, though a group of up to 11 is still a group rather than a private tour.

The return by van is worth noting if you are picturing a round-trip sail. Only one leg is by boat. If sailing both ways is important to you, this is not the right outing.

Is $152 a fair price?

At $152 per person, the price is easier to justify if you value the combination of transport and activities. It includes the sailboat, fuel, port services, insurance, onboard drinks and snacks, the transfer from Masnou to the winery, the vineyard and winery visit, a bilingual guide, three wines, and the private van back to Barcelona. Paying separately for a boat outing, transport to Alella, and a guided winery visit could add up, though the tour’s worth depends on how much you want the sailing portion.

The outing is less compelling if your main goal is an in-depth winery visit. The scheduled winery time is about 1.5 hours, and the boat ride takes a substantial share of the four-hour total. Think of it as a coastal and wine-country sampler, not a long cellar visit or a full-day wine tour.

A 5-star rating from seven bookings is encouraging, but the sample is small. More useful for planning is the consistent detail that the winery, tasting, and boat ride all form meaningful parts of the day. One person specifically wanted more time at the winery, which is a fair caution if you like to linger over tastings and ask many questions.

Who will enjoy this outing most?

I’d recommend it to you if you want a varied half-day outside central Barcelona and enjoy both sailing and wine. It suits couples, friends, or small groups who would rather let someone else handle the transfer and guide them through the winery. The mix of Roman-era wine history, a vineyard walk, a family-run producer, and a sail along the coast gives the day more texture than a tasting alone.

It may not suit you if you are prone to seasickness, have back problems, or strongly prefer to spend most of your time at the winery. The boat ride is long enough to matter, and there is no option to treat it as a quick transfer. Pets and bikes are not allowed, and alcohol and drugs are prohibited.

If you book, bring sunscreen, water, comfortable clothes, and a camera. There are drinks onboard, but carrying water is still advised. Check the route direction in advance, and plan a meal around the outing because the included snacks are light.

Should you book the Barcelona and Alella tour?

Book it if you want one outing that pairs a coastal sail with a guided introduction to Alella wine. The strongest reasons are the 1.5-hour boat ride, the visit to a family winery in a historic farmhouse, and the chance to taste three wines after seeing the vineyards where they are made.

Skip it if you want a long winery visit, need a round-trip boat ride, or do not feel comfortable at sea. For the right person, $152 buys a neatly connected half-day with transport, a guide, snacks, and a real look at a small wine region beyond Barcelona. For a wine-focused day, choose a longer visit instead.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The tour lasts four hours. The listed activities include about 1.5 hours of sailing, a 15-minute transfer, 1.5 hours at the winery, and a 25-minute van ride back.

Where does the tour start?

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

Does the tour sail both ways?

No. One option sails from Barcelona to Port of Masnou and returns by van. The other goes to the winery by van and returns to Barcelona by sailboat.

How many wines are included?

The winery tasting includes three wines produced by the winery.

What food and drinks are included?

Onboard drinks include water, soft drinks, beer, wine, or cava. The boat snack service includes cheese, sausage, crackers, nuts, and fruit. A snack of cheese and fruit is also described with the winery tasting.

What languages does the guide speak?

The live guide speaks English and Spanish.

How large is the group?

The tour is limited to 11 participants. A private boat is not guaranteed for every booking.

Is the tour suitable for someone prone to seasickness?

No. People prone to seasickness are listed as not suitable for this activity. People with back problems are also advised against it.

What should I bring?

Bring a camera, sunscreen, water, and comfortable clothes. Towels are not provided on the boat.