Barcelona-Sardinia
Connecting Perspectives on Health and Longevity
In partnership with:
The program begins with a 5-day immersion to explore, experience and discover the food and culture in the Catalan region of Spain where the diet is typically Mediterranean. Participate in a culinary workshop, local market visits, discussions about olive oil research, and tastings with cheese and wine producers.
The program continues in Sardinia with a 4-day exploration of the factors that contribute to the longevity of people living in the mountainous area of Sardinia – the first identified Blue Zone. Visit a fresh food market. Participate in discussions with centenarian researchers, travel to a village to meet with centenarians, and enjoy a guided food preparation experience there.
The program provides a perfect mix of scheduled activities and meals and time to visit local sites and restaurants on your own.
PROGRAM
May 24 – June 4
Sun May 24 | Arrive in Barcelona. Check into Barcelona Resident. Welcome and orientation.
Mon May 25 | Barcelona’s Markets -History, Culture, Nutrition and Gastronomy
Tues May 26 | Nutrition and Mediterranean diet discussion. Olive Oil tasting and culinary applications.
Wed May 27 | Day trip to Vilafranca for wine and cheese tastings and pairings.
Thurs May 28 | University of Barcelona Food Campus of Torribera culinary workshop.
Fri May 29 | Monjuic Forest School food service and garden visit.
Sat May 30| Non-stop flight from Barcelona to Cagliari
Sun May 31 | Introduction and orientation. Discussion on in-depth interviews conducted with centenarians.
Mon June 1 | Local market visit. Discussions with centenarian researchers.
Tues June 2 | Day trip to Perdasdefogu. Meet with centenarians and prepare lunch.
Wed June 3 | Discussion on actionable strategies for lifestyle medicine and professional practice. Farewell dinner.
Thurs June 4 | Departure
Sunday, May 24 | Arrive in Barcelona. Check into Barcelona Resident. Welcome and orientation.
Monday, May 25 | Barcelona markets – History, Culture, Nutrition, and Gastronomy.
During a guided visit, David Himelfarb, gastronomic TV, radio, and newspaper writer will explain in detail the history of the markets in Barcelona, the way they are supplied, and the benefits of daily shopping and healthy local products. Tastings and lunch in the markets.
Tuesday, May 26 |Nutrition and Mediterranean diet research. Olive oil tastings.
Rosa Maria Lamuela, PhD, Director of the Institute for Research on Nutrition and Food Safety, Associate Professor at the Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Gastronomy, University of Barcelona, and leader of a Polyphenol Research Group, is currently working in projects related to the nutritional interest of food bioactive compounds. Dr. Lamuela will present and lead a discussion on nutrition and the current Mediterranean diet research her group is engaged in followed by an olive oil tasting and culinary applications discussion with Alfonso Fernandez.
Wednesday, May 27 | Day trip to Vilafranca winery and cheese affineur.
A beautiful drive from Barcelona takes us to the Pares Balta winery in Vilafranca where we will learn about their care of the land where they grow the grapes for their wine making processes and taste both the cava and five wines they produce.
Next, following a tour of the Xerigots custom designed cellars where cheese affineurs oversee the maturation of artisan cheeses into extraordinary culinary treasures, we will enjoy a tasting and workshop on wine and cheese pairings.
Thursday, May 28 | University of Barcelona Food Campus of Torribera visit and culinary workshop
We start the day at the University of Barcelona Food Campus of Torribera Mediterranean Center, created through a partnership between the University of Barcelona and the Culinary Institute of America, where we will tour the facilities and learn about the faculty research. Then, we will prepare our lunch there with a Mediterranean plant forward and food waste focused culinary workshop.
Friday, May 29 | Monjuic Forest School
A morning visit to the MonJuic Forest School and nearby Poble sec community gardens will introduce us to their school food service, committed to preparing and serving school lunches using locally grown fruits and vegetables from the fruit trees, vegetables and herbs from the garden.
Afternoon free to prepare for an early departure the next morning.
Saturday, May 30 | Non-stop flight from Barcelona to Cagliari, Sardinia
Participants purchase their own ticket for the Vueling airlines non-stop flight that departs Barcelona at 7:30am and arrives in Cagliari at 9am.
Check into Hotel Flora.
Free time to explore Cagliari. Dinner on your own.
Sunday, May 31 |Introduction and orientation.
Free morning.
The program continues in the afternoon with an introduction of Sue Stillman Linja, RDN, LD and SeAnne Waite, PhD, RDN, LD who will discuss their evidence-based research and qualitative data based on in-depth interviews they conducted with centenarians in Sardinia focusing on their eating patterns, favorite foods/recipes, physical activity, and social/emotional habits.
Monday, June 1 | Local market visit. Centenarian research discussion.
The morning starts with Sue and SeAnn guiding a visit to the Civic market of San Benedetto, the largest covered food market in Italy, with fresh and prepared foods you can purchase for lunch.
Afternoon discussions with University of Cagliari and University of Sassari centenarian researchers will provide a deeper understanding of the people living long lives in the Blue Zone of Sardinia.
Tuesday, June 2 | Day trip to Perdasdefogu.
Travel by van with a guide to Perdasdefogu, the village with the highest percentage of centenarians in the world, in the mountainous Blue Zone region of Sardinia, where physician Roberto Pili, led the 2023-25 Community for the Study of Longevity, examining both lifestyles – healthy eating and time spent in the countryside in the fresh air – and psychological aspects of overcoming the challenges of time.
Enjoy visits with people living in the village and a a guided lunch preparation.
Wednesday, June 3 | Strategies for lifestyle medicine
Morning discussion with Sue and SeAnne on longevity and their translation of the habits of centenarians into actionable strategies for lifestyle medicine and professional practice.
Free afternoon.
Farewell Dinner at Sa Schironada.
Thursday, June 4 | Departure
Registration
PROGRAM FEE $3520
Program fee is land price only. Fee does not include airfare for flight from Barcelona, Spain to Cagliari, Sardinia.
PLEASE NOTE:
Participants will need to purchase their own ticket for the only non-stop Vueling airlines flight that departs Barcelona at 7:30am and arrives in Cagliari at 9am. Seats are limited.
Fee includes:
- Presentations by University of Barcelona, University of Cagliari, and University of Sassari faculty experts, local artisans, producers, chefs
- All activities listed in the program and ground transportation to the activities.
- 6 nights’ accommodations at Barcelona Resident single occupancy rooms and 5 nights’ accommodations at Hotel Flora in Cagliari, Sardinia.
- Meals: 4 lunches, 1 dinner.
- If lunch or dinner is not listed on the program, this indicates free time on your own.
- Please indicate special dietary needs when you register.
Registration form
Please read Terms and Conditions and complete the 2026-Barcelona-Sardinia-Registration-with-Terms-and-Conditions registration form. Signing the registration means you have read and understand the terms and conditions.
Payment options
Pay $500 by February 1, 2026 to save a space and make two payments of $1510 each by March 1 and April 1, 2026.
Make check payable to foodcultureology LLC and send with registration form to:
or
Click Here to Book Electronically (fees apply)
or
Payment can also be made through Zelle to transfer funds using phone number:
If cancellation is made before March 1, 2026 for any reason, deposits and program payments will be reimbursed in full. Between March 1, 2026 and April 1, 2026, 30% of the deposit and of any program payment will be refunded. After April 1, 2026, no refund is possible.
We understand that emergencies of all nature do arise, however there are no exceptions to our cancellation policy. We strongly urge you to purchase trip insurance to cover you for this possibility.
Please contact us with questions or advice about:
- Making flight reservations between Barcelona, Spain and Cagliari, Sardinia
- Level of physical activity
- Currency exchange
