The objectives of the cookery holiday are to provide the visitor with a break from it all in rural Spain while at the same time offering an informative and stimulating series of hands-on cooking lessons on the best of Spanish regional dishes and products. A total of three hours cooking a day.

The participant will return home having learned about the various specialities of the most important gastronomic regions, have tasted a range of Spanish produce from wines and cheeses to dishes and delicacies and will of course tried their hand at preparing several of Spain's great dishes - some known, while others a complete surprise.

The visitor is guaranteed not to lose any weight while on vacation here and will also get to sample plenty of the country's prized gourmet product: the famous cured Iberian ham - Jamón Serrano, which we will have on hand throughout the day.

You will be given an informed insight and understanding of the country's cuisine, which will in turn enrich your own experience and all-round cooking ability.

I THINK THAT THE IMAGES ON THIS WEBSITE SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES BUT I FEEL I SHOULD ADD ONE OR TWO POINTS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW WHAT A REALLY WONDERFUL PART OF SPAIN THIS IS, AND WHAT GIVES IT A UNIQUE PLACE IN THE MAKE UP OF SPANISH CUISINE.

FOR STARTERS, PERHAPS NO OTHER PROVINCE IN THE COUNTRY CAN MATCH THE SHEER DIVERSITY IN ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE AND COOKING THAT GIRONA HAS TO OFFER AND EVERYTHING IS WITHIN JUST A FEW HOURS DRIVE. FROM THE DIZZY HEIGHTS OF THE PYRENEES, PASSING THROUGH THE EXTINCT VOLCANIC MOUNDS OF LA GARROTXA WHILE MAKING YOUR WAY ON DOWN TO THE BEAUTIFUL RUGGED COASTLINE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN ON THE COSTA BRAVA.

VOLCANIC , TRADITIONAL, SPANISH AND CATALAN COOKING ALL INSPIRE THE REGION'S RENOWN FOR ITS NEW WAVE OF CREATIVE CUISINE THAT IS THE TALK OF THE GASTRONOMIC WORLD.

THE PART OF THE PROVINCE THAT WE WILL CONCENTRATE ON IS KNOWN AS THE EMPORDÀ, WHICH POSSESSES LUSH GREEN LANDSCAPES FILLED WITH VERDANT MOUNTAIN RANGES AND BLESSED WITH ABUNDANT SUNSHINE. NESTLED IN AMONG THE WELCOMING COUNTRYSIDE ARE THE ENCHANTING STONE FARM HOUSES AND DISTINCT COUNTRY MANSIONS WITH THEIR CYPRESS TREES, SURROUNDED BY POPPY AND SUNFLOWER FIELDS, WHICH RIGHTLY EARNS THE EMPORDÀ'S NICKNAME OF 'LITTLE TUSCANY'.

WITH FRANCE JUST AN HOUR AWAY THE CLOSENESS OF FRONTIERS IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THE NATION'S INFLUENCE ON THE CATALAN WAY OF COOKING, LANGUAGE AND DEMEANOUR.

BUT WHAT MAKES THE EMPORDÀ AND THE PROVINCE WORTH THE VISIT IS THAT IT IS AN AREA FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD. UNTOUCHED BY MASS TOURISM, UNKNOWN TO THE MAJORITY AND YET WELL MAINTAINED. IT IS THEREFORE AN AREA WAITING TO BE DISCOVERED AND ENJOYED TO THE FULL. SO, FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO EXPERIENCE SPAIN FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THE EMPORDÀ IS A MUST.