My entire visit to Sant Sadurni d'Anoia was completely surreal (in a good way). I got lost in Barcelona and took the wrong bus...but somehow ended up in the right spot anyways?! If you are headed out this way, make sure you are very clear as to how to flag down the proper bus.
I arranged in advance for one of the wine and chocolate tours advertised on the Chocolates Simon Coll website. It was 13.5 euro for a 90-minute tour/tasting at Codorniu and an hour tour/tasting at Simon Coll. I was blown away by the whole thing. Unlike most tourist destinations, the staff at both locations seemed genuinely excited to share their stories and products with us. It made the whole experience that much more fun. I just couldn't believe that for ~$15 I got two glasses of cava, all the chocolate I could ever want, and a half day's worth of entertainment.
The Simon Coll experience alone is worth the visit to this quaint town. It isn't just one of those boring tours where you sit in a room and someone shows you a slideshow of a cocoa plantation. They call it a "chocolate experience" instead of a "tour" for a reason. They have an entire audiovisual room that transports you into the chocolate making experience - it is really innovative and unexpected. You get to taste chocolate from the cocoa nib form to the finished truffle and all of the steps in between.
If you don't have time for a tour, the shop itself is a real treat. They have a ton of variety and they let you sample almost everything in the store! It really felt like heaven. read more