We had a great time taking the half day bike and winery tour with Paddy from El Moli Tours. We took the train from Barcelona (just under a 1 hour) and met Paddy at the rest of our group right outside the train station in Vilafranco Del Penedes. Paddy is very knowledgeable and also very fun which makes for a great tour leader. He also seems to know everybody in town as we were greeted very warmly every time we passed or met somebody. The wine we tasted was great and the views of the Spanish countryside, mountains, castles, vineyards, and everything was incredible. We took the tour in October and the weather was great. Just cool enough that didn't get hot riding the bike and yet still didn't need a jacket or sweater. The bikes were in top condition and rode very nicely. We mostly stayed on very small roads away from the car traffic and just had to cross the main road a couple of times. The hills were limited and it was mostly a downhill ride. Overall this was one of the best things I have ever done on any vacation. Next time we visit we are going to do the full day tour. read more

El Moli Tours touts itself as a quality service provider, and it has that potential, but... Buyer beware. We toured the Penedes with Paddy Manion in late June, 2016. I had read reviews for a number of tour operators in the region and liked the positive comments he had gotten. In the email exchanges I had with him, he seemed like a great guy. One of the things we wanted to do, in addition to the normal cava and winery tours, was see olive oil processing. It was mentioned on his website. When he responded affirmatively to my request to include that in a tour package, I was very specific. This was the deal maker for us. In response to my direct question, before sending the deposit, "will there be an oil mill included?" He said "Yes, oil there will be, and a story too." Based on that assurance, a couple of friends joined us specifically to see the oil processing. So, imagine our surprise when, after lunch, we asked about the oil mill and were told that we would not be able to tour an oil mill as promised. Among the reasons offered was the fact that it was the wrong season! Olives are processed in December! So, in early June, when he assured me "there will be oil", he was just saying whatever it took to get our business, knowing full well that he could not follow through on it. Really sad because it had been a great day up to that point. When confronted about the very clear email exchange we had about this part of the tour, he said "sorry about the misunderstanding". There was no misunderstanding. What happened was very clear. He knew what he was doing. When he saw that we were angry he made some calls and took us to see the equipment in a local mill, which would have been fine if he had been honest about it in the first place. As it was , what should have been a great day, ended in a thud. Sad and simply dishonest. There's a lot of competition out there. Take your money, and your business somewhere else. read more