How lucky we are to have had our first trip to Europe be with Shannon and GrapeHops Tours. Our trip to Catalonia, Spain was a perfect mix of wine, food, sights and culture. Our travel mates were so fun and interesting and we consider them friends forever. We had no idea what to expect and we were absolutely in awe of Shannon’s organization, choice of tours and guides, and selection of activities. She does countless hours of research to find special and unique places and every day was better than the last. If you want to travel and truly get to know a specific region, then GrapeHops is the only way to go.
My husband and I traveled with Grapehops to Catalonia in October, 2025. You know you are in good hands when your guide is greeted with smiles and hugs by restaurateurs and hotel and winery owners. Shannon Essa has developed a network of small, comfortable and local hotels and she knows where to go for a good meal. Her trips are varied and include major attractions, like the festival of Sant Narcis in Girona and the monastery of Montserrat, but allow for free time to explore on your own. We visited a number of wineries, but also enjoyed visits to museums, archeological sites and the seaside. We had gourmet on our tour and one evening he pulled a blazer out of his suitcase and went out to a Michelin star restaurant for a meal he planned well in advance. On the other hand, my husband and I found a pizzeria on a quiet street and had the Catalan version of pizza and a beer. We were all happy. Enjoyed the trip so much, we signed up for the Croatia tour in 2026. I think Shannon has lots of satisfied repeat customers.
My recent Catalonia tour with Grapehops was my second with Shannon (Bulgaria last year) and will not be the last. I felt I was on a journey with a small group of like minded friends due to Shannon’s comfortable (but very well organized) trip leader style. The accommodations, meals, and visits to vineyards and wine shops were the perfect tour package for someone like me who had not explored that part of Spain before. I learned a lot about the culture of the region as well as the characteristics of wine originating in Catalonia, all while traveling at a comfortable pace with just enough free time to explore on my own.
Traveling with Shannon in Spain was like traveling with a like-minded close friend who had done all of the hard work research for you before the trip. Everything felt so considerate of our personal interests. And with the smaller group, it is not so much like a tour as like a fun outing with friends. Shannon knows not only the best places to visit, but when and how to visit them. When the trip is done, you smile and anticipate the next trip. Our small group of new friends from the Catalonia tour now feels we are likely to see each other again and again on Shannon trips for many years to come.
The May 2015 Catalonia tour was our third GrapeHops tour with Shannon, who has a remarkable ability to select places which are not on usual tour circuits, and incorporate locations of exceptionally unique interest. She also finds guides who know the areas very well. This tour began in the beautiful, historic city of Tarragona and concluded in Girona, equally historic and fascinating, with an overnight in the serene, craggy monastic location of Montserrat and a couple of nights in quaint El Bosc near the Penedes vineyards. From the steep natural vineyards in the Priorat and the well-groomed Llopart Winery (with an elegant picnic, a first time for them) to Augustus Forum on the ancient Roman road which had a delightful wine vinegar tasting, and Sicus with its unique in-ground fermentation and delicious picnic and wine tasting in the rustic vineyard highlights only a few of of our experiences. We absorbed a magical combination of fascinating historical and viticultural information, savored remarkable wines and food, not to mention the conviviality of a group who had a wonderful time together. This tour could easily qualify for “a trip of a lifetime”, but for Shannon another of her ever-improving GrapeHops tours.