Barcelona Incentive Trip for 35 Colleagues — SecWise

For 35 colleagues from SecWise, a Belgian cybersecurity company from Leuven, we organised a company trip to Barcelona. Four days of enjoying sun, sea, great food, exciting activities and quality time together. But if there was one day that summed up everything an incentive trip should be, it was the day in the mountains of Montserrat and at cava producer Torelló.

Hiking in the Mountains of Montserrat

With a private coach we left Barcelona early in the morning, heading towards Montserrat. After half an hour the landscape changed. The city disappeared and we saw the jagged peaks of Montserrat, pale rock formations shaped by millions of years of wind and rain, unlike anything you'll find anywhere else in Catalonia. We started the hike at the monastery, a spectacular complex of buildings set against the mountainside. From there, experienced guides led us along paths that wound past viewpoints with views over the valley. On a clear autumn day you can see endlessly far: vineyards, farmland, the shimmer of the Mediterranean in the distance, and on the sharpest days even Mallorca. We stopped regularly for a bit of explanation about the geology and history of the mountain. For photos. And to catch our breath, because the last stretch climbed steeply. When we reached the final viewpoint, someone from the group looked up and convinced the rest to go just a little higher: the views get even better. Most of the group were already seriously tired and it was warm. But one by one, everyone agreed. A wonderful moment for us as organisers to witness, because you know: something like that does more for team spirit than any teambuilding workshop ever could.

Cava and Wine Estate Torelló: Welcome Among the Vines

After the hike we headed south, through the Penedès wine region, to Bodega Torelló. The Torelló estate has been in the same family since 1395. More than 600 years of winemaking and today one of the most respected cava producers in Catalonia. Torelló is a household name in Catalonia. The vineyards are organic, the cavas age for a minimum of 30 months, and Torelló was one of the founders of Corpinnat, the quality label that represents the very best of Catalan cava. On arrival everyone was quite tired: early start and then a tough, steep hike in the sun. We also spend so much time behind our screens that we're no longer used to physical effort. But the tiredness quickly made way for happy, relieved faces when the group saw the neatly set tables among the vines and got a fresh glass of cava pushed into their hands. Again a lovely moment to witness as an organiser.

Lunch was a three-course menu with paella, prepared in a large pan right before the group's eyes. Everything with local ingredients and each course paired with a different wine from the estate. Sharing moments like these with colleagues, eating outside among the vines in the autumn sun after an amazing morning together — wonderful, isn't it!

Tour of the Bodega with a Sommelier

After lunch a sommelier took the group on a tour of the estate. Through the vineyards, through the cellars where the bottles age, and past the old manor house Can Martí that has been the heart of the estate for centuries. The sommelier knew the story of Torelló inside and out. Twenty-two generations of the same family. The switch to organic farming. The decision to leave the DO Cava and help found Corpinnat. But what made the tour so enjoyable was how he told it. With energy, with humour, with the kind of passion you can't fake. The whole group hung on his every word, and that's not easy with a group of 35 who've been hiking all morning and had wine with lunch. Even I, having heard the story a good ten times before, listened again completely captivated. It was the perfect ending to a day that had everything: physical challenge, the beauty of the mountains, delicious food with top wines, and a team that had grown closer together.

Why a Day Outside Barcelona Makes Your Company Trip Stronger

A company trip to Barcelona often means: city, beach and restaurants. And that's great. But take the group outside the city for a day, like the mountains of Montserrat and the vineyards of the Penedès, and your company outing gets an extra dimension. Hiking together in nature does something that few other activities can. There's room for relaxed conversations, because people are more at ease than when they're sitting in a chair in an overly bright meeting room. Combine that with a long lunch at one of Catalonia's most historic estates, and you have a day that colleagues will still be talking about months later. Better teambuilding than that doesn't exist.

Organising a Company Trip to Barcelona for Your Team?

Looking to organise an incentive trip or company trip to Barcelona that goes beyond the usual? We build tailor-made programmes that combine the best of the city with exceptional experiences in the surrounding region. We handle everything: hotel, activities, restaurants, transport and on-site coordination throughout the trip. One point of contact, zero hassle.

Tell us what you have in mind and we'll send you a no-obligation tailor-made proposal. Contact us at hola@nessout.com or call +34 605 07 94 69.