Castell Peralada in the Empordà: dining inside a Catalan medieval castle

There are restaurant outings, and then there are outings you remember for the setting before the dish. Dining inside a Catalan medieval castle, with a moat, crenellated towers and vineyards all around, clearly belongs to the second category. And mind you: here the food doesn’t fall short either.

The Castell Peralada sits in the Alt Empordà, barely a quarter of an hour from Figueres and a little over half an hour from the Costa Brava. It is one of those places where history, wine and haute cuisine have coexisted for decades without getting in each other’s way. Here is what you’ll find, what it costs and whether it’s worth the detour.

A medieval castle turned gastronomic destination

The first thing that strikes you on arriving at Peralada is the scale. This is not a small castle converted into a country hotel: it is a monumental complex with centuries behind it, gardens, a chapel, a library and a winery that still produces Empordà wine. The estate works as a cultural hub (a classical music festival in summer), a tourist attraction (guided visits to the castle and the winery), a leisure venue (a casino) and a gastronomic destination (a fine-dining restaurant and more informal options).

The idea is simple: you can come for the day, have dinner, sleep at the adjoining Wine Spa hotel and never leave the grounds. Or you can slip away for dinner and head back to the Costa Brava with a happy stomach and a story to tell.

History of the Castell de Peralada: from the 9th century to today’s Empordà

The Castell de Peralada has medieval roots going back to the viscounts of Rocabertí, one of the great noble families of northern Catalonia. Part of the original curtain wall survives, along with the two round towers that now define its most recognisable silhouette. What you see on arrival, however, is not purely medieval: it is a 19th-century neo-Gothic reform that gave it the air of a French fairy-tale castle, with slate roofs and pointed Gothic windows.

Inside you’ll find a library with thousands of volumes (including a notable collection of editions of Don Quixote), a cloister from the former Carmelite convent and the chapel. The Suqué Mateu family bought the complex in the 1920s and since then has been restoring it and opening it to the public piece by piece.

Where Peralada is and how to get there from Girona or Barcelona

Peralada is a small village in the Alt Empordà, in the province of Girona. Useful reference points:

• From Figueres: 8 km, 10–12 minutes by car.
• From Girona city: 50 km, about 40 minutes via the AP-7.
• From Barcelona: 150 km, around 1 h 40 min by motorway.
• From the French border (La Jonquera): 20 minutes.

By train you reach Figueres (AVE and regional services) and from there take a taxi or rental car. There is no station in Peralada. If you’re coming to dine and drink wine properly, either stay at the hotel on the estate or have someone who doesn’t drink drive. There is no shortcut.

The Castell Peralada restaurant: haute cuisine with a Michelin star

The Castell Peralada restaurant is the gastronomic flagship of the estate. It is led by chef Javi Martínez and holds one Michelin star and a Green Star for its commitment to sustainability and local produce. The dining room is small, with very few tables, which gives you an idea of the level of service: almost one member of staff per diner.

The kitchen works with Empordà produce using contemporary technique: fish from the Roses fish market, vegetables from nearby market gardens, olive oil from the comarca itself, game in season. It is not fireworks cooking; it is terroir cuisine pushed with precision.

The tasting menu and its signature dishes

You eat from a tasting menu, with a long and a shorter option depending on the season. The courses play heavily with the landscape: wild herbs, garden flowers, cooking over fire. Some dishes have stayed on the menu for years, such as interpretations of the Empordà escudella or the Palamós prawn, while others rotate with each season.

The bread is made in-house and deserves its own mention. Catalan cheeses (Garrotxa, Serrat Gros) appear well handled, without excess. The desserts draw on local fruit and the sweet traditions of the Empordà.

Pairings with Empordà wines and the Perelada winery

This is where the venue makes a real difference. The Perelada winery has produced DO Empordà wines for decades, and the pairings naturally lean on the house: white and red Garnacha, old Carignan, long-aged Cavas. The sommelier also brings in references from elsewhere when the dish calls for it, but the real pleasure is letting yourself be guided by the local. If you like seeing a wine born a few metres from your plate, this part will suit you. Along the same lines of historic wineries with restaurants, we have already written about dining among the vineyards of the Ribera del Duero with thousands of references on the wine list.

Menu prices and what to expect on the average bill

The tasting menu at the starred restaurant comes to an average bill of around €160–190 per person without wine pairing. With an Empordà wine pairing, allow an extra €70–100 per head. These are haute Catalan cuisine prices, in line with what other one-star restaurants in the area charge.

If you’re looking for something more affordable within the estate, there are less formal options (the hotel restaurant, the casino offering) where you can eat well for considerably less, around €50–70 per person à la carte.

Booking, season and how to organise the visit

The gastronomic restaurant opens seasonally (usually from spring to autumn, closed in winter). Booking is essential and should be made several weeks in advance, especially in July and August, when it coincides with the Castell de Peralada Festival of classical music and opera. Reservations are made through the official Castell Peralada website.

Very limited capacity, a kitchen partly open to the dining room during service, and an unhurried pace: allow at least two and a half hours for the full menu.

What to do in Peralada beyond dinner

The village is small but fills an entire afternoon:

• Guided tour of the Castell de Peralada: library, Carmelite cloister and wine museum.
• Perelada Winery: visit with a tasting of DO Empordà wines.
• Casino Castell Peralada: one of the few casinos in Catalonia, inside the walled estate itself.
• Church of Sant Martí and the medieval old town.
• A 15-minute trip to Figueres (Dalí Theatre-Museum) or half an hour to Cadaqués and Cap de Creus.

If you like the idea of fine dining inside a historic fortification, on the Malaga coast there is another very different but equally dramatic case we have already reviewed: top-level sushi inside a castle with views of the Mediterranean.

Verdict: is dinner at Castell Peralada worth it?

If the combination of heritage, wine and seasonal cuisine appeals to you, yes. It is not a cheap or spontaneous plan, but the whole experience (arriving by day, seeing the castle, dining at a relaxed pace, sleeping nearby) justifies the outlay. Javi Martínez’s cooking has real personality, the winery plays on home ground and the setting is hard to repeat in Spain.

Rating: 3 hams. Essential if you’re interested in Catalan haute cuisine with context: few places offer a Michelin star, their own DO and a medieval castle in the same booking.

Frequently asked questions about Castell Peralada

Can you visit the castle without dining at the restaurant? Yes. There are guided tours of the castle, the library and the cloister, and specific winery visits with tasting. They are bought separately on the official website.

Is the restaurant open all year? No. It operates seasonally, usually from spring to autumn, and closes in the winter months. It is worth checking exact dates before planning your trip.

Are there vegetarian or allergy-friendly options on the tasting menu? Yes, with advance notice when booking. The kitchen adapts the menu for vegetarians and works with allergies and intolerances if they are communicated far enough in advance.

Can I sleep inside the estate? The Hotel Peralada Wine Spa & Golf is in the same complex, a few metres from the castle. It is the convenient option if you’re having the long menu with wine pairing.

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