Reus Spain: Gaudí’s Hometown, Vermouth Culture, and Catalan Modernisme

Honestly, what could be a more perfect day in Reus, Spain, than exploring Gaudí’s story, wandering through Modernist architecture, tasting a famous vermouth, and drinking local wine? I can’t think of anything better!

Before this trip to Catalonia, I had never heard of Reus. Now I want to go back and spend a week right there! I’m featuring some of the best things to do and main attractions, but let me know if you’ve been there and experienced something not on this list. Be sure to check out these Famous Landmarks in Barcelona, too.

Where is Reus, Spain?

Reus is located in Catalonia, in the province of Tarragona, in Northeastern Spain. It’s widely considered the gateway of the Costa Daurada region. On the map below, you can zoom out to get a better sense of exactly where this incredible city is located. You can also click on each spot I visited (red pins) to see the address and even get directions.

Things to Do in Reus

Reus rewards slow exploration, one glass of vermouth and one century-old façade at a time. Here’s where to begin.

Gaudí Centre Reus

The Gaudí Centre brings Antoni Gaudí’s story back to the city that raised him. Though it would be easy to spend an afternoon here, you can also see the most important exhibits in an hour or two.

Make sure to watch the multi-screen audiovisual presentation about Gaudí’s architectural style. It’s the best place to begin learning more about Antoni Gaudí, Sagrada Família, and his other works.

If you happen to have children with you, this is an interactive museum with exhibits that make architecture fun for everyone. When you’re finished exploring, go right next door to Casa Navàs.

Casa Navàs

Casa Navàs is considered one of the best examples of Modernisme in all of Europe, built between 1901 and 1908 by famous architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner and decorator Gaspar Homar.

Commissioned by wealthy textile merchant Joaquim Navàs, with an unlimited budget, the building would serve as both the family home and textile shop. It’s the only Modernist building of its kind largely standing as it did when it opened. With the rooms and original furniture intact, including skylights and stained-glass windows, it’s quite a sight to see.

The building’s history isn’t just about wealth and design, though. Reus was heavily bombed during the Spanish Civil War, and in 1938, a bomb destroyed the tower along with part of the roof, as well as several of the second-floor rooms.

The owners restored much of the damage over the years, but couldn’t afford to complete everything. The tower and ornamental façade elements would have to wait. New owners restored the frontispiece in 2020, and the tower is expected to be completed any day now.

By the way, if you weren’t able to visit Vermuts Rofes, you can also book a vermouth tasting at Casa Navàs. You’re welcome! Take some time to walk around Plaça del Mercadal (main square) and explore a couple of the narrow streets before leaving.

Vermuts Rofes

Reus has been a wine and spirits town for centuries, home to countless vineyards and a long tradition of vermouth production. In fact, it’s part of local life to enjoy vermut hour, like our happy hour, where people catch up over a glass.  I can’t think of a more perfect place to do that than Vermuts Rofes.

At Vermuts Rofes, we tasted three varieties of this local vermouth handed down for generations. Starting with Vermut Rofes Rojos (red), I found it slightly sweet and so delicous. Next was Vermut Rofes Blanc (white), which was crisp and refreshing with a distinctly herbal aroma. Finally, the Antic Reserva is an old-style cask-aged version. It’s also so flavorful but quite strong.

Vermouth did not originate in Spain, but in Italy. Still, the Reus version leans sweeter, and it’s traditionally garnished with an orange slice and an olive. That may sound strange to the American palate, but trust me, it works so well against the sweet botanical flavor.

It was my first time trying vermouth on its own rather than in a cocktail, and it won me over completely. I wish I had brought a bottle home, because I can’t find Vermut Rofes in the United States. Keep that in mind when traveling. Unless you can actually find what you’re looking for online, buy it locally while you can!

And speaking of flavor, Vermut Rofes is also a fabulous restaurant, so plan your tasting around lunch or dinner.

The Reus Modernist Route

Reus’s Modernisme legacy, which began in the 19th century and was shaped largely by architects such as Lluís Domènech i Montaner (who was actually Gaudí’s professor at one point), gives the city a wealth of buildings that tell an incredible story.

Reus is just an hour from Barcelona by car or train, and its Modernist Route walking tour makes it worth the trip on its own. The route covers 80 listed modernist buildings, each marked with a plaque noting the name, year of construction, and architect. It usually begins at Plaça del Mercadal.

The route is technically self-guided by following the official map, but I’d suggest you book a guided tour. There is nothing like exploring this with a passionate guide, and it’s currently only 10 euros through Reus Tourism. Learning the history of each façade with a knowledgeable local guide turns a walk into more of an open-air history visit.

Priorat: Perinet Winery

A short drive from Reus brought us into Priorat, a mountainous wine region known for its steep, terraced vineyards. Our stop was Perinet Winery, primarily planted with Garnacha (Grenache) and Cariñena (Carignan), grapes that produce intense, complex wines, thanks to the region’s unique black slate soil called llicorella. The vines are forced deep into the soil for nutrients. Though this results in a lower yield, it produces amazing wines.

We toured the cellar, tasted several wines, walked the property, and finished with more tasting in the outdoor seating area in front of the main building. Perinet’s CEO, Sheri Perricone, joined us for part of the visit.

Originally from Toronto, Perricone has lived and worked in Spain for more than 16 years, leading the estate’s high-end winemaking and international wine tourism. A wealth of knowledge and such a joy; we even made plans to meet one day again in Canada’s Okanagan wine region. I hope we’re able to make it happen! Check out the wine club options so you can taste these wonderful wines.

Cuadrat Valley: Catalonia’s Olive Oil Country

From Perinet, it’s about an hour to Cuadrat Valley, and the estate’s story is as compelling as the oil itself. Sebastià Cuadrat Realp grew up in his grandmother’s olive grove in L’Albagés, until he fled the Spanish Civil War in the late 1930s and settled in Bordeaux.

Eighty years later, his granddaughter, Evelyne, spotted an olive grove for sale back in L’Albagés. She and her cousin, architect Josep-Maria Cuadrat Alventosa, designed and rebuilt the family estate, equipping the mill with some of the most advanced technology available, all in pursuit of the perfect extra virgin olive oil made from a single varietal, Arbequina.

The estate sits on land scattered with traditional dry-stone huts (cabanes de voltes), agricultural terraces, and stone walls, a building tradition that’s itself on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Because the olives are harvested across different periods, the estate produces four distinct cuvées, each shaped by the fruit’s maturity and fruitiness at harvest.

During our visit, we learned to taste olive oil properly: warming a small goblet in your hands first, then sipping it much the way you would taste a fine wine. Lunch followed, paired with local wine, and it was one of the highlights of the day.

The recognition has followed the effort: AEMO (Asociación Española de Municipios del Olivo) named Cuadrat Valley Spain’s Best Olive Oil Mill for 2026, and Flos Olei 2026 named it one of the 20 Best Olive Oil Farms in the World in its Emerging Company category. Their Elixir Deshuesada (Pitted) Bio, an early-harvest, 100% organic extra virgin olive oil, has also placed among the world’s top Arbequina oils in competitions like Evooleum’s World’s Top 100.

Cuadrat Valley’s oils include Elixir Dénoyautée and Elixir, both harvested the first week of October, and Oli and Organic Oli, harvested in November.

Where to Eat In Reus

Vermut Rofes

As mentioned above, Vermut Rofes is a restaurant as well as vermut tasting room. We had a lovely lunch of tapas there following the tasting. The dinner menu looks incredible, too.

Restaurant Malena

You will more than likely need to reserve a table ahead of time for the Michelin-starred Malena Restaurant near Lleida. It’s a bit of a drive from Reus, not a casual detour, but if you’re already this close, it would be a shame to miss it.

The tasting menu opened with a round of snacks (what we would call an amuse-bouche course in the United States). The small servings of almonds with saffron, tangerine, and truffle, alongside fried lamb and bread with tomato, were all delicous.

A fruit sequence followed, including a peach taco and a Gimenells cherry paired with blue cheese and white chocolate.

One of the most memorable courses arrived in a clay pouch: snails roasted inside, meant to be tapped open at the table. Steamed cod with parsley, garlic, and almond was another standout.

Dessert brought several rounds, including a Catalan crème brûlée with burnt custard ice cream, a white chocolate lavender bonbon, and a playfully named treat called “Nun’s farts.”

Vinum

Vinum Restaurant is located inside Gran Hotel Mas d’en Bruno, and turned out to be one of the best meals of the entire trip. It’s fine dining built around modern interpretations of traditional Catalan recipes, served in a lovely space with an open kitchen and two outdoor terraces overlooking the Priorat mountains and vineyards.

Vinum’s menu carries real historical weight, too. When Catalonia became the first European region named a World Region of Gastronomy in 2025, the restaurant marked the honor by building a permanent menu around the “Llibre del Sant Soví,” the oldest surviving Catalan recipe book, dating back to 1324.

Our meal opened with a round of snacks served on small trees running down the center of the table, followed by a salad of local tomatoes and shellfish. Confit longline hake was fantastic, and the food kept coming, each course paired with wine.

One of the standout courses was Tarragona bonito with flame-grilled aubergine textures, carob miso, and fresh curd cheese from Bellmunt del Priorat, a combination I’m still thinking about.

Dessert brought a peach namelaka with lemon verbena and vineyard peach, followed by Guanaja chocolate with amaretto cherries, marcona almonds, and tonka bean, before a final round of petit fours.

Where to Stay

Gran Hotel Mas d’en Bruno

The nicest hotel of the trip, I just loved Gran Hotel Mas d’en Bruno. In fact, I would love to go back to Catalonia and stay in this region for a week! I had a huge room, a gorgeous terrace, and an equally large bathroom.

The property has a spa and that great restaurant. It’s just down the road from Perinet, which makes for an easy, unhurried overnight after a day of tasting. I wish I’d had more time to explore the hotel and surrounding area. All the more reason to go back.

More Places To See in Spain

Things to Do in Palma de Mallorca Spain
Famous Landmarks in Barcelona
Costa Mediterranean Cruise