Today is tax day and after a stressful day dealing with paperwork, receipts, expense reports, etc, it’s the perfect time to unwind by taking a virtual (and budget-conscious) trip to Spain. Gather up some of your peña, pop open an affordable, food-friendly bottle of Spanish wine and pair it with a few simple, but really tasty tapas, like Patatas Bravas.

There’s nothing like spending time with good friends, food and wine to put a smile back on your face.

However, if you finished your taxes and actually got a nice refund, why not treat yourself to a real getaway. Not only is spring in Spain gorgeous, you’re right on time for the San Jorge Medieval Week festivities in Montblanc, a small ancient village outside of Tarragona in Catalonia. From April 20 through May 1, you can join more than 200 actors as they recreate the legendary slaying of the dragon by San Jordi (St. George).

In addition to the reenactment, there are also a lot of other events going on throughout the week, including parades, plays, games, singing troubadours, a medieval market, medieval dinners, and the performance of the Catalan Courts. Plus, the entire city and its inhabitants are dressed in 14th century garb with the colors and flags of the region’s original four noble families. Now that’s a real escape from reality!

Could you use a little Tax Day relief right about now?

Related Article:

Huffington Post: Tax Day Freebies

Last week I wrote about taking a virtual summer escape to Spain by reading books set there, but there are other ways too. Watching movies set in Spain, having a Spanish themed party, or attending a Spanish festival are all fun ways to capture the spirit of the region if you can’t take an actual trip there.

This weekend, I’ll be doing just that – attending the annual Catalan Festival at Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards in Sonoma. This event pairs the unique spirit of Catalonia with the world-class quality of California sparkling and estate varietal wines. The festival originated as a celebration of the winery’s Spanish roots, as well as the opening of the winery in July 1986. The Catalan Festival rejoices in all things Catalan (the eastern/Mediterranean region of Spain), including music, dance, Spanish fare and of course, world-class bubbly.

The two day festival is on July 23 & 24 and includes a Paella cooking demo by “Paella Guy” José Castenada, a Flamenco Fantasy Guitar performance by Eric Symons, a dance performance by Sol Flamenco, a Gegants de Mataro Traditional Catalan parade, grape stomp, and of course, seminars on Spanish wine. It’s really like spending a day in Spain, without leaving the country.

If you’d like to attend as well, it’s not too late. Tickets are still available online or by calling (707) 996-7256. Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards is located at 23555 Carneros Highway (121) in Sonoma.

If you can’t make it this year, plan to attend next year and in the meantime, watch a two minute video that captures the flavor and fun.

How do you create your own virtual summer escape?