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Located about 60 miles northeast of Barcelona, Girona is a favorite for many European tourists, especially the Jewish ones. The 12th century saw a flourishing of the Jewish community of Girona with one of the most important Kabbalistic schools in all of Europe. The Rabbi of Girona, Moshe ben Nahman Gerondi, better known to many Jews as Ramban) was appointed chief Rabbi of Catalonia. The Jewish quarter in this area is one of the best preserved in the world and a must see when visiting this fantastic city that houses many Dali treasures and a beautiful seacoast.
For your convenience, we have compiled some of the most charismatic and unique hotel/housing accommodations in the area.
Aiguaclara
There's something colonially exotic
about the AiguaClara, unsurprisingly so as this palace was built in 1866 by a
local business man who had made his fortune in Cuba. The end result is an
architectural gem that certainly owes more than a passing nod to the island.
That lovely, traditional colonial
look and feel, taking in parchment lampshades, for example, remains to this
day. Indeed, whilst the charming bedrooms have, of course, since been furnished
with antique pieces bought locally and some tasteful modern art, they still all
boast the original wooden doors, tiled floors and floor-to-ceiling windows.
One of the hotel's highlights is
the restaurant. Not only is the cuisine excellent, serving up its own variation
Catalan and Mediterranean dishes, weather permitting the restaurant's canopy
opens out onto the garden, the star of which is a century old cherry tree. It
is a lovely sight to enjoy your meal by. Yet despite all these very important
plus points, what really makes the hotel truly special are the owners, Clara
and Joan. They fell in love with the place, restored it and thankfully stayed
faithful to the place's roots.
Begur is also a lovely town,
located in what many say is the best part of Costa Brava and losing yourself in
its cobbled streets whilst trying to visit the castle is a must. Though
slightly inland from Agua Brava, it is also near some of the finest beaches,
drives and treks to be found anywhere in the area.
Can Bassa Madremanya
Can Bassa is a charming, XIV
century farmhouse that has been recently renovated. East facing with sweeping
views of the countryside, it is located within the old town of Madremanya and
is divided into several accommodations- the Lledoner is a detached house in the
garden; at the ground floor there is a private garden, lounge and kitchen on
the same level with countryside views, and a double or triple room with
bathroom. Upstairs is a master bedroom suite with balcony; it can accommodate 4
people.
The Era is located in the northeastern
part of the house; the old terrace has beautiful countryside views. The ground
floor has a spacious living room, kitchen and a double bedroom with bathroom
(both located in old voltas). Upstairs is a master bedroom suite with views and
can also accommodate up to 4 people. Els Angels is at the top of the house; a
double room with a full bathroom is on the first floor and a lounge with access
to terrace and kitchen is on the second floor. There is also a suite room with
two beds and a bathroom in the old loft that can fit 4 people.
The Pati is a cottage overlooking
the village. The top has an open kitchen to the dining room and lounge. The
second floor has two bedrooms and a bathroom. The main room has countryside
views and access to the communal garden and pool.
Casa Migdia
Casa Migdia is an old rectory
(parish priest residence) of the 18th century that has been restored and
converted into a pleasant and quiet rural hotel. It is located in Sant Jordi
Desvalls, a medieval hamlet 20 minutes away from Girona and ensconced within
the green and lush region of the Ampurdán.
The house has 5 bedrooms among
which one could highlight La Carmen, with a private terrace full of flowers and
plants that can be used as a solarium; the rooms all feature an old-fashioned
bath tub with claw legs, Moroccan tiled floors and flat-screen TV’s, DVD’s and
Wi-Fi.
Upon entry, with the typical
Catalan vaulted ceiling above us, we see two staircases that take us to the
bedrooms and a sitting room with several snug sofas around a fireplace where
winter evenings can be spent chatting or reading the books from the library.
Nearby there’s an spacious dining
room for 20 people where you can tell that has been used as a former rectory –
and a bar leading to the garden, where one can have breakfast or a relaxing
drink.
Close by – around twenty minutes –
you can explore the beaches and coves that are so characteristic of the Costa
Brava, where one can water-ski, wind and kite surf and dive. Alternative
excursions can be taken by horse or bicycle, as well as trekking and jogging.
Should one feel like doing a bit of
sightseeing, Sant Jordi Desvalls is in the middle of the “Dali Triangle” with
Figueres, Cadaqués and Púbol (his museums and residences can be found).
Castell d'Empordà
The Castell d’Emporda has been
called, amongst other things, a “Magic Castle”. We believe the description
certainly rings true for it is one of those hotels with that one thousand and
one nights feel, made all the more potent by its terrific historic credentials.
A captain who served under Columbus once owned this 700-year-old Gothic Style
castle and Napoleon was alleged to have stayed here during his attempts to
conquer Iberia. The battle of Waterloo is even represented in the entrance to
the tower.
Given the outcome, he probably left
in a hurry without paying, but guests today will wish to linger as long as
possible for they will be staying in a place considered by Conde Neste as one
of the 20 best newly opened hotels in the world.
As befits a castle, the views of
the surrounding countryside are wonderful yet just as impressive as the place
itself. The ancient Roman architecture has been fully preserved. The decor is
also of the first order and further helps provide a relaxed and uncluttered
feel to the whole place, thus making it an extra special location for those
looking to enjoy tranquility and nature.
All 27 rooms, some located in the
tower, some in an annex overlooking the excellent swimming pool, have been
individually decorated with exotic pieces from China, India and Morocco and
fully take advantage of the exquisite views surrounding it.
A further plus point is surely the
in-house restaurant - which specializes in the best Mediterranean cuisine of
fresh fish and vegetables – and the surroundings from which to enjoy it in the
interior courtyard.
El Far de San Sebastian
This splendid hotel is grandly
perched 175 meters above the Romaboira cliffs and the vistas it provides of the
Mediterranean are accordingly stunning, reason enough to stay here. But the
main building with its adjacent hermitage (17th century) and Medieval
watchtower (15th century) has been restored under the auspices of the Figueras
family (who run another of the region’s great hotels, Mas de Torrent) with
extreme care and sophistication.
Any stay here therefore becomes
that more appealing. The nine bedrooms all come with their own terrace or
balcony, which make the most of the views, and are magnificently and
luxuriously decorated.
El Far is also famous for its fine
cuisine based on the regional gastronomy of Empordá. The marina and fine sandy
beaches are nearby for seaside fans while archaeological buffs will delight in
the pre-roman ruins found surrounding pinewoods, including the singular iberic
settlements just next to the parking.
Other activities nearby include horse
riding, the Josep Pla route and the Dalí Museums.
Hostal de la Gavina
La Gavina is a hospitable and very
luxurious hotel with a history that dates back to the thirties, when the son of
an industrial entrepreneur proposed to develop the northern area of Sant Feliu
de Guixols that crosses the little Agaró River.
Initially the hotel had nine
bedrooms, but continuous transformations and improvements have increased this
to its present 58 rooms and 16 suites, all decorated with antiques and
commanding a splendid view. The hotel has three restaurants and bars where
Catalan specialties are served.
Entertainment includes a seawater swimming
pool, two tennis courts, the best Costa Brava beaches, and three nearby golf
courses.
Hotel Aigua Blava
There can be no denying that the
Aigua Blava is located in one of the most spectacular cliffs in all of Costa
Brava, a magnificent combination of blue water, whitewashed houses and green
coast. Added all together, they make for a fantastic setting and great views to
behold. This alone is enough of a reason to stay here, but the Aigua Blava
Hotel does have other tricks up its sleeve, not least the welcoming nature of
the Capella family who look after guests like friends.
The Capella’s may have transformed
their house into a hotel in 1940, yet despite its growing size and
sophistication, it still very much retains a family feel. It has kept all of
its original style and though not in the top luxury bracket it is more than
comfortable. Decorated by the family themselves, each room is different from
each other and range from plain to sophisticated.
Hotel Sant Roc
Located In the heart of the Costa
Brava, this welcoming family run hotel provides an intimate atmosphere and a
wonderful location. It is perched at the cliff’s edge amongst the trees and the
views of the sea are accordingly impressive. Indeed, it is impossible to tire
of the view from the magnificent terrace overlooking the bay of Calella de
Plafrugell. Inside, its 49 rooms have hand painted wooden beds and well-equipped
bathrooms. There is also a path down to the beach; the clean warm waters of the
bay are perfect to swim in.
Les Hamaques
In a way, Les Hamaques is a new
concept for Spain. It's based on the "La Maison D'Hôtes" style, as
originally developed in France, but this time showing off an excellent example
in Emporda, the region that is also called the Catalan Provence.
Located in a quiet rural village,
it is also only four minutes from San Martin de Ampurias, the port of L'Escala
and the beautiful beaches of the coast. It’s all very hidden and there’s little
to give the place away (you may even need to ask) but once you pass through the
small door you enter a world of intimacy, small details and, above all, peace
and comfort. The owners come from the world of design, so styling here is a
strong point. Dominique (interior designer) and Ino (a journalist contributing
to such titles as Marie Claire) are pretty passionate about decoration and it
shows. In this case, an old barn that used to be their very own weekend getaway
has been reconverted to provide the intimacy of a small rural hotel combined
with urban sophistication.
The house opens onto a quiet garden
complete with pots of lavender on the table under the pergola, a swimming pool
and hammocks hung from a tree on the terrace- simply perfect for relaxation.
There are only three rooms, each
named after a flower that sort of gives the name away in terms of their
character. The Magnolia room connects directly to the garden, the Glicina has
its own private terrace, which boasts a wisteria, and the Bungavilla comes with
six large windows offering plenty of light. It also looks out onto the garden
though unlike the Glicina it is not connected to it.
Mas de Torrent
This restored rural legacy from the
18th century is a small luxurious hotel, with five golf courses, located near
the Costa Brava beaches.
It has an exceptional rural-like
reception: cord carpets, "Mallorquin" glass and a salmon color stone
chimney at the back. Each suite is named after a flower and the bungalows all
have private terraces. The Hotel is decorated with valuable antiques and the
walls in the restaurant are almost fully covered with modern art in tribute to
Picasso.
Palau lo Mirador
Old and yet modern, the recently
opened Palau lo Mirador is a mix of emotions. The structure of the palace may
come from the Middle Ages - it was first mentioned in 1385 - but the owners
have a modern philosophy of life and turned their dream of creating a superbly
comfortable place to stay, by imbuing it with contemporary colors, furnishings
and ambience. The Palau lo Mirador still has all that history but with an
exclusive and unique combination of environments.
It has always been called the Palau
Lo Mirador, which literally means “viewing point” because from the tower at the
top of the building - the highest point in the town - the lords of the palace
could observe and control the plains of Emporda.
What are the other “high” points of
a stay here? There are many given the location and style of the place, but
special mention should go to the chill-out bar- an innovative area where the
gardens, terrace and royal halls come alive with music, cocktails, conversation
and alfresco meals.
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