Can Massa, recommended Rural Farmhouse in the Costa Brava

Today I’m staying at a lovely farmhouse located in the heart of the Costa Brava, Can Massa. Josep, his owner, meets me when I arrive and shows me all the house and my room. Everything has an authentic old atmosphere that transports you to the time when catalan people living here worked hard at their lands to collect what they needed to eat, and the time where animals where essential to achieve it. I’ve been in many farmhouses, specially in Catalonia, where they are very popular, and I can say this one is one of the most authentic houses. I encourage everybody to see the video below I made during my visit. I was able to talk with Josep and also shared details of the house and places around.

I started with a visit to Pubol, the village next to La Pera where the house is located. Pubol is famous for it’s Dali Castle (Castell de Gala Dali). Dali’s wife, Gala, lived there and it’s known that Dali had the access denied, although he liked to see what was happening inside through a little hole. In the actual castle we find a museum with pretty important art pieces from Dali.

After a little walk inside Pubol I went to Can Massa to rest a little bit and relax at the porch in the garden. They have a little pool, very cute and necessary at this time of the year. It’s summer and it’s hot and sunny, but at 19h sun starts hidding and you can enjoy a very relaxing time at the porch or sitting on the grass.

READ MORE: http://www.totaltravel24.com/can-massa-rural-farmhouse-in-la-pera-costa-brava-spain/

Restaurant d' en Bahí in La Pera, Costa Brava

I’ve been enjoying my trip to the Costa Brava a lot. People are nice and offers you advice and suggestions about good places in the area. We do the same in Internet, recommend to other travelers the really good places and share the experience.

Next to one of the main roads going from Girona to most of the important towns and beaces in the Costa Brava I found this familiar restaurant. In Spain is very common to find “menú” in labor days (monday to friday), a cheaper menu consisting in first and second dish, dessert and drink. For 11 Euros I had a fantastic meal.

Service is really quick and effective. I like when I don’t have to wait at all for eating, so I can decide for myself the rithm of my meal. Inside they have 3 different dinning rooms, all of them very nice, stoned walls and wood furniture. The outdoor terrace is also great for dinner at summer. I went for lunch and stayed inside. I got a fresh melon soup with crunchy iberic ham, pretty simple but amazing taste, very refreshing in the hot august. Second dish was a steak with roquefort sauce, also great. They told me from memory en extense dessert carte. I chose a natural banana juice with cream.

They have a big dinning room for special celebrations and where they serve amazing breakfasts every morning from 8 in the morning.

A tea at the terrace for a perfect finish. Highly recommended specially if you’re in the area and planning a visit to Girona or any of the Baix Emporda villages and beaches.

http://www.totaltravel24.com/restaurant-d-en-bahi-in-la-pera-costa-brava/

L'Escola Restaurant and Social Club in the Costa Brava

While staying at Can Massa rural farmhouse in La Pera, I took Josep’s recommendation and went to this bar restaurant located at the historic center of La Pera. Next to the church, with a nice terrace in the same square, they offer variety of salads, tapas, sandwiches, meat, fish and homemade desserts. The place was the village school for many years in the past.

This is one of the places I love to recommend. The place is nothing fancy, a good place in a nice town, but once you take a seat you feel the difference. Service is fast and very correct. What did I eat? A tomato and mozzarella salad with pesto. Tomatoes from their neighboor’s orchard… delicious! I followed with one of the most amazing hamburgers I’ve ever tried. Trust me when I say I’ve tried more than 200, and I can say this was one of the best 10: tasty veal meat from the area, perfectly cooked, caramelized onion, goat cheese and homemade ketchup. They used a great bread too, not the typical but from some local bakery. Just incredible.

I finished with a yummy carrot pie with hot chocolate. A glass of red wine and some water accompanied me. I paid 20 Euros for everything.

The owner is really nice. She told me they organize concerts all year. In summer you can enjoy them at the beautiful outside, the rest of the year you can enjoy them inside, with a special acoustic sound.

I’ll want to come back my whole life just to taste all I told you again and be more lucky next time and be able to enjoy a concert while eating. Recommended and obligatory in my humble opinion.

http://www.totaltravel24.com/lescola-bar-restaurant-and-social-club-in-la-pera-costa-brava/

Favorite Restaurants in Costa Brava

Tapas & Copas Les Escoles

This is my favorite place in Costa Brava for many reasons. Santi, the owner, is always trying to make you feel like in heaven. Tapas and dishes are deeply studied and cooked with the heart. All products are fresh and cooked at the moment. Anything you ask for, or anything you let them recommend to you is going to be first quality food.

I went alone this time, spending time with Santi and listening to his explanantions about where and how he get those special and natural products, always spending more money than competence with the convincement that the final product and customer experience is the best you can achieve. They bring best rabbits from Emporda, they buy fish, octopus, foie and veal from best productors so we can get better food and flavor. I tried fresh grilled foie (delicious), chicken wings, octopus Galicia style, foie raviolli with local mushrooms and mussels with salt and pepper (an incredible tasty dish, simple and great). Coulant for dessert was the perfect final for this meal.

Don’t miss their outdoor terrace. A nice an extense area, very quite and with great atmosphere. Ideal for kids, as they can play and run and let you eat and spend nice conversations without thinking a lot about them for a while…

Many more at: http://www.totaltravel24.com/travelers-favorite-restaurants-in-costa-brava/

Travelers Favorite Hotels and Rural Houses in Costa Brava

Can Massa Rural Farmhouse

In La Pera we found peace and deep relax mixed with cultural and sports activities. Everything is close from there, and the owners are the kindest people I’ve known in the area. They are very helpful giving you advice on what to do, when, where and how for the best experience. An authentic catalan farmhouse offering the best service year after year.

Can Massa is an old peasant farmer´s house formed by the main house and several stables and granaries that surround the inner courtyard. There is a porch where table-tennis, badminton and volleyball can be practised. The house has six rooms, two drawing-rooms for guests, one of which has a fireplace, music, television set and parlour games. It keeps some old tools which are part of the decoration.The house is situated between the regions of Baix Emporda and Girones, at the foot of the massif of the Gavarres and near to the beach.

All rooms have an ensuite bathroom, air conditioned, central heating, free wifi and antique refurbished furniture.

One of main attractions in Costa Brava is Dali and all his story. The house is in La Pera, 1 minute away from Pubol, where we find “Castell de Gala – Dalí”. Most of best beaches in Costa Brava are 20 minutes away. Located at the heart of Costa Brava, this house is pretty close to most interesting cities, places and restaurants. Girona is 20 minutes away by car.

And many more at: http://www.totaltravel24.com/travelers-favorite-hotels-and-rural-house-in-costa-brava/

Tapas Restaurant Les Escoles – Costa Brava

Fancy restaurant with quality tapas made from the best products in the area. There is a huge outdoor patio with children playground, perfect if you’re going with kids. I went in summer and could enjoy it eating and drinking some mojitos made by Jesús, a cuban native.

Santi, the owner is there and quickly invite me to sit wherever I want. Beer came first, some amazing tapas after. The kitchen is an incredible show, as it’s open and you see the chef working.

If you like wine, don’t miss the chance to ask Santi for the best spanish wine collection they have, like Roig Parals Emporda wine.

Beach is 5 minutes away by car, and you are very close to great historical villages like Peratallada, Palau-Sator, Pals and Torroella de Montgri.

http://www.totaltravel24.com/tapas-restaurant-les-escoles-costa-brava/

Rural Hotel Mas de les Flors – Costa Brava

“El Mas de les Flors” is a homely cottage where you will be able to enjoy some relaxing days with a warm and homely environment. Every room reminds you a kind of flower, and every living room is decorated depending in which season we are. In the summer you can go and have fun in the swimming pool and garden, and at night you can ask for some drinks in the chill-out terrace.

Is very well located, a main road is a few meters away (not visible), and help you going to Barcelona, Girona, Figueres, Cadeques and other important destinations fast.

The garden area rounds the hotel and has plenty space for walking and relaxing. I’ve been in a lot of rural houses and hotels in the Costa Brava and I can say this is one of of the best.

http://www.totaltravel24.com/rural-hotel-mas-de-les-flors-costa-brava/

Pizzeria Restaurant La Locanda di Nonna Flo – Costa Brava, Spain

After several generations of restaurateurs in Italy, Francesco came to Sant Feliu de Guixols to start a solo venture without the support of his family. There he met Anna, his partner, and opened this small restaurant with her. Cosy, intimate and familiar, La Locanda di Nonna Flo opened in 2004 to provide the typical traditional Italian cuisine: a trattoria cuccina full of color, taste and fantasy.

With a privileged view over the bay of Sant Feliu de Guixols, fresh products are the norm in this restaurant whose interior dining room of 24 guests is accompanied by a summer terrace with capacity for 40 customers.

Specialties like fresh pasta stuffed with vegetables, seafood, cheese or mushrooms, the porcini funghi fettuccine, steaks with vinegar of Modena, the exquisite pizzas, fresh fish, homemade desserts and excellent selection of local wine and Italian.

It’s not unusual to find some known people eating in their terrace. When I was there, Sebastian Vettel’s father was eating a pizza with his wife and friends two tables away from mine. Francesco, the owner, told me that 2 weeks ago Xavi Hernadez (FC Barcelona midfielder) was dinning there too. A picture can prove it.

Beside that, food’s excellent and the views over Sant Feliu de Guixols beach are stunning.

Great old style italian pizza with fresh products from the area, pasta, salds and yummy desserts. The price is very affordable wich is also good news. Taste the best pizza in Costa Brava when you go.

http://www.totaltravel24.com/pizzeria-restaurant-la-locanda-di-nonna-flo-costa-brava-spain/