Hotel de Camprodon*** Located in the picturesque village of Camprodon, in the Catalan Pyrenees, the neoclassic hotel built in 1914, has been fully-refurbished and offers a warm, friendly atmosphere. The hotel has large rooms, a garden, a swimming pool available during summer time, a board-game room and a restaurant, where you can sample traditional Catalan cuisine prepared using fresh, local produce. More information.
Hotel Compte Tallaferro**** The Hotel is located in the centre of Besalú, in a monumental building that has been carefully restored. More information.
Hotel La Perla*** Located in Olot, near the Zona Volcànica de la Garrotxa Nature Reserve. More information.
Hotel Bremon*** Set in the historical centre of Cardona, a town rich in cultural and natural heritage, its spacious rooms, its large sound-proofed windows, its colours and textures create a bright, peaceful space. The warm atmosphere is accentuated by the multi-purpose room on the top floor with an open fireplace and a terrace with views of the castle and the mountains. More information.
Hotel Torres*** After the closing of the hostel in 1996, it has now been re-opened as a hotel, completely renovated, with room service and breakfast. In the Hotel Torres, located in the centre of Arbúcies, we have as fundamental objective the quality of our services, with this idea, we offer 10 rooms, carefully prepared and decorated for your comfort. More information.
Husa San Bernat*** The Hotel Sant Bernat boasts a privileged location in the Montseny mountain range at an altitude of 850 metres.
An ideal location to relax, set in woodland and gardens, with exceptional views over the surrounding landscape. Completely refurbished hotel, restaurant with hearty and international cuisine, comfortable lounges and large fireplace. Wonderful footpaths: own riding stables, walking, 4×4 excursions. More information.
Hotel Ripoll*** The 4rd. generation of this family run 3 star hotel has renovated it completely in 2006 to offer a service of high quality. The result is 28 en-suite bedrooms decorated in country style and a cosy, informal restaurant offering the specialities of Catalan cuisine. A stay of a few days in Hotel Ripoll can bring you in contact with superb views and walking tracks discovering the Montseny Natural Park (visitors centre 30 minutes). More information.
Husa Monastir Sant Marçal*** The 3 star Husa Monastir Sant Marçal enjoys a privileged location overlooking the Montseny range (850 m high). It offers an intimate atmosphere in every of its corners. The hotel, formerly a 12th century monastery, features spacious lounges with chimneys, a wonderful restaurant and excellent walks in the surroundings. More information.
Hostal de la Gloria*** The “Hostal de la Gloria” Hotel is located at an altitude of 840 m in the town of Viladrau, in the beautiful setting of the Montseny Natural Park. Built in the style of the mountain chalets, it blends perfectly into its natural environment. More information.
Mas Albareda**** The Rural hotel is situated in beautiful picturesque surroundings, a serene atmosphere with breathtaking views of the Catalonian countryside. The restored stone farmhouse is located in the small town of San Julià de Vilatorta, a small town just a few minutes away from Vic. The local area offers a variety of activities such as mountain biking, horse riding or hiking along the mountains. More information.
Hotel Torre Marti*** Built in 1945, this former stately home, located at the foot of the Guilleries in the pre-Pyrenees, has been renovated to offer the best service in unique surroundings. The hotel has a picturesque backdrop of mountains and countryside, and has good road connections to the cities Barcelona, Vic and Girona. More information.
Monestir de les Avellanes*** This establishment is a unique place, situated at the foot of the Serra del Montsec and in the territory of the Counts of Urgell. Monastic traditions of hospitality have been preserved here and the refurbished facilities are ideal for business or tourist stays. The place combines history with modern facilities in a warm and comfortable setting. It is situated in the municipality of Os de Balaguer in the Pyrenean foothills and offers a spectacularly beautiful natural setting and with many cultural sites nearby to visit. More information.
Aparthotel Nou Vielha*** Aparthotel Nou Vielha is located in the commercial centre of Vielha, in the well known area of Vall d’Aran, full of mountains and nature reserves. The Aparthotel Nou Vielha boasts 20 standard apartments and 8 luxury duplex, with attics in wood. More information.
Hotel Pirene** The Hotel Pirene is to be found in Vielha, the capital of the Aran Valley (Catalan Pyrenees, at the border between Spain and France). It is surrounded by peaceful and beautiful wooded and garden areas, holding marvellous views over the Valley. More information.
Eth Refugi d’Aran*** This establishment is situated in the heart of Vall d’aran, on the shores of the river Garona and surrounded by 3000 metre mountains. The house has been carefully decorated respecting traditional regional architectural styles. The apartments are spacious and have fully-equipped double rooms. Vall d’Aran is unique in terms of natural surroundings, culture and local cuisine. There will be a wealth of opportunities to take part in outdoor activities and entertainment in any period of the year. More information.
Hotel Caldas** The hotel is situated in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees, and surrounded by exceptional natural beauty. The hotel is a charming, medieval inn built of stone, slate and wood and dates back to 1671. It has been lovingly converted into a comfortable hotel, retaining many period features and of course its medieval allure. This hotel is next to the Aigüestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici National Park; an area of countless lakes, mountains, peaks and stunning countryside. More information.
Hotel Andria*** Hotel Andria is a small hotel founded at the end of the 19th century managed by the 4th generation of the Peguera-Sort family. Located in a beautiful modernist-style building with an entranceway garden that, together with the entrance columns, gives the place a stately look. In addition, it has a terrace with a portico, TV lounge, fireplace lounge and a wine cellar from the 12th century. More information.
Apartamentos Serrano*** Located right in the centre of the mountain town Vielha in the old quarter, the apartments are cosy and comfortable in a mountain chalet style with sloping wooden eves. The apartments are extremely well-equipped. During the summer months you can take guided tours for free. More information.
L’Era de Cal Bastida** The rural hotel is located in the small town of Estamariu in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees, surrounded by natural beauty. The hotel is a reformed farmhouse with spectacular views of the rolling hillsides. Surrounded by mountains, the comfortable and cosy hotel is an ideal place for families or groups of friends who enjoy exploring the great outdoors. More information.
Jardins del Segrià Country hotel situated 4 km from Lleida, with public parking for cars and coaches, impressive garden with grass areas and lots of shade, terrace, children’s playground, football pitch, home cooked meals, bicycle rental service (you can go on bike routes on the area), guest’s pick up service (from stations). More information.
Spanish Civil War guided tours in Barcelona
Guided tour around Spain
Spanish natureTravelling around Spain on a scooter
Entertaining video from the Guardian here showing a woman travelling around rural Almeria on a Vespa scooter.
Best tapas bars in Palma de Mallora
The Guardian has this article on the best tapas bars and bodegas in Palma de Mallorca, home to an an impressive ranges of good eateries. I particularly liked the sound of Bodega Bellver:
Tucked up a side street around the corner from the theatre, Bellver is about as far away from Palma’s gleaming 21st- century tapas bars as it’s possible to imagine. Dark and shadowy, with shelves lined with dusty bottles and wine barrels, and rickety wooden tables scattered around the small space, it is steeped in history, atmosphere and the smell of spicy pork frying on the tiny grill beside the bar. Order up icy beers and pinchos and settle into a slice of unchanged Mallorquin life.
Trekking in the Sierra Nevada in June
I enjoyed this post on the iberianatureforum by Maria:
Outside the tapas bars of Lanjaron temperatures reached 30 degrees. 2500m above we donned our duvet jackets as an icy wind tore across the white snow filled plateau. Such are the contrasts this year in southern Spain’s Sierra Nevada, a legacy of the worst winter weather in living memory.
Read the original story here:
Travel guide to Osana
Good review of the county of Osana here from Barcelona writing.
On food of Osona
Pork and its by-products may be the most emblematic food of the county, but Osona has much else to offer gastronomes. The truffle (trufa), a black mushroom that grows underground and is highly prized, and a wide range of bolets (Catalan mushrooms) including pinetell, rovelló, rossinyol, cep and fredolic are found locally, as are the white beans (mongetes) of the Collsacabra Mountains, characterised by their small size. For dessert, the pa de pessic de Vic (sponge cake) is worth trying as are the regional cheeses, curds, honey and jam.
Teruel bat
Detail of modernist forge of the Staircase of the Paseo del Óvalo. The monumental staircase was built in 1921 to link the new railway station with the old part of the city. The work has modernist and neomudejar details. By SantiMB on Flickr
History and culture Notes from Spain