Exploring The Wonders of Emporda
We stay with the marvellous Viu Empordà & explore one of Spain's most glorious regions
26th June 2024
Home takes a lifetime to create, yet when on holiday, you can settle into your new home within hours. Usually, these holiday homes are not in keeping with one's taste; perhaps there is an extraordinary swirly carpet or several thousand weather-beaten accessories placed incongruously around the property. But we make do, as it is only for a week or two. This was happily not the case when we stayed in one of Viu Empordà properties, Mas Flor, in the region of Emporda, Spain, just outside of Girona. In fact, it was far nicer than anything I could have come up with.
When we reached the property, it had been a long journey. My suggestion for anyone visiting the region is to fly to Girona. We all managed to arrive around two hours past our ETA, not only due to traffic but also because of the excruciating border security in Barcelona. My husband insists I stop mentioning Brexit every time we queue, but it really does boil my blood. So, off to a lovely start as you can see, then the necessary awfulness with the car rental. Avoid OK Mobility if you can; yes, we should have been warned by the name. As you can tell, we were in a buoyant and not in the least bit tetchy on our arrival.
Our weariness dissipated as we were shown around the spectacular Mas Flor. This house is not just an investment holiday rental; it has clearly been a labour of love. Once a humble barn, it is now a three-bedroom house with an attached 'casita' with two more bedrooms. It was stupendous; the interiors are an excellent example of how much antique and vintage furniture can do for a room. Each corner had something notable to catch your eye, and we haven't even gotten to the best part—the garden.
A rose like no other straddled the building, reaching around the windows and blossoming so intensely that it truly mesmerising. Many a morning, one or the other of us would be found studying this thing of beauty. The rest of the garden was clearly the work of a creative horticulturist; every inch had been thought through and meticulously tended, from the orchard to the kitchen garden to the wisteria draping over the pool house. It was a haven, a garden that would inspire love letters, poems, and the next great fiction (funnily enough, my father started his book while he was out there).
Now we come to the needs of a family. We are a family of six adults and two children under three—a tricky mixture with a variety of demands. But I can say with exuberance that the region of Emporda met each and every one. My eldest nephew, at three years old, found his days filled with naps, food, swimming, and Disney. Sadly for my sister and brother-in-law, their days were very similar, but we were able to interrupt this constant vigilance with trips to the local towns for breakfasts and afternoon beers.
My father and mother, both of whom are constantly on the move, truly needed a holiday. When they stepped out of the car, I made sure there were snacks and wine to greet them. We are a family prone to low blood sugar—when it dips, the mood is not far behind. So, we sat outside Mas Flor and toasted to finally being on holiday. My father hushed the conversation as he could hear birdsong, but not just any common or garden birdsong; he heard the rhythmic call of a cuckoo. I believe that alone made his trip.
As mentioned, my mother is always out & about, so we were all keen for her to have an actual holiday, none more so than my father. Every morning, he presented her with breakfast in bed. I am sure he would like it known that this is not just a holiday occurrence but also happens at home.
For my husband and me, we do need to stretch our legs a little, and mine always needs a treat at the end. We were spoiled for choice, surrounded by ravishing medieval towns within an hour or two’s walk from our house. In fact, it was some of the best walking I've experienced in a European country, with excellent tracks off the road. On one of our best walks, we listened to Jeremy Irons narrating the early chapters of Brideshead Revisited—there aren't more dulcet tones that could grace your ears as you walk through the bucolic scenery of Emporda.
Now, I have probably bored you more than I care to admit, but could I take one more moment of your time to describe the perfect outing? If you go to the area, I beseech you to follow in my steps (and thousands of others). Go to Púbol, where you will see the house of Gala Dalí Castle & Museum. I shan't say more. Then, have lunch at És! Carxofa for mouthwatering rice dishes. I had paella with rockfish, little cuttlefish, and red prawns paired with their more-than-adequate house white.
We finished our outing by visiting ceramicist Caterina Roma's studio and gallery. Roma uses locally sourced clay and foraged natural materials to create stunning dinnerware and wood-fired pieces. In 2020, she set up her studio and gallery in a charming 17th-century building, which once served as a hostel for pilgrims trekking the Camino de Santiago. My father bought my mother the most heavenly piece of pottery—a perfect way to remember such a glorious day.
I can't recommend the region enough. The landscape felt like the perfect mixture of Tuscany and the South of France. The towns were unpretentious and geared towards those who lived in and around them. Tourists are certainly not top of the agenda. You have all the benefits of miles of countryside, and when that ends, you are greeted by the shoreline of the Costa Brava. If you are looking for rest, culture, food and a dip in the sea, I wouldn't look too much further.
