CATALONIA

(does not include Barcelona; includes Baqueira, Cadaques, Calldetenes, Figueres, Girona, Llafranc, Olot (Banyoles, Canya, Sanlucar La Mayor and Torrico), Roses, Sant Celoni, Sant Pol de Mar & Tarragona)

ANGLES
Restaurants
●La Alianca – Calle Jacint Verdaguer 3; 011-34-972-420-156; restaurantalianca.com.

BAQUEIRA
Hotels
●La Pleta Hotel & Spa – Centra Baqueira a Beret (3.5 hour drive from Barcelona, in Aran Valley); 011-34-973-645-550; rafaelhoteles.com; ski-lodge style near 5th Century Romanesque church hamlet; wraparound deck.

CADAQUES
Hotels
●Hotel Rocamar – Dr. Bartomeus; 011-34-978-258-150; rocamar.com; don’t be thrown off by 3 star rating; excellent choice.

CALLDETENES
Restaurants
●Can Jubany – Carretera de Sant Hilari, km. 15; 011-34-938-891-023; canjubany.com; outside walled garden; raises own ingredients.

ESPLUGUES DE LLOBREGAT
Sights & Sites
●Xavier Corbero House – Montserrat, 57; 011-34-93-371-7137; psihoyos.com/pages/Features/XavierCorbero/xavier.html; Gaudi-like structure; can try to get appointment but this is not open to public.

FIGUERES
Sights & Sights
●Dali Theatre-Museum – Gala Salvador-Dali, 5; 011-34-97-267-7500; salvador-dali.org; make sure to look at Lincoln picture through camera – amazing.

GIRONA (Albons, Madremanya, Torrent)
Hotels
●Hotel Albons – Crta La Bisbal a Figueres Km. 18 (Albons); 011-34-972-788-658; hotelalbons.com; 29 rooms and 3 suites, as well as large garden and swimming pool;
●Hotel Ciutat de Girona – Calle Nord, 2; 011-34-972-483-038; hotel-ciutatdegirona.com.
●La Placa – Calle Sant Esteve, 17 (Madremanya); 011-34-972-490-487; laplacamadremanya.com; located in village, behind sunflower field; widely renowned for restaurant; building made of light brown stone dating back to Romans; integrates so well with village’s architecture that can’t tell where hotel starts or ends; apartments are well-decorated, each containing chimney, small lights, and candles; high quality furniture as well as very well equipped kitchen and terrace; rooms are just as attractive and comfortable; surrounding village is charming.
●Mas de Torrent – Afores de Torrent (Torrent); 011-34-972-303-292; mastorrent.com; converted 18th Century farmhouse; stunningly smart luxury hotel to rival any in Spain; expansive rooms in main farmhouse masterfully decorated in classic style, all different yet all furnished with well-chosen antiques and rugs; ceiling beams, hardwood floors, and arched doorways lend traditional flavor alongside modern luxuries like spacious black stone bathrooms with deep soaking tubs; outside farmhouse are bungalows, less rich with palpable history yet easily as luxurious, and amid gardens, are suites with private terraces and pools; restaurant is among best in Catalonia, serving seasonal seafood and produce in informal setting.
Restaurants
●Blanc – Calle Nord, 2 (in Hotel Ciutat de Girona); 011-34-972-483-038; hotel-ciutatdegirona.com.
●Restaurante Celler de Can Roca – Carretera Taiala, 40 (mile and half outside old town); 011-34-972-222-157; elcellerdecanroca.com; Catalan; 2 Michelin stars.
●Draps Petit Restaurant – Calle Cort Reial, 2; 011-34-972-080-430; lobster ravioli.
Sights & Sites
●Banys Arabs (in Barri Vell) – Del Sac 4-5; Arab baths.
●Barri Vell – old town.
●Girona Cathedral – Plaza de la Catedral; medieval.
●Museum of Jewish History – Calle Forca, 8; Girona has 1 of 3 medieval mikvah in Europe.
●La Rambla – cobblestone street with cafes and shops.

LLAFRANC
Hotels
●Hotel El Far – Platja de Llafranc s/n; 011-34-972-301-639 or 011-34-972-302-000; elfar.net; on former lighthouse site; beautiful, 360° views; excellent restaurant.

OLOT (Banyoles, Canya, Sanlucar La Mayor and Torrico)
Hotels
●El Bulli Hotel Hacienda Benazuza – Calle Virgen de las Nieves (Sanlucar La Mayor, outside Seville); 011-34-955-703-344; elbullihotel.com; sprawling, white-washed country estate dating back to 11th Century; 44 rooms.
●Ca l’Arpa – Passeig Industria 5 (Banyoles); 011-34-972-572-353; calarpa.com; owned by former Michelin-starred chef and wife; 8 rooms.
●Les Cols Pavellones – Mas les Cols, Cebtra de la Canya (Canya); 011-34-972-269-209; lescols.com; 5 rooms in 13th Century farmhouse (mas); otherworldly experience; after checking in, escorted to “transparent glass-and-black-steel pavilion”; rooms are pure crystal cubes: aside from minibar and closet with sheepskin slippers, no beds, no furniture, no phone, no television, just lounging mat; glass floors offer view of illuminated bare earth below; only sound is trickling of soaking tub, heated to constant 89.2°; 1 Michelin star restaurant next door (Les Cols); when you go to dinner, lounging mat made into bed for night.
●Valdepalacios Hotel Gourmand – Carretera de Oropesa a Puente del Arzobispo (Torrico); 011-34-925-457-534; valdepalacios.es; on 1.5K acre private estate; 27 rooms in 19th Century house surrounded by forests full of deer and other game.
Restaurants
●La Alqueria – Calle Virgen de las Nieves (Sanlucar La Mayor, outside Seville, at El Bulli Hotel Hacienda Benazuza); 011-34-955-703-344; elbullihotel.com; 2 Michelin stars.
●Ca l’Arpa – Passeig Industria 5 (Banyoles); 011-34-972-572-353; calarpa.com; owned by former Michelin-starred chef and wife.
●Les Cols – Mas les Cols, Centra de la Canya (Canya); 011-34-972-269-209; adjacent to Les Cols Pavellones; 1 Michelin star.
Sights & Sites
●Garrotxa National Park – 2 hours north of Barcelona.

ROSES
Restaurants
●Si Us Plau – Rhode 58; 011-34-972-254-264; siusplau.cat; beachfront café.

SANT CELONI
Restaurants
●Can Fabes – 6 Sant Joan; 011-34-938-672-851; canfabes.com; at least until recently, 3 Michelin stars.

SANT POL DE MAR
Restaurants
●Sant Pau – 10 Carrer Nou; 011-34-937-600-662; ruscalleda.com; 3 Michelin stars; owns Moments (in Barcelona), which has 1 star.

TARRAGONA
Bars & Nightclubs
●Sentits – 25 Placa de la Font (Old City); 011-34-977-222-626; great tapas; indoor and outdoor tables.
Hotels
●AC Tarragona – 8 Avinguda de Roma; 011-34-977-247-105; ac-hotels.com; in city’s new part and 15-minute walk from old city.
●Hotel Lauria – 20 Rambla Nova; 011-34-977-236-712; hotel-lauria.com; venerable; couple blocks from old city; ask for renovated “executive” room; swimming pool.
Restaurants
●L’Ancora – 25 Carrer de Trafalgar Serrallo); 011-34-977-242-806; great seafood served on tables that spill out into shaded portion street closest to docks.
●L’Ancora – 2 Passeig Maritim Sant Joan de Deu; 011-34-977-694-777; restauranteancora.com.
●Barquet – 16 Gasometre; 011-34-977-240-023; restaurantbarquet.com; famous for its romesco sauce; near Mercat Central, and Roman Forum-Theater.
●Degusta – 6 Cavallers; 011-34-977-252-428; degvsta.com; somewhat formal restaurant with most inventive food in Tarragona.
●Sentits – 25 Placa de la Font (Old City); 011-34-977-222-626; great tapas; indoor and outdoor tables.
Sights & Sites
●Aqueducte de les Ferrers (Pont del Diable) – CN-240 de Valls a Lleida (4 kms north of Tarragona); whc.unesco.org/en/list/875/; large aqueduct that once supplied (still supplies?) Tarragona with water from Francoli River; water goes from Rourell area, about 92 ms above sea level, and travels 10 km through aqueduct; 217 ms l , 2 ms w, and 27 ms h; upper tier has 25 arches; lower tier has 11; built in 1st Century CE, using stone without mortar.
●Mercat Central – s/n Placa Corsini; 011-34-977-242-130; elnoumercatdetarragona.cat.
●Museo Necropolis Paleocristiana – 15 Paseo de la Indepencia; 011-34-977-211-175; mnat.es; museum in support of early Christian necropolis.
●National Archeological Museum of Tarragona – 5 Placa del Rei; 011-34-977-236-209; mnat.es.
●Placa del Pallol – has ancient Roman city model.
●Rambla Nova – city’s main artery; boulevard ends at palm-fringed terrace overlooking beach and sea.
●Roman Amphitheater – Passeig de les Palmeres; built in 2nd Century CE; spectacular sea view; arena with tiered seats was gladiatorial and other contests site; wander access tunnels and along seating rows; emperor Augustus favored Tarragona as winter resort; in theater center, 2 superimposed churches remain, earlier of which was Visigothic basilica built to mark St. Fructuós’ and his deacons martyrdom in 259 CE; €10 buys combination ticket card valid for all Tarragona archeological museums and sites.
●Mausoleo de Centcelles – s/n Afores (7 kms south of Tarragona); 011-34-977-523-374; monumental mausoleum, now in vineyard; 2 enormous buildings; built by wealthy Roman in 4th Century CE; 1st chamber covered by immense cupola (diameter 11m) decorated with mosaics depicting favored, early Christian themes: hunting scenes; Daniel in lion’s den; etc.; adjoining chamber, same size but square, has apse on either side.
●Torre de los Escipiones – 6 kms from Tarragona on coast road, to left; square structure 8 ms h dating from 1st Century CE; 2 statues Phrygian divinity Attis.