In less than two hours one can drive from bustling Barcelona to the remote, wild and rocky coastline of the Costa Brava. This area of Spain seems to be untouched by time. The people who live here enjoy a slower paced lifestyle than the residents of Barcelona.
Driving northeast, after reaching Girona, we headed east towards la platja {the beach}, then navigated our way to the small beach town of Lafranc. After passing though sleepy Lafranc we followed the signs up the hill.
There were a few more twists and turns up narrow roads before we reached El Far {the lighthouse} de St. Sebastia. This simple and solid lighthouse has been sending it’s signal out to mariners since 1857. It is in a small cape on the Costa Brava up on the high, rocky cliffs overlooking the Med.
When we got out of the car, we were pleasantly taken back by the crisp, fresh marine air.
Next to the light house is a charming little hotel, configured within the confines of an ancient church. Here, we hung our hats for a couple of days to take in all we could of this beautiful section of Spain.
Each of the rooms of the hotel are uniquely decorated. I immediately fell in love with the airy essence of our room. The arched ceilings, the pale blue and white paint, and the curtained bed created a positively ethereal setting.
If you have been a splendid reader for awhile, you probably know I have a passion for the blue and white color combination.
So, of course, I immediately gravitated towards this beautifully hand painted bowl on the dresser in our room.
But I also developed a very serious crush for the aqua and blue color combination in our bathroom. I’m sorry it doesn’t show up very well in these photos, but these walls are painted the prettiest shade of pale aqua blue.
The aqua was a magnificent backdrop for the rich blue tile work.
Deep navy shutters protected our room from light and other elements,
and from these shuttered doors,
we had the most incredible view of the sea, 175 feet below.
During the day we could hear the voices of the boaters below, enjoying the sun and sea and speaking far to fast for me to understand their happy conversation.
As the light dimmed, the sea and sky seemed to melt into one.
The only downside to this room was that people would gather on the patio below early in the morning to set out for day hikes on the trails that stretch along the sea.
Even though I am not a morning person, I’d take that trade off again anytime!
I loved walking down these ancient stairs, each one has been beautifully worn and smoothed by ages of footsteps over the years.
The restaurant offers authentic Catalan cuisine and sports a casual beach decor.
The border of France is less than 100 kilometers north, and I definitely detected a strong french influence in the look and feel of this area.
If you take a trip to Spain, I highly recommend a visit to El Far.
For more information on touring the Costa Brava, click aqui to read an interesting article Sarah Wildman wrote for the New York Times.
A traveler's heaven on earth! It looks amazing. I love your styling and photography on the one with the stairs, hat and sunglasses – nicely done.
My "Spanish daughter", who came to me as an exchange student in 2000, lives on the island of Ibiza. Her father was, at the time, consulate general for all of the Spanish islands. He may be still, not sure. It is my dream to visit Elisa and her family, which now includes a precious little boy named Newen. Your blog has sparked the desire to an even higher level and I am actively visualizing the trip with my husband and daughter.
Thank you! Oh, I also want to know where you got the fabulous hat that is on the table in one of the first pictures. That would be perfect here on St. Simons Island!
Love your blog!
Melissa
Oh did you post that blue and white plate just for me??? Love it! These photos are so beautiful. I think we should meet up for a glass of wine and some jamon at Harvest Vine so I can get all of your Spain tips — just a month to go until our trip. Can't wait!
SO MUCH BEAUTY!!!!!!!!!!!
so lovely-reminds me of our fantastic trip to Spain this past summer! Wish I was there now!
Melissa, we loved Mallorca, and after visiting that island in the Balearics, I am even more curious about Ibiza. I hope you find a way to explore those islands.
The hat was from a market along the way, sorry I can't share an exact source. ebh
Thank you for all of the nice comments on the photos, this place was so beautiful, it was a pretty easy task.
Jeannie ~ I your trip has really snuck up on me, I am so excited for you. Could we meet one night next week at the HV?