All Sights

It is quite common, in Spain especially, to see former monasteries converted into hotels. These are usually the structures occupying elevated spots with beautiful views over lakes or the sea — not only was it easier to defend those places but also serving God seemed to come more naturally there as well.

But aesthetics and military tactics alone do not explain all such scenic location choices. Take Sa Riera, for example, a lush and green urbanization in the Costa Brava whose residents may check out the water conditions on the Mediterranean by simply walking out onto their terraces — and, after a ten-minute walk, verify its temperature too.

Sa Riera is one of the most desirable locations on the Catalan coast. Back in the 18th century, a group of Minims, hermits of the religious order of friars of Saint Francis of Paola, made camp here. As the legend goes, the monks’ arrival in Sa Riera was from an accident.

Once, when a group of Italian sailors was transporting the holy relics of Saint Reparata (where from and where to is unknown), their ship got into a strong storm that threatened to sink it. Praying to be saved, the travellers swore that if they survived the storm they would build an altar on the first piece of dry land they find. The storm calmed down and the ship anchored in the cove of Sa Riera. The spared sailors promptly forgot their oath and resumed their mission after a short rest, only to encounter the same wild storm again. Taking the hint, the group returned to Sa Riera.

They attempted to carry the relics into the parish church of Begur, the holy place closest to Sa Riera, but halfway there the relics became so heavy and weighed down on the men so much they could not carry them any longer. That exact spot is where the Minims had made camp to build the monastery of Saint Reparata (Convent Santa Reparada).

In 1836, the lands belonging to the Catholic Church and the monastic orders were confiscated by the state, and the abandoned premises had gotten occupied by the bottle cork makers’ workshop. During the Franco years, the former monastery served as a summer camp for the “ideologically correct” youth overseen by the Nazis. However, years of activity within the monastery’s walls gave place to decades of total quiet.

With the development of the tourism and travel sector in Sa Riera, summer residences belonging to wealthy Spaniards and Frenchmen started springing up like mushrooms in the area — the predecessors to luxury villas meant for summer holiday rentals. Once the region becomes focused on tourism, vacant buildings do not stay vacant for long, especially those on sizeable land, with gorgeous views of the cove and the sea. Today, the former monastery is a very nice hotel called El Convent (“the monastery” in Catalan), that attracts guests with all the aforementioned qualities, in addition to a garden with a swimming pool, a great restaurant, not to mention an old chapel that has survived from the times of the Minims.

Address: Carretera de la Platja del Racó, 2, 17255 Begur

The most famous hotel in the Costa Brava is located in S’Agaro. Its name, Hostal La Gavina¹, can be deceptively confusing for those new to its splendor, as the Spanish word “hostal” sounds very much like the English word “hostel”, with all the attendant associations of bunk beds and sharing bathrooms with strangers. That’s mistake number one: hostal with a silent “h” is simply an inexpensive hotel that offers private rooms. Mistake number two is using the information in the previous sentence to try and save a little on the accommodation in the Costa Brava — one night in Hostal La Gavina costs about 300€ in the low season and about 1000€ in the high season (advanced bookings are very much recommended).

The modest name of the hotel is simply a relic of the simpler times when it first opened its doors in 1932 as a newly renovated chalet with two buildings and a turret between them. 11 guest rooms were added almost as an afterthought. Even back then, spending a cheap night there wasn’t really possible, as S’Agaro had been building up its reputation as a garden town for the upper class and the bourgeoisie, so its first hotel had to fit the bill. Its modest outward appearance was the only reason for the simple name.

The hotel outgrew its eleven rooms quite quickly, and for years after the grand opening Hostal La Gavina had been in the state of permanent expansion. The Spanish Civil War put a pause on the construction work, but once it had ended the hotel continued changing, this time drastically. The way Hostal La Gavina looks today is the result of an ambitious project led by the architect Francesc Folguera. Only the tennis courts and one hallway remain from the original buildings.

The list of celebrity guests of La Gavina is enormously long and keeps growing. The cream of the crop among famous politicians, royalty, actors, and musicians visiting the Costa Brava make it a point to spend the night at Hostal La Gavina. So if stargazing is your thing, perhaps paying 1000€ a night for the possibility of sharing the breakfast buffet with Lady Gaga or Robert de Niro is not such a high price?

¹⁾Gavina means “seagull” in Catalan.

Address: Carrer Santa Clara, 31 | 17486 Castelló d’Empúries, Girona
Phone: 972 25 05 93

Address: Plaça del Roser, 1 | 17531 Gombrèn, Girona
Phone: 972 73 04 04

Found in Begur just a short walk from Platja de l’Illa Roja beach, the hotel and restaurant Sa Punta is one of those places that not only never disappoint but also welcome you with open arms all year round. It is a rare spot in the Costa Brava indeed. Low season? Winter? Monday? Tuesday? The restaurant is open and you are always received as if they have been waiting just for you to show.

Let’s get the food out of the way first — it is consistently great. The menu is relatively short, only two pages — chef’s suggestions (“Sugerencias”) for appetizers and main courses, fish dishes, meat dishes. The menu changes only slightly, with a sprinkling of variety by way of seasonal ingredients and regional delicacies that the chef of Sa Punta incorporates into the menu at every opportunity. You will find fresh coastal fish, prime cuts of Girona meat, the house specialties (steak tartare and duck cannelloni) any day of the year. The dessert menu is similarly short yet tantalizing.

Dining at Sa Punta is a great experience during the quiet winter months when the tourist rush slows down. It is incredibly relaxing thanks to the great wait staff, most of whom have been there for decades. It is very quiet because the beautiful dining room tends to absorb sound into its carpet floors and white linen table cloth. In warmer weather, you can dine on the terrace overlooking the garden and the swimming pool, illuminated at night.

Expect to be treated kindly and attentively. Expect an amuse-bouche and freshly baked bread rolls whose selection changes from day to day to start your meal. Expect to hear your server talk about each dish you are about to enjoy, in Spanish, English and quite possibly in French.

Expect also to be a little intimidated by the extensive, well-curated wine list that focuses on DO Empordà and other Spanish wine regions, but doesn’t shy away from international (read: French) wines albeit with a heftier price tag. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice, as the sommelier would be delighted to help you.

Expect a wonderful evening out at Sa Punta, at any rate.

Visitor information
Address: Carrer Sa Punta des Forn, 20 | 17255, Begur, Girona
Phone: +34 972 636 410, +34 972 667 376
Web: https://www.hotelsapunta.com/restaurante/
Opening hours: 1 pm to 3:30 pm and 8 pm to 10:30 pm daily.
Parking: Yes
Reservations: Highly recommended. Call to reserve or fill out the reservation form online.

The estate Can Sora was built in 1870 by the commission of Josep Cama Rovira who had recently returned from emigration to Havana.

The interiors of the estate still contain frescoes with romantic stories of sea adventures and southern countries. The front door grid has the initials of the first house owner — JC.

A Begur native, Bonaventura Caner Bataller is a typical indiano: after emigrating to Cuba in 1845, he came back to Spain and built a luxurious Neoclassical house for himself in 1866.

Bonaventura Bataller invested a part of the wealth made overseas into the local production of cork.

Josep Forment Pi emigrated to Havana in 1845 and returned in 1866, immediately commissioning a beautiful house for himself.

The house facade is made in Neoclassical style with carved stone decorations on the ground floor and the pilasters running along the second and the third floors. Balcony banisters have the owner’s initials, JFP.