Ampurdán / Costa Brava

This is Dalí country and is considered one of the best-kept secrets in Spain; like the Hamptons are for New Yorkers or the Dolomites for the Milanese, little-known Ampurdán /L'Empordà is a beautiful 'salt & turf' hotspot of Catalonia, just over an hour's drive from Barcelona. Flanked by the majestic Pyrenees mountains inland and skirted by the Costa Brava Mediterranean coastline, the scene of rare escapism and life in the slow lane casts its spell. Sandwiched between Barcelona and the French border, the region is the hush destination for Spanish insiders and a handful of in-the-know French - allured by the star-studded food culture. Also known as the 'Costa Brava mainland' within the autonomous community of Catalonia in Spain, the region is made up of remote, natural wonder: national parks, wetlands, coastal communities and dunes but is also home to preserved medieval villages full of atmospheric culture, plus the city of Girona and the splendour of its Gothic Cathedral and the old stone tower of Gironelle. Girona's foodie legacy is larger than life, once the site of chef Ferran Adrià's legendary El Bulli, today you'll find three-Michelin-starred El Celler de Can Roca run by the Roca brothers, which has twice been named the best restaurant in the world. Other gastromic hot chefs include Ramón Freixa and Albert Sastregener. 

Over the centuries, artists and dreamers have been drawn to this part of Catalonia, in fact surrealist artist Salvador Dalí was born here; today admire the sights that inspired him, including his birthplace in Figueres, the homage to his life at the wonderfully unique Teatre-Museu Dalí, Dali’s house at Port Lligat and the magical Castell Gala – Salvador Dalí's Castle in Púbol, where Dalí bore his romantic heart to his beloved wife. Sleepy fishing enclave Cadaqués, one of the prettiest villages in all of Spain drew a litany of artists, such as Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Marcel Duchamp over the years, lured by the painterly light, rugged beauty of Costa Brava and whitewashed geometric buildings that suited the cubists' work so well. Another essential visit is the evocative coastal archaeological site of Empúries – a romantic treasure trove of the ancients, dating back to 6th century BCE.

Ampurdán's hilltop villages bordered by vineyards, sunflowers, rice fields and rolling hills are sometimes referred to as a hidden Tuscany, and the walled medieval towns such as Madremanya, Monells, Torrent, Peratallada, Ullastret, Palau-Sator, Púbol and Pals are cocoons of history, wrapped in castle walls, cobbled streets and churches. Discover the area on foot as Catalonians have done for years, including the Camí de Ronda, 43 kilometres of Costa Brava coastline, with rugged undulations and pretty coves. Another favourite option is to explore by boat taking in the Medes Islands, or fishing villages such as Llafranch, Calella, Tamariu or Cadaqués. Inland, natural parks such as Illes Medes and the Baix Ter have contrasting ecosystems: rice paddies, wetlands and dunes juxtaposing with forests and pine trees – flat landscapes easy to explore by bike too. In La Bisbal (capital of the Baix Empordà) you will find a boulevard dedicated to the long tradition of ceramic crafting - rows of design studios, workshops and a plethora of shops line the street and buyers flock here from around the world. 

Centuries-old culture set by the Romans, a land that yields to the top gourmet chefs in the world, conserved heritage, long sun-blessed days, beautiful Mediterranean beaches and nature's wilderness awaits in Ampurdán, Spain's beautiful secret just an hour from Barcelona.