L'Escala Hideaway

Rooms

On the ground floor, the first bedroom features an exposed red-brick vaulted ceiling and an open shower room; the toilet is next door. Up a tiled staircase – past in-built shelves decorated in minimalist style with colour-coded books, exotic shells and modernist vases – are the second and third bedrooms. These share a toilet, though they also have en-suite open showers and sinks each. Trudi has kept things stylishly simple in all three bedrooms: golden-warm lighting and soft Toulousian textiles make you want to cocoon yourself inside, while black-out shutters, luxurious linen sheets and the comfiest of beds mean an excellent night’s rest is in store.

On the top floor, an open kitchen-dining-living room featuring rattan and wood furnishings gives off a beachy-chic holiday feel in a palette of sea-inspired blues and gleaming white. It’s fresh and bright in here – natural sunlight pours in through the floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open out onto the terrace.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Central heating
• Coffee / tea making
• Hairdryer
• Plunge pool
• Toiletries
• Tumble dryer
• TV
• Washing machine
• WiFi

Eating

The open kitchen on the top floor features a wooden breakfast bar and a cream-coloured Smeg fridge and freezer cool enough to be considered part of the decor. Access to fresh Catalan market produce means cooking here’s a treat – there’s plenty of appliances and a touch-control induction hob/cooker (though no oven). An espresso machine makes great coffee to go with freshly-baked croissants from the boutique patisserie down the road. There are various supermarkets and grocery shops within walking distance (as well as a wine cave near the town beach), and shopping bags and baskets for you to use. Waiting for us were the basics to get started: a good selection of spices, varied tea bags, salt and pepper, oil.

We loved the light, airy feel to the living room, which opens out onto a terrace with white-washed walls and a shaded dining area and barbecue: here’s where to sit on balmy summer evenings as the sun sets pink. It was peacefully quiet during our stay – just the welcome sound of church bells ringing on the hour.

If you can tear yourself away, there are plenty of great restaurants, cafes and wine bars in L’Escala’s old town – head to the bay for meals with sparkling Med views. Trudi's favourite is La Carevel-la complete with turret right in the village, overlooking the port bay, and also recommends La Gruta (modern French cooking offering “market bistronomy”: gastronomy at bistro prices), Café Dell’ Arte (excellent fondues, pizzas, tapas, just 30 seconds walk away with an airy terrace), and Bar 1869 (right on the port with sea views from the heated winter terrace serving home-made tapas).

Features include:

• Barbecue
• Coffee maker
• Dishwasher
• Fridge
• Full kitchen
• Hob or stove
• Microwave
• Oven
• Restaurants nearby
• Toaster

Activities

• Enjoy the Costa Brava’s famous turquoise-clear waters. Local beaches include El Portixol and Cala Montgó
• Don’t miss the Greco-Roman archaeological site Empuries (the most important in Spain as the only one spanning both civilisations) which is about a 20-minute walk
• Jog or cycle along picturesque pine tree-lined Passeig Marti D’Empuries en route to the fairytale-like hamlet of Sant Martí d’Empúries (there's a great restaurant there too)
• Go scuba-diving or paddle boarding – there’s a choice of scuba schools and paddle rentals in town
• Explore the mind of the world’s most famous surrealist at the Dali Museum in Figueres (30 minutes away)
• Hire a boat from the Club Náutica to explore hidden coves
• Discover L’Escala’s celebrated fishing history at the Anchovy and Salt museum, set in a former abattoir dating from 1913
• Hike in the protected Montgrí natural park, home to pine forest trails and wetlands
• Visit Girona's medieval centre, 30 minutes away – it’s also a haven for cycling enthusiasts

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Cycling
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Museums / galleries
• Scuba diving
• Shopping / markets
• SUP
• Swimming

Kids

Children over 7 are welcome, and the house is well suited to families with older kids as we can testify on our most recent visit – our teens loved staying here. The beach and Roman and Greek ruins at Empuries were a hit too. No under 7s are allowed, mainly due to the steep steps up to the rooftop pool (with no banister).

Best for:

Teens (over 12)

Family friendly accommodation:

As there are three bedrooms, this works perfectly for a family of four with teens in tow as they get a bedroom each. An air mattress can be added to Bedroom 1 on request.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

L'Escala Hideaway is in the heart of L’Escala, a small coastal town set in the picturesque Emporda region of Catalonia, looking out onto the Bay of Roses, and sandwiched between the well-known Costa Brava hotspots of Cadaques and Begur.

By Air:
Fly to Girona Airport (45 minutes away) or into Barcelona itself (1hr 50m).

By Car:
Day trips to nearby beaches and towns are much easier if you have or hire a car, and we highly recommend driving to get here from Barcelona.

By Train:
You can also take a train to Girona and from there, a bus to L’Escala.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.