A Hilltop Masia with a 19-Meter Pool beside Les Gavarres, Baix Empordà
Casa Alta is a restored masia on a small hill at the edge of Fonteta in the Baix Empordà, beside the protected natural area of Les Gavarres. It sleeps up to 10 guests in five en-suite bedrooms. It blends seclusion with access to the best of the region. Fonteta village is five minutes away by car, La Bisbal d'Empordà, the region's ceramics town, is close by, and the Costa Brava's beaches are 20 minutes away.
A masia is a traditional Catalan stone farmhouse, and this one keeps its stone walls and vaulted rooms, with contemporary additions. Its first name, Casa Alta, means "the high house," and it fits: the terraces step down the slope to the pool, with views across the countryside toward the sea.
The house is built for a group that wants to stay put. A large living room runs into the dining area and the kitchen, which has a navy island with a wooden top. There's a library lounge with a fireplace and a work desk in one corner, a separate TV lounge, a wine cellar, a sauna and a games room with table tennis and table football.
Outside, the garden is laid out in zones down the slope, with forest behind it. There's a lawn court for volleyball or badminton, a pétanque area and a basketball hoop, and a covered porch with a shaded dining table and lounge, next to the charcoal barbecue.
Layout
Casa Alta is 900m² (about 9,700sq ft) and sleeps up to 10 guests in five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom, plus a guest WC. The living room, dining area and kitchen are connected, and the sitting rooms, games room, wine cellar and sauna are separate rooms.
• Bedroom 1: King (200 x 200cm), en suite
• Bedroom 2: King (180 x 200cm), en suite
• Bedroom 3: King (180 x 200cm), en suite
• Bedroom 4: King (180 x 200cm), en suite
• Bedroom 5: King (200 x 200cm), en suite
• Guest WC
Experiences
Offered by host: Local experts run experiences for guests, including a ceramics workshop, tastings at Empordà vineyards, an olive oil visit among hundred-year-old trees, a trip along the Costa Brava in a llaüt, the traditional Catalan fishing boat, and a walking route through the Montgrí massif. Balloon and plane flights over the region can also be arranged.
Bookable by house guests only, priced on request.
• Olfactory Capture
• Ceramics workshop
• Bicycle route
• Sailing in Cap de Creus
• Walking route through the Montgrí
• Llaüt along the Costa Brava
• Wines D.O. Empordà
• Vermouth by the sea (Voramar)
• Tasting among olive trees
• Balloon flight
• Plane flight
• Towns of l'Empordà
• Explore the Costa Brava
Good to know
Four hours of daily cleaning are included, along with a final clean. The pool is saltwater, and the house has heating, air conditioning in every bedroom and a fireplace. A €4,000 security deposit is payable to the host four days before arrival. Check in is at 5 p.m. Check out is at 11 a.m.
Tourist tax €2.50 per adult (16 or older) per night, up to 7 nights
Amenities & services
19-meter (62-foot) saltwater pool with sun loungers, sauna, games room with table tennis and table football, wine cellar, library lounge with fireplace, TV lounge, work desk, lawn court for volleyball and badminton, pétanque area, basketball hoop, covered porch with shaded dining table and lounge, charcoal barbecue, fireplace, heating, air conditioning in all bedrooms, smart TV, high-speed Wi-Fi, fully equipped kitchen, daily cleaning (four hours), final cleaning, sheets, bath and pool towels, eco-friendly bath products, welcome basket.
On request: Breakfast, as a basket or prepared in the house, private chef, in-home yoga and massage, concierge and activity planning, extra cleaning.
Full equipment; bed linen, bath towels and pool towels; final cleaning; eco bathroom amenities; welcome basket; daily cleaning (4 hours); travel-planning help.
Available on request
Additional cleaning (occasional or daily); Breakfasts (basket or in-house); Chef at home (lunches, dinners); In-home services (yoga, massage, etc.); Concierge and activity organization.
Around
Fonteta village, with its Romanesque parish church, a bar-restaurant and a grocery shop, is five minutes away by car. A supermarket and a golf course are each 15 minutes away. La Bisbal d'Empordà, about 2km from the village, is the center of the region's ceramics tradition, and its Museu de Ceràmica Terracotta is in a former factory. The Costa Brava's beaches are 20 minutes by car. Girona is 45 minutes away, Girona's high-speed train station 50, and Barcelona 90.
Location
Fonteta, Baix Empordà, Catalonia, Spain. Nearest airport: Girona–Costa Brava (GRO), 45 minutes by car.
Best time to visit
May to October is the season for the pool and the terraces. The rest of the year, the fireplace, the sauna and the heating keep the house warm, and the countryside around Les Gavarres is at its quietest.
