A Bio-Architecture House Built from Earth, Lime and Cork in Matajudaica
Casa Daró is in Matajudaica, a small village in the heart of Spain's Baix Empordà, and sleeps up to eight adults and two children in five bedrooms. A local architect built it on bio-architecture principles, with earth walls, cork insulation and lime render that keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer. Cabana magazine featured the project in 2025. Ullastret, with its restaurants and its Iberian ruins, is five minutes away, and the Costa Brava's beaches are a 20-minute drive.
We recommend starting with breakfast in the garden. It's been growing for two decades around the house, and pergolas are thick with climbing plants. Cool off in the small plunge pool, then head back inside for the heat of the afternoon. Deciduous trees and the home's thick walls do most of the work that air conditioning would otherwise do.
Inside, there are no corridors on the ground floor. The kitchen, dining and living space flow into one open room, lit by large picture windows that frame the garden or the wider landscape from almost every angle. The decor is understated, with custom furniture, natural materials, and art and ceramics from the area's own makers.
Layout
Casa Daró sleeps up to eight adults and two children in five bedrooms, with the open-plan living, dining and kitchen space on the ground floor. Two of the bedrooms are suites with their own bathrooms. The other three, including one with twin beds, share a full bathroom, and there's a separate guest WC.
• Bedroom 1: King (180 x 200 cm), en suite
• Bedroom 2: King (180 x 200 cm), en suite
• Bedroom 3: Queen (160 x 200 cm), shares a bathroom with Bedrooms 4 and 5
• Bedroom 4: Queen (160 x 200 cm), shares a bathroom with Bedrooms 3 and 5
• Bedroom 5: Two twins (90 x 200 cm), shares a bathroom with Bedrooms 3 and 4
• Guest WC
Experiences
Offered by host: A private chef for lunch or dinner, extra housekeeping, in-home yoga and massage, and help planning and booking activities, including regional wine tastings, bike routes, hot-air balloon flights and boat trips along the Costa Brava. All on request.
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
The minimum stay is four nights most of the year, including June and September, and seven nights in July, August, Easter and Christmas. Three of the five bedrooms share one bathroom, which is worth knowing for groups booking all five rooms. Only three of the bedrooms have air conditioning, though the thick earth walls and ceiling fans throughout help. A €4,000 security deposit is payable to the host four days before arrival. Check in is at 3 p.m. Check out is at 10 a.m.
Tourist tax €2.50 per adult (16 or older) per night, up to 7 nights
Amenities & services
Plunge pool, Mediterranean garden with pergolas and water features, high-speed Wi-Fi, air conditioning in three bedrooms, ceiling fans throughout, fireplace, bed linen, bath and pool towels, final cleaning, eco-friendly bathroom products, welcome basket, trip-planning help.
On request: Private chef, extra housekeeping, in-home wellness treatments, concierge and activity booking.
Mid-stay cleaning is not included; extra housekeeping can be booked on request
Available on request
• Extra housekeeping on request
• Chef at home (lunches, dinners)
• In-home services (yoga, massage, etc.)
• Concierge and activity organization
Around
Casa Daró is in the small village of Matajudaica, near Ullastret, one of Catalonia's most important Iberian archaeological sites, with an excavated settlement dating back to the sixth century BC. Ullastret also has a handful of good restaurants. The medieval stone villages the region is known for, such as Peratallada, are close by, along with the pottery workshops of La Bisbal d'Empordà. The Costa Brava's beaches and coves are a 20-minute drive, and cycling routes through the surrounding farmland start right from the house.
Location
Matajudaica, Baix Empordà, Girona province, Catalonia, Spain. Nearest airport: Girona–Costa Brava (GRO, 43 km).
Best time to visit
Late spring and early fall bring the mildest weather for the garden and pool, and Ullastret's archaeological site and the Costa Brava's beaches are far less crowded than in high summer.
