Mas Empordà 1844

A Catalan Masia within Easy Reach of Costa Brava's Famous Beaches

Mas Empordà 1844 is a 19th-century Catalan masia of 500m² in Mont-ras, near the base of the Gavarres mountains. Lucia Berenguer Marsal, whose family has owned the property since 1844, restored it while preserving its original structure: barrel-vaulted ceilings on the lower floors, lintel entrances, exterior stone walls, and wood-beamed upper rooms. The house was an olive farm, and the century-old press still stands in the vaulted entrance hall. Five bedrooms sleep 10 guests across two floors, with a roof terrace and views to the orchards and the village church beyond. Costa Brava beaches are a 10-minute drive or 30-minute bike ride away.

A masia is a rural building native to Catalonia, with the ground floor for animals, the first floor for family, and produce stored above. Functionality was built into the form, and Mas Empordà 1844 has kept the same structure throughout its long history. The barrel-vaulted ceilings on the lower floor, the lintel entrances, the stone exterior, these were built for structural efficiency, not just decorative choices. In 1970, Lucia Berenguer Marsal's parents restored the farmhouse, keeping its original materials and character, while adding the pool and modern kitchen. It became the family's gathering place for children, grandchildren, and friends for the five decades that followed. Updates have been made with a light touch, so as to not distract from the original ambience. Colors are subtle, windows are generous with light, and the furnishings harvest the feeling of the building's history. It extends the same welcome now as it did centuries ago.

The ground floor centers around the barrel-vaulted entrance hall, where the century-old olive press suspends the house in time. Two bedrooms sit on this floor alongside the main kitchen and dining room, which looks out over the grounds. Three suites occupy the upper floor, each with a spacious bathroom. A second living area and dining space give the house room to breathe across two floors. The kitchenette provides additional flexibility for the upper-floor suites.

The 2,000m² garden is planted with honeysuckle, white oleanders, olive trees, and cypress, as well as a century-old fig tree that shades the outdoor dining table on hot days. A pool with a lounge area sits in the garden. The hammock faces the rooftops of the village, with the Gavarres mountains beyond. The roof terrace looks across the orchards to the village church.

Read about Marc Blazer's visit in our magazine here.

Layout

This vacation home for rent in Mont-ras, Costa Brava sleeps up to 11 guests in a two-floor masia of 500m². Ground floor: vaulted entrance hall with original olive press, two bedrooms (one twin, one triple), main kitchen with fireplace, living-dining room. Upper floor: three en-suite bedrooms, second living room, second dining area, kitchenette. Roof terrace with orchard and village views. Pool and 2,000m² garden.

• Suite 1: Super King (180x200cm), en suite, air conditioning

• Suite 2: Double (160x200cm), en suite, air conditioning

• Standard Room 1: Twin (2 singles, 90x200cm), en suite

• Standard Room 2: Triple (3 singles, 90x200cm), en suite (special configuration for 3 guests)

• Standard Room 3: Twin (2 singles, 90x200cm), en suite

• Roof terrace

The property can also be arranged for smaller groups of six. (Ask about partial rental options.)

Good to know

Air conditioning is installed in the living room and both suites. The property is also available for smaller groups of six, at a reduced price (please inquire for details).

Amenities & services

Air conditioning (living room and two suites), American-style fridge, baby high chair, barbecue/grill, cable TV, coffee maker (Nespresso), dishwasher, fireplace, fully equipped kitchen, garden (2,000m²), hammock area, music system, outdoor dining area, parking, pool (fenced), roof terrace, vegetable garden and apricot trees (in season), washing machine, wi-fi

Optional services are available on request: full cleaning, breakfast basket, chef at home, yoga, massage, and activity organization.

Around

This villa for rent in Spain is located in the heart of the Costa Brava, near the village of Mont-ras, at the base of the Gavarres mountains. You'll find it between Palafrugell and Palamos, about 40 minutes from Girona and 80 minutes from Barcelona.

The quiet, picturesque roadways of the region lead out into the Baix Empordá and beautiful coves and beaches, including Cala de Aiguablava, Far de Sant Sebastián, Llafranc village, and Calella de Palafrugell, some of which are accessible by bicycle from the house.

Settled around the rocky bays, the former fishing villages give you a glimpse of the sleepy waterfront culture without the glitz and clamor of neighboring resorts. There are also many summer festivals to check out with their Gegants and popular dances, as well as the musical festivals of Perellada and Cap Roig, and the colorful fireworks in the town of La Bisbal.

Bordered to the north by the protected Garrotxa region, and to the south by the Gavarres National Park, you're surrounded by some of Catalonia's most remarkable natural and coastal beauty.

Location

Mont-ras, Baix Empordà, Costa Brava, Catalonia, Spain. Nearest airport: Girona–Costa Brava (GRO, 45km). International airports: Barcelona El Prat (BCN, 116km), Perpignan (PGF, 98km). Girona city is 40 mins by car and Barcelona 80 mins.

Best time to visit

Spring through fall marks the period in which Costa Brava is most ideal: in the later months of summer and early beginnings of Fall the sea is comfortable for swimming, the weather tempered and mild, and crowds generally begin to dwindle.