My husband and I will be traveling to Barcelona mid September for a conference. We are spending the first few nights in Costa Brava then to Barcelona for the conference. We have 2 nights at the end of the trip that are as of yet unplanned. We have never been to Spain before. I'd like to spend those last nights someplace that offers great food and wine and hve a feal for the countryside. It would be nice if it was less than 2 hours from Barcelona. Anything come to mind?

Coskier,
If you're looking for a rare gastronomic treat within two hrs. of Barcelona, i'd suggest one of 3 destinations.

1) Head to Olot, the capital of La Garrotxa, the lush, extinct volcanic region, a beauty, to the 1 Michelin starred "Les Cols".
Les Cols has opened a very, very avant- gard hotel (with pricey rooms made entirely of glass with mats to sleep on the floor-it's actually supposed to be an amazing experience, and there is privacy, as your neighbors can't see in), which may or may not appeal. The hotel was recently reviewed in the Sun. travel section of the NYTimes.
www.lescols.com

2) or to Vall de Bianya, to the 1 Michelin star Ca l'Enric, 6 km. from Olot.
www.calenric.net

We stayed in this area at the Swiss Alpine- looking 4 star Hotel Grèvol on the outskirts of Camprodón. Has pretty gardens and an indoor pool. Very comfortable and fine dining as well at its restaurant.

www.hotelgrevol.com

3) or to the 3 starred Michelin "El Racó de Can Fabes" in Sant Celoni, in the foothills of the Montseny nature park, just a short drive from Bcn. One of the best meals here of my entire life.
www.canfabes.com

When we dined at El Racó de Can Fabes, we didn't stay in the pricey (280 &euro rooms above the restaurant but instead in neighboring Gualba at a very charming, atmospheric 13th century, beautifully restored farmhouse (a mas), and member of the prestigious Rusticae group, the Mas Ferrer, which we loved. The owner is a personal friend of El Racó's chef, Santi Santamaría. During our stay, the owner and chef of The Inn at Little Washington, a member of Relais & Chateau, was staying in the room next door. His sous chef was cooking that week with Santi.
www.hotelmasferrer.com

Make that Relais & Chateaux, and here's the NY Times review of the new rooms at Les Cols:
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/1...l/16check.html

Maribel, again thank you. I have sent an e-mail to Mas Ferrer. I also was looking at this place http://www.arianella.com . Any feedback?
Thanks to you I did make reservations at Hotel Levant for the beginning of our trip. If you have any favorite restaurants in Llafranc??

Hi Coskier,
Glad you were able to reserve a room at the Hotel Llevant. In Llafranc, most any restaurant will be very good, your hotel, the Hotel Llafranch, the Casamar, but my favorite, for its fantastic setting, is El Far de Sant Sebastiá, the hotel-restaurant up above the town at the lighthouse. Gorgeous views!

I think you will really enjoy the Mas Ferrer. We certainly loved our two days with them. The access is a bit of a surprise, down a 2 km. rough road, but once you're there, it's a haven of peace and tranquility. I can't describe adequately how atmospheric the building is. We felt very much at home there. The cuisine is quite impressive as well. My room is pictured on the web page, picture 1, and my friends took the suite.

From Gualba, you can tour the Montseny Park, driving up the BV 5301 to El Brull, then take the BV 5303, to your right at Seva, up to the mineral water village of Villadrau. That particular drive was featured in "Great Drives" in Conde Nast Traveler a while back. Viladrau is the home of Zanini, a Spanish race car driver, owner of the Hotel La Coromina there.
Or continue on the BV 5301 to Vic. In Vic, the Museu Episcopal comes highly recommended by another Fodorite.

I'm not familiar with that masía in the Penedés. I've only been to the Penedés on day trips from Bcn.

What I do find intriguing is a new hotel opened in the heart of the Priorat wine region, (2 hr.+ southwest of Barcelona) in the village of Gratallops.
It's the Cal Llop, represented by Inns of Spain.
www.cal-llop.com
The Priorat certainly is an area of gastronomic delights, both wine and food. I'm putting this one on my list to try.

If you go through Girona, there is a restaurant there called El Celler de Can Roca that a very close friend recommended to me. I am going to go in the near future, but for now it is all BCN all the time until I get more settled.

Hi laclaire,
So glad you're back in BCN, having a great time!

Coskier,
I should have mentioned Celler de Can Roca in my first post, (I was thinking country stay rather than city). It's of the gastronomic temples of the area, on the par with El Racó de Can Fabes. 2 Michelin stars, 3 Campsa "soles".

The Roca brothers do "supervise" the Moo restaurant of the Hotel Omn in Bcn, but it's not the same as dining at the flagship.
Expensive, as all the Michelin starred places are, but degustation menu at 67 is less pricey than some. Just 2 km. from Girona. Closed Sun./Mon.
www.cellercanroca.com

Can Roca tidbit- that good friend who recommends the restaurant was stranded there with no cab and one of the guys from the kitchen said that if she waited, they would take her home. So, she hung around, got to see the kitchen and a bunch of the behind the scenes stuff, then the guy took her back to her hotel and thanked her for coming. So, the food and the people are good.

Again thank you for all your help. You have certainly introduced to me places I would never have found. I have sent an e-mail to Cal Llop. If they have availability in one of the lesser priced rooms I think my travel plans are set! Again thank you for taking the time to help a stranger. If you ever find yourself traveling to Colorado I would be delighted to return the favor.

Coskier,
Glad to have been of help.

Cal Llop (wolf's den) is a Rusticae property, as is the Mas Ferrer. We've stayed in many, and they're all quite distinctive and some are quite romantic.

Great wine and rugged, dramatic scenery are what the Priorat is all about.

Some top Priorat wine labels (very high intensity reds-high prices) for you to try during your two night stay in Gratallops:

Alvaro Palacios Finca Dofí
Scala Dei Cartoixa Reserva 00
Clos Monlleó 00
Clos Martinent 02
Alvaro Palacios Les Terrasses

A terrific sweet wine, Dolç de l"Obac

Read more about the village here:
www.gratallops.com

And in the village of Falset (on the N 420 highway), you have a great restaurant, El Celler de l'Aspic, where the wine growers hang out, on Miquel Barceló 31.
977 83 12 46

While in the area, besides a visit to 12th century Scala Dei, you might enjoy a trip down to see Miravet, the cliff hanging village on the Ebro River, built into the rock face with Moorish fortress turned Templar castle at the top. It's one of Catalunya's most photogenic villages. To reach it, from Falset drive southwest down the N 420 to the C12.

Have fun wherever you decide to venture!

Maribel you are wonderful!!!
We are booked at the Cal Llop. It sounds perfect for us. We love to hike as well as eat and drink. I think it will be the highlight of our trip. I will report back when we return.

Thanks to all that helped me with our trip. Maribel, thank you!! I loved the Cal Llop. Very quiet area with great food, wine and views! We are now the proud owners of a bottle of Dolç de l"Obac as well. We did eat at the El Celler de l'Aspic, wonderful. Thanks again for all your help.

Wow, Coskier!
I'm so very glad you enjoyed your trip. I shall put Can Llop on my list for my upcoming trip! Thanks so much for letting us know about your visit!

Maribel- when are you coming to Barcelona?!

Hi laclaire,
Tentatively, I'll be there for Els Reis then back from Jan. 13-18. Want to organize a shindig for two?

For sure! I will be in the US for Christmas, but will have to be back in January. E-mail me and we will plan and plan.

Perfect! (Thought you might be in the States for Xmas-I'll be in Madrid). Looking forward to it!

Oh, my two Spain muses! What a great evening that will be. Have fun!!

Coskier,have a wonderful trip. I am taking the same trip soon.

tt