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My first trip to Spain was full of so many magical moments. On one of our afternoons, Emily, Evan's stepmom, drove us to Beget (bay-zhet). The drive alone from Cadaques to Beget was magical in itself. We passed this strange medieval town, Castellfollit de la Roca (crazy castle of the rock), perched on the top of a slice of basalt rock jutting out between two rivers, the Fluvia and Toronell Rivers. We passed another small medieval town, Oix, a place we’d love to go back to and spend some time. Then we started driving up through the narrow winding road into the Alta Gorrotxa area of the Pyrenees Mountains where we would get periodic glimpses of some snow topped mountains in the distance. I half expected to see a cow along the road but didnt. I'm also always keeping my eye out for wild boars as well. But again, no such luck, yet. Along the way Emily shared stories she and Lee would hike to this village when it was still an isolated village, before the road was built in 1980. Rock built homes in Beget As we started to come back down one of the mountain ridges through a series of switchback turns, a small parking lot appeared just on the edge of the little medieval town of Beget. We stepped right back into the 12th century and meandered along the pathway back to our destination, El Forn Hostal, at the end of the village road. El Forn serves elevated rustic (is that a thing? It is now.) traditional foods like rabbit with figs, pig trotters with chestnuts, duck with pear, and escargot. When we were chatting with friends the day before they highly recommended the Catalan style escargot. Which we did. One of the best meals of my life. Chef’s Kiss. I also recommend the crema Catalan or the ice cream.  Interior of an old home, now a gift shop Stone streets and buildings of Beget Outdoor dining at El Forn Sunroom dining area of El Forn, overlooking the Torrent dels Trulls river Catalan style escargot House specialty flan with coffee and baileys After lunch we wandered in the public park alongside the river below the restaurant and then back through the village. You can plan longer hikes from Beget or nearby hiking. We haven’t caught the church during open hours yet. It’s left such an impression on us that we went back again on a more recent trip to Spain with my son. He’ll also give the adventure including the food high marks.  On that trip, we added driving into Castellfollit and walking out the farthest point lording over the two rives below. It was a breathtaking view and if we had planned better I would have liked to have hiked around a bit more and stopped for a coffee or dessert or glass of wine and just taken in the town a little more. Alley in Castelllfoillet I’ve noticed that one thing Spain does well is informational signs about the history of towns and landmarks, so be sure to check in on a few of them along your side quests. If you’ve been to Beget or visit, please let us know what you think of it and if it was worth the drive. (You can might also want to check out the bridge at Besalu, we’ll have to do that and more time in Oix, and more hiking next time!) If you want to visit inside the church check the times before heading out. During the summer it’s open on weekdays between 11 and 1 and 3-7 on weekends. It’s about a two hour drive, so, wake up and have coffee in town or on the terrace and then head out to the north. You can plan stops at Castellfoillet and Oix (pronounced oy-sh) or if you're the hiking, mountain biking type, plan a route that will include Beget and enjoy it's offerings, perhaps at the end of your activity.

I’m not sure if it’s because we’re on vacation or if it’s the Spanish vibe or even something I aspire to in my regular life, one of the things I love the most about our time in Spain is morning coffee. I love the morning coffee in my living room. I love morning coffee on the shore of a lake in Northern Minnesota. I love most of all morning coffee in Spain: on the terrace, down by the waterfront, or on the promenade in Torroella de Montgri.  With that said, wake up slow in Casa Roca Vista and grab your morning coffee or freshly squeezed orange juice and bring it out to the terrace of Casa Roca Vista. When you’re ready to start moving head down to water and find a local restaurant and order a cortado, our favorite sip when in Spain, or drive over to Torroella de Montgri and find our favorite breakfast spot, El Raco Del Cafe. Take your coffee or any drink of your choice, (no judgement here!) to the promenade and enjoy a relaxing sip. If you decide to head to Cadaques, grab your slow coffee or cocktail at Bar Meliton.  Mmmm, I can smell that rich coffee smell from here. Enjoy!

We love cooking and food. We like to explore and taste new foods, and we want to explore the greatest near to us in Catalonia! So this is our wish list of places to visit, and we will offer our thoughts when we do. We still wanted to put this list out for those interested in nearby Michelin rated restaurants.  The Michelin star rating guide is widely regarded as the pinnacle restaurant rating guide in the world, and with good reason. Its 3 star rating system is considered a world wide culinary benchmark, and the stars are awarded on the quality of the food. A coveted 3 star rating is given to restaurants that elevate food into art form, and is a dining experience that will amaze patrons.  First started in 1900 by the Compagnie Générale des Établissements Michelin SCA, or the Michelin Tire Company, as a means to get people to travel by car more, and hence, use more tires, it evolved over time to become what it is today, the pre-eminent world wide restaurant rating system. By 1936, the rating system expanded to the 3 star system it uses now to identify the best of the best restaurants. Additionally, in 1997, the Michelin guide added the Bib Gourmand category, to “recognize restaurants offering excellent value for the quality of their cooking.” Spain is considered one the leading culinary countries of the world by this rating system, hosting an impressive 306 starred restaurants, and coming in 4th among countries with the most Michelin star establishments. Catalonia, and particularly Barcelona, have the most Michelin star rated restaurants by region in Spain, with 62 in the region. Catalonia has incredible ingredients and wine, and varied historical influences that have made it understandable that it would be a leader in cuisine. Add to this the innovation that has come from restaurants such as El Bulli, El Celler de Can Roca, and Disfrutar, and you have all the makings of a culinary superpower region. While many of these restaurants are clustered around Barcelona, there are a few Michelin rated restaurants near Casa Roca Vista (our beloved vacation Catalonian home in L’Estartit). We are on a mission to report on these as we can! Understandably, one star and above rated restaurants can be (and are) pricey undertakings. And often, serious advance planning is required. And, to be clear, we will continue to review more accessible dining options around us as well.  Closest are 4 restaurants in L’Escala , two of which are part of the same hotel and restaurant establishment, Emporium and Bistrot 1965. The other two are La Gruta and Mas Concas. Bistrot 195, La Gruta and Mas Concas have the Bib Gourmand rating (great food at great value), and Emporium is a one star restaurant. Bistrot 1965  focuses on “traditional preparations with modern touches. It is a cuisine committed to the idea of ​​sustainability that we can define as a traditional cuisine, with roots and with the tastes of the Empordà, which seeks balance between tradition and the knowledge acquired over the years.” Emporium  focuses on connecting “all the elements that surround us to create a cuisine that is both seasonal and inspired by the natural landscape of the Alt Empordà; simple but essential; evolving and humble, but authentic. La Gruta  creates “a fusion of haute cuisine and accessible prices, combining French tradition with international influences”. At Mas Concas  you can “enjoy Mediterranean cuisine with a French influence which is always well presented and inspired by locally sourced ingredients.” Also pretty close to Casa Roca Vista is Bo.TiC , a two star rated restaurant in Corca, about 25 minutes away. “Albert Sastregener and Cristina Torrent, chef and sommelier respectively, have been offering an original and creative gastronomic proposal committed to the essence of traditional Catalan cuisine since 2007.” Can Xapes  is about 39 minutes away and a Bib Gourmand restaurant with a unique background and history. “Can Xapes is much more than a restaurant thanks to its history (it started out as a cinema in 1949). It is also part of the non-profit “AD' Iniciatives Socials” organisation, which provides work opportunities for youngsters with limited financial resources and access to training…where guests can savour Catalan cuisine with a contemporary feel on three menus based, where possible, on locally sourced ingredients.” At 42 minutes away is Can Boix , in the town of Vilamari , with a Bib Gourmand rating. “At Can Boix de Vilamarí, we are driven by a passion for Catalan cuisine and traditional flavors, enhanced with a modern touch. Our menu offers a diverse selection of dishes, with a special focus on rice specialties and seasonal ingredients that showcase the richness of our surroundings.” Next are a cluster of restaurants in Girona , about 48 minutes away. The most impressive and the nearest Michelin 3 star rated restaurant is El Celler de Can Roca. Also included are 1 star restaurants Divinum and Massana.  “El Celler de Can Roca  is the most definitive—yet, never fully finished—project of the Roca brothers. Its ongoing evolution has continued for more than 35 years, with a formula where repetition is beauty and innovation is cadence. Authenticity, boldness, generosity and hospitality.” El Cellar de Can Roca is in a class by itself in these listings here. Edward Owen of The Times  said it was a "fusion of traditional dishes with surrealist touches". It is considered one of the original creative spirits of modern, innovative cuisine in the world, and has been recognized a number of times as one of the greatest restaurants in the world by Restaurant Magazine.. It is fitting that the dishes evoke surrealist touches in this home area to Dali. Divinum  “is the union of carefully crafted gastronomic creations, a spectacular dining experience, and a select wine cellar, all driven by one goal: to achieve a complete sensory experience.” It is also Massana’s  philosophy focuses on “the purity of the product, the harmony of the ingredients and the delicacy of the presentation allow us to discover a gastronomic experience full of nuances and emotions. Sparks of avant-garde techniques complete a process where the stamp of our house remains present in each dish.” Finally, and also about 48 minutes away from L’Estartit is   Tinars , a 1 star restaurant in Llagostera. Tinars “revolves around an extensive and up-to-date à la carte of traditional Catalan cuisine and the best local ingredients sourced from nearby producers and the superb fish auction in Palamós.” As we mentioned earlier there are a number of Michelin rated restaurants in Catalonia. Realizing that we had to draw a line somewhere, we decided on mentioning those within 50 minutes of L’Estartit. We can’t wait to tell you more in a more personal voice about them!