Discover countryside hotels and rural retreats in Empordà, Spain

Between Girona and the Mediterranean, in the southern shadow of the Pyrenees, lies Empordà – split into Alt (higher) and Baixa (lower) Empordà – a rolling countryscape in north-east Catalonia of vine- and sheep-dotted hillsides topped with mediaeval hamlets tickled by the Tramontane wind. Whether it’s the region’s rich history, the surfeit of superb Catalan restaurants (El Celler de Can Roca, El Bulli) or the gaggle of golf courses that draw you here, you’ll find yourself stylishly tucked away from the crowds on the Costa Brava, yet near enough when you fancy a jaunt to its sandy coves and cobalt waters.