www.villascostabrava.net: Villa rentals in Barcelona and Costa Brava
the side of the house from the side of the pool

For larger groups, this one gets a big thumbs up from me! Beautiful house and garden, great views, excellent location, 5 kms from historic lakeside town of Banyoles, 20 kms to Girona, 35 kms to the beaches. NB: for extra large groups, keep in mind this house is a 10 minute walk from Mas Dalt.

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Put your cursor over the photos for additional descriptions.
  • a huge independent self-catering villa
  • divided into 3 fully furnished apartments which can be rented separately in the off-season (but not in summer)
    • the pathway down to the pool and poolhouse
  • 12 bedrooms: 8 with private bathrooms, 4 bedrooms with shared bathroom
  • beds around 25 guests or so, all double beds are large (150x190cm)
  • 3 kitchens, 3 living rooms, 3 separate terraces, 3 TVs, 3 dishwashers..
  • altitude: 200 mtrs, 5 kms to Banyoles and lake, 20 kms to Girona, 35 km to sea
  • central heating, 3 dishwashers, 5 TVs, 3D/radio/cassette players, etc...
  • new pool (12 x 5 mtrs.) with 16 lounge chairs
  • current rates: high-season: 4880 Euros per week, mid-season: 3930 Euros/week, low-season: 3150 Euros/week

 

the front of the house from the driveway in

Location:Between Girona, Costa Brava´s historic capitol city, and the elegant lakeside resort town of Banyoles, there is a 4-lane highway. Running parallel to this highway to the south and hemmed in by the Serra Llonga mountains, is a winding back road with a few nice old stone village and some renowned local restaurants. Camós, the nearest town to Can Tapies, about 2 kms, is about 5 kms to Banyoles and 6 kms to the gorgeous lake there. Around Can Tapies it is all woods and a quiet agricultural area, but nearly Banyoles is a market town with an pleasant 12thC old town with lots of museums and historic buildings, surrounded by a newer part of town with a dozen or so supermarkets - it seems everyone is the Pla de L´Estany region does their shopping here (see my Travel Info on this area). The area is pleasant and practical, and there are great views from Can Tapies´s elevated location out over the coastal plain to towards the not-to-distant beaches on the Golf of Roses - about 25 kms away as the crow flies.

the opposite angle now, with the downstairs arched porch BBQ area and the upstairs terrace for the 3-bedroomed apartment

The house: I´ll have to ask the owners exactly how many square meters this house measures but it is simply massive, second in floor space only to Mas Dalt, which is just 1 km down the unpaved country lane. Situtated about 1 km off the secondary road I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the wide driveway leads to the esplanade in front of the house, where there are a couple of outdoor covered sitting/dining areas. The first is a sort-of gazebo with wicker chairs perched above the pool area, which is set in an olive grove a terrace level below. The views from here are magnificent, 240º views north from the Pyrenees to the coast. The other outdoor sitting/dining area here is beside the built-in BBQ (see photo below). The main entrance to the house is an large and somewhat dimly lit stone chamber, quite atmospheric and the walls with ancient farm implements on display. From this downstairs hall there are three stairways going up into the three different apartments.

the terrace of the large 5 bedroom apartment - the main part of the house with the large banquet hall

The largest of these apartments is just up a rather grand spiral stone staircase with wrought-iron ballustrade opening onto a large banquet hall seating about 14, but with a couple of extra planks of wood on tripods this table can seat over 30 guests. Behind the table is a nice sitting area with leather sofas and easy chairs, and beyond that large private terrace overlooking the driveway and pool areas below. There is a separate walk-in kitchen with normal sized fridge, dishwasher, and a breakfast table seating 5. This apartment has 3 rooms with double bed and private bath, and 2 rooms with double beds and two single beds, also with private bath.

the terrace for the 4 bedroom apartment

On either side of this main large apartment are the other two apartments, each with a separate entrance well apart one from the other, and also reached from the cavernous downstairs entry hall. One apartment has a large kitchen/dining/living room with a fireplace and the dining room table here seats 10 guests. The kitchen here has a normal sized fridge and a dishwasher. There is a covered terrace with 6 wicker seats and a table. This apartment has 2 rooms with two double beds each, and 1 room with one double bed, and each room here has a private bathroom.

a close up of the BBQ area under the arch - see third photo above

The third apartment has a central dining/living room with a dining room table seating 10, the living room with fireplace, a separate kitchen with a breakfast table for 6, and a large refridgerator and a dishwasher. There is also an outdoor sitting area to the back of the house. This part of the house has four rooms, all sharing the same large double bathroom: 2 rooms with double bed, one room with 2 single beds, and one room with just one single bed.

In total, Can Tapies has 12 double beds and 5 single beds, plus a couple of extra beds and cots for babies.

the impressive main stone entry hall which leads to the 3 apartments is decorated with farm implements and is very atmospheric - a sort of museum of or hommage to rural Catalonia

The outdoors: the new 12x5 meter swimming pool is on a terrace just below the house with a fairly wide lawn and some shade trees, 16 deck chairs, and a small WC and changing room and small table for 4 under a pergola beside the pool. Oh, and there is also a poolside shower.

In short, Can Tapies is wonderful property in a priviledged location. I am sure it is going to be a big success. It helps that the owners, who live about 2 kms away just off the main road, are genuinely kind and helpful, and always willing to improve the property, year after year. I can´t wait to get Comments for the website from families who have rented for this coming summer!

the front of the house from the driveway in one of several outdoor sitting/dining areas with great views taking in all Pyrenees to the coast at Roses Bay the pool area has a good-sized playing field amidst old olive, pine, and oak trees
Catalan Tourism Authorities

This sign indicates that the Catalan Tourism Authorities regularly inspect and license the property. We have also visited and recommend all the properties we have selected for our listings.