A long weekend between Girona and the Empordà: four country hotels
Three nights is the right length for the countryside between Girona and the Empordà, with its medieval villages, its vineyards and the coast half an hour away. Four country hotels for a long weekend — including 10–12 October 2026.
By The Unlisted Editorial Team · 14 September 2026 · 7 min read
For food, Hotel Esperit Roca, 15 rooms in the Roca brothers' hilltop fortress above Girona. For a spa and the medieval villages, Mas de Torrent, an 18th-century masia near Pals with a 600 m² spa. For vines and the Cap de Creus, Mas Lazuli, a masia with 11th-century roots near Roses. For space and a group, Casa Anamaria near Banyoles, with two villas to take over whole.
Spain's national holiday, 12 October, falls on a Monday in 2026: a three-night weekend from Friday to Monday. That is the right length for the countryside between Girona and the Empordà, with its medieval villages, its vineyards and the coast half an hour away.
These four country hotels share that landscape but not much else: a Roca restaurant in a fortress, a spa masia among cypresses, a farmhouse among the vines near Roses and an estate of fields and woods near Banyoles.
The four hotels at a glance
All four need a car. Girona's high-speed station, under 40 minutes from Barcelona, is the easiest place to pick one up.
| Hotel | Where | Best for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel Esperit Roca | Sant Julià de Ramis, Girona | A Roca dinner and a view over the plain | Book the restaurant with the room |
| Mas de Torrent | Torrent, Baix Empordà | A 600 m² spa and suites with their own pool | The most expensive of the four |
| Mas Lazuli | Pau, Alt Empordà | Vines, olive trees and Cadaqués half an hour away | A country estate: you drive to the sea |
| Casa Anamaria | Ollers, Pla de l'Estany | Groups, villas and a spa near Banyoles | Hosts weddings: check the calendar |
Hotel Esperit Roca: a weekend built around dinner
Hotel Esperit Roca keeps its 15 rooms at the top of the Sants Metges hill, inside the fortress where the Roca brothers of El Celler de Can Roca have built a restaurant with a MICHELIN Star, a Catalan dining room and a distillery. The view runs over Girona and the Empordà plain to the Pyrenees.
Reserve the restaurant when you book the room. Girona's old town is ten minutes away, which makes it an easy first night.
Mas de Torrent: the spa and the medieval villages
Mas de Torrent is an 18th-century masia — a Catalan farmhouse — among olive trees and cypresses, minutes from Pals and Peratallada. Its 39 rooms, suites and villas share a 600 m² spa, and some of the garden suites have their own pool. It holds two MICHELIN Keys.
Book a garden suite for the private pool, and spend Saturday morning in the villages before the day visitors arrive.
Mas Lazuli: vines, olives and the Cap de Creus
Mas Lazuli is a masia with 11th-century roots, turned into a hotel of 17 rooms on a 12-hectare estate of vines and olive trees outside Pau, between Cadaqués, Roses and Figueres. It holds a MICHELIN Key, and its pool looks over the fields.
Drive up to the monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes in the morning and be back for lunch on the terrace. Cadaqués is about half an hour over the hills.
Casa Anamaria: room for a group
Casa Anamaria shares an estate of fields, woods and flower gardens at Ollers, near Banyoles, between a 14th-century masia and a Palladian-style villa built in 2014. Its 28 rooms are split between the main hotel and two villas, Ana and Maria, that can be taken over whole, with a spa, a tennis court and a large pool.
It is the one for families or friends travelling together. The Costa Brava beaches are about half an hour away, and the medieval town of Besalú is closer still.
A three-night plan
Friday: arrive in Girona, walk the old town and sleep at Esperit Roca. Saturday: the medieval villages of the Baix Empordà — Pals, Peratallada, Monells — and a night at Mas de Torrent. Sunday: the coast at Calella de Palafrugell or Cadaqués. Monday: a long lunch and back.
If you prefer a single base, choose by the Sunday you want: the coves of the Baix Empordà from Mas de Torrent, the Cap de Creus from Mas Lazuli, or Girona and Besalú from Casa Anamaria.
How we selected these hotels
This selection comes from our Long Weekend series on Instagram. Every hotel is scored on the public Unlisted Index, and the facts were checked against each hotel's own website on 14 September 2026. MICHELIN Keys are those of the current selection; the 2026 selection is published on 18 September 2026.
Availability buttons may use affiliate links and can earn The Unlisted a commission without changing your price. Commercial links do not decide inclusion.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 12 October long weekend in 2026?
12 October, Spain's national holiday, falls on a Monday in 2026, so the long weekend runs from Saturday 10 to Monday 12 October; arrive on Friday evening for three nights. Book early: it is a busy weekend in Catalonia.
Is the Empordà worth visiting in October?
Yes. The summer crowds have gone, the vineyards are finishing the harvest, the villages are easier to walk and days are often still warm enough to sit outside at lunch.
Which hotel is best for a spa weekend?
Mas de Torrent, with a 600 m² spa and suites that have their own pool. Casa Anamaria also has a spa and suits groups, and Esperit Roca has a spa with a private circuit.
Do you need a car?
Yes. The four hotels are in the countryside, and the villages and coves are spread out. Girona's high-speed station, under 40 minutes from Barcelona, is the easiest place to start.
