Where is Costa Brava? It Must Be South Africa!

Where is Costa Brava? Well, most of us would say Spain, of course, but this particular African Hoopoe bird seems to have mistaken Costa Brava, Spain with South Africa!

I went yesterday to our Costa Brava holiday rental to show TorreMirona Golf & Spa Resort to a friend over visiting from the UK and to go for lunch in one of my favourite spots on the coast at Tamariu.

Imagine my surprise and delight on gazing at the spectacular Pyrenees Mountains to see the wonderful African Hoopoe bird sitting in our garden!

They are often seen throughout the summer months in southern and central Europe on golf courses and coastal fields, as they escape the South African winter and I guess that he was just stocking up on grubs to fuel him for his long journey south to the warmer climes of South Africa for their summer.

So if you like bird watching, why not come to Villa Amora for your next holiday and spot your own exotic birds from the comfort of your own villa rental Costa Brava.

photo © Arkadiy Yarmolenko

Location Costa Brava Tops For Ryanair And Girona

The location Costa Brava has come second only to Palma, Majorca for passenger numbers out of Bournemouth airport in the UK for Ryanair flights. Bournemouth's busiest summer on record helps the Costa Brava maintain its deserved spot amongst the most popular Spanish holiday destinations.

Girona airport which serves the Costa Brava, is a neat little airport. It manages to process thousands of flights and people in a reasonably ordered fashion, with little fuss and in a timely manner. If you have a choice on which days to travel though, try not to pick Saturday at the height of the summer season. It is unbelievably crowded and waiting around with all those bodies makes it very hot.

Ryanair flies to Girona from all over the UK and Northern Europe, making it one of the most popular airlines flying into Girona and the Costa Brava. From Girona you can also fly onwards to other destinations in Spain.

We love Girona airport because it allows visitors to Villa Amora, Vila Birdie apartments and TorreMirona Golf and Spa Resort easy access from across Northern Europe at any time of the year. Ideal for villa rental Costa Brava in those out-of-season months for a long weekend playing golf in the sunshine or spa relaxation, or those bustling summer months of lazing about by the pool or on the beaches.

Casas Costa Brava - Testimonial on Villa Amora, location villa Costa Brava

Casas Costa Brava are many and varied and those that are rented out through the summer months to visitors are no exception. However, many and varied also applies to the standard of accommodation and facilities that you will experience.

Make sure that you get the full low-down on the property you wish to rent, so that your holiday goes with a whizz, not a bang from the moment you step over the threshold.

Here are just some of the comments we have got in our Guest Book over the last few months for rentals in Costa Brava:

"Everything we could have wished for and more! A little piece of heaven" Mr & Mrs Mackenzie and family, Glasgow

"We had a very nice time in your lovely house. Perhaps too short ... "Mr & Mrs de Coq, Belgium

"We had a wonderful summer vacation in your lovely house. It was very convenient and pleasant. Thanks". Lux family, Israel

"A lovely holiday in a fabulous villa with spectacular views. Many thanks". Palmer family, Leicestershire

"Enjoyed a relaxing week at Villa Amora - very comfortable and lovely setting". Wilkinson family, N.Ireland

"Thank you for a lovely stay in your delightful villa. Such peaceful surroundings!" Mr & Mrs Boss, Leicestershire

"We had a wonderful time in your beautiful villa - lovely comfortable place. Thanks". Mr & Mrs Kaka and family, India

Each one of these comments can be viewed in our Guest Book and a full set of photos and descriptions can be found on our website, Costa Brava Spain.

Location Costa Brava - The Lakes at Banyoles on a Costa Brava Holiday

Location Costa Brava: A summer's day in August. Your mission is to venture into the hinterland to discover the Lakes at Banyoles.

Drive down the main road out of Girona, through the splendour of the dormant volcanoes of the Parc Natural de la Garrotxa and you will be forgiven for thinking that you have arrived at a very un-prepossessing town on your Costa Brava holiday.

The rather grey town of Banyoles does not encourage you to rest a while and discover its charms, but Banyoles secret lies not in the town itself, but to the west where the distinctive figure-of-eight lake, the Estany de Banyoles, occupies centre stage.

Surrounded by wooded hills, reflected in the still waters on a hot summer's day, the lake gives the feeling of a step back in time to a genteel Victorian age, redolent of elegantly dressed ladies with parasols and gentlemen with stripy jackets and boaters.

Rowing boats for hire and boat trips round the lake add to the mirage of a bygone era, with stylish stone built boat houses dotting the shoreline. Swimming is allowed in the lake at designated areas and you half expect everyone to be wearing the long, wool bathing costumes of our ancestors!

However, the Estany de Banyoles is firmly in the 21st century with cafes and restaurants surrounding the eastern side of the lake where the pleasure boats depart from. A delightfully restored boat house also provides an information bureau, where you can hire bicycles and discover walks around the lake, buy guide books and learn the history of the area.

Prepared routes for both cyclists and walkers encircle the 8km lake, along clearly marked paths. The leaflet, printed in a number of different languages, directs you to various points of interest along the way, such as the lovely twelfth-century Esglesia de Santa Maria, perched on a knoll above the lake on the south-western side.

The peace and feeling of space is remarkable, even in the height of the summer. Not crowded or hurried, this is a place to take your time, drink in the views and relax your mind.

We think you will agree for this location Costa Brava has it exactly right. Your mission has been successful!

I invite you to use these tips to make the most of your holiday on the Costa Brava.

And with your permission, I’d also like to offer you free access to my short report, Costa Brava Holiday - What Else Is There Apart From Sun, Sea and Sangria on a Costa Brava Holiday? You can download it by going to http://www.costa-brava-spain.com/shortreport.html

From Helen Palmer – The Exclusive Vacations Guide and Tailor Made South Africa Travel

Costa Brava Weather - 3 Special things to do when the Costa Brava Weather doesn't Play Ball

What do you do when the Costa Brava weather doesn't shine? Most of the time you can golf, walk or visit the beach, but when you haven't planned for inclement weather where do you go? Read on to find out 3 special things to do when the Costa Brava weather doesn't play ball ...

Costa Brava weather is usually very clement with warm winds, endlessly sunny days and very little rain. On occasions when the weather is not its usual sunny self, which one has to admit does happen from time to time, like today, what do you do?

Here it is the 3rd week in September and the day started out promisingly enough, but by lunchtime, Spanish lunch that is, it has degenerated into a deluge which seems to have no let up.

Away in the distance from our hilltop eyrie in Castelldefels, Barcelona appears to have escaped with sunshine pouring down over the capital of Catalunya with impunity.

Upon the Costa Brava coast though, things can be mightily different from the weather experienced here in Barcelona - even on the same day. So what to do when the weather is not kind enough to play golf or visit the beach?

Even when the Costa Brava weather is sunny there are always those times you wish to do something other than golf or play on the golden sands of the beach. Here are 3 special things to do when the Costa Brava weather doesn't match up to its usual sunny self.

1. Plan a trip to the historic city of Gerona. Gerona is the provincial capital of the Costa Brava and has been shaped by its past. Famous local writer, Josep Pla called Girona a "small and delicate city", which is a fitting description.

Consistently rated in national polls as the most desirable place to live in Spain, Gerona has modernised itself into a dynamic and prosperous university city whilst maintaining its marvellous historical and cultural heritage. With the beautiful old quarter, world famous culinary traditions with Michelin starred restaurant, El Cellar de Can Roca and a lively nightlife, Gerona encompasses all that the Costa Brava has to offer.

2. The Dali triangle shows off the best of one of the Costa Brava's much loved sons. Salvador Dali, love him or hate him, certainly left an exceptional legacy to the world in the shape of three very different museums.

The Casa-Museu Dali was Dali's main residence for some 50 years. Booking here is a must, but is well worth the effort to explore the labyrinth effect created from an original fisherman's hut and subsequent purchase of surrounding huts.

The extraordinary Teatre-Museu Dali is, in Dali's own words, "not just a museum, but a monument to the senses" and that feeling of 'extraordinary' starts from the moment you lay eyes on the spectacular façade with its magnificent giant, creamy eggs sitting aloft the velvety-looking scarlet walls.

Making up the third side of the triangle is the Castell Gala-Dali, named after Dali's Russian born wife, Gala. Mischievous Dali even manages to create an alcove in the Salo del Piano - piano room - to look like a radiator, as Gala ordered all the radiators in the castle to be covered up!

3. Visit the medieval prison museum in Castello d'Empuries. This has to be on of the most novel museums in the Costa Brava. 500 year old graffiti can be seen on the walls of this tiny prison, quite out of proportion to the huge cathedral church in the centre of this small village.

Long ago attempts to become the centre of importance for the region came to nought, but left us this impressive church with its unfinished belfry, unique double font and towering alabaster altarpiece. Take a wander round this amazing medieval structure and wonder how they came to build it.

The sun has come out now. It doesn't stay wet for long - just long enough to allow you to experience another aspect of this fascinating region of Spain called Costa Brava, which is far more than just sun, sea and sangria.

I invite you to use these tips to make the most of your holiday on the Costa Brava.

And with your permission, I’d also like to offer you free access to my short report, Costa Brava Holiday - What Else Is There Apart From Sun, Sea and Sangria on a Costa Brava Holiday? You can download it by going to http://www.costa-brava-spain.com/shortreport.html

From Helen Palmer – The Exclusive Vacations Guide and Costa Brava Spain

Blogrush for Costa Brava Spain

Well Folks!

I've supposed to have added Blogrush to my blog, but can I seem to make it happen?

I've done everything they've asked of me, but I still can't seem to make it work, so I hope you all have more luck than I do. I have to say that in theory the idea is great, so I hope they can get mine to work!

Learn Spanish The Easy Way

Want to learn Spanish the easy way? Well, I guess we would probably ascribe to that one! Why make it difficult for yourself when the simple route is being pointed out!

I have found the best way to learn Spanish. Take a look at Costa Brava Spain for some of the best ways to get you speaking Spanish within the next few weeks. You can test drive the course first, but I can tell you from first hand experience, you will definitely want to get the Spanish language course and get learning NOW!

When you've learned to talk to the locals, why not take a trip to the Costa Brava and stay at Villa Amora? To visit the spectacular coastline and explore more of this facinating region you will need a car, so check out the fantastic Plant A Tree offer for offsetting your carbon emissions and STILL get great prices.