After a hearty buffet breakfast of fresh juice , yoghurt , bread , cheese and strong coffee I drive to Torremirona Golf Club , 24km from Hotel Peralada for a 9.00 am tee time . It ’ s a varied 18-hole layout designed to please golfers of all abilities and is ideal for mid-handicap golfers like myself who plays off 17 . The fist nine holes are technically demanding , with narrow fairways and impressive water hazards – the fifth hole is Torremirona ’ s signature hole , a testing par-3 featuring an island green .
The back nine is flatter and more open , enabling golfers to fully enjoy the natural surroundings of the Empordà region . The strategic par-5 18th , is an excellent finishing hole which sets up a tricky decision for the second shot . If you hit a good drive , then you can go for the green in two , but there ’ s a water hazard short right of the putting surface to avoid . The other option , which is what I do , is to play a second shot short of the trouble , to leave a wedge distance for the third into the green .
Up next is a leisurely lunch of tapas on the clubhouse patio with wonderful views over the course and the Pyrenees beyond . Consisting of small portions of everything from octopus and olives to prawns and baby eels , tapas are a Spanish institution . The classic tapa , which duly arrives on my table is a plate of pa amb tomàquet - bread rubbed with tomato , drizzled with olive oil and topped with thin slices of cheese and cured mountain ham . This is followed by pimientos de padrón ( green peppers grilled with olive oil and salt ) anchovies and fried squid rings . Accompanied by a cold cerveza , these tasty tapas are just the ticket after a tough second round under the Catalan sun .
A recent development in Catalonia is the growing popularity of quality par-3 pitch & putts and a great example is my next course situated 48km from Torremirona . The Par-3 Gualta fuses the design and technical features of a traditional 18-hole course with the distances of a par-3 short course with holes ranging from 73 -115 metres . The layout features tight , tree-lined fairways right in the heart of the forest with more open holes where water comes into play . Taking around 2 hours to complete , it provides excellent practise for the often neglected short game and it ’ s a good opportunity to hit a variety of shots with different wedges . I thoroughly recommend a visit .
From Par-3 Gualta , I drive 39km to historic Girona and my accommodation for the night at the Hotel AC Palau Bellavista . I have a quick shower , then a cold beer on the terrace with magnificent city views , then wander down the hillside to dine at Llevataps restaurant at Plaça de l ’ Oli in the medieval quarter . There ’ s plenty of other excellent dining options in and around Girona , none more so than the ‘ World ’ s Best Restaurant ’ - El Celler de Can Roca . Located 2km west of the city in a refurbished country house , this three-star Michelin establishment is run by three brothers - Jordi , Josep and Joan who focus on freestyle cooking where the food is simultaneously artisanal and technical , with references to both the traditional and the avant-garde .
Gastronomic excellence is a virtue that ’ s common to the province of Girona and all regions of the Costa Brava . The most characteristic style of cooking is known as mar i muntanya ( mountain and sea ) which produces some unusual combinations like chicken with lobster , rabbit with snails and pigs ’ trotters stuffed with prawns . Each area has its own peculiarities - seafood and fish species such as monkfish , sea bass and mullet are served all along the coast , often simply grilled with a romesco ( tomato , almond and pepper ) sauce . Moving inland , there ’ s excellent meats especially veal from Girona , lamb from Ripoli , plus a wide range of cured hams and pork sausages .