Vilafreser (Masia Can Grau)
Discovery Costa Brava
4-9 Feb, 18-23 Feb, 11-16 Mar, 18-23 Mar, 24-29 Mar, 22-27 Apr, 6-11 May, 13-18 May, 10-15 June, 17-22 June, 24-27 June, 21-26 July, 28 July-2 Aug, 4-9 Aug, 11-16 Aug, 18-23 Aug, 25-30 Aug, 2-7 Sep, 9-14 Sep, 16-21 Sep, 7-12 Oct, 21-26 Oct, 11-16 Nov, 18-23 Nov
Discovery Costa Brava 2024
“star shaped route, from 2 to 4 days in the saddle”
“6 days / 5 nights – 4/6 hours riding x 4 days”
(for stays and/or different dates, please contact us)
The Discovery Costa Brava is a star shaped route with accommodation always at the same place, which means not having to change hotels every day. The riding level, usually more permissive, may not be as demanding as on a route, although it is not a less beautiful and interesting route. The route runs through the magnificent Empordá, with an incredible variety and quantity of landscapes, meadows and forests of oaks, beech and holm oaks, that bring you closer to the especially blue sky, which it seems you can touch with your hand.
DAY 1 WELCOME TO MASIA CAN GRAU
In the evening upon, you arrive at the equestrian farm of Can Grau. The country cottage, name is « Masia » in Catalan language, located in the Empordá region in the middle of nature, hidden from busy people and curious. It is a more than two hundred years antic Catalan farmhouse converted into a rural guest house for tourism and horseback activities. After a homemade cooked dinner, we will explain the program of the week and we will talk about the characteristics of our crossed horses of Spanish and Arabic, the best of each breed. You also will have the opportunity of an individualized one-to-one conversation designed to find the ideal horse for each rider.
DAY 2 RAVÒS DEL TERRI
After a good breakfast, we prepare our horses with the help and recommendations of the guide. Today our destination is the village of Ravós del Terri with its beautiful castle very well preserved. We cross the “Serra” through fields and forests where you can enjoy nice views of the northern region of Girona, to the mountains of the Pyrenees, with its snow capping. After the picnic, we will return to our farm along a smooth path lined with farmland and farmhouses, the typical countryside of Catalonia. Upon arrival, we can enjoy some relaxing moments in the gardens of Can Grau, or in the company of the horses who will take a well-deserved rest in the meadows of the farm.
DÍA 3 VILADEMULS
Today we will ride into the beautiful and well-preserved area of Vilademuls. Leaving Can Grau heading north, we pass through Vilafreser small village and its Gothic-Renaissance church of Romanesque origin, with XIV century façade. We enjoy nice trots and canters on the country roads through dense forest with rosemary and thyme everywhere, to finally have our daily picnic near Tarradelles village. On the way back we pass typical farms, fields, and crops. In the distance, we can make out the medieval defence tower of Vilafreser. Due to its great height of 18 m, it is considered an exception into this characteristically Catalan towers.
DAY 4 CERVIÀ DE TER - VILADESCENS
Today the route will take us to some beautiful poplars and beech forests, next to the Ter River. It is quite followed by fields and forests, crossing the village of Medinyà below its castle where you can see views to the Gavarres mountains. After a delicious picnic next to the river, we have a pleasant return to Can Grau alternating small paths with immense meadows and dense and varied forests. During the journey we cross the village of Cervià de Ter where we can go around the Castle. Upon arrival, we can enjoy some relaxing moments in the gardens of Can Grau or in the terrace with views over the horses. For dinner, Anne has prepared an excellent homemade meal in the Catalan and Provençal style.
DIA 5 BASCARA - GALLINERS
After breakfast, we prepare our horses and leave along the paths of the dense Mediterranean forest, following the mountainous ridge, with spectacular views over the harmonious chain of fields and meadows. We arrive at the river Fluvià, next to the town of Báscara and its famous racecourse. Then, we continue between olive groves and cereal fields, we pass farmhouses and churches, and finally another gallop on wide roads through the oak and cork oak forest, which takes us to Galliners, where we will have our picnic. We finally arrive at Can Grau passing through the small town of Vilamarí. Once our horses showered and in the meadow, we will enjoy an amazing moment together with a glass of cava to celebrate our pleasant experience in these lands in the company of horses.
DAY 6 ADIÓS AMIGOS
Breakfast and departure… Thanks for your visit! We hope to see you again soon!
NOTE: The itineraries described are one of the many possibilities offered by the Empordà territory from/to Masia Can Grau. The organization reserves the right to modify them based on meteorology and other factors of interest.
Accommodation
Farm house Can Grau – Masia Can Grau
The Masia Can Grau, where we will stay every day, is the logistics center of Catalonia Horse Trails on the Costa Brava, for all the routes of the beautiful Empordà region. It is an old Catalan farmhouse in the southern limit of the small village of Vilafreser (17 people are living there). The farmhoiuse is restored with simplicity and with the utmost respect to the environment both for materials and for architectural and comfort solutions. It is specially designed for stays in harmony with nature and enjoying the horses. You can see them from the terraces and the garden, they graze peacefully in the wide meadows of the surroundings. The rural guesthouse, immersed in a landscape of forests and meadows, has a nice swimmingpool and a beautiful garden to relax, but you can also simply enjoy the silence and the landscape in the company of our friends the horses in a state of semi-freedom.
It is really a very special place for riders!
