This is the final day of our four day Family Trip along the coast of Costa Brava, Catalunya, Spain.
We have loved time so far. Three days jam-packed with fun and good times for the families involved.
Have you heard of the saying “Everything is coming up roses?”. It means everything is going to be OK. And it sure has been the case for us as we have been exploring the coastline and surrounding area of Costa Brava.
I wake early and stand out on the balcony of our room at Hotel Panorama, and I am greeted with the most majestic sunrise. I feel quite blessed to be here, and wish we could relax and stay for a few days. It makes me want to come back.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Hotel Panorama – sunrise from my balcony
We head down to breakfast and find we have the time to meet the others noted wrongly. We are actually racing for nothing and are half an hour earlier than the rest of our group. So we are able to have a coffee and a chat – just the two of us.
We just wish we had longer to stay at the Hotel Panorama. The location is perfect, and I could easily spend a week and not just a night here.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Hotel Panorama – front of the hotel
We gather our bags, and soon we all load onto the minibus for our final day.
We set off towards Roses, up along the coast of Costa Brava in Spain.
I had been invited to spend two weeks at Roses after this tour and had to turn it down because we didn’t have time with the Schengen Zone limitations, and with needing to get our car back to the UK in time. As soon as we drive into Roses beach area, I know it is the something we wish we could have changed. We fall in love with this area. We want to stay.
Our group is booked for a time of kayaking through the coves from Cap de Creus Natural Park.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – getting ready for kayaking at Roses
We are all given a lesson on the beach and don life jackets for all. Our tour leader ‘Anna’ chooses to stay on shore with the cameras and our gear.
Our kayaking leader is fantastic and takes an easy pace for us as we paddle around the cove.
I think this is the one place that stands out (above the many beautiful villages and areas we have been to) that I think we could easily return to. The cove and beach area is lovely, and it has a relaxed feel to it.
I just want to book an apartment by the beach and hang out on the balcony. I really, really liked it here at Roses.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – kayaking at Roses
We get dressed and then jump back onto the minibus.
It is time to prepare, cook and eat your own lunch “Arrós a la Cassola o Suquet de Prix”.
The kids love this really ugly fish we are going to see prepared, and then EAT!
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – kids getting ready to make flan at Sodemar Restaurant
We are at a charming upstairs restaurant on the water. Sodemar is a family owned restaurant and the owner has prepared for us a tasting delight. Wines accompanied with various seafood dishes, and her husband/head chef is there in the kitchen to make it all happen too.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Explorason tries anchovies at Bitakora Restaurant
There are many new taste sensations when we travel. Last week we tried Sea Urchin at El Trull Restaurant, and today Explorason tries freshly salted anchovies.
It is so funny – he really doesn’t like them. but he at least gave it a try. I, on the other hand, do not like anchovies, and I loved these!
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Explorason tries anchovies at Sodemar Restaurant
Whilst we are enjoying the tastings, the children had prepared their dessert…
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Explorason prepares the desserts with the other children at Sodemar Restaurant
…and they all loved it. (Explorason was a bit “over” him having his photo taken this day!)
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Explorason tries his dessert they made at Bitakora Restaurant
We had a great time at Sodemar Restaurant and it really was a lovely group, a lovely time of learning, and a fabulous location. I highly recommend it.
This has turned into a great lunch that we really didn’t expect, and I feel we are really getting some incredibly special treatment, and we are really blessed to have this opportunity.
It is once more sad to leave, and again we wish we had stayed in this area.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – we had a fabulous tasting meal at Sodemar Restaurant
We pile back into the minibus and go to visit a Wine Family Museum called “Mas Coll de Roses”. It is just beautiful.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Mas Coll de Roses Winery – building
The kids hang out in the gardens of the winery. They really are good mates and I like this photo with their arms all around one another.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Mas Coll de Roses Winery – the garden
We then go inside where there is, a museum and a learning center. We sit and watch a short movie. It is quite an interactive center and I like how the learning process moves and switches around the cellar.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Mas Coll de Roses Winery – the winery cinema
We finish at the modern cellar door for wine tasting.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Mas Coll de Roses Winery – wine tasting
We then head up with our tasting glasses to the roof area. The staircase ascends and passes a beautiful in-ground pool on the side and up to a magnificent view of the vineyards. We only stay here for a short time – we have our last item on the program to go to next.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – Mas Coll de Roses Winery – lovely vineyard from the roof
Our time is coming to an end. We climb onto the minibus for our last place to visit on our family trip.
It is a visit the Fish Wharf and Auction in Roses Harbour. We start by watching the arrival of the fishing boats as they madly unpack their trays of iced fish.
On the middle tray on the left, you can see a squid trying to escape. Even if he managed to crawl his way over the side, he would most likely get squashed by the cars pulling the trailers to the fish market.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – getting ready for the Fish Auction
We head into the auction building and learn how they weigh and value the fish for the auction. We watch the bidding process. It is one heck of a smelly business, but it is quite educational.
We then learn how to tie a fishing net knot.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – learning a fisherman’s knot at the Fish Auction
We move on to a small market where the children get to touch various crustaceans. This was a great time for the kids and a great finish to our family trip as our last activity.
It is getting quite windy and cool now, and I wrap myself in Anna’s towel to keep warm. The wind is quite strong at the fishing wharf, and I am ready to get on the minibus for our final ride back to Lloret de Mar.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Spain – Costa Brava – Roses – learning about the sea life
We stop off on the way to drop off ‘Anna’, our tour leader and the kids all race out and give her a hug.
Anna – you have been amazing. We thank you so much for an incredible time, and you have been just so nice to get to know.
We drive back to Lloret de Mar and say our final farewell to the other family we have now become friends with. They are staying in Europe and traveling, and we do hope we meet up with them again. We wish them well on their travels. They have such a lovely family to get to know.
Aqua Bertan is our home for the last night in Lloret de Mar before we do our final fast travel through Europe.
Stay tuned for our last week in continental Europe. We have a lot of exciting things planned.
Then a new chapter of life begins!
