One of our favorite stops in all of Costa Brava, Spain was the Mas Ponsjoa winery. An almost five century old family run business, it boasts one of the oldest farmhouses in the village of Calonge.
Transportation to the vineyard was by bicycle. The views of the countryside along the way were fantastic. Upon arrival, we were welcomed with a glass of water from the well that, by the looks of it, is as old as the farm itself- established in 1660.
The owner seemed to enjoy taking us on the tour as much as we enjoyed being on it. The pride he felt was obvious as he walked and spoke, not only of the vineyard, but of the olives, strawberries, cherries and other produce grown on the farm as well. All the produce and wine is sold to locals. They come to the vineyard to purchase a bottle (or two) of natural wine or what ever else might be in season. Some of the produce is also sold at the market or canned and sold locally. Nothing is wasted at Mas Ponsjoa!
The tour continued with a walk through the wine cellar – absolutely amazing! It was two stories under ground with two different levels used for different wines stored at different temperatures.
After the tour, we gathered at a large outside table ,under a covered area, to sample the various wines, have a few snacks and learn about some of their wine making processes.
We were flabbergasted to learn that the wines are only sold at the vineyard, are organic and cost anywhere from 1.50€ for the white to 3.50€ for the dessert, with the rosé and black/red falling in between. Seriously, a bottle of fabulous, organic wine for 1.50€ ($1.68) is insane!
The kiddos were treated to a mini lesson on wine barrels and wine making after finishing their snacks and cooling offwith mor e water. They learned that if you move the wine barrel, the wine will be ruined. They really must have been paying attention because each day, for several days, they told us more bits and pieces about what they learned. All three kids sat in a half circle and listed attentively -a well designed lesson to keep the kids attention.
I found it fascinating that school tours are held here as well. It’s a great way to teach children about wine, growing fresh fruits and vegetables and local farm living.
By the end of our tour no one wanted to leave. It was a lovely place with beautiful views and wonderful people. Thank you Mas Ponsjoan winery for an excellent experience! Derrick said he’d go back to work a day on the farm for more wine and education!
Mas Ponsjoan uses traditional wine making techniques and sells direct to the customer from the farmhouse. A visit should definitely be on your list when visiting the area!
Address:
17251 Calonge (Girona)
Phone:
972 65 16 26
Website:
http://www.masponsjoan.net/index.html
Tours:
Tours are held on Wednesdays by appointment with a cost of just 3€ – 10 € , depending on option. Tours are organized for groups with a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 25 people.
How to get There:
Bike from the center or rent a car and drive. A detailed map and GPS coordinates are available on their website.
See more Calonge tourism options for help planning your next visit.
Disclosure: My family was invited as guests to experience family-friendly destinations in Costa Brava. All opinions are 100% my own and may differ from others.
Camping Les Medes – Not Your Typical Campground Dinner
Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.
Camping Les Medes in Estartit
Dinner at a campground? Say it ain’t so. No, it’s not like the US. We weren’t served BBQ chicken, hot dogs or hamburgers. The food was amazing and didn’t include even one squirt of ketchup.
Camping Les Medes is a family run campground. We dined with the son while his mother prepared and served our meal. We didn’t get to explore the grounds, BUT they had a giant chess board outside that the kids thought was awesome!
Restaurant Guillermo in Sant Antoni de Calonge: Meal with a View
Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.
Restaurant Guillermo in Sant Antoni de Calonge
We are now on day 3 of our Costa Brava tour. After a bike ride and wine sampling at a local vineyard, we headed to lunch at Restaurant Guillermo.
Guillermo is located right along the promenade overlooking the water in Sant Antoni de Calonge. We were able to gaze out the window at the beautiful sea vista, and watch Lucy play and take photographs when she needed a break from the table.
Restaurant Guillermo has been a family run restaurant for over 25 years. You can sense how much the family enjoys running the restaurant just by watching the interaction with guests. The daughter breezed in while we were finishing up lunch, stopping by tables and chatting excitedly with patrons.
Lunch started with another round of fantastic appetizers. By this point, I was probably up about 3lbs. I’m an optimist!
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We had two types of calamari, both cooked to perfection. My favorite dish was the little clams called coquinas. YUM! I even surprised my husband my munching on the little fried fish, sonsos. Prawns and a green salad rounded out our first course.
Restaurant Feliu in Platja d’Aro – Dine In or Grab & Go
Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.
Restaurant Feliu in Platja d’Aro
The Feliu, founded in 1969, is one of the oldest restaurants of Platja d’Aro. The restaurant is family owned and a wonderful place for families to enjoy a meal.
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The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining in a classic setting. The tables are adorned with crisp white linens and flower filled vases. The wait staff is friendly and quick to refill glasses and make menu suggestions.
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We sat down and appetizers just started appearing on the table. There was so much food and it was all so good, we didn’t want to stop eating! Calamari, mussels, croquettes, fried anchovies plus salmon and anchovies on a toasted baguette. Oh my!
Where to Eat in Wachapreague on The Eastern Shore
Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.
On their way to Chincoteague Island on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, my mom and stepdad decided to stop in Wachapreague for lunch. Wachapreague is a quaint waterfront town with barely 200 residents, known for it’s flounder fishing and boasting a very good waterfront seafood restaurant, The Island House Restaurant and Marina.
They offer casual dining inside as well as dining outside on a deck overlooking the water. My parents were traveling with their dog, Ollie, so they needed to find a restaurant that would allow animals. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They directed them to the outside deck and brought Ollie a large bowl of water. He made several friends as they passed by to pet.
