La Vella Farga

La Vella Farga is a Catalan masia whose origins date back to the 11th century, carefully rebuilt and now a member of Relais & Châteaux. It stands at 822 metres in the municipality of Lladurs, in the Solsonès, at the foot of the Catalan Pyrenees, in the middle of an estate of more than 300 hectares of pine, maple and oak woods and centuries-old olive trees.

Inside, the house keeps its large original halls, with stone walls and fireplaces, furnished with antiques. Outside, a heated infinity pool looks over the valley, among lawns and a sun terrace; the gourmet restaurant, a massage service and private parking complete the picture. Solsona is 8 kilometres away, Barcelona about an hour and a half by car.

The house is run with direct, family-style hospitality, in the quiet setting of a small number of rooms. On request the hotel arranges massages, bicycle hire and excursions in the area.

Meeting and event spaces are available, and the estate hosts weddings and corporate gatherings. Private parking is free and WiFi covers the whole property.

Each of the fifteen rooms has its own name, from Bisbe to Pubilla, and they range from doubles to superior, deluxe, junior suites and suites. They have wooden floors, antique furniture and large windows onto the woods; some have a fireplace, others a porch, a terrace or a private garden.

All have air conditioning, a flat-screen TV, free WiFi and a private bathroom with bathtub, bathrobes and toiletries.

The house restaurant serves signature cuisine based on local produce, led by executive chef Jordi Llobet with head chef M. Teresa Badrenas. There are two formulas, changing with the seasons: the Carta de Autor and the Itinerario Gastronómico.

The restaurant is open every day, for lunch from 1:30 to 4 pm and for dinner from 8:30 to 11 pm, also to non-residents; booking is recommended. Breakfast is served at the hotel.

Lladurs is a small municipality in the Solsonès, the Catalan comarca of the masias, 8 kilometres from Solsona and its old town. Trails start from the estate for walking, mountain biking or horse riding; nearby are the Romanesque church of Sant Julià de Ceuró and the Baroque sanctuary of El Miracle.

Cardona and its 11th-century castle are about twenty kilometres away, the Port del Comte ski resort 25. Andorra la Vella is 89 kilometres away, Lleida 118 and Barcelona 120, about an hour and a half by car.