This was our favorite Airbnb stay ever. We expected rustic charm in the heart of a medieval seaside village with proximity to the beach, the castle walls and restaurants and cafes. But we didn't expect the apartment to be a fully renovated three-floor house in the midst of 900 year old castle walls. The character of the house was fully intact, from the moment we approached the front door located on a pedestrian only cobblestoned street. The first floor contained a fully functional kitchen, a dining room table, a living room with a television, a laundry room/bathroom and an interior courtyard/patio. The second floor contained one bedroom and a full bathroom and the top floor contained two additional bedrooms, a lofted living area, another full bath and a charming balcony. Exposed beams, terracotta walls and some original tile and woodwork melded seamlessly with the renovation, which combined traditional Catalan elements with Scandinavian design.
But while the house was great, it's location was unsurpassed. In a matter of seconds, we could be at any one of thirty restaurants. In less than a minute we could be on the steps of the castle overlooking the Mediterranean and in less than two minutes we could find a spot on one of two stunning beaches. Tossa de Mar is a beautiful medieval village, where the old town has not been tarnished by development. Each restaurant was better than the previous night's, each bottle of local wine crisper than the last and each slice of Iberico ham and grilled octopus a small piece of perfection. We could choose to eat seafront or in a table embedded in the castle walls or just on a narrow side street. Everything that a big city could offer was at our fingertips, including a charming museum containing Chagall's, Roman artifacts and even the art of local schoolchildren. When we parked our car on a Monday, we didn't need it again until we left on Friday.
And I shouldn't forget to mention that our 12 year old son was in ice cream heaven. Tossa is such an idyllic safe town, that he was able to roam the streets and sample many of the gelato, pastry's and other treats throughout the Town. It's a great place for children of all ages.
But the offerings of Kristjan and Ana are not limited to rentals. They advertise their gastronomic offerings and other travel services, including babysitting, private dining and side trips, but we didn't take advantage of it until our final night. We participated in a combination cooking class/family style dinner. Like most nights in Tossa (as in all of Spain), dinner begins fairly late and we didn't begin preparing our meal until past 8 p.m. In a luxury kitchen in the old town, just off the main square just next to the bells of the cathedral, about 12 of us gathered to prepare that evening's meal. All were strangers, and the bilngual chef and the Kristjan the host made us all feel like we were welcome guests in their home. We spent about 90 minutes preparing the gourmet meal together, chopping vegetables, slicing steak, cleaning and then grinding cuttlefish and drinking cava, rose, white and red wines. When our chef and their gracious helpers presented our masterpieces, each of which tasted as good as food served at the local restaurants, we left (just prior to midnight) very very satisfied. And we definitely felt the need to extend the 90 second stroll back to our house to walk off some of what we just had eaten.
I can't be effusive enough about our stay, I just wish it could have been longer.