O Chardinet d'a Formiga

Enter a half-abandoned hill-top village in this remote, mountain-fringed landscape, and step into a fairy tale. Tucked in the Pyrenees foothills, between three national parks, this is wild Spain; wonderful walking, bird-watching and peace. Mireia and Ferran gave up city jobs to restore the 17th-century farm building – one of four in the one-street village – with traditional materials and a low-impact design (biomass boiler and recycled rainwater). Ferran cooks knock-out Catalan-style meals with regional fare and produce from their organic garden, eaten at a convivial table with mountain vistas. Their garden, with fig and fruit trees, sits below the walled patio; the latter a lovely spot to rest with a book or soak in the hot tub. On cooler days you can get snug in the barrel-vaulted sitting room, the original cattle stabling. There’s a separate games room for children, too. Furnishing throughout is spare yet stylishly under-stated with tiled floors, open rafters and rough white walls keeping bedrooms cool. Bathrooms are crisply modern. Young and passionate, your hosts are a joy. You will unwind, breathe deeply and smile at the views.