Casa Felix is a gorgeous old manor house in the traditional catalan style, and was the origin of the little town of Olivella, located near Sitges and the coast, around 30 minutes south of Barcelona. It sits in top of a hill in the Garraf mountains, and overviews small valleys filled with vineyards. It’s the perfect destination for those wanting to have their wedding with mediterranean charm: sun drenched afternoons, beautiful coastline, wine & cava tastings and great food.
The house has 20 rooms and can host around 50 people. It has two pool, three patios and the best views on any venue in the area. This leads to not just a wedding day, but a wedding holiday! Staying with your family and friends, all together, for a few days will make the experience even more memorable. Think paella and pool party all day!
CASA FELIX BEST VENDORS
As a wedding photographer, I’ve worked with many vendors in this area, and here’s a list of my favourite florists, catereers, planners and more, in no particular order:
Best Day Ever Floral Studio: one of the best florists in Spain, and also my wife. We make a heck of a team, ask us about that! 😉
Sendero Olivella - Olivella’s own food truck! It’s next to Casa Felix and a great place to have breakfast, a vermouth or an afternoon snack!
HOW TO GET THERE
You have to drive 20 minutes south from Barcelona Airport, and then another 15 minutes by a winding road between vineyards and pine forests to get to Casa Felix. There’s no public transportation to get here, as it’s hidden in the hills of the Garraf, so a rental car is the most convenient, but you can take a train or bus from the Airport to Sitges, and then take a taxi from there to Casa Felix, if you don’t plan to use the car much.
EXTRA ACCOMMODATION
Casa Felix is a BIG house but it might not fit all your guests, or some might prefer to stay elsewhere. If everyone wants to stay close, there are a couple of other houses in the village that can host guests, you can talk to Jane (Casa Felix’s lovely owner) about that. Another probable scenario is the younger crowd choosing to stay in Sitges, as it’s a lively city with plenty of restaurants and an active night life, in contrast with the quiet of the Garraf. For those looking to extend (or start early) the party, Sitges is the place to be.
There’s plenty of hotels for all crowds, but a few of my favourite:
THINGS TO DO
Wine cellars
While spending time with your closest gang by the infinite pool while having some Penedés wine is a perfect plan, if you stay a few days here you’ll probably want to go outside and explore this beautiful corner of the world. The Garraf and Penedés region is one of the oldest wine regions in the world, and there are records of winemaking since before the romans, more than 2000 years ago. That’s quite a lot of experience, ha! There are plenty of cellars and vineyards you can visit that make excellent cava (as the locally produced champagne is called) and wine. So a trip to a cellar for a tasting is a must if you enjoy the grape’s juice. Here are a few cellars that have visits and tastings:
Familia Torres - one of the biggest cellars in the region, they have vineyards in different parts of Spain, though this is the main one. They make all sorts of wines, they’ll certainly make one you love. My favourite: Atrium Merlot.
Finca Viladellops - a tiny village in the heart of the Garraf, a few hills away from Casa Felix, comprised for the most part by the cellar and its vineyards. They use traditional local varieties and all of their wines come from organic agriculture. Favourite wine: Finca Viladellops negre, a fine garnatxa.
Gramona - a cellar dating from the 1850s, they produce both cava and wine, and are known for using old local grape varieties like Macabeu or Xarel-lo as well as foreign varieties like Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. They make one of my favourite whites: Gessamí.
Beautiful towns
Catalunya is a beautiful country with a long history behind it. From the original Celtiberian inhabitants to greeks, Romans, goths and Arabs, all of them left a mark in the territory. It flourished in the renaissance and with the industrial revolution, as it was the motor of the fabric industry. From Casa Felix there are plenty of half-day or full-day trips to charming little towns or beautiful cities you might miss. Here are a few recommendations:
- Barcelona: let’s start with the obvious. One of the most beautiful cities in Spain (and Europe, why not!), getting lost in the gothic quarter is a delight. Gaudi, the Born, the Miró Foundation, the Tibidabo… are just a few of other attractions for the curious visitor. I won’t dwell on here, as I’m sure it’s on your list.
- Sitges: the next most probable candidate. A holiday retreat town for the wealthy society of Barcelona in the late XIXth century, it was home for many “indianos”, returnees from America with a fortune that built beautiful villas by the sea. It’s a little coastal town with a beautiful centre, plenty of good restaurants, a long promenade, many beaches and a never-ending nightlife. It’s been also a popular gay destination since the 70s, so it has a big Gay Pride party in early July.
- Vilanova i la Geltru: Sitges neighbouring city, it’s a 20-minute drive from Casa Felix. It’s a bigger and not as touristy town as Sitges. It has an old centre with busy streets full of stores of all sorts, and a beautiful area which was the core of la Geltru, with small wandering streets that reminds you a bit of some part of Barcelona. It’s a lively little town with many good restaurants to stuff your face with tapas. It’s my go-to place when I want to have a nice lunch.
- Tarragona: just 45 minutes south of Casa Felix, you have Tarragona, a city founded by the Romans where their imprint is still dominant today. There are many ruins left standing, like the Amphitheatre, parts of the Circus, walls, etc. It was also a prominent medieval town, so all the city has a beautiful vibe with loads of history in every corner.
- Roc Sant Cayeta: it’s said it was a pirate’s refuge. Not sure about that, but it’s a charming little village hidden between the rocks next to the sea not quite known by even many residents of the area.
- Poblet: one hour away from Casa Felix, a beautiful small town with a large Cistercian monastery dating back from the XIIth century. It sits between vineyards inland, and it’s a wonderful example of the tradition of Cistercian architecture, known for its simplicity as they took all non-necessary away.
Sports
If you’re the active type. there’s plenty of options for you that match a holiday with friends and family:
- hitting the Terramar golf course in Sitges for a few holes
- a horse trip at the Tikotta refuge
- heading to the sea for a kayak or paddle surf morning in Sitges
- a cycling tour with Kili cycling tours, from road to mountain bikes, there are beautiful roads and trails for you to explore this region.
FINAL ADVICE
Planning a wedding is fun. It’s part of the wedding experience. Can be overwhelming at points, but I think it helps build the excitement for the big day. So enjoy the process, plan for a great time here, and when the day comes to take a plane and come here, leave the notes at home and just enjoy the time shared with your friends and family. It will some of the most beautiful days in your life, and I’d love to be there to capture those moments. So if you need a photographer to create memories, hit me up and let’s talk!
RECENT CASA FELIX WEDDINGS
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