This charming restaurant really embodies Spain and all it has to offer. Beautiful views of the sea, comfortable outdoor seating and most of all great Spanish food.

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We have an assortment of tapas, artichokes with a spicy sauce, melting Camembert with crunchy dipping biscuits, calamares in the lightest of tempura batter. One of the best tortillas I have ever tasted, soft and runny in the middle and golden crunchy on the outside, topped with garlic mayonnaise. The crunchy tomato bread is delicious, baked until golden brown and then topped with olive oil and sweet pulped tomatoes.

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After the meal, we take a walk along the front and buy ice cream from one of the many vendors. Too many flavours to choose from – coffee, lemon sorbet, nougat, chocolate, mint, hazelnut and on and on. Home for some night caps of baileys, whiskey and wine (not in the same glass!).

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In the morning we walk down to Monserrat Cafe and order breakfast, English style, before they all leave for the airport and Pierre heads back to France. A great week and it has been a lot of fun spending time with everybody. Ed takes them to Girona whilst I catch up with all the washing and clearing up, wishing they were still here.

Tonight we’re invited to our Irish friends and we sit on their balcony looking out over the port and the sea, drinking wine and catching up on their news. Their daughter has moved in to the apartment downstairs in the same block, with her Spanish husband and they have a new baby daughter, just eight months old. They are just off to San Sebastián for a few days and we look forward to hearing all about the trip. San Sebastián has the most Michelin starred restaurants per square metre in Europe. I think we need to make a trip there soon. In the meantime we’re off to France this week, to stay with Pierre for a few days and see our friends in Mirepoix.

A bientôt