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Alemanys 5 is managed by Juan Manuel, Consultant.
To check availability and to get the best possible price, contact Juan Manuel here:
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Your free gift when booking with us:
A bottle of wine or premium local beer
— Juan Manuel: “When my wife approached the old house, she did it in a modern way but also wanted a dialogue with the old. Like an evolution without breaking with the past.”
— You bought Alemanys 5 about 10 years ago. When did you start remodeling it?
Juan Manuel: “Yes, we bought it 10 years ago but it was in a very bad state structurally, because there had been some recent alterations to it. My wife, who is the architect, took quite a lot of time designing the different spaces and once we had agreed on the layout of the building, we needed a construction company that was able to understand the old, but open to the new as well.
Overall the work took more than 3 years, because each step was difficult. When you start doing things in an older house, you tend to find surprises and you have to reconsider what to do.
When we bought the house our idea was to live and work there, but during that time we had children and had settled in Barcelona, so it was difficult to change everything. So now we are using it as a vacation home and rent it out.”
Overall the work took more than 3 years, because each step was difficult. When you start doing things in an older house, you tend to find surprises and you have to reconsider what to do.
When we bought the house our idea was to live and work there, but during that time we had children and had settled in Barcelona, so it was difficult to change everything. So now we are using it as a vacation home and rent it out.”
— Alemanys 5 garden
— Girona looks like a very rich, historic city.
Juan Manuel: “It’s one of the richest cities in Spain. People don’t show their wealth here, but you can feel it.
The old city center is one of the best-preserved areas in Spain, together with Toledo. It has been touched by a lot of cultures. In fact, in the 14th Century, Girona had one of the main Kabbalistic schools of the Jewish world and you can still find traces of its Roman and French past as well.”
The old city center is one of the best-preserved areas in Spain, together with Toledo. It has been touched by a lot of cultures. In fact, in the 14th Century, Girona had one of the main Kabbalistic schools of the Jewish world and you can still find traces of its Roman and French past as well.”
— El Badiu bathroom
— Coming back to Alemanys 5, who designed the interior, the furniture?
Juan Manuel: “That is one of the things I like about Alemanys 5, because a lot of friends helped us in different areas.
My wife was responsible for the interior design as well and she was assisted by some good friends who are specialists in different areas. The furniture for example is from a friend who owns a magnificent studio for decoration in Girona. The lighting was done by a friend from Bilbao, the kitchen was designed by a friend who is a specialist in kitchens and the pool was built by yet another friend of ours. And the dining table was my project. It is in the kitchen but it has wheels so you can easily move it to the veranda and enjoy dinner outside.”
My wife was responsible for the interior design as well and she was assisted by some good friends who are specialists in different areas. The furniture for example is from a friend who owns a magnificent studio for decoration in Girona. The lighting was done by a friend from Bilbao, the kitchen was designed by a friend who is a specialist in kitchens and the pool was built by yet another friend of ours. And the dining table was my project. It is in the kitchen but it has wheels so you can easily move it to the veranda and enjoy dinner outside.”
—
— Was it your wife who pushed it into the direction of mixing modern and old?
Juan Manuel: “My wife likes modern architecture. When she approached the old house, she did it in a modern way but also wanted a dialogue with the old. Like an evolution without breaking with the past. She worked a lot with natural light and the quality of the materials — stone, wood, iron and concrete.
She is also very concerned about ‘healthy’ architecture, taking into consideration approaches like Feng Shui and the influences of water and energy currents. What is amazing, is that the main walls of the house, which is 500 years old, are perfectly places to avoid the bad energy currents in the living spaces. So you sleep very well and it gives you a lot of energy. We are very happy with the results. It’s beautiful and healthy.”
She is also very concerned about ‘healthy’ architecture, taking into consideration approaches like Feng Shui and the influences of water and energy currents. What is amazing, is that the main walls of the house, which is 500 years old, are perfectly places to avoid the bad energy currents in the living spaces. So you sleep very well and it gives you a lot of energy. We are very happy with the results. It’s beautiful and healthy.”
— Alemanys 5 interior
— Tell me a bit about the location of Alemanys 5.
Juan Manuel: “Yeah. It’s also a good mix between city and countryside where we are here. Girona has about 80,000 inhabitants but it only takes about 5 minutes by bike to get up into the mountains and the forest. On the other hand, we have the second best restaurant in the world — the three Michelin star El Celler de Can Roca — just fifteen minutes from here. There are lots of other charming and cozy restaurants and bars, very good shops, museums, theaters and cinemas in Girona, so you have a lot of cultural life here too.
And Girona is very well-placed to go to a lot of places. You are only 1 hour from Barcelona, in 1.5 hours you can be skiing and in less than 40 minutes you can be on the beach diving or swimming. At the end of 2012, we will have a high speed train connecting Girona with Barcelona in only half an hour, and with Paris in 5 or 6 hours. So that’s strategically very well situated, isn’t it?”
And Girona is very well-placed to go to a lot of places. You are only 1 hour from Barcelona, in 1.5 hours you can be skiing and in less than 40 minutes you can be on the beach diving or swimming. At the end of 2012, we will have a high speed train connecting Girona with Barcelona in only half an hour, and with Paris in 5 or 6 hours. So that’s strategically very well situated, isn’t it?”
— El Badiu living room
Juan Manuel's favourites:
Alemanys 5
Transportation
Eat & Drink
Activities
Sights— When you look back, what has been the biggest reward renting out Alemanys 5?
Juan Manuel: “I am in the hospitality business and I like welcoming people at home, so I try to establish a relationship with them. And with some of them we have even become friends — for example there’s a German creative director at an advertising agency who likes food like me, or one of the world's greatest cycling champions who regularly comes for a visit.
It’s also great when people write comments like this is the ‘best rental ever’, or that we’re a ‘stunning apartment in a charming city’. Our guests very much appreciate the assistance of our housekeepers, who are our neighbours. Tony is a very good cook and Montse speaks a lot of languages, so they meet the guests and take care of them if they need anything.
The quality of the service is very important, so if the guests don’t want to cook, they just go next door and have breakfast, lunch or dinner. And if they want, Tony can cook at home for them as well.”
It’s also great when people write comments like this is the ‘best rental ever’, or that we’re a ‘stunning apartment in a charming city’. Our guests very much appreciate the assistance of our housekeepers, who are our neighbours. Tony is a very good cook and Montse speaks a lot of languages, so they meet the guests and take care of them if they need anything.
The quality of the service is very important, so if the guests don’t want to cook, they just go next door and have breakfast, lunch or dinner. And if they want, Tony can cook at home for them as well.”
— El Jardin dining room
— What’s one of the most typical dish in this area of Spain?
Juan Manuel: “The region of Gerona is known for its mix of meat and seafood dishes, like chicken with prawns, pork with lobster or pork feet with crayfish, which is very delicious. You can find very good quality fish, vegetables and meat at the market and we have a lot of good wine sellers in the city as well.
Girona also has some of the best restaurants in the world. ‘El Bulli’ for example was considered to be the best restaurant in the world for four years and its chef Ferran Adrian chef of the decade. Or ‘El Cellar de Can Roca’, which is number four on the list.
Eating and cooking is an important part of the house. We even have an outside fireplace where I like to do barbecues. For me it’s a way to relax on the weekends.”
Girona also has some of the best restaurants in the world. ‘El Bulli’ for example was considered to be the best restaurant in the world for four years and its chef Ferran Adrian chef of the decade. Or ‘El Cellar de Can Roca’, which is number four on the list.
Eating and cooking is an important part of the house. We even have an outside fireplace where I like to do barbecues. For me it’s a way to relax on the weekends.”
— El Badiu veranda and kitchen
— Is there something you just shouldn’t miss to see or do in or around Girona?
Juan Manuel: “In Girona itself you have the Jewish quarter and the Cathedral, which is the biggest cathedral in the world after St. Peter’s. You have two of the top 10 restaurants in the world, one of the world’s best cycling areas and very good golf courses. And you also have one of the biggest urban forests in Spain with some trees coming up to 70-80 meters tall.
Near Girona you have the Salvador Dali museum and Dali’s house in Cadaques, which is a very charming old fishing village. Of course you also have the city of Barcelona and the Costa Brava where you can still find very romantic beaches. And you can even go skiing not very far away in La Molina.
So, it’s quite a small city but with a lot of things to do.”
Near Girona you have the Salvador Dali museum and Dali’s house in Cadaques, which is a very charming old fishing village. Of course you also have the city of Barcelona and the Costa Brava where you can still find very romantic beaches. And you can even go skiing not very far away in La Molina.
So, it’s quite a small city but with a lot of things to do.”
— Alemanys 5 pool detail
— Is there a special place in Girona that makes you feel at home?
Juan Manuel: “In Girona we have several bridges that connect the old pedestrian area with the newer one on the other side. It’s very nice to cross these bridges, walking down both sides. You have ducks, seagulls and fishes there and all the houses are painted in different colors. It’s like a painting. It’s beautiful.
There are lots of nice shops and there is often music in the streets, so it’s a very nice area for walking and hanging out. It’s like the center of a village.”
There are lots of nice shops and there is often music in the streets, so it’s a very nice area for walking and hanging out. It’s like the center of a village.”
— El Badiu living room
— When is the best time to come to Alemanys 5 in your opinion?
Juan Manuel: “I think Girona is a city that you can enjoy at any time of the year. For example, each spring there is a flower exhibition — it’s in its 65th year now — which is magnificent. In summer, it’s very hot so that’s when our swimming pool and the veranda are the places to be. In autumn you have Spain’s most important music, dance and theater festival, and then in winter, we light the fireplace, so it gets very romantic.”
—
— Thank you, Juan Manuel!
Prices are an indication only. The final quote will be the same low price as booking your vacation directly.
There are no fees to book. Please check directly with the owner for special arrangements or information not listed here.
Service
Self-catering
Accommodation type
Apartment
Location
City
Special requirements
Children welcome
No pets allowed
Not suitable for wheelchairs
No smoking, please
Transport
Car not required
Private parking
Good public transport
Prices are an indication only. The final quote will be the same low price as booking your vacation directly.
There are no fees to book. Please check directly with the owner for special arrangements or information not listed here.
Bedrooms
0 Single bedroom
1 Double bedroom
2 Twin bedrooms
0 Room w. multiple beds
Additional:
0 Sofabed
0 Extra bed (on request)
0 Air mattress (on req.)
1 Baby cot/crib (on req.)
Bath/shower rooms
1 Bathroom (ensuite)
0 Bathroom (shared)
2 Shower rooms (ensuite)
0 Shower room (shared)
0 Toilet (ensuite)
Additional:
0 Toilet (shared)
Other rooms
1 Kitchen
0 Kitchenette
1 Cooking area
1 Living room
1 Dining room
0 Other rooms
Prices for 2 sharingperson
Lowest price
Highest price
All season / night (2 people)
€ 250
€ 250
Extra person / night
€ 25
€ 25
Size: 180 square meters. 1 units available.
"El Badiu" (The Veranda) is a 180 m2 duplex equipped with a master suite and two children suites, kitchen-dining room, great living room with fireplace and a spectacular veranda terrace facing south with exclusive views over the old quarter.
Prices are based on 2 people sharing. Any additional person € 25 / night extra and € 150 / week extra (in all seasons).
Minimum stay: 3 nights (October to May), 5 nights (June & September), 7 nights (July & August) but exceptions can be made depending on the circumstances
Private parking place: € 25 per day / € 150 per week
Discounts for longer stays: 7 nights for 6: 7th night free.
Ferienhaus zu mieten. Sieben Urlaubsdomizile aus dem Fernweh-Märchenbuch
Betörender Mix aus alt und neu: Alemanys 5 heisst ein Haus im mittelalterlichen Stadtkern von Girona, das unter Einsatz von Eiche, Stahl und Glas auf den neuesten Stand gebracht wurde. Jedes der zwei Apartments erstreckt sich über eine Etage. Sie können einzeln oder zusammen (ed.) gemietet werden. Das traditionelle “Badiu” (Patio) blieb erhalten, doch im ummauerten Garten lockt nun auch ein Pool. 5 Schlafzimmer für bis zu 11 Gäste. Catering auf Anfrage.
— Vogue (Germany)Vogue (Germany), May 2012
Winner of WAN Interior Design Awards 2011
Alemanys 5 has been the winner of the WAN Interior Design Awards 2011 in the residential category.
— WAN Interior Design AwardsWAN Interior Design Awards, March 2012
World’s Coolest Rental Home
When Spanish architect Anna Noguera and her husband, Juan Manuel Ribera, bought this 16th-century house in northeastern Catalonia, it was in such rough shape that only the walls could be saved. Three years later, the five-bedroom residence (which can be divided into two separate living spaces or rented as a whole) is a stunning example of rustic minimalism: ancient stone walls are juxtaposed with smooth, clean lines of oak, concrete, and glass. The best asset? A 20-by-7-foot pool—the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring Girona’s medieval city center.
Rent It: From $280 per night; 011-34-64-988-5136.
Insider Tip: “Don’t miss a visit to El Canadell, a hidden beach in the picturesque fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell, just outside Girona.”
Rent It: From $280 per night; 011-34-64-988-5136.
Insider Tip: “Don’t miss a visit to El Canadell, a hidden beach in the picturesque fishing village of Calella de Palafrugell, just outside Girona.”
— Travel + LeisureTravel + Leisure, September 2011
Spain x Monocle: Alemanys 5, Girona
In the second of a new series of travel guides from Monocle, we fly to Spain to spot the sights, try the tastes and meet the folks maintaining the Iberian peninsula as one of the ultimate holiday destinations… Two holiday apartments in a 16th-century Girona building brilliantly renovated by Spanish architect Anna Noguera. El Jardí can host up to five people with access to a garden and pool, while El Badiu is a six person duplex with views across the city from its terrace.
— MonocleMonocle, April 2011
Buenas noches: budget hotels in Spain
From hip city boltholes to seaside hideaways and fincas among the olive groves, these 20 stylish hotels costs less than £100 per room per night: Alemanys 5, Girona, Catalonia — This is the latest property to join the welcomebeyond.com fold, a “hand-picked” holiday property portal run by two Berlin hipsters, but you’ll have to move quickly if you want to bag some dates at these two flats in Girona’s old town. It’s a successful marriage between ancient and modern – Alemanys 5’s architect owner has taken stone, concrete and wood, and spun them into a thing of wonder, set apart by soft lighting, natural textures and such show-stopping features as an open fire, balcony and minimalist pool. And the dining table is on wheels, so it can be moved from the kitchen to the veranda on sunny evenings.
— The Guardian, UKThe Guardian, UK, April 2011
Girona: 16de eeuw in hedendaags jasje
In het historische centrum van het Spaanse Girona zijn twee 16de-eeuwse panden ver- bouwd tot een vakantiehuis. Het project ‘Alemanys 5’ omvat enerzijds El Jardí (een apparte- ment met tuin en zwembad voor maximaal vijf personen) en an- derzijds El Badiu (een duplex voor maximaal zes personen). Vanaf het terras heb je telkens een schitterend uitzicht op de stad. De Spaanse architecte Anna Noguera koppelde strakke lijnen en modern meubilair aan eeuwenoude materialen. Vanaf 140 euro per nacht.
— De Morgen, BelgiumDe Morgen, Belgium, March 2011
Alemanys 5
Award-winning architect Anna Noguera and partner Juan-Manuel Ribera transformed a 16th-century house steps from the cathedral into two extraordinary apartments: one for up to five people, the other for six. Preserving the original stonework and exposed-beam ceilings, Noguera used modern materials to create the pair of spacious interiors that are luxuriously simple, open, and comfortable. The first-floor flat has a private garden with a plunge pool; the two-level flat above has a sunken bathtub, working fireplace, and a huge patio-dining deck with a view of the medieval city. Book well in advance: the minimum stay is five nights in summer, two nights the rest of the year, and many visitors take these gems for longer. Pros: perfect for families or small groups; ideal location. Cons: difficult to reach by car; minimum stay required.
— Fodor’sFodor’s, February 2011
Your free gift
A bottle of wine or premium local beer
Best rates
You pay the same rate as booking with the property directly. There are no booking fees or extra costs to you. That’s guaranteed!
Direct owner contact
Use the ‘Contact’ button on the left to get information about availability and rates from the owner directly — and also receive the link to the property website with further details.
Our helpline
If you need help, call us on +49 163 737 2509 (Mo-Fr, 10am-10pm CET)
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Outside these times leave us a message and we’ll call right back.
