Moianès getaway: Three heartland towns

Top-quality produce, with dishes ranging from meat and fish recipes to rice and seasonal specialities in a splendid, extensive menu that is based on carefully updated traditional Catalan cuisine. If you like to eat a hearty breakfast, take good note of this place and get ready to start your day with 'trinxat de col i patata' (a kind of bubble and squeak, served here with glazed bacon) or crispy kid meat with French fries, among other options.

The people behind this restaurant in the capital of Moianès highlight dishes like tender lamb stuffed with cheese from Montbrú, duck stuffed with wild mushrooms, and pigs’ trotters stuffed with liver. We’re undoubtedly talking about one of the top restaurants in this newly constituted region, serving high-quality cuisine based on locally sourced produce. An added bonus is the fact that it’s located in the old farmyard of a century-old house.

Located in the pretty village of Granera, L’Esclopet specialises in serving grilled meat dishes, and wild mushrooms when in season. Many of the products they use are sourced from local farms and are cooked in the traditional way. You can order 'escudella' and 'carn d’olla' (traditional dish of soup and boiled meat), 'botifarra' sausages, and steaks. Home-made desserts are also on offer at this restaurant, which is part of The Park on the Table gastronomic trail.

Here they define their cuisine as, 'Typical Catalan top-quality home cooking, which has managed to evolve over time, incorporating contemporary tastes in a sensible way while maintaining the classical touch that is our trademark.' There’s little more to add to that description except to say that this long-standing restaurant in Monistrol de Calders was once an inn where footballer Ladislau Kubala used to stay.

Serving well-presented, traditional Catalan and avant-garde dishes, this restaurant is located in the charmingly set four-star hotel of the same name which has a spa. Eating here is an unforgettable experience, from the starters to the dessert.

Moianès is a region of old flour mills, some of which, like this one, have been converted into country lodges. Molí Vell d'en Sala has preserved all the charm of its original stone walls, while the water that once powered it is now a fantastic pond-swimming pool that you can even go boating on. It’s a pastoral setting and ideal for families with children.

Located at a crossroads near to the town of Castellterçol, this establishment was first opened 150 years ago to cater for the travellers who stopped off to rest and have a bite to eat. Although it's changed a lot since then, the hotel still serves basically the same function, with the added bonus of having become a charming place with six elegant and surprising rooms. The restaurant is another key element of this small hotel in Castellterçol.

Located on the outskirts of the capital of Moianès, this country house that sleeps a maximum of 11 guests has five bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms. The house is equipped with all of the necessary household devices and has a garden, a swimming pool, and a barbecue area. Kids are sure to love the swimming pool and the games, as well as the farmyard with poultry birds and a horse.

This motel has independent rooms with doors that open straight onto the garden in the quiet, pleasant village of Collsuspina. The motel is closely identified with the restaurant of the same name, which has been operating for 40 years and which we recommend for its local dishes. The motel has a swimming pool, a children’s play area, a car park, WiFi and even a small farm.

This old village house has been restored from top to bottom, and since 2001 has functioned as a country lodge that sleeps a maximum of 11 people. It has a living room with a fireplace, a fully equipped kitchen, different sized bedrooms, and a fenced-off garden with a porch, a barbecue, and a deck. There are plenty of places to visit in the village of l'Estany, as well as a swimming pool, a sports centre and parks.