We are in Barcelona for a few days. We drove across to Spain from Italy. Our good friend Maria suggested a stop at Cadaques on the Costa Brava. Maria’s tips are always good so we did just that.
The drive to Cadaques is very interesting. We drove along narrow winding roads through rocky hills to the coast. The people who settled here must have been hardy, the land is unforgiving. You can see the terraces built with dry stone walls where olive trees are planted. We know all about building stone walls after our tiny efforts at Casa Debbio.
Cadaques looks impressive as you approach, especially on a gorgeous blue sky day.
A few thousand people live in the village, but in summer it swells to 10 times that many as it is only a couple of hours drive from Barcelona. Many people come for the summer holidays and a lucky few have vacation houses there.
Salvador Dali visited in his childhood and later owned a home in Port Lligat, a small village on a bay next to the town. He is remembered with a statue.
There is some interesting architecture.
…and of course, there is the sea.
We walked around the headland for a view of the village.
Maria always knows the best places to eat, and we were delighted with our lunch at Es Baluard, right on the water’s edge, with cool, shady rooms out of the hot sun.
Our first meal in Spain had to be paella.
There are plenty of restaurants with tables in the sun, beside the sea if you prefer a fan while you eat.
As well as Dali, Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp, Man Ray, Walt Disney, James Mason and many other famous people have visited Cadaques…they knew a good spot when they saw it.
As we were driving off I spotted more towns by the sea…another time.
I look forward to discovering Barcelona again, it has been several years since our last visit.
We also stopped at Arles, a well known haunt of Vincent Van Gough, but I’ll tell you about that lovely place another day.