Cadaques, Mythical Fishing Village at the Costa Brava

Cadaques: Mythical Fishing-Village and Home of Salvador Dali

At the (northeastern) end of the Iberian Peninsula, only accessible through a twisty mountain road you will find the white fishing village of Cadaques. The rocky coast and a rigid development plan prevented the village from being spoiled by the big appartment blocks and highrise hotels that shaped the image of the Costa Brava so unfortunately.

The white houses flock like sheep around the church of Santa María. And even if the city has been growing towards the hills during recent decades, it is still easy to imagine how it might have been 150 years ago with no paved roads and no electricity

From the first settlers at the peninsula Cap de Creus some 3.000 years ago til today a lot of people have been passing through the village: greeks and phencicians who passed by with their ships on their way to Empuries (and feared the storms of Cap de Creus), pirates who used the caves around the cap to hide their treasures and finally tourists who started to discover Cadaques at the beginning of 20ieth century. Until then it was actually easier to get to Cuba then to cross the montains and travel to Figueres. There ws no road and it was a lot more convenient to travel by ship.

Life was never easy for the villagers. They went fishing and tended to their olive groves. But tourism brought money and more and more people started catering to the summerguetst. Until today a good percentage of the villages population makes a living diectly or indirectly from tourism.

Things to visit in and around Cadaques:

The first place you should visit is the old center of the village. The white littel houses and the cobblestone-streets set the mood. There are quite few little shops, clothes and nicknack, art and decoration; and you´ll find the occasional bar to have a coffee or a beer and some quiet little restaurants. From the Platja Gran (the main beach) you´ll pass the Casino (the most popular Cafés and the main spot to hang out) for locals) walk up the hill and enter the old city center trough Es Call, the former jewish part of Cadaques. There is nothing left than the name though.

The Ajuntament (mayors office) is situated strategically in what used to be a fortification against pirates: the huge walls and the watch tower of Es Baluard overlook the bay of Cadaques. Today it is accessible from the beach by a small staircase, but not too long ago the walls built directly on the steep cliffs porotected the village from pirates and other intruders.

Overlooking the white fishing houses like a shepherd his flock on the highest point of the villages center you´ll find the parocchial church Santa María. It si quite popular for weddings among the rich and the famous because of its idyllic

setting. During the week the doors are closed, but you can have a peek at the impressive golden barroc altar, overboarding with virgins, angels and saints.

About two kilometres (a 20 minutes walk) from the city center you´ll find Port Lligat, a tiny fishing village. It consists of nothing but a few little houses (which are among the most expensive ones in Spain nowadays), nevertheless every year thousands of tourists visit the place. They come to see Salvador Dalis house, who spend most of the summers of his life here at the northern Costa Brava. His parents had a house in Cadaques and during his (not too happy) childhood he came here every summer.

In his twenties he bough a little fishers shack in Port Lligat and over the years transformed it and added rooms. He decorated them with his paintings and odds souvenirs he brought from his trips all over the world. There are flower pots that look like teacups, camels in the gardens and a bear in the living room – the Dali-house is a worthwhile visit not only for adults!

Next to the house there is a little MOLE??? for the fishers of Cadaques, there are not to many of them any more but once in a while you can see them unloading their boats or cleaning their nets.

It is only possible to visit the Dali-House with an organized tour and especially during the summer-months you absolutely have to book well in advance!

Beaches around Cadaques:

There are no sandy beaches in Cadaques! Which is preceived as a disadvantage by some people has prevented the village to be transformed in center of mass tourism like so many places more at the Costa Brava. And actually, if you are visiting Cadaques with little kids you can still go to Platja Ros at the eastern end of the Cadaques Bay. Although it is not a full blown sand beach there are sandy spots, enough to make good use of EIMER UND SHAUFEL???

But all the other little beaches and calas are more or less rocky or stony. Good for swimming (no sea-urchins) are the Platja Gran (the main beach at the center), and the Platja Llané Gran to the West of the village center. Another good place for little kids is Portdouger (beneath the church). Things to do around Cadaques:

The easternmost spot of the Iberian peninsla has always inspired the fantasy of people here. Salvador Dali (who had a good view of Cap de Creus from his house in Port Lligat) boasted that he was the first one in Spain every morning to see the sun coming up.

The rough and windswept landscape is among the most espectacular you´ll find at the Costa Brava and Calalonia. There is nothing LIEBLICH about the rocks of Cap de Creus, the eternal wind and the rocky ground prevent trees form growing high. There is nothing spectacular about the vegetation, it

consists more or less in bushes and grass. It is the smells that leave a lasting impression

Geology at Cap de Creus is complicated and interesting.The movement of local tectonic plates and long extinct volcanoes have formed a bizzare and barren landscape that is barely covered by vegetation. Every once in a while you can see groups of geology-students picking away with their hammers – they have a special permit, so don´t do it on your own!

Practical Information:

There is a hiking trail from Cadaques to Cap de Creus, you have to make both ways by foot as there is no publich transportation. Count between two and three hours each way (16 km in total). Just follow the indication Cami de Ronda, Cap de Creus (sometimes hard to find but the rangers are working on it!). At Cap de Creus there is a Restaurant ( Restaurant Cap de Creus) owned by an English guy who has spend so many years in Cadaques that he counts as a local. Try their curries, they are really good. They have down to earth local cuisine as well, prices are moderate, or you could just have a coffee on the terasse – the view is outstanding! During the summer-months there is a bar at the lighthouse tower.

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The Parque Natural Cap de Creus has an information center at the cap, it boasts a nice little exhibition about the park and gives out informational leaflets.

Faro de Cala Nans: A nice one-hour-walk from Cadaques takes you to the Lighthouse tower at the western end of the bay. You can actually see the tower from the village, ther is no way to miss it – just follow the indications „Faro de Cala Nans“ein schöner Spaziergang führt vom Dorf aus nach Westen zu Faro de Cala Nans. Close to the lighthouse there is a beach, the only one and not too easy to access, but very nice and perfect for a picnic – it is called Sa Sebolla. Take water and food as there are no shops or bars of any kind.

Information about Cadaques:

– Oficina de turisme, C. De Cotxe, 1 (behind the Casino), Tel.: 972-258315 – CAP Hospital de Cadaques, Carrer Nou, Tel.: 972-258807 – Policia Local: 972-159343– Fiesta Mayor: 11 – 13 Septemer– Festival de Musica de Cadaques: two weeks in August– Market: Monday mornings, behind the parking at the villages entrance

Getting There:

Either you travel with your own car or you take the Bus, there is a connection

via Empuria Brava and Roses

Hotels in Cadaques:

- The Camping (Crta. Port Lligat 17, Tel.: 792-258125) is the cheapest way to stay in Cadaques. It is situated above the center, about a 10 min walk to the village center and the beach. There is not much to it – a few trees for shade, the facilities are somewhat outdated, the prices rather high...

- The Hotel Nou Estrellas is a friendly hostel at the entrance of the village, the center is about two minutes by foot, the beach five minutes by foot. The rooms are clean, the owners very friendly and the prices even at high season still reasonable.

- The nicest budget-hostel in Cadaques is the Hostal Cristina in the center of the village. (C. Rierassa s/n, Tel.: 972-258138). The hostal Cristina has been recently renovated, the rooms are rather small but spotless and some have a view to the sea. There is a nice living area with a TV, Wifi and computers. You should arive early though, the hostal Cristina doesn´t accept reservations, it tends to get full anyway, even outside high season.

- The Hotel Octavia is ione of the most recent constructions in the center of Cadaques – modern, comfortable and worth its price. To the main beach it is a relaxed three minutes walk, supermarkets and restaurants are across the street. The old city center is at three minutes at the back of the hotel, it is hard to find a more central location in Cadaques. It is one of the few places that offer rooms for disabled travelers.

- Small but beautiful – that might be the best way to characterizise El Hostalet. Centrally located it offers eight small rooms each one decoarted with a panoramic foto of a different beach of Cadaques. The hotel was opened in 2008, the deocration is modern and discreet. El Hostalet is situated close to a variety of bars and restaurants, it is perfect for young people who like to be „in the middle of everything“

The Hotel Playa Sol is located right a the beach at a friendly little cala, the rooms either have a view of the mediterranean or of the hotels garden with its old pine trees and the spacious pool. It allows the hotel-guests to enjoy Cadaques at their own space, even in high season. The Playa Sol is the best hotel in the village center.

For travelers who prefer a more relaxed situation outside the village the Hotel Sol Ixent might be a good choice. It is situated a good 15 minutes by foot from the village (with the car it is a mere three minutes though), almost in Es Caials. The hotel is brand new, offers nice and modern rooms, a pool and a restautant with views on the mediterranean.

Restaurants in Cadaques

– good fish and seafood and moderate prices – if you want to sample the catalan cuisine, the Restaurant Bahia (Miquel Roset s/n, Tel.: 972-258524) is a good choice.

– Even cheaper (but less sophisticated) is Restaurant La Cala in the village center (Avda. Caritat Serinyana 4 , Tel: 972-258504)

– People who like Humus and Falafel and a relaxed surroundings will love the Gato Azul (Blue Cat, C. Curós 10, Tel. 972-258844). They have a variety of food, some catalan, some middle east, some fusion... Everybody is likely to find something he likes! Prices are low, my favourite is the salad with warm goat cheese

– Here is another great low budget restaurant (almost always booked out, especially during the tourist season): The Celeste (C. Nou 2, Tel.: 972-159420). The have all kinds of Pasta and really good starters. Later at night the restaurant converts to a popular coctail place.

– If you would like to eat fish and seafood at the village center with a nice seaview, chose Sa Gambina (Riba Nemesi Llorens, Tel.: 972-258127) Other restaurants tend to close for the winter, Sa Gambina is open (almost) every day of the year.

– If you want to spoil yourself, chose Restaurant Can Tito (behind the

Casino 50 m uphill, C.Vigilant s/n, Tel. 972-259070) it is easily among the best (if not the best) restaurants of Cadaques. You´ll get catalan cuisine with a modern and inovative touch, don´t skip desert!

– Very good fish and seafood, rather high prices: Restaurant Es Baluard (Riba Nèmesi Llorens 2, Tel.: 972-258183)

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