"Cadaqués – the Spanish seaside town Salvador Dalí fell in love with"

The Costa Brava is full of charming corners, but only one town is consistently white, alive with sea breeze, and touched by a surrealist spirit. You drive up the winding road from Roses and—boom!—the view opens: turquoise waters, white houses cascading like steps, boats rocking gently in the bay. This is where Salvador Dalí found his refuge—a place that from the very first glance works like a magnet.

You pause, you breathe—and suddenly your imagination is ready to take flight.

Cadaqués is not a place to be rushed.

Mornings: coffee and a croissant with a view of the bay.

Afternoons: the shade of bougainvillea, cobbled streets, the sun gently brushing your face.

Evenings: the clink of glasses and whispers echoing through stone alleyways.

This town has always drawn artists, outsiders, and dreamers. Dalí lived here for years, but he wasn’t the only one. In Cadaqués, every surface can become a canvas. Even the most ordinary wall feels like an invitation to pause—even if only for a moment.

In Cadaqués, art doesn’t live only in galleries. It’s on doors, on the walls of houses, and even… on electric boxes.

The bay shimmers in shades of turquoise, while whitewashed houses climb up the hillside. A natural postcard—no filter needed.

What to see — step by step

⚓ Harbor & Promenade 

Your walk kicks off with a flourish. The promenade winds along the bay—on one side, boats gently bob on the water; on the other, intimate little beaches and café tables in the shade of white facades. Here, walking isn’t the goal—just the excuse. Something stops you every few steps: a view, a scent, a sound. Everything here is simple, yet genuine.

Every now and then you pass reproductions of paintings showing how artists once saw Cadaqués — and how little has changed. The same street layout, the same bay, the same boats.

Along the promenade stands a statue of Dalí — nonchalant, cane in hand, as if he’d just come back from coffee. Right beside it, a beach dotted with moored boats.

⛪ Santa Maria Church

Climbing up the cobbled streets brings you to the church that overlooks the town. From the outside it looks modest, but inside it surprises with a richly decorated Baroque altar.

And the courtyard? Silence, wind, open space — and a view that stays with you for a long time.

And the cats. Plenty of them. They lounge on stone walls, beneath windows, and in the shade of flower pots. Some slip away around a corner, others peek from higher ledges as if they’ve been guarding the panorama for years. They add an extra layer of calm to this place — as much a part of the landscape as the sea and the light.

Portlligat – Salvador Dalí’s House

His house looks like a white labyrinth — built from several fishermen’s huts joined together. Modest on the outside, but inside… a different world. An egg on the roof, tiny mirrors tucked into corners, rooms with no symmetry. Furniture arranged his own way, spaces designed to surprise. A garden dotted with sculptures, terraces with views of the sea — and of solitude.

This isn’t a museum you walk through with an audio guide. It’s a step inside someone’s mind — full of oddities, details, and deliberate exaggeration.

📌 Practical Information – Salvador Dalí House in Portlligat

Location: Portlligat, about a 15-minute walk from the center of Cadaqués (a scenic route along the bay).

Opening hours:

• April–September: 9:30–21:00

• October–March: shorter hours – check the official website for updates

• Entry only at fixed times, in small groups

Visit duration: approx. 45–60 minutes

🎫 Tickets:

• €13 – adults

• €10 – youth (9–16) and seniors 65+

• Free – children under 8

👉 Online reservation required Here

🕒 Don’t be late – entry is punctual, doors close once the group goes in.

🎧 No audio guide – it’s worth reading up beforehand or using the descriptions inside.

🧃 No café or shop on site – bring some water with you.

🌀 Get lost among the alleys

In Cadaqués, having no plan is the best plan. Let yourself wander through the maze of cobbled streets – some lead nowhere, others suddenly open onto the sea, a courtyard, or a tiny café with just two tables. Here laundry flutters in the breeze, there a cat naps, and from around the corner drifts the smell of sizzling sardines. Every alley offers new frames – sometimes like a movie scene, sometimes like a memory from childhood.

Don’t look for shortcuts – pick the narrowest street. And walk.

Cap de Creus– the easternmost point of Spain

The rocks here look as if sculpted by time and sea salt. Cliffside paths, hidden coves, light that shifts the colors of stone — pure poetry of nature. It was here that Dalí searched for forms and colors.

From Cadaqués, you can reach Cap de Creus in several ways:

🚗 By car

• About 8 km from the center of Cadaqués to the Cap de Creus lighthouse.

• The road is winding, scenic, but narrow.

• Driving time: around 15–20 minutes.

• In summer, parts of the route may be closed to private cars (to limit traffic in the park) — in that case, leave your car in Cadaqués or at the park entrance and use the shuttle bus.

🚶‍♀️ On foot / hiking

• The most beautiful option if you enjoy walking.

• The GR-11 trail and paths through Cap de Creus Natural Park lead along cliffs and through coves (e.g. Cala Jugadora, Cala Fredosa).

• Distance: about 8 km one way, 2.5–3 hours of hiking.

• Bring water, a hat, and sunscreen — there’s little shade.

🚲 By bike

• Route is similar to the driving road, with steep climbs.

• An e-bike makes the ride much easier.

 Intimate beaches

Cadaqués is not about wide, sandy shores. Here, it’s all about coves.

• Playa Grande – right in the center

• Es Poal and Es Llané – smaller, more secluded spots

• The wild coves of Cap de Creus – for those who value silence and solitude

🍴 Where to Eat in Cadaqués?

🥂 Compartir – modern tapas by chefs from elBulli. Beautiful, creative, yet unpretentious.

🍷 Casa Anita – a legendary local spot, no reservations, delightful chaos that somehow works.

🐟 Talla – Mediterranean cuisine right by the water. Fresh, simple, and absolutely brilliant.

🧁 Pastisseria La Mallorquina – a sweet morning with a bay view? Step right in.

🧭 Practical Information

✈️ Getting there

• Airports: Girona (1.5 h) or Barcelona (2.5 h)

• The last stretch from Roses to Cadaqués is a winding, narrow road – stunning, but it requires focus.

🚗 Getting around

• Public transport is limited.

• Best option is by car; alternatively by bike (for the ambitious).

🛏 Accommodation

• High season (July–August): book well in advance – prices and availability can be surprising.

• Off-season: quieter, but some restaurants may be closed.

☀️ When to go

• May–June and September – ideal! Warm weather, but without the crowds.

• Winter: magical silence, but many places are closed.

🅿️ Parking

• The town center is a paid parking zone with limited spots.

• Better to leave your car in the large lot at the town’s entrance.

Cadaqués is not just a beautiful town. It’s morning coffee on a terrace, sunset over the boats, a quiet evening with wine and seafood. It’s a place that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.

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