Cadaqués: a jewel on the Northern Costa Brava
Cadaqués is a fishing and artist village in the middle of the Cap de Creus Peninsula on the Costa Brava, in the province of Girona, Catalonia. For most of the local people, Cadaqués is a special place but also part of their everyday life. For many visitors, it’s a remote town like an island because it lays in the middle of the Cap de Creus Peninsula. Throughout its history, which dates back thousand of years, this town has been influenced by many civilizations. Without a doubt, its secluded situation, in front of the Sea and separated from the rest of the region by mountains, created the character of this village: resisting for centuries the attack of pirates and corsairs, developing its economy, industry and oversea routes. Nowadays, this artist and fishing village with approximately 3,000 inhabitants bases its economy on tourism. One of the best ways to discover Cadaqués and learn about its history is to wander around the Old Town. Located on the highest point of this Old Town is the Church of Santa Maria from the 16th century. The old church was destroyed by the Turkish pirate Barbarossa who assaulted the village in 1543. The church was rebuilt thanks to the fishermen who work on their holidays and weekends. Other emblematic buildings that have a wide range of architectonic styles are: Sa Casa Blaua, the State School Caritat Serinyana, the Rahola House, the tower of Colom, or the Saint Baldiri Church. In this corner of the Costa Brava, some of the most important artistic movements from the 20th century arose. Famous artists that succumbed to the beauty of this place are: Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Federico García Lorca, Richard Hamilton, Maurice Boitel, Josep Pla or Max Ernst, among many others. But the artist that has left the most important footprint is the surrealism genius Salvador Dalí who often visited this village during his childhood and later kept a home in Port Lligat, which is now a museum and is part of the famous Dali triangle route. Another interesting museum in this village is the Cadaqués Museum, dedicated to Salvador Dalí. It holds contemporary exhibitions about Dali’s work, the village itself and other artists. The geological beauty of the Cap de Creus Peninsula surrounds Cadaqués. This nature reserve is famous for its wild shapes that can be observed on rocks and plants. The Tramontana, a strong northern wind is the main agent that has modeled this region creating a unique landscape. Walking through this nature reserve enables you to see thousands of years of evolution but also the second oldest lighthouse in Catalonia from 1853.More information
