Where is Cadaques located on the map of Spain. Cadaques, Catalonia

A snow-white fishing town in the north of the Costa Brava, located on the shore of a sea bay and lost among olive groves. Separated from the rest of Catalonia mountain peaks. A few kilometers from France.

We were here in mid-March. The weather was not hot, but not cold either. From Girona to Cadaques it is 72 km, and from Barcelona it is 169 km. At the very end of the road a winding serpentine awaited us. It's good that I was driving, otherwise I would have gotten carsick.

When entering the city, we left the car in the huge Saba paid parking lot. Parking is very expensive, the cost per minute is €0.0447, almost €2.7 per hour. By Catalan standards, this is very expensive. Let's go for a walk.

At the beginning of the century, Cadaqués was a kind of Spanish Saint-Tropez. Its name comes from the French Cap de Cuers, after the name of a castle built at the dawn of centuries. Then the monastery of San Pere de Roda was built here, destroyed by pirates in 1534.

Admiring the unusual beauty of the local landscapes, you begin to understand why this small town has always attracted the attention of artists and poets. At the beginning of the 20th century they vacationed here Picasso, Andre Breton, Marc Chagall and many other prominent artists.

Walking around the city, we found a strange house with cats. Cats were everywhere - at the door, on the windows, in the windows, on the roof. I think that a very kind person lives there and treats sick cats. As elsewhere in Catalonia, in Cadaques there are cats at every turn.

The places here are extraordinary: crystal clear blue water, fishing boats moored on the shore, small houses local residents, narrow winding streets, a magnificent old church overlooking the city, many art galleries and two museums. Based in Cadaqués Orchestra of Cadaques and the International Competition for Young Conductors is held.

In Cadagues Bay, ships and yachts of all sizes drop anchor. Here you can practice various types of sea sports. The Cap Creus Nature Reserve delights with its nature, but more about this reserve next time. It deserves a separate report.

But something is uneasy for us. Very expensive parking. The running counter does not allow us to walk in peace. It was decided to find free parking. Looked at satellite map Google Maps. There I saw a huge free parking lot on a nearby mountain. Let's go!

Parking is located on the mountain on the way to Dali's house. We continue to get acquainted with the town. Now no longer in a hurry.

We go down to the bay. Today is such a busy day (we visited Cadaqués, Cap de Creus), we don’t even have time to eat. Snack on the go. The streets are deserted, only cats are found.

We went out to the embankment. There are many restaurants here. The city is famous for its exquisite cuisine. Numerous cafes and restaurants invite you to try seafood dishes (we recommend trying the fish dish Cremat), which are famous throughout Europe, meat dishes, Spanish vodka, as well as famous Catalan desserts. Wide selection of wines. Unfortunately, we didn't eat.

Along the way, on the slope of Pani Hill, many landscapes known from Dali's early paintings appear. From here you can clearly see the rocky shores of Cap de Creus and Port Lligat Bay, which served as a source of inspiration for the surreal works of the Catalan. Dalí's summer house is a short walk from the city center. We get in the car and go there.

Have you been to Cadaques? What are your impressions? What didn't I tell you? Write in the comments.

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If you only have time to make one stop on the scenic Costa Brava, make it in Cadaques. The washed-up snow-white village, located in a rocky bay, is famous for its hilly streets, stunning (without exaggeration) views and, of course, the name of Dali. It was no coincidence that this artist, just like Picasso or Chagall, as well as a flock of others, came here for inspiration. The unreal fusion of wind, sea, light and rocks that Cadaques gives can be considered the best “model”: always different, a little capricious and certainly memorable.

Thanks to the artist, as well as his friend Federico García Lorca, Cadaques was literally choked with a luxurious public, receiving the title of “Spanish Saint-Tropez”. It was here that a meeting with the poet Paul Eluard and his Russian wife Gala turned Dali’s life upside down: with her he fled to Paris and began to create in his own special style. In the 1950s, Cadaques could boast such famous guests as Walt Disney or the Duke of Windsor. Mick Jagger and Gabriel Garcia Marquez visited here in the 1970s. However, today the former glory of the town has faded away, which in no way detracts from its charm (in fact, quite the opposite).

How to get there

There are no direct trains from Barcelona to Cadaqués, but the first part of the journey can in any case be spent on the railway tracks. Namely: take the train to Figueres (the journey takes 1.5 hours). From there, walk strictly straight from the railway station to the city center, find the bus station and take the bus to Cadaques. They depart quite often, the journey will take about an hour, all this time the bus will slowly follow the hilly roads of Catalonia, at the end of the journey offering an unforgettable view of sleepy Cadaqués.

Alternatively, Cadaqués can be reached by direct bus from Sarfa; the schedule changes every season, so it is worth checking with the Barcelona information office. Buses depart from Gare du Nord, which is located near the Arc de Triomf metro station.

For those traveling by car: there are several free parking lots in the city, one of them is located in the city center, near the beach.

Search for flights to Barcelona (the nearest airport to Cadaques)

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Beaches

The main beach of Cadaques, as well as several others located around it, look much the same: they are small, there are more small pebbles than sand, but their picturesque views and clear blue waters more than make up for these shortcomings.

Above the beach of Platja Llané, south of the city center, you can see the house of Dalí's parents rising above the sea. And on the embankment there is a monument to Lorca, in memory of his stay in Cadaques in the 1920s. By the way, there is a monument to Dali here too: on it, a gracefully curved artist stands leaning on a cane.

To the left of the city center there is a topless-friendly beach.

Popular hotels in Cadaques

Entertainment and attractions in Cadaques

Cadaques is an ideal place for leisurely romantic walks: both in the center and along the coastline or in its surroundings. The main architectural dominant of the city is, of course, the Church of St. Mary of the 16th-17th centuries. with an amazing baroque altar. Located on the very high place in Cadaques, it attracts attention even when approaching the city.

The second most popular attraction is the Museum contemporary art with works by Dali, Picasso, Miro. And, of course, you can’t miss the Dali House Museum (entrance 14 EUR, children under 16 years old - 8 EUR).

If you think that this is where the attractions of Cadaqués end, then you are wrong. Concerned tourists should also visit the museum of Peter Moore, who worked for a long time as the artist’s secretary. There is a nice collection of Renaissance paintings and early works by Dali, the artist’s personal correspondence, as well as a vintage car, which is decorated with three-dimensional images of Dali, Picasso, Buñuel and Garcia Lorca (well, completely surreal).

Finally, it is worth paying attention to the Geological Museum of Cadaques, which is located in the Cap de Creus nature reserve, inside an ancient lighthouse. This is a full-fledged scientific center that tells visitors about the development and changes of the animal and flora Catalonia. In the old barracks above the lighthouse, visiting hippies set up a cozy restaurant with curry and a good whiskey list (main dishes 16-20 EUR). Actually, the Cap de Creus nature reserve itself (Cap de Creus, “Cape of the Cross”) is the easternmost point of mainland Spain. Its rugged coastline, accessible to all winds, is considered one of the most beautiful in the country.

Once on the coast of Cap de Creus, it seems as if some kind of magical elevator has transported you to the spacious hills of Scotland or the high plateaus of Norway.

Prices on the page are as of November 2018.

Cadaques– a favorite place of Salvador Dali. This is a tiny town almost on the border with France, 80 km northeast of and approx. 40 km east of Figueres, with a population of only 2 thousand people.

Cadaques, located on the easternmost point of the mainland coast of Spain, among the rocks, on the shore of the bay of the same name, is one of the most picturesque towns in Catalonia. For many centuries it was completely cut off from other parts of the land and could only be reached by sea.

Weather in Cadaques:

How to get to Cadaques

By train:

  • From Placa Catalunya train station to Figueres (1.5 hours). Next by bus 1 hour from the bus station at the railway station.

By bus:

Bus station - Calle de Sant Vicent. Carrier - Sarfa

  • (2 times a day - at 12 o'clock - every day and 19 o'clock - on weekdays - from Estacio de Nord, 2 hours 45 min., approx. 20 €),
  • Figueres (4 times a day, 1:20 travel time, 5.50 € €),
  • (weekdays 18:30 - 20:15, 1 hour 45 minutes, 9.75 €) .

By car:

  • Highways C260, G1610.

Tourist office

  • Address: Carrer del Cotxe, 2,
  • Tel. 972 25 83 15,
  • Opening hours: 9.00-13.00, 16.00-19.00.

Sights of Cadaques:

The center of Cadaqués is considered Church of Santa Maria(Iglesia de Santa Maria, baroque, XVI-XVII, Wed-Mon 10.00-13.00, 16.00-20.00, closed Tue), where a luxurious altar from 1727 has been preserved.

Cadaques is known to all connoisseurs of 20th century art. as the place where Salvador Dali lived for many years. As he wrote in his autobiography, The Secret Life of Salvador Dali:

“I have been faithful to Cadaques all my life, and over the years my devotion grew and became more and more fanatical. I know by heart all the local rocks, all the coastal twists, all the geological layers of Cadaqués and its light...”

1.5 km from Cadaques, in a bay Port Lligat(Port Lligat) Dali bought and decorated his own house; Garcia Lorca, Rene Magritte, Luis Buñuel came to visit Dali. Once, the poet Paul Eluard and his wife Gala visited Dali in Cadaques; Gala soon left Eluard and married Dali. In the house where Dali and Gala lived, it is open House-museum Dali (Casa Museu Dali, June 15-Sept. 15 10.30-21.00, September 16-Jan. 15, March 15-June 14 10.30-18.00, the museum can only be reached on foot, north of the city).

There are two other museums in Cadaques, connected With Dali:

  • City Museum of Contemporary Art(Museu de Cadaques, Carrer de Narcis Monturiol, 15, 10.00-13.30, 16.00-20.00, closed Fri), where works by Dali, Picasso, Miro, and
  • MuseumPerraultMoore(Centre d’Art Perrot Moore, Carrer del Vigilant, 11.00-13.00, 17.00-20.00) - secretary of DaliP. Moore exhibited European graphics from the 15th to 20th centuries in his private museum.

Cadaques Map:

The town of Cadaques is very tiny, Salvador Dali was born here, the Dali Museum is located in the house where he lived, and there are little shops nearby, in Russian there is a sign “Museum Store”, souvenirs are very expensive from 50 euros!!!

House-Museum of Salvador Dali in Port Liegat

The Salvador Dali House Museum is located near the town of Cadaqués on the Costa Brava. House in Port Liegat - favorite place Dali and his wife Gala, where they lived from 1930 to 1982.

Spain is a country with a rich history and cultural heritage. Many people were born and created their works in this place. known to the world People. Salvador Dali - writer, sculptor, graphic artist, painter, director - was no exception. The creator had only one home - in a village near Cadaqués.

Having married an immigrant from Russia, Dali purchased a small hut where fishermen usually stored their gear. In the 30s, the house looked like a dilapidated shack, and over the course of forty years, Gala and Dali acquired neighboring houses, combining them into one. The artist created most of his famous works in Port Liegat. Salvador Dali lived in the house until 1982, and after the death of his wife he left the house forever, because he could not stay there without his muse. After the death of the great painter, the first museum in Spain named after Dali was opened in his house.

What sights of Cadaqués did you like? Next to the photo there are icons, by clicking on which you can rate a particular place.

Promenade of Cadaqués

Cadaques promenade – rocky beach, where numerous boats and yachts of various sizes are visible. All of them create a unique local maritime flavor.

The embankment has long attracted the attention of famous people who drew their inspiration here. Andre Breton, Max Ernst, Garcia Lorca and others rested here. Therefore, you should not be surprised if you see many art galleries and museums on the embankment.

In the evening, ancient lanterns are lit on the embankment, and a special atmosphere is created here.

The most popular attractions of Cadaques with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose best places to visit famous places of Cadaques on our website.

Cadaques not so much popular destination in the Russian tourist community, unlike Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar or Blanes promoted by travel agents. However, this city enjoys authority and demand among Catalans. What is so attractive about it, why Salvador Dali loved it so much? We set out to look for answers to these questions in May, before the beach season in Spain began.

So what is he, Cadaqués? All my assumptions and expectations in relation to this city were not justified. No, Cadaques did not disappoint, it just turned out to be completely different. Architecture, coast, nature, even local cuisine turned out to be absolutely different from the already familiar Costa Brava.

How to get to Cadaques

This small resort town is located in autonomous community Catalonia on the popular Costa Brava.

The city does not have its own airport, so if you are heading here directly from Russia, you will have to consider the nearest cities in Spain from international airports. There are two of them, Girona 60 km away and Barcelona 170 km away.

Undoubtedly, best option- Arrival at Girona airport. There are direct Pobeda flights from Russia here. Read more about this route here.

As for Barcelona, ​​the distance from the city to Cadaqués is quite considerable. But on the other hand, unlike Girona, about 10 direct flights from Moscow fly to El Prat airport every day. Accordingly, you can choose the optimal departure/arrival time and airline.

Now on types of transport and routes directly to Cadaqués.

By bus

Direct bus routes are available between Cadaques and the following major cities/stations:

  • Barcelona Airport El Prat - Cadaques: 3 hours 20 minutes, 26.50 euros;
  • Barcelona (Estacio del Nord station) - Cadaqués: 2 hours 45 minutes, 24.50 euros;
  • Girona (Estacio station) - Cadaqués: 2 hours 15 minutes, 9.75 euros;
  • Figueres (Estacio station) - Cadaques: 1 hour, 5.50 euros;
  • Empuriabrava (OFICINA TURISME stop) - Cadaques: 55 minutes, 3.75 euros.

All routes are operated by Sarfa. Current prices and look at the schedule on the official website of the carrier.

By train

There are no train tracks in Cadaques, so this type of transport is not entirely convenient. The nearest city with a railway station is Figueres. Main routes:

  • Barcelona (Sants Station) - Figueres: about 2 hours, 15 euros;
  • Girona - Figueres: about 40 minutes, 6 euros.

See the schedule of trains and trains on the Renfe website.

In Figueres you need to change to the Sarfa bus. It seems to me that it is much easier to use direct bus routes.

By car

The best option to get to Cadaques is to rent a car immediately after arriving at the airport. In this case, you will not depend on train/bus schedules.

In Spain, the price for renting a car is one of the most affordable in the world, the cost of a day starts from 20 euros, the deposit is no more than 200 euros. Rentalcars to help.

Usually in small resort towns there are big problems with parking. In Cadaqués we had no difficulties with this; on the general map of the city (below) I noted several free parking lots where you can leave your car.

But here it is worth making an amendment, we visited the city in early May, during the peak season (summer months) the situation should be more complicated.

Where to stay in Cadaques

The town itself is small. You can walk it from one end to the other in 15-20 minutes. Therefore, dividing Cadaqués into districts and giving any special recommendations for living is pointless. Everything is right under your nose here.

The prices are quite reasonable, 60 - 100 euros per night. A clickable map of Cadaques hotels is located below:

The only thing I note is that the higher (further from the embankment) the hotel is located, the better the view from the window will be. In Cadaques there are several very decent options for apartments away from the center (10-15 min walk), which are located on a hill. The panorama of the city from them is amazing. Below are a couple of such options:

  • Casa del Pi
  • Carpe Diem Cadaqués

Cadaques Map

Sights of Cadaques

My personal opinion is that there are none in Cadaques. Not in the usual format for many, when a landmark is a church, house, monument or square, a dot that you put on the map before your vacation, and then you look for and examine while wandering around the city.

In Cadaqués, too, there is all this - a church and monuments, but they are not noticeable and only complement the overall picture of the perception of the city.

Medieval pavement paved with herringbone slate stones, pots of flowers displayed outside each house. Every detail in this city is in its place and complements the unique appearance of Cadaques.

I know from myself that before preparing for a trip, I always want to study a place in as much detail as possible, so as not to miss anything interesting, and put more marks on the map so that I know where to go. Surely many will not be happy with my advice to just walk along the streets of the city, but believe me, this is how you should see Cadaques without filling your head with unnecessary information.

On the map I will mark only a few places that can be identified as separate attractions.

Lookout Mirador de Cadaques

In tourist brochures about Cadaqués, most attention is paid to the Església de Santa Maria church, which serves as a symbol of the city. To be honest, the building is small, the view from the outside does not cause much awe. Getting inside is very problematic; the church is open to the public only on Saturday (after 7 pm) and Sunday (from 11:00). Another option is to join an organized group, for which the church can be opened during non-working hours.

I think this is not the place to go for great historical cathedrals and churches. However, the square next to Esglesia de Santa Maria is very remarkable. There is observation deck, offering excellent views of the bay.

A visit to the square and the observation deck is a must, I recommend it.

Can you imagine a coastal town in Spain without a promenade? I think not.

This is the busiest place in Cadaques. I think 80% of all the restaurants in the city are located here. A great place to have lunch, dinner or just hang out with a glass of sangria while looking at the sea.

Surprisingly, the cuisine in this area is completely different from that which is typical in more popular resorts Costa Brava. The basis here is also the freshest seafood, but they are prepared differently.

Which restaurant should you choose? I think you can sit in any one. All establishments, like the city itself, are focused more on domestic tourism. And where the locals eat, it’s always delicious. In any European country, this is the main argument when choosing a restaurant.

House-Museum of Salvador Dali

Most Popular tourist place cities. In Cadaques, or more precisely in the village of Port Ligat (800 m from the Cadaques embankment), there is the Dali House Museum. The artist lived here most of his life. Over the course of 40 years, he transformed a purchased fisherman's hut into the surreal home of his dreams.

Fans of Dali's work, and simply people interested in art, will certainly find the museum interesting.

We didn’t have Dali’s house in our plans, so I can’t give any recommendations about this place. Detailed information For information about opening hours, ticket reservations and other answers to important questions, please visit the official website of the museum.

As for the village of Port Ligat itself, I really liked one point from where you can see good review to the bay. I put a mark on the map.

Beaches of Cadaques

When you are planning to go to the Costa Brava, a picture immediately appears in your head: sandy beaches with crystal clear turquoise water, rocky coastline covered with Mediterranean pines and firs.

We went to Cadaqués at the beginning of May, it was not yet the season for swimming, but nevertheless, I sincerely hoped to get into the sea on some deserted beach, despite the fact that the water was only +17 C.

If you are considering Cadaques as an option for an annual beach holiday, then I think my review of the beaches near the city will not hurt.

Beach Platja Gran y Esportal

This is the city beach of Cadaques. To be honest, I have never seen a sadder sight in Spain. Sand mixed with gravel. The water is muddy, I don’t know what’s there at the bottom, most likely stones covered with slippery grass.

There was absolutely no desire to swim on such a beach. I didn’t even want to just take off my shoes and wet my feet. I can imagine what my disappointment would be if I came to Cadaqués for a beach holiday for a week in the summer.

Beach Platja de Port Lligat

This is another beach within walking distance from the center of Cadaques. It can also be classified as urban; the walk is only 10 minutes from the central embankment of the city.

The picture is still sad, dirty rubble.

These are the two largest beaches in Cadaques; there are also tiny rocky areas along the coast, which for some reason are marked on maps as beaches, I won’t even mention them.

I think we can finish this review of the beaches of Cadaqués. The conclusion is as follows, beach holiday in this area of ​​the Costa Brava none. The shore is dirty gravel, the sea is a swamp. You need to go to Cadaques for the city itself and the accompanying atmosphere. And for the sea and beaches, I recommend heading to, this city is about 100 km from Cadaqués. Right there real paradise for a beach holiday.

The city is undeniably beautiful, but the best way to visit is “come, see and leave on the same day.” No matter how meticulously you examine Cadaqués, at most, you will be able to actively spend half a day here. Then either hang out on the embankment, or on the veranda of the apartment.

If there were beaches, you could even spend a whole week in the city, otherwise you could stay one night at most.

What else to do in the vicinity of Cadaques? You should definitely go to Cap de Creus. This national reserve, through which hiking routes pass. A must visit. I dedicated a separate article to Cap de Creus.

It is good to visit the city outside of the beach season, when there is no heat and you can calmly walk along its streets and sit on the embankment. If your goal is beaches, then Cadaqués is the worst option on the Costa Brava. There is an amazing atmosphere here, which I think will really appeal to creative people, as well as retirees.

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