Hola from Cadaqués, España

After a reasonably comfortable trip, over 24 hours, with Singapore Airlines, we finally arrived in Barcelona yesterday. To  30° weather but bearable. It was a big day, but our plan was to drive north to Cadaqués and visit Salvador Dali’s house in nearby Port Lligat.

It was an interesting drive along the length of the Costa Brava in our rented Cupra – it seems that Spanish drivers have little regard for speed limits – to the hills above Cadaqués. We then joined the queue of several hundred cars winding their way into town. Luckily, our car park was booked at Hotel Octavia.

First impression – Cadaqués is a beautiful part of the Costa Brava.

The white houses with blue doors and terracotta roofs are spectacular. Behind the seafront, the narrow, stone paved streets wind around the town and are filled with shops and bars and restaurants. Lots of shops selling baskets!

However, after a day and a half of traveling, our first stop was a bar, for a welcoming cervesa, a cava and a great sandwich.

The walk over the hill to Port Lligat was challenging, but we made it and found our way to Dali’s house.

Dali lived in the house in Port Lligat with his wife Gala from 1930 to 1982. Over time, he converted the house from a small cottage, to a quirky, rambling home with studios and a varied array of rooms filled with his treasures.

The highlight for me was the light-filled studio with large windows overlooking the bay. It was easy to imagine Dali sitting in his chair creating his masterpieces.

We finished the day at Restaurant La Sirena – an attractive, small restaurant in one of the steep lanes back from the beach. My Cadaqués anchovies for entree and whole baked sea bass for main were fantastic.

Tomorrow we drive to Girona – the setting for Kings Landing and Braavos for Game of Thrones fans.