Cadaques

Cadaqués is a town in the Alt Empordà comarca, in Girona province, Catalonia, Spain. It is on a bay near the Cap de Creus peninsula, on the Costa Brava of the Mediterranean Sea. It is only a 2 1/2 hour drive from Barcelona, therefore it is very accessible and not only attracts tourists, but people who want a second house to have on the weekends and summers. In 2002 it had a population of 2612 people.

Artist Salvador Dalí often visited here in his childhood, and later kept a home in Port Lligat, a small bay next to the village. Other notable artists, including Mei Fren ( see his commanding charcoals of the nineteenth century Cadaques beleaguered by a winter tramontan in the Cadaques museum. He was the first artist to live in Cadaques and gave the town many of his works and a marble top table on which he sketched many of its turn of the century fishermen) Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Marcel Duchamp, Antoni Pitxot, Henri-François Rey, Melina Mercouri and Maurice Boitel also spent time here.

Cadaqués is mentioned in the story Tramontana by Gabriel García Márquez. In a time it remained undisturbed, its interesting submarine flora was studied during several years by phycologist Françoise Ardré.

Long a sleepy fishing village, Cadaqués is now a tourism destination. Although it has about 2,000 permanent residents, sometimes up to 10 times that number of visitors stay there.

The famous Salvador Dali visited this great city during the summer holiday of 1916, and discovered 'modern painting'. This holiday (that he spent with family of Ramon Pichot) was the start to his wonderful career creting mind-boggling creations.

The famous Salvador Dali visited this great city during the summer holiday of 1916, and discovered 'modern painting'. This holiday (that he spent with family of Ramon Pichot) was the start to his wonderful career creating mind-boggling creations.

The world famous " little fishing village" with approx. 1900 permanent residents, declare themselves as the gem amongst all other fishing villages along the Northern Costa Brava . During the fifties tourism established itself here and in many other coastal places. A phenomenon occurred though, cultural tourism probably being the reason for it. No other place in the world with comparable the same size has hosted so many artists who later became world famous eg.

Matisse, Picasso, Duchamps, Man Ray, Max Ernst, André Derain, just to name a few. The bay of Cadaqués forms Catalonians largest natural harbor. In summer boats and ships of all different sizes are anchored there. Who wants to go ashore though will be in need of a dinghy or otherwise has to use their swimming skills. In the high season one comes to Cadaqués to be seen and to see, in order to meet or become acquainted with many people. The beach cafes and Bars are constantly frequented, also the night life is far from boring. Excellent restaurants compete with quite acceptable prices to cater for the guests.