Tag: spain

An Escape to Enhanting Costa Brava

El Port de la Selva isn’t a glitzy resort, but it twinkles brightly at night.

Just a hop, skip, and a scoot down the autoroute to the southwest, France’s border with Spain comes into view. And just beyond, the Costa Brava, the wild coast.

Ralph and I spent a week scoping out a slim sector of this dramatically scenic area in Catalonia, a semi-independent region in northeastern Spain, where Catalan is the dominant language. First, we spent a few days exploring the seaside town of El Port de la Selva. Set in the midst of the vast Cap Creus Nature Park, the authentic enclave is a haven for water sports enthusiasts, hikers, and cyclists.

Catamarans await customers.
Cyclists are ubiquitous in this area.
A lone paddle boarder heads to shore.
Beautiful Begur
Just after a rain shower, approaching Llança on the coastal path from Calella Palafrugell

And speaking of cycling, the nearby city of Girona is both the capital of Girona Province, and cycling in Europe.  Professional cyclists gravitate here for its proximity to the Pyrenees and challenging coastal roads—aka steep and windy.

Anchovies atop a slice of crusty country bread make for a popular tapas dish.
The Church of Santa Maria crowns Cadaqués.
Tapas at L’Estable in Cadaqués.

We cruised over some of those crazy circuits (carefully) to reach some popular villages such as hilltop Begur, coastal Calella Palafrugell and Llança.

Dalí’s distinctive house in Port Lligat, by Cadaqués.
View from the hillside garden.

After El Port de la Selva, we relocated to the picturesque coastal resort of Cadaqués, made famous by the Spanish surrealist artist Salvador Dalí. His uniquely decorated home—a warren of combined fishermen huts built on a quiet cove about a kilometer from the town center—is open to the public, visited by guided tour only. Though not a Dalí fan, I bought a ticket, curious to gain insights into the artist’s bizarre visions reflected in his works. I’m not sure I succeeded at that, but I did appreciate how much he loved the beguiling location. (Reservations necessary.)

The artist’s atelier with seaview
Dalí’s design style didn’t tend toward minimalism.
The extraordinary Dalí-Theater-Museum in Figueres, the artist’s birthplace.

Other Dalí-related sites in the area are the eye-popping Dalí-Theater-Museum and the house where the artist was born in Figueres. Nearby, in the remote village of Púbol, you’ll find the castle-retreat created for his wife, Gala. You can tour this property freely, so you can take time exploring the residence, as well as the lush garden and pretty pool area.

Cadaqués from on high
Seafront view

The culinary highlight of the trip, without question, was our lunch at Restaurant Normal in Girona. Something beyond magical happens in the kitchen. Very highly recommend–reservations are essential.

Grilled eggplant and keffir lime sour cream was a stellar starter at Restaurant Normal in Girona.
A standout main at Restaurant Normal: Angus beef Milanesa with pistachios.

Wherever you are, dear readers, all the best for health, happiness, and hope.

Bises, Gayle

A European Shag with breeding-season crest.

PS: There were few special birds to be seen on our Costa Brava excursion, but Ralph did spot a European Shag. This photo, by Bouke ten Cate (CCBY-SA 4.0), shows the bird with its jaunty, breeding-season crest.

PPS: Pleasures of Provence update: I’m in the midst of a major “near-final” edit, and next month, the editor will review the manuscript again. Completion of this project still seems distant, but hopefully, I’ll get a glimpse of the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel very soon!