Cadaques with Kids

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Famous for its connection to Salvador Dalí , this small town on the Costa Brava is on the north east coast of Spain.

We visited at the end of May and it was pleasantly warm. We stayed at a small Airbnb located in middle of the town. I love Cadaques because of the hilly streets and white-washed buildings. The town was really peaceful. It was one of those places where you are not rushing to see a long list of sites -- it was just about enjoying being in your surroundings. Its white buildings, slate pathways, bright flowers, and blue ocean created an incredible atmosphere.

Cadaques is well-known for its connection to Salvador Dalí , as he spent summers here and built his eccentric home in nearby Port Lligat.

Port Lligat- Casa Salvador Dalí

If you are visiting Cadaques, do your best to secure tickets to visit his former home. It’s a unique place filled with quirky objects and different shaped rooms. It is definitely the home of an artist-- even the garden is amusing. The former fisherman’s home was completely changed by Dalí and his wife to reflect their flamboyant personalities and creative spirits. Dalí uses eggs a lot in his work and on his house. You will even find sculpture eggs in the garden ---some which you can crawl inside. My kids loved this. In fact, they loved the whole house as it was so different to what they are used to visiting.

Outside in the garden you can enjoy a Mediterranean landscape filled with cacti and olive trees. It was a sunny day when we visited and the white from his house, the random eggs, and outdoor buildings provided a stunning contrast against the blue sky and sea.

Making a booking here is easy if you do it ahead of time as you can easily do it from the website. We poorly planned and missed out on this option. However, there can be spots still available when you call them directly. I felt lucky for when I called they had availability the following day for our family to visit. It is worth coming to see the house and quirky garden. We walked from Cadaques to Port Lligat - so it’s really close but it is hilly and can get hot in the midday sun, so bring water with you.

Just across the from the entrance to the Dalí you can find some small cafes where you can get snacks and coffees. We also spent time on the nearby beach (and I mean steps from the entrance) while we waited for our allotted time to enter the house.

Santa Maria de Cadaques

If you like churches you will want to stop in Santa Maria de Cadaques. It has an impressively, ornate altar piece.

Cadaques Beach

Cadaques has a beach with a rocky shore- we saw people and kids swimming and having fun in the water even though it was too cold at that time of the year for us to jump in. I love Cadaques but I wouldn’t pick it for a beach holiday. It’s a place where you can enjoy the town and have a dip in the water as well.

Getting to Cadaques-

You can easily drive there, but it’s a curvy mountainous road, so go slow and be brave. The lanes are wide enough for cars to pass each other but it’s very steep- you are literally driving around the mountain to get to the coast where you will find this enchanting place. If you prefer not to drive, there are buses that regularly leave from Figueres.

If you decide you would rather just spend a few hours in Cadaques while you are visiting the Costa Brava there are frequent ferries that leave from Santa Margarita & Roses and go to Cadaques. Go here to see what some of those options are or you can do the short drive from Roses-- same winding road, but it's worth it. Roses and Santa Margarita/da are popular beach locations that are great for water sports and just having lazy days on the beach. If you want to learn more - check out Catalonia-Valencia website for more information So, if you are looking for just a beach holiday with the family these are great spots. However, do make the time to get to Cadaques as it has a very different atmosphere. Cadaques is a gem and really special if you are a fan of Salvador Dali.

Finally, if you really love Dalí or are really inspired to learn more him and his art then get the most of the Dali experience by visiting the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres- Dalí’s hometown. Figueres is an hour from Cadaques. Visit the museum either on your way to Cadaques or on your way out. You won’t want to go back and forth while your staying in Cadaques.

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