Cadaqués, Girona Province, Catalunya
In 2014, four friends, all former teaching colleagues, met us in Girona at the Hotel Gran Ultonia. That evening at Txalaka, one of our favourite restaurants, we ate excellent inexpensive tapas and Pintxos and drank Txakoli, a fizzy Basque wine aerated by the waiter who, while chatting to us, nonchalantly poured it, bottle held above his head, into a row of glasses… not a drop spilled.
The next morning, we all set off down a very steep, narrow, winding, busy road for a day trip to the coastal resort of Cadaqués. It’s well worth the somewhat hairy drive. This erstwhile fishing village, even when overrun with tourists, has beauty and charm.
The Late Gothic church of Santa Maria de Cadaqués dominates the skyline. A couple of centuries later, however, it was Baroqued-up to within an inch of its life with the most over-the-top altarpiece I have ever seen...
Moving on.
From the church, we wound our way down through the old town (pure white with hordes of bougainvillea) through narrow black volcanic basalt alleyways, past a wealth of ateliers, clothes shops and restaurants, to the seafront, where bougainvillea gives way to oleander.
​
Lunch, for us, is always at the beachfront restaurant, L’Hostal, mostly because that’s where Salvador Dalí and his demon dominatrix muse Gala frequently ate lunch. The Restaurant’s sign, business cards and menu sheet were all designed by Dalí, which is no doubt why I didn’t really know the restaurant’s name until about the third visit.
The rest of the day was happily spent poking around the ateliers and shops, admiring the artwork on the outdoor electric panels, walking the lovely bay, and taking a long time sipping a glass of wine at a beach bar.
Then back to Girona… and Txalaka. Great day. Great food. Great company.
​
Bona nit a tots.