Spain is full of beautiful cities, countrysides, and coastlines. Even though I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg of Spain, the parts I have seen are absolutely breathtaking. About five years ago, I spent three weeks in Barcelona with my friend. One of the most amazing parts of that trip was visiting Costa Brava, which is a stunning part of the country along the water in northeastern Spain on the Mediterranean. We visited the seaside town of Cadaques, which looks like something right out of a postcard. We visited a ‘secret’ beach, walked the streets, and drank sangria while listening to a man play the accordion.
It was so beautiful that years later, I returned back to the area with my boyfriend. I wanted to show him what I remembered, but also see new places in the area.
Best of all, none of it was planned. Yes, we were planning on visiting Barcelona, but after sleeping in the airport there after our flight from France, we couldn’t possibly wait any longer for the bus into the city and to check-in to a hotel. So, at the last minute, we decided to rent a car and head up the coast to Llorat de Mar, a town in Costa Brava close to Cadaques.
Llorat de Mar was a bit touristy, but beautiful. Not only was it significantly cheaper than Barcelona, it had so much to offer. Castles, cheap paellas, great views, and Medieval streets. It was really nice, and having the car meant we could drive anywhere.
So, one day, I decided to show my boyfriend the Costa Brava I loved. About an hour away from Llorat de Mar was Cadaques. The skies were looking a bit cloudy, and I was worried that the day would get rained out. But, as soon as we got there, the sun came out. I showed my boyfriend around the parts I remembered, and he fell in love with it right away. We skipped rocks at the beach, explored the streets and local homes, and eventually, sat at a restaurant and ordered patatas bravas and sangria.
While we were there, there was an art fair going on, wher elocal artisans sold their works. But, the real work of art was located just behind them, as the sun reflected off the white buildings on the water, the boats out in the distance and the sea a perfect shade of blue.
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped at a castle called Castillo de San Juame. It’s one of the many in the area. There are also other cool attractions there, like Salvador Dali’s house and Montserrat. But, the coolest thing about Costa Brava are the places that aren’t on the tourists’ radar…the ones you have to look really hard to find.
Hana LaRock is originally from New York, though has called other places around the world her home for the last two years. She currently lives in Mexico and freelance travel writer. When she’s not working, she enjoys writing, reading, spending time with her dog, and of course, traveling. You can find her at www.hanalarockwriting.com.
