Cape Creus in Spain: where is it located, what to see, a restaurant

To fully understand the work of Salvador Dali, one must visit his homeland in the small Spanish town of Cadaques, located on Cape Creus. Only by seeing the local landscapes can one imagine where the artist drew his inspiration from. Truly unearthly outlines of the rocky mountains, like cut heads of a giant cheese, amaze and fascinate. But let's not get ahead of ourselves and tell you in order what this amazing place is.

Location and places of interest

Cape Creus is the easternmost point of Spain and the entire Iberian Peninsula. The nearest major city is Figueres, a distance of 39 kilometers from which can be reached by car or bus.

On the way, you will have to overcome the pass and make the first stop in Cadaques, where the famous Spaniard Dali spent most of his life, living in a house with his beloved wife and his muse Gala. Tickets to their house-museum must be booked in advance and picked up a maximum of half an hour before the tour. Its cost is 11 euros. But you can get into the famous olive garden without an appointment for only 5 euros. Please note that the museum is closed to visitors in January.

natural landscapes

Only six kilometers remain from Cadaqués to Cape Creus, which in summer can be traveled by a special road train. In another season, you can use the services of local taxis, but to get more pleasure it is worth walking this way. We immediately warn you that you will have to go along mountain roads, so you need to take care of the appropriate shoes. But it is worth mentioning that the climbs here are not steep and suitable for walking, that is, mountaineering skills are not needed.

After inhaling a few breaths of salty sea air, you begin to feel a surge of some inexplicable happiness. No wonder the Spaniards say that this cape is a magical place and has hypnotic properties.

Another positive aspect of walking is its cognitive nature, since this area belongs to the reserve and is called the Cap de Creus National Park.

It is impossible to remain indifferent, contemplating the reliefs of amazing mountains, which in some places look like melting cheese with huge holes. Since the rocks are of volcanic origin, you can find bizarre craters in them, which you would rather see in films about alien civilizations than about earthly life. Strong winds and sea surf have formed amazing caves and grottoes that beckon with their mystery and hidden secrets.

Flora and fauna of the cape

It is worth noting the diverse flora, sometimes represented by unique species of herbs and shrubs. Their rich color scheme turns the slopes into a colorful pattern. Here you can also meet representatives of the fauna of this region, which include wild cats. If you are very lucky, you can see a proud deer. On the peaks, falcons and eagles nests can be seen, while these proud birds soar in the air. Along the paths that lead directly to the sea, you can go down to the shore and see coral clusters in the water, schools of small fish and sea urchins.

Cape at the “end of the world“

And now the last hundred meters remain to the end point of Cape Creus. The trail goes up steeply here, so it's worth putting in a little more effort, but the reward for this final push will be simply amazing views. Around, as far as the eye can see, only water, sky and rocks. There is a feeling that you are experiencing the moment of the birth of the universe, when there is still nothing alive, only all the elements are intertwined together to create the miracle of life.

Impressions are also added by the wind, which blows here constantly and with great force. There is a legend that this wind can take away the mind, putting a person into a state of hypnosis. The entire walk takes an average of two to three hours, taking into account stops for filming and descents to the sea.

Ancient lighthouse

There is a lighthouse on the cape. According to legend, it was built by the mythical Hercules, and looking at it, you begin to believe it involuntarily. Scientists cannot accurately determine the date of the construction of this tower, but it is known for certain that it existed as early as the fifth century BC, and was restored in 1853, and in this form it can still be seen today. This lighthouse is working, as the rocky bays of the cape are fraught with many dangers for ships.

Restaurant Cap de Creus

At the end of the journey, tourists are in for a pleasant surprise in the form of the Cap de Creus restaurant, where you can eat deliciously and relax from the road at a table knocked down from boards and uncovered with a tablecloth, as sophistication and strict etiquette somehow do not fit with the landscape and atmosphere of this place. As a light snack, a cup of cappuccino, tortilla (scrambled eggs) and bread grated with fresh tomatoes are suitable. All this will cost about 15 euros.

For those who are more hungry, they will offer seafood dishes, several vegetable dishes, as well as something spicy from Indian cuisine. If you wish, you can rent a room located on the second floor of the restaurant and stay overnight. But in the morning everyone will be waiting for a spectacle of stunning beauty – dawn. Thousands of people come to the cape for the weekend to see it. It is impossible to describe this phenomenon of nature, so even for this it is worth visiting this “end of the world”.

Return trip

Those who do not stay at the hotel go back by road along a perfectly smooth highway. It takes less time than a walk, but the experience is not diminished.

In general, the journey takes about 6-7 hours, including a visit to the museum and a restaurant, but the impressions will last a lifetime.

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