This week, we’re supplementing our normal Sunday travel section with a mid-weekly edition. It’s not that we’ve been traveling more; it’s that the places we’ve traveled recently (Norway and Spain’s Costa Brava) give us so much to write about.
Here’s just a sampling of what was enthralling about the Catalan region known as the Costa Brava (click on the images to enlarge):
View of Girona from the Eiffel Bridge, built by the same guy who built that thing in Paris
There’s a fantastic system of greenways called the Vies Verdes that let you cycle directly from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean Sea
Nationalist flags are ubiquitous, reflecting the Catalan region’s growing push for independence from Spain.
Everyone knows there’s amazing light at sunrise, but it’s still nearly impossible to get me up that early. Unless, of course, hot air ballooning is on the agenda.
The birds-eye views of medieval villages, castles and blue sea of the Emporda region left me itching to explore more. And more, and more…
so I drove up to Cadaques, the Costa Brava’s quintessential seaside town.
Nearby is the residence of the area’s most famous artist, Salvador Dali, and wife Gala, which has been turned into a museum. Really tough to choose just one photo here! Do I show the house itself, or the tiny and lovely fishermen’s bay seen from the house? Or the striking architecture or quirky interiors? But I keep returning to this photo of Gala, because I love it and because she chose to put it up in her dressing room, leading me to believe that perhaps she loved it, too.
Cap de Creus was recommended by a local who said it’s his favorite spot. This windswept cape affords views down the length of the Costa Brava.
The next days were spent satisfying my lust for medieval villages, sparked by the hot air balloon ride. This is Besalu, described by a friend as “a living museum”…
…and this is Pals, a town which springs up out of nowhere on the only hill in a vast plain.
Since the weather on my last day was clear and sunny, I knew I should seek out the experts on views: the Ancient Greeks (anyone been to Delphi or Taormina?) These are special because each succeeding civilization left the ruins of the other intact, building next to each other rather than on top.
There is more, oh yes, there is more (and most of it involves food, given that this corner of the world not only has a fantastic traditional cuisine but has revolutionized world gastronomy over the last decades). In the coming weeks, we’ll talk about food, how to take advantage of all that fresh air, food, off-the-beaten-path hotels, food, and the benefits of getting lost in Costa Brava. Oh, and food.
Adeu!
*I was a happy guest of the Costa Brava Tourism Board during most of my time here. Numerous hands helped to make each aspect of our trip a success, including the cycling and ballooning. Thank you!
Connect with the author on Google+
Love it, love the captions. I want to read more, about the people, their lifestyle and culture, and maybe the food, too:)
Twitter: destinationeu
says:
Gorgeous photos! I loved our trip around Costa Brava, especially the balloon ride.
Andrea recently posted..Lisbon in September
Coming from you, that means so much, thanks! Definitely a great trip and a great group.
Amazing pictures, really!
hello! Thanks for this genial report! We hope see you another time!!
Kind regards!
Joan, from Globus Emporda
Hi Joan, thank YOU for the balloon ride! I’m glad you liked the photos – there are more to come