Since the nineteenth century, there’s a winding road from Cadaqués up to the lighthouse in Cap de Creus — an old walking trail of over 7 km long that will capture your heart and mind.
This little route is part of the hundred-year-old coastal path stretching from Blanes to Portbou. Let yourself dream and discover the stories of the past treasured in this land — true stories of smuggling, shipwreck and night watch during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
All along the coast of the Iberian Peninsula you’ll find these old paths, traditionally used to go fishing or, after a shipwreck, finding the closest village. But after the Spanish Civil War —between 1940 and 1958 — these trails were also used to watch and control shipping, especially when smuggling was commonplace: coffee, sugar, tobacco, chocolate, pepper and penicillin as well as make-up, lingerie, costume jewellery and silk. The risks involved commanded high prices for both basic and luxury items.
Beginning the walk from St Baldiri’s graveyard, there’s a chapel from the eighteenth century that’s worth visiting. Almost instantaneously the first stunning landscape magically appears on the right: the bright heads of Salvador Dalí’s house-museum above the deep blue Mediterranean and the graceful islands of Portlligat and Sa Farnera.
We cross Portlligat beach and carry on through the car park, passing the entrance to some beaches and, just before the path reaches the road, we take a narrow lane on the right with a sign to Cap de Creus. Our real adventure starts here. We’ll find very few signs from now on, so we must follow our instinct, the green and red paint on some stones and perhaps Google Maps indications. Reaching the road again, we’ll take it for about 20 metres, then go back to the path after the green fence on the right.
We’ll see old vineyards, flowers and bushes of unique colours and further on there are vestiges of old constructions, old slate, saffron-yellow earth. Though the rocky terrain can be tricky in parts, it’s the thought of reaching the Cap de Creus lighthouse that keeps the bittersweet challenge to carry on!
Cala St Lluís, Cala Guillola, Cala Jugadora, Cala Fredosa and suddenly the lighthouse on the top: as the keeper of all these beaches and the boats visiting them, the witness of tourists snorkelling in transparent waters and couples falling in love at the shore.
The combination of light and colour is breathtaking. A whirl of sensations seduces the visitor in a crescendo as we get closer to the sea. The silence is broken only by a few walkers we might come across, we greet them and smile.
When we reach the lighthouse the wind becomes more intense. Below us, Sa Coua de l’Infern, one of the most stunning geographic accidents in Costa Brava. Here the landscape reaches its peak: on one side, Cadaqués, and on the other, Cala Culip and Cullaró Island. An amazing view to enjoy while having a cold drink at the terrace of the restaurant beside the lighthouse.
Neither photos nor words can say more, this is an excursion that must be felt on the skin. What are you waiting for?
Distance: Around 15 km round trip
Difficulty: Medium (with some tricky bits because of the rocks)
Path conditions: Wild and without much signposting. A proper adventure!
Recommendations:
1. Because of the heat, it’s worth taking a hat, sun cream and water. It’s ideal to start off early, stay on a beach and go back when the heat goes down.
2. If stopping on a beach, take swimming costume and diving goggles.
3. Wear sensible trekking shoes.
