Dispatch from Cadaqués

“Don’t tag Cadaqués on Instagram,” my wife cautioned during my inaugural visit there in 2014. “I don’t want everyone to know about it.” She’d been coming with her family to this Catalan city since age five, and and was feeling protective.

Geographically isolated on the Costa Brava north of Barcelona, Cadaqués was once reachable only by sea. Today, the two-hour drive through the mountains, nauseating if picturesque, culminates in the arrival at a quaint, whitewashed village by the sea. From its brushes with pirates and eras of poverty to the arrival of tourism in the 1960s—which shifted local livelihoods from fishing and transformed it into a haven for artists, writers and celebrities—Cadaqués’ history has had many chapters. This includes an idiosyncratic one that began roughly a century ago, when a wave of impoverished residents emigrated to Cuba, Haiti, Mexico, Argentina and New York and later returned with new wealth and a taste for Cuban architecture, resulting in landmarks like the casino and ornate Casa Blaua.

Salvador Dalí lived nearby for three decades, a legacy the town acknowledges with his statue in the main square and photographs adorning restaurant walls. Casa Dalí, the artist’s former residence and now a museum in Port Lligat, brings insight to the rugged landscape outside his door that inspired his Surrealist depictions. My in-laws reminisce with regret about coming across signed postcards or small Dalí drawings that they didn’t buy during their early years here.

While my wife and I tend to spend our days sunning on Cadaqués’ steep beaches and secluded coves, we also like to take advantage of the excellent culinary scene—anchored most notably by Compartir, a five-time World’s Best staffed by El Bulli alums, but there are so many other excellent options. We start the day with breakfast at Bar Maritim overlooking the bay, or a cortado at the casino, where locals drink wine in the morning with freshly baked baguettes. For lunch, we might get pizza at one of the two La Grittas, followed by a swim at Platja del Ros or the more isolated Platja d’en Pere Fet. Cliffside lunch at La Sal Es Xiringuito Ses Oliveres, above a tranquil cove, is always a good option, or Blue, next door—it recently replaced Xiringuito La Sal (our absolute favorite) following a fire a couple of years ago, but the serene view at least remains unchanged.

Come evening, Talla is the place to be—I celebrated my 40th birthday at this creative tapas restaurant, above stunning vistas of the bay and town. Other culinary highlights include the understated Restaurant S’Entina, Enoteca MF (a restaurant affiliated with a local winery), Beirut, and the classic Casa Anita. Afterwards, we usually make our way to Brown Sugar, whose Belgian proprietor, Rudi, transforms his juice bar into a cocktail lounge with live music. For exceptional cocktails, Boia Nit is expertly managed by Manel (another El Bulli alum), who returned home after honing his craft at prestigious restaurants in Chicago and DC.

For lodging, Casa Nereta has a cozy charm, while Hotel Playa Sol is centrally located by the water. Airbnb offers several apartments and villas, with (enter search term) “Casita Margot en Cadaques Unique” and “Wonderful views central and calm tree house” as recommended options.

July and August pulse with heat and crowds, making September the best time to visit—still warm, yet quieter. October has the added allure of the Photo Festival, featuring exhibitions from esteemed photographers past and present, like Helmut Newton and Pia Riverola.

Ten years since my first visit, my wife needn’t have worried. The tourists who take the trouble to get here are largely French and German, and Cadaqués has managed to maintain its village charm very much unchanged. Now even she will tag it on Instagram.