Experienced, written, and photos taken by Beija age 12.

Spain was amazing. The big cities, the small towns. The coast and then the country. My favorite? Cadaqués Spain. Cadaqués started as a small fishing village on the coast on the north eastern tip of Spain. Many different artists including Salvador Dalí had took up residence there, so it has a very rich history. This draws people and tourists from all over the world to come see the town. All of the houses there are white and clump together to form Cadaqués. Cadaqués, to this day is very small. It is easy to get around in and is quite hard to get lost.

The summer of 2017 I traveled with my godparents and cousin to Spain. We went to different cities in eastern Spain including Cadaqués. It was different traveling with people other than my parents, but in an amazing way. I had a lot of fun with them and the travel we did was nice and a change from the way my parents do it. To other kids, I recommend traveling with other people even if it makes you nervous because in the long run, you won’t regret it. You might never have that opportunity again.

A twisting and turning drive through olive gardens and rocky hills will lead you to the lighthouse where you will find walking trails to small coves off the coast. These are very cool to swim in and very beautiful. They are scattered along the coast and are very easy to find. There are all sorts of fish and ocean wildlife below the waves. It is an amazing place to go snorkeling. When I was at a cove, we would dive off of the rocks into the crisp water. If I opened my eyes I could see 10 feet down and stare at the fish, sea urchins, barnacle-covered rocks, and much more. In some areas it is deep but in others, very shallow. If you do end up going to the coves I recommend taking water shoes for the shallow areas. The rocks can be hard on your feet and it is also a precaution against sea urchins. (I learned that the hard way!)

Another must-see is Salvador Dalí’s house. It is a 10-30 minute walk, depending on where you are, from town. You have to book tours very far in advance but is definitely worth it. The house is in the exact condition it was in when Dalí left it. There are unfinished paintings and even a pantry with food left in it. I wondered if the food was still edible or if it was rotting as we spoke. They guide you throughout the house and tell you about each room. There are a couple of short films about his life in the house. The house is very unique and each part of it Dalí added art to and made it his own. Halfway through the tour they leave you to explore and even have an interactive art piece. You can walk through the artsy (and extremely quirky) and beautiful grounds and see the olive garden that became a subject to some of his paintings later on. You have a beautiful view of the coast from every window of the house. Afterwards you can buy mustache t-shirts from the gift shop and buy some drinks at the nearby cafe.

The city. The city of Cadaqués is very cute. They have mouth watering gelato and even better crepes. If you find a crepe place, stop in because I’m betting that they are super good!!! I got a chocolate and strawberry one and tried one with ham and cheese. Both very different but equally delicious! They are known for their amazing clams, oysters, fish, and many more types of seafood which you will definitely find on the menu. The city is very walkable – you can walk from one side to the other in less than 45 minutes. After dinner on our last night there we decided to wander the small residential streets with no idea where we were going or where we would end up. The streets were quiet and we passed very few people. The narrow streets were worn down cobblestone from centuries of people walking and generations of automobiles rolling over them. Then all of a sudden we arrived at our hotel. We looked at each other and laughed. We had no intention of ending up back here but somehow we did.

So if you are ever in Spain for work or fun, drive to Cadaqués. It is about 2 hours from Barcelona by car. It is a beautiful Mediterranean city and is full of amazing history. Make sure you: go swimming in the coves, snorkeling, see Dalí’s house, wander the streets, eat their delicious seafood, and try their amazing crepes. Have fun!