Something I have always wanted to do was rent a car in Spain. It really didn’t matter what the destination was or who I was with, I just wanted to see Spain from a different perspective and have the freedom to go wherever I pleased. There was one big problem, I was not about to be the one driving. My driving skills before I came abroad could have been better. And that’s putting it nicely. Now after two semesters being car free, I can finally admit I am definitely not suited to be the driver. Luckily, my roommate Sydney, was crazy enough to do a road trip with me and she just so happens is an excellent driver.
Sydney reserved a car the night before from a company called Eurocar. Another one of our roommates, Sage and our friend Ashley, joined in on our little adventure. We decided our destination would be Cadaques. This picturesque seaside town is situated on the Costa Brava, right in the north eastern most corner of Spain, bordering France. It’s a secluded and hard to reach location which makes it a perfect destination to get off the beaten path. It seemed that public transportation was going to be a huge pain to try and get here, so renting a car would be the perfect way to do it.
We got an early start and hit the road at around 9am. The drive took us about 2 hours before we hit our final destination. As soon as we had passed the outskirts of Barcelona, our drive took on a whole new beauty. The road to get to the Costa Brava was absolutely breathtaking. I felt like we had left Spain entirely and were witnessing an unknown country for the first time. We drove through inviting farms and open rolling fields dotted with seas of red poppies. The drive alone was worth renting a car. These images get lost when using trains and planes to travel. To have the freedom to stop at any moment and take in all this beauty was absolutely priceless.
Luckily our fancy Jetta was equipped with a great radio and we were able to blast music the entire two hours. I took responsibility for being the copilot assisting with directions and playing the role of honorary DJ.
About 30 minutes outside of Cadaques, the roadside scenery drastically changed yet again. Before we knew it we were winding up a mountain on a narrow two lane road. I’m not going to lie, the drive got a little sketchy. But with that came even more incredible views of a surrounding national park.
We finally made it over the mountain and could see Cadaques off into the distance. As we got closer, this quaint fisherman’s village became even more profound. Cadaques is tucked off into the mountain side with an inviting waterfront harbor. There were no nearby towns, just one road that lead straight to the sea. We parked our car in a public parking lot and made our way to the quaint town, passing through a local farmers market.
The streets seemed to have dated back centuries. The uneven cobblestones were rustic and added to its character. When we finally got to the Mediterranean Sea, we were all taken back from its fairytale-like beauty. The town had the most beautiful calm blue waters, with worn out sail boats drifting in its harbor.
We wandered along stoned pathways that lead us like a gateway to the sea. Then we continued on with no sense of direction or purpose. We were just looking for whatever we would stumble upon next. Then we found a small man-made island that you could check out by crossing a bridge. This spot gave us a head on view of the clean rustic town, which jumped out against the dark surrounding mountains. It was a beautiful perspective.
Between the price of the car rental, young drivers insurance, and gas, each of us ended up paying around 35 euros. As long as you have working navigation, driving on the roads of Spain can be fairly easy. One big difference for me however, was the number of toll roads we had to cross. It seemed like we passed six or seven along the two hour drive to Cadaques. If you can fill up a car full of people, renting a car really isn’t too expensive for the day. Even though we focused our time in Cadaques, you could easily incorporate some other seaside towns like Tossa de Mar or Roses. On our way home we decided to quickly pass through Roses and stumbled on a peaceful beach right at sunset.
If you have an extra day in Barcelona and want to do something different, take a trip up the Costa Brava. It might take a little extra work to get to Cadaques, it is completely worth it. In just two short hours outside the bustling city of Barcelona, you can be taking in the Mediterranean breeze of this sleepy seaside town. And when you go, don’t make too many plans. Cadaques should be enjoyed for what it is. Eat, stroll, and relax in this secluded slice of heaven.
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