Cadaqués - One of the best-preserved historical towns in Europe
- Megan Bracken
- Oct 29
- 4 min read
Cadaqués
Enclosed by mountains, nestled along the stunning Costa Brava of north-eastern Spain, the luxury villa portfolio from Homanie Properties in Cadaqués captures artistic, refined coastal living. Ideal for travellers seeking architectural charm, fresh local produce cooked daily and the perfect blend of tranquillity and sophistication in a beautiful setting.
Why Cadaqués Holds a Unique Place in Luxury Travel
Cadaqués is a picture-postcard coastal town known for its white-washed facades, crystal-clear coves, and an eclectic artistic heritage largely attributed to it being the former hometown of Salvador Dalí. Offering both seaside and lush Mediterranean scenery being set within Cap de Creus natural park, it feels as if you are hidden away, yet is easily accessed from Girona and Barcelona airports.
Homanie, founded in 2021 by experts in luxury hospitality, offers a hand-picked portfolio of villas reflecting authenticity, style, and utmost privacy. Each property blends contemporary comfort with local charm, enriched by bespoke service options and genuine local insights.
After talks with the Homanie team about their extensive collection of luxury properties primarily in France and Spain, I was invited along with my husband to experience in person the service they provide.
Landing at Girona Airport, a short two-hour flight from London, we hired a car and drove just over an hour to Cadaqués. Quite quickly we realised this was a different kind of European town, historical but so well preserved and maintained.
View from the Village
Walking through the historical Village with lovely local shops
Beautiful architechure everywhere
Arriving at Villa Cap de Creus, a private 5-acre luxury clifftop property, we were greeted by one of the owners Sophie and her wonderful family.
I was immediately wowed by the villa, the giant gates leading through the gardens into a property looking like a feature in Architectural Digest. Originally built in 1962 by a renowned American architect, the villa has been fully renovated to blend modern simplicity with a comforting homely feel, making it perfect for long-term rental.
Accommodating 22 people villa Cap de Creus is ideal for a family that loves to come together but also enjoys down time separately and as couples. All 10 bedrooms have an ensuite, are suitably spread out, air conditioned, and have a sea view, our room had an exceptional terrace with a breath-taking panoramic view.
Ideal for: vacation rentals,, wellness/yoga retreats
Set within different tiers, the gardens boast an infinity pool with sky high ocean views, barbeque area, terraces and private sea access for swimmers. One of our favourite things to do at the villa is dining out on the terrace, whether it be a fresh breakfast outside with a view or a romantic dinner with twinkling lights it is the perfect setting for lengthy al-fresco meals.
Some of the activities available at the property are an indoor projector cinema, private yoga classes, massages, sea swimming coach, tennis lessons, boat hire, fishing trip, bike and scooter hire, guided walking tours and kayaking.
While we were here, we took the scooters into the main town centre (which is a pretty 20-minute stroll or a 5-minute drive from the villa), we also took out the electric bikes to explore the local Cap de Creus National Park. To be totally transparent Cadaqués is a windy coastal destination and the weather can change quickly so if you are looking for calm, guaranteed sun this location is not for you. Biking through the park is beautiful but we were met with the elements which made it an exhilarating ride, but it is for those who love the outdoors and enjoy all types of exercise.
One of the very special things we got to do while in Cadaqués was to visit the former home of artist, late Salvador Dalí. Again, walkable from the villa this house was everything you would expect from a working artist, as if frozen in time his studio was still set up with his work.
Savador Dalí Home
After all the exploring we had to get to the ice cream parlour JOIA, down in the quaint town centre, where they serve every flavour of delectable ‘gelats and sorbets’. I tried truffle ice cream for the first time and it was so good!
Although we didn't have the chance to try the meals prepared by the private chefs, we did try local delicacies and dined out in the town. We were taken back by the variety of rich and appetising dishes from a such humble seaside location - the mix of french and Spanish cuisine is so prominent here and of course delicious! Anyone who appreciates 5 star dining would not be disappointed by the gastronomy here!
The selection of stylish bars in addition to cool restaurants were also a delightful surprise, Cadaques kept on giving us more and more each day.
Homanie Also have other properties in the area, adjacent to the Villa Cap de Creus where we stayed is Port Lligat, accommodating 16 guests in 8 bedrooms, the 1000m² air conditioned villa with an infinity pool, jacuzzi and sauna, of course more panoramic sea view.
Villa Guillola which accommodates 17 guests in 7 bedrooms and has terraces, Jacuzzi, and sea access.
A personal favourite of ours was this exceptional, town center Villa secluded in the heart of Cadaqués.
Cadaqués Village Villa hosts 20 guests over 10 bedrooms. It is in an ideal location for explorers and shoppers, in the very center of the village with sea view, 30m from the beach with total privacy.
Decorated with pieces locally sourced and featuring the history of the village, the decor is homely and inviting but still has the luxury feel.
Final Thoughts......
The fact that you can tick boxes for outdoor exercise, art and culture, beaches, wellness along with trendy bars and sophisticated restaurants all while staying in a stylish private luxury property only an hour from an airport is a huge selling point. For me I see Cadaqués as the perfect stop after a major European city break such as Barcelona, or visiting the French Riviera.
Get in touch if this is your thing and you'd like to know more!
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