9:30 a.m. Breakfast by the sea<\/p>\n
Start your day with a leisurely beachfront breakfast at Bar Casino<\/a>, in a 19th century mansion with a facade adorned with portraits of famous explorers including Magellan and Columbus. The building never actually served as a gambling institution: \u201cCasinos\u201d were social clubs that sprung up across Catalonia in the 1800s, created to host all manner of public meetings and performances. Today, it\u2019s a no-frills bar and cafe where \u20ac10 will get you a cup of coffee, a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and a crusty bread roll (entrep\u00e0) stuffed with Ib\u00e9rico ham. Pull up a chair on the terrace to enjoy your breakfast with a view over the shimmering bay and its gently bobbing wooden fishing boats (known as llauts).<\/p>\n 10:30 a.m. Tour the surreal<\/p>\n In 1930, Salvador Dal\u00ed bought a small fisherman\u2019s hut in the small village of Port Lligat, about a 15-minute walk from Cadaqu\u00e9s. He wrote about the Costa Brava\u2019s distinctive beauty and depicted its craggy shorelines in his Surrealist scenes. Over the decades, he bought up various adjoining huts and linked them to create a labyrinthine network of elaborately decorated rooms \u2014 complete with taxidermied swans (once Dal\u00ed\u2019s pets), a penis-shaped swimming pool and antique curios like ornate bird cages, Japanese paper parasols and an enormous lighthouse lamp. Today, the only way to see inside the property, called Salvador Dal\u00ed House Museum<\/a>, is to book a tour. Guides lead small groups, offering insight into the eccentric furnishings in English, Spanish or Catalan. Tickets start at \u20ac15; reserve well in advance.<\/p>\n 12 p.m. Chill for vermouth hour<\/p>\n Time to hit the road. Drive about an hour south along the Bay of Roses, along the inland perimeter of Aig\u00fcamolls de l’Empord\u00e0 Natural Park<\/a>\u2014 an area of protected wetland where you might even spot the odd gaggle of flamingoes \u2014 to reach L\u2019Escala, a seaside town famed for producing salt-cured anchovies. Sample these at Ultramar<\/a>, a waterfront restaurant with panoramic views along the coast, where they\u2019re served with pa amb tom\u00e0quet (crisp ciabatta-like bread topped with fresh tomato and olive oil) for \u20ac12.50. Between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. is l\u2019hora del vermut<\/a> (vermouth hour), when locals gather for a pre-lunch glass of this sweet fortified wine \u2014 served over ice and garnished with a slice of orange and an olive. Ultramar has more than 20 varieties of vermouth on the menu.<\/p>\n 3 p.m. Hike along the beach<\/p>\n With its wide expanse of golden sand lined with pine-studded promontories, Sa Riera beach, about a 45-minute drive south from L\u2019Escala, is a scenic spot for a refreshing dip. It also makes for a good starting point to pick up the Cam\u00ed de Ronda<\/a> hiking trail; a system of footpaths once used by local fishermen that have been linked to form a walking route that stretches almost 90 miles along the Costa Brava. The well-maintained path comprises a series of dirt tracks, paved walkways and stone staircases that snake up and down rocky cliffs. The section between Sa Riera and Sa Tuna beach is particularly easy on the eye \u2014 it\u2019s an hourlong walk each way, winding past small pebble beaches and secluded coves that make for peaceful swimming spots.<\/p>\n 6 p.m. Take in the view atop medieval ruins<\/p>\n It\u2019s a short (but steep) drive uphill from Sa Riera to the town of Begur \u2014 a maze of narrow lanes, dotted with 19th century mansions known as casas indianas. These were built by residents of Begur who left Spain to make their fortunes in Cuba. Upon their return to Catalonia, they commissioned stately villas in the classic colonial styles popular in Havana \u2014 with brightly painted facades, grand balconies and lush interior courtyards. The most notable remnant of the town\u2019s medieval past is the hilltop stone fortress (Castell de Begur<\/a>), built in the 11th century to protect from marauding pirates. From the center of the town, a signposted path leads up to the ruins (free to visit). At the top are expansive views across the coast, all the way to the Pyrenees in the north.<\/p>\n 8 p.m. Share in a home-style, wood-fired meal<\/p>\n