Stormy Welcome in Portlligat

Portlligat Bay has a special atmosphere. It is nestled into the hilly coast of the Costa Brava, between the town of Cadaqués and the Cap de Creus Natural Park, at the southeastern foothills of the Pyrenees. Even today, I can well understand why Salvador Dalí once settled here. The bay also had an impact on him and is therefore present in his works. The former seclusion seems long gone, but a special magic remains, especially when you can experience a spectacular lighting mood after a retreating thunderstorm.

Coinciding with our arrival in Cadaqués, a storm heralded the change in weather. The blustery, cool wind from the mountains, the Tramuntana, swept away the first heat of early summer. The persistent gusty winds even made us leave our pitch with a view – but exposed to the wind – and move to a sheltered spot on the campsite the next day. At the same time, the wind opened my senses with a clarity and made me receptive to the aura of this place.

After the rain stopped, the clouds cleared, and the low-lying evening sun emerged from behind the mountains for a short time. The best time for a photographer. I made my way down to the bay. It was only a short walk to Dalí’s former house. The large egg sculptures and two silver heads protruding between the trees already announce its presence. Today, the estate with its garden is a museum and remains furnished as it was during his lifetime. This offers a glimpse into mundane interiors, such as the toilet and bedroom, his studio with unfinished works, but also many quirky, eccentric, and kitsch objects, such as stuffed animals.

With the retreating storm, the rustling of the wind in the olive trees finally subsides, and soon an almost solemn silence returns. The dramatic play of colours in the sky at sunset is reflected in the now almost calm surface of the Mediterranean Sea.

After the first few days on the French coast near Collioure, this was an impressive welcome on the Spanish southern side of the Pyrenees on the Costa Brava, the second stage of our journey through Catalonia. A promising start for exploring the Old Town of Cadaqués or the natural park at Cap de Creus.