At the heart of Cadaqués stands the church of Santa Maria, built between the 16th and 18th centuries on a rocky promontory that makes it visible from anywhere in the bay. Its white baroque tower serves as the village’s terrestrial lighthouse, the visual landmark for sailors approaching from the sea. What many visitors do not realise, however, is that the platform in front of its main door is perhaps the most privileged viewpoint in the entire old quarter.
Getting there requires climbing through a labyrinth of narrow lanes, stone staircases and flower-filled corners that are a delight to explore in their own right. The ascent, no more than ten minutes from the seafront, is amply rewarded: from Santa Maria’s balcony you command a panoramic view over the entire bay, the promenade, the fishing boats and the café terraces below. To the right, the Cap de Creus stretches out into the sea; to the left, the ridges of the sierra that separates Cadaqués from the Empordà plain.
The church interior also deserves a visit. The gilded and exuberant baroque altarpiece of the high altar is one of the most remarkable Catalan baroque sculptural ensembles in existence. Salvador Dalí claimed it was his first surrealist influence. More often than not, a guitarist or flute player performs just outside the church door, adding a musical dimension to the experience.