Bucket List Item Checked. Watching The Sunrise Over The Mediterranean.
If you’re like me and dream of watching the sunrise over the the Mediterranean, Cap de Creus is the perfect place to check that item off your bucket list.
I hadn’t liked Spain that much after getting robbed in Barcelona, but a recent trip there changed everything for me. I’m now passionately in love with this country and having not even left yet, I’m already planning my return.
My first reason for falling in love with Spain? The landscape of Costa Brava.
There’s not many things that can motivate me enough to wake up at the ungodly hour of 5:30 AM, but having the chance to fulfill a lifelong dream to watch the sunrise over the Mediterranean is certainly one of them.
So this past Sunday morning sans make-up (rare) and a bit hungover (not so rare), I made the journey from Cadaqués along with Richard from Charming Villas to where the Pyrenees mountains disappear dramatically into the sea at Cap de Creus, a nature reserve and the most Eastern part of Spain.
When we left it was cold, dark and windy. The lonely drive along the long winding mountain road was eerie and the only sign of life was the lighthouse beaconing in the distance. And weirdly these mysterious men dressed in military fatigues who headed down into the coves towards the water carrying loads of equipment. Being a longtime fan of the X Files, you can only begin to imagine the alien invasion theories that I began to conjure up in my head!
Richard and I waited shivering for sunrise to arrive. Then ever so slowly, the first early rays of morning light appeared on the horizon and nature revealed herself in all her miraculous glory …
The combination of the sun, moon, sea, mountains, brilliant bursts of color and the feeling like you’re standing at the edge of the earth makes this the most perfect place to watch your very first sunrise. As you stare at the natural wonder, you soon begin to understand why this landscape proved so inspiring to Salvador Dali who made his home in nearby Cadaqués.
So if you need a reason to head to Spain (as if you don’t have a long list of them already), then this should be one of them as Cap de Creus is said to be one of the very best beaches in Costa Brava.
Get more information on the park and surrounding area by visiting CapCreus online. And if you’re looking for a villa to stay in while visiting Costa Brava, of course check out Charming Villas.
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Cheryl Howard
A Canadian who quit her job, sold everything she owned and left behind a great life all to move to Berlin for 18 months. Now based at home again in Toronto, Cheryl continues her career as a freelance writer specializing in European travel and expat life. She's now on a mission to slowly re-discover her home and native land through a series of weekend trips.
33 Responses to Bucket List Item Checked. Watching The Sunrise Over The Mediterranean.
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Cheryl Howard.
A Canadian who quit her job, sold everything she owned and left behind a great life all to move to Berlin for 18 months. Now based at home again in Toronto, Cheryl continues her career as a freelance writer specializing in European travel and expat life. She's now on a mission to slowly re-discover her home and native land through a series of weekend trips.
Filled with wanderlust, her nomadic heart and soul has taken her to over 25 countries throughout North and South America, the Caribbean and Europe. Unable to sit still for long, she's always planning her next trip.
Want to contact Cheryl? Email her at cheryl.howard@gmail.com.Subscribe.
Over 8,800 people follow Cheryl, her travels across Europe and adventures at home in Toronto.
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Thank you so much Cheryl for sharing your experience. What a great post, and the pictures are amazing!
@Sarah – Thanks! Lots more to come.
Wow, I wish I’d been there! Kudos for getting the courage to get up so early, I wasn’t so courageous myself, haha. Great photos!
@Eurotrip Tips – Thanks! Wish you guys had come along too.
Now I wish I had joined you guys! The pictures look beautiful. I suppose my little jog followed by watching the sunrise from Dalí’s front doorstep wasn’t a bad alternative, but I think your vantage point was for sure more impressive!
Amazing shots! It was totally worth getting up early for! Next time I will be more dedicated.
@Erin – It would have been cool if you had joined us but I saw your picture and it looked pretty beautiful!
@Andrea – Thanks. Next time (on our reunion tour), I’ll get everyone out of bed. Ha ha.
I have been to Cap de Creus a few years ago, while visiting my friends who live in Cadaques. The area is precious and yes you are right when you say the landscape was a great source of inspiration to Salvator Dali…;-) Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos!
@Michela – Thanks for your comments. The area is very precious, I can’t wait to return!
Great photos, awesome colours in the first picture. I love the Costa Brava and have been many times but haven’t been to Cap de Creus yet – definately going to fix that now !
@Richard – Thanks! I have Aperature to thank for some of the photo editing effects. And you definitely need to hit up Cap de Creus … have a coffee or drink at the bar/resto above the lighthouse. Life doesn’t get much better than that!
I love seeing the progression of the sunrise in your photos – it’s so lovely how the colors change! I haven’t seen too many sunrises (not a morning person, lol), but the ones I have seen have been way better (visually) than sunsets.
@Christine – Thanks! I think this was a good first sunrise experience for me … Def want to experience more. But I’m usually too lazy too. Ha ha.
Those photos are amazing. The sunrise is definitely something to wake up early for especially when you get to see it from a beautiful looking beach like that. Thank you for sharing!
@Alexa – Thanks so much! This certainly goes down as one of my top travel experiences.
I wish I were there about now.
@Don – Me too!
Beautiful photos Cheryl. I second what Don said. I want to be there right now
Beautiful!! I’m rarely up for the sunrise but my favourite of late has been in Patagonia.
Oh why can’t I be there right now instead of Toronto? The photos are gorgeous.
@Pete – Let’s have a giant travel blogging meet-up there!!
@Andrea – Ahhh, I haven’t been to Patagonia yet but I sooooo want to get there someday.
@Ayngelina – Come back to Europe!
Beautiful photos! Spain is one of the place I would like to live for a while in the future.
@Jade – Thanks. And OMG! Me too … I have dreams of living in a sea side villa in Cadeques. I’d own a convertible and drive along the coast with the wind in my hair.
Wonderful shots Cheryl!
@Samuel – Thanks so much.
I’m far more a sunset person, sunrise happens often way too early for me to be awake to enjoy it. Great pictures though.
@Andrew – Many thanks! I’m never usually up this early but I am soooo very glad I made the effort.
[...] at Mas Perafita, a winery in Cap de Creus (where I later witnessed a beautiful sunrise) our group was greeted by four excited and happy dogs. All but one ran to meet us at our vehicles. [...]
Beautiful! The best sunset I’ve ever seen was in Thailand. It was as if I was in a magnificent painting for about 20 minutes. It was absolutely breathtaking. Have you ever been to Thailand?
@Kristen – Thanks so much! I have not been to Thailand .. yet! Hope to make it there someday soon.
[...] those unforgettable “magical moments” that leave you awestruck and happy. Whether it be waking up really early to watch the sunrise in Costa Brava or walking through castle grounds in Prague on a snowy winter day, I absolutely live for these [...]
[...] Watching the Sunrise Over the Mediterranean [...]
[...] Costa Brava, I convinced Richard from Charming Villas to take me out to Cap de Creus to watch the sunrise over the Mediterranean even though it was an ungodly hour and I was terribly hung [...]