I’ve gained a renewed appreciation for two easygoing and easy-to-enjoy beach towns that stand like sister cities, each just a few miles from the France-Spain border. Both Collioure, in France, and Cadaqués, in Spain, are off the mainstream when it comes to Riviera holiday spots. And each has a delightful ambience — with welcoming beaches and fun restaurants.
A warning: Most travelers in Cadaqués are there to see the home of Salvador Dalí — which I consider the most interesting home of a dead person in all of Europe. As it’s really popular and only lets in eight visitors at a time for escorted tours, you must get reservations online in advance.
This is a new theme in my guidebook research: When a place is generally sold out and recommends that visitors book online, in advance, for a timed entry — I cover it in my guidebooks as if that’s the only way to get a ticket. (The next day, I visited Gaudí’s wildly popular Sagrada Família church in Barcelona. The ticket office was totally closed, with a sign that said, simply, “Buy your ticket for another day online.”)
Do your homework: It’s easier than ever to go online and book sights that are generally sold out. And it’s a big mistake not to.
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