Spain
Adventure Report
Spain
“From Coasts to Compás"
From Coasts to Compás
“The Rhythm of Spain”
For us, Spain felt like several countries layered into one, each with its own history and rhythm. Having the time to slow down allowed us to immerse ourselves in the people, landscapes, and cultures that define each region.
The Costa Brava
We began on the Cap de Creus Peninsula on the Costa Brava, where surreal, wind-sculpted landscapes inspired Salvador Dalí, who lived and worked here for much of his life.
We used Cadaqués as our base, a beautiful whitewashed seaside town surrounded by fishing villages and quiet coves. From Cadaqués, we spent our days hiking and gravel biking through the rugged peninsula. We also visited Dalí’s home in nearby Port Ligat, a house he built by gradually connecting a series of fishermen’s huts. The home is filled with artwork and objects Dalí collected throughout his life, as well as the studio where he painted and worked, all preserved exactly as they were at the time of his death.
From Cadaqués, we headed inland to the Baix Empordà, a region of cork forests and beautifully preserved medieval villages. The gravel biking here—especially on the roads and trails surrounding Girona—is considered among the best in the world. In addition to biking and hiking, we spent time wandering stone villages and visiting a few family-run wineries.
The Costa Blanca
After the Costa Brava, we made our way south along the Costa Blanca, a region famous for its beautiful beaches and mild climate.
The area is more developed and busier than Catalonia, so we chose to spend most of our time in the coastal town of Dénia, which felt far more relaxed and livable to us than larger cities like Alicante or Valencia. While in Dénia, we spent time with Amalia and Eric, a couple from Denver who moved there many years ago and now help others navigate international living through their site, Move to Traveling.
Dénia is also surrounded by some of the best road cycling in Spain and is a major winter training destination for professional cycling teams. Riding in the hills and mountains above the coast was a highlight, and it was fun to be passed regularly by professional riders and team support cars—though, unfortunately, my dream of getting passed Tadej Pogačar and UAE Team Emirates didn’t materialize since they hadn’t arrived in the region yet.
Andalusia
We wrapped up our trip through Spain in Andalusia, where we spent a full month in Jerez de la Frontera so Leah could pursue her dream of learning flamenco dance and guitar.
Jerez is widely considered the heart of flamenco and is especially known for its powerful dance tradition and cante jondo, the deep, emotionally intense style of flamenco singing that represents its oldest and most profound expression. During our time there, Leah took flamenco guitar classes with José Ignacio Franco and dance lessons with Rocio Parrilla Fernandez, both highly respected teachers in Jerez. In the evenings, we experienced flamenco in its natural setting—small peñas where singers, guitarists, and dancers performed for small audiences.
During the days, when Leah wasn’t practicing guitar or singing, we explored the city and spent time with some incredible expats and locals, including Bjorn and Ronnie, a couple from Sweden and the U.S. who have lived in Jerez for many years and helped us understand the city at a deeper cultural level. Some of our favorite moments were spent in Jerez’s tabancos, traditional wine bars where sherry is poured straight from barrels from local bodegas. As we learned, Sherry culture is inseparable from life in Jerez, and these tabancos are places where locals gather and socialize.
The Rhythm of Spain
After a month in Jerez, Andalusia had truly grown on us.
But it was time to move on to Morocco. As we looked back at Spain from the deck of the ferry crossing the Strait of Gibraltar, we were left with the impression of a country made up of distinct yet deeply interconnected regions, each shaped by its own culture, history, and landscape. Together, they form a country that has become one of our favorite places to explore in the world.
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