Cadaqués

In the cove of Portlligat, a twenty-minute walk from the village, Dalí's house-studio is a white labyrinth of giant eggs and patios. Dogs are not admitted inside the house, but the walk to the cove, with its fishing boats and islet, is worth the detour on its own.

The easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula is a lunar landscape of wind-twisted schist, crowned by the lighthouse above the coves. Leashed dogs are admitted on the marked trails: the hike from Cadaqués to the lighthouse is one of the finest on the Costa Brava.

The white 16th-century church crowning the old village hides a spectacular gilded Baroque altarpiece. The interior does not admit dogs, but the on-lead climb through the cobbled lanes and the terrace facing the bay offer the finest view in Cadaqués.

Old Cadaqués is a maze of lanes paved with rastell, pebbles laid in herringbone patterns, between limewashed houses, bougainvillea and art galleries. Wandering here on lead is a constant pleasure, especially in the morning before visitors arrive.

The village's main beach lines up fishing boats and grey pebbles at the foot of the white houses, with the Dalí statue standing sentinel. As everywhere on the Catalan coast, dogs are banned in the bathing season; off season, early mornings are more tolerant.

The coastal path links the village to the coves of Sa Conca and Portlligat, between dry-stone walls, olive trees and transparent water. On lead, it is the ideal evening walk: empty pebble coves, upturned boats and low light on the schist.