The Little Yacht, Joaquín Sorolla

Enjoy Spanish beaches through the eyes of artists

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For decades numerous artists have tried to reflect beauty of the Spanish coastline in their work. A beauty that inspires and captivates, and that for years many have tried to immortalise on canvas. Discover those destinations that have inspired great painters - take note and pay them a visit! Get ready to cool off on beaches where art, inspiration and passion join together. 

Salvador Dalí and the Port d’Alguer beach (Catalonia)

Salvador Dalí was a 20th century Spanish painter, sculptor, engraver, set designer and also a writer. For many he’s the most famous exponent of modern art, whose personality as well as his work was surrealist.At the age of just nineteen, Salvador Dalí tried to capture the natural beauty of the village of Cadaqués, an idyllic location that was also full of memories for him as it was his family’s favourite place to spend the summer. 

“Salvador Dali - Woman at the Window [1925]”

Cadaqués is a well-known fishing village in the province of Girona in Catalonia. When you arrive, you’ll stroll along streets lined with dazzling white houses that follow the shape of the coastline, and you’ll see a line of little boats bobbing on the gentle swell of the Mediterranean. So it won’t come as a surprise that in 1924 Dalí decided to paint the Port d’Alguer beach - which is the title of the painting itself.An emblematic beach that’s centrally located, near the church of Santa María. And although it might not be the biggest, it’s certainly one of the prettiest. Sixty-five metres of coarse dark sand made up of tiny little pebbles leading gradually down to the sea. A very special setting, with calm, transparent waters that will get you dreaming.

Girl in Cadaqués, Catalonia

Joaquín Sorolla and the beaches of Valencia (Valencia)

With the “The Bathing Hour” (1909) or “Sea Idyll”, (1908), Joaquín Sorolla, a very well-known Spanish painter with over 2,200 catalogued works, was a master at reflecting different aspects of everyday life on the beaches of Valencia. With his luminous, impressionist technique he shows us the reflections on the water, the gentle waves lapping against the shore and the fine white sand of these beaches. Above all his paintings reflect a tranquil setting that’s perfect for a family day at the beach. If you’ve already decided to visit, you’ll find that the city of Valencia has more than one beach to offer. Plunge into the waters on Malvarrosa, a beach with excellent amenities to the north of the city; or how about Las Arenas beach with its 1,200 metre stretch of sand to stroll along; or the Playa del Pinedo with its soft dunes and calm sea; and there’s the Playa de L'Arbre del Gos too, that you can get to by bike if you fancy it. 

The Bathing Hour, Joaquin Sorolla

Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa and the coves in Mallorca (The Balearic Islands)

Plunge into total tranquillity in the coves on the island of Mallorca and discover a marine paradise that’ll take your breath away beneath the waters. Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa was a Spanish painter working at the end of the 19th century in the Catalan Modernist style who decided to show the world the beauty that lies under the sea along the coast of Mallorca. His work depicts a mysterious world full of brilliance and colour. A supernatural place, a luminous Eden that’s a million miles away from the routines of everyday life. 

“Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa - Gallo de San Pedro” by irinaraquel is licensed under CC BY 2.0

A phosphorescent world that you can discover by going snorkelling or scuba diving at Cala Llamp in the west, Cala Del Moro, in the municipality of Santañí, or at nearby Cala S´Almunia.  Get ready to submerge yourself in art on the Spanish coast. It’s up to you to decide where to start off. 

“Hermenegildo Anglada Camarasa - Gruta en el fondo del mar” by irinaraquel is marked with CC PDM 1.0
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