Figueres – a small Spanish town bordering France and representing the food and wine industry of Catalonia, gained worldwide fame thanks to the surrealist painter Salvador Dali, who was born here and spent a significant part of his life. Later, Dali built a theater museum in his hometown, which today ranks second in popularity and attendance after the Prado in Madrid. Check liuxers for customs and traditions of Spain.
Figueres won worldwide popularity as the birthplace of the brilliant Salvador Dali, who built a magnificent theater-museum here.
In addition to the museum in Figueres, you should look at the Castell de Sant Ferran castle, look into the Toy Museum or just relax with a cup of coffee in a small cafe on one of the old streets in the city center.
How to get to Figueres
Figueres is best reached by train from Barcelona from Barcelona Sants, Passei de Gracia or El Clot Arrago stations (55 min; 30 EUR) or from Gerona. There are also regular bus services from Figueres to Barcelona and other destinations in Catalonia and southern France. It will not be difficult to get from the station to the Dali Museum: there are signposts throughout the city, at worst you can stick to the locals by asking a one-word question – “Dali?” (emphasis, of course, on “and”).
Of the alternative options, there is the Girona \ Costa Brava airport, from there a direct bus follows to Figueres (carrier Sagales).
As a rule, most tourists go to Figueres for a day trip from Barcelona, stopping by the charming town of Girona on the way. It is famous for its ancient city fortifications, a beautiful cathedral and a picturesque waterfront, near which many trinkets are sold at a miniature flea market.
Prices on the page are for July 2021.
Cuisine and restaurants
Local Catalan dishes are oxtail soup, pork sausage (fuet and butifarra), paella and, of course, gazpacho. There are also not very healthy, but very tasty patatas de Olot – fried potato slices with minced pork.
Avoid cafes and restaurants located between Carrer de Jonquera and Perelada to Muralla. The dishes are edible, but, as a rule, they are made from products of not the best quality and are designed for tourists walking near the Salvador Dali Museum.
Shopping
The historic center of Figueres is one huge open-air venue created for shopping lovers. Moreover, you can buy food, clothes with shoes, and household utensils here.
Clothing market (Thu; 9-14h) located on Passeig Nou; vegetable market (Tue, Thu, Sat; 9-14h) located on Plaça del Gra and Plaça Catalunya; Flea Market (Third Saturday of every month from 9 am to 2 pm) – on the Rambla.
For admirers of the work of Salvador Dali, there are special souvenir shops Tot Art (at Carrer de Llers, 6) and Art Surrealista (at Carrer de Sant Pere, 23).
And in Figueres they sell excellent sweets. The most delicious pastries are in the old shop Forn la Barceloneta (on Carrer de la Muralla, 21), and traditional sweets in Pastisseria Serra Lacasa on Plaça de la Adjustment.
Entertainment and attractions of Figueres
It is not surprising that the main attraction of the city is the theater-museum of Salvador Dali, designed by the master himself on the site of the city theater of Figueres destroyed in 1939 during the Spanish Civil War.
Thousands of tourists flock here to “observe, experience and enjoy” the work of one of the most prominent artists in the world. At the insistence of El Salvador, it is forbidden to explain the meaning of any exhibition in the museum – the visitor must himself understand and feel the artist’s intention. Local residents, in memory of their main “son”, depicted the face of Salvador Dali in the best traditions of surrealism at the base of the city’s main street, Rambla.
Ticket prices and museum opening hours – here
Two more city must-sees are the Catalan Gothic church of San Pere, created in the 14th century, and the San Ferran castle of the second half of the 18th century.
In Figueres, you should go to the Toy Museum (Museo de Juguetes) – there are more than 4,500 Catalan toys, some of which belonged to famous Spanish personalities, including Salvador Dali.
Developments
In addition to national local holidays like the Festa de Sant Baldiri (May 20) and the Festa de Sant Pere (June 29), Figueres hosts the famous acoustic festival (late August-early September), the Toy Festival on May 23 and Fires- de la Santa Cru (April 30 to May 9) with craft, book and food fairs.
