Dalí itinerary in Catalonia

With his upturned moustache, his cane and his wide-open eyes, Salvador Dalí was one of the most famous and provocative artists of the 20th century. But behind the persona was a man deeply attached to a small corner of Catalonia: the Empordà, the plain swept by the tramontane wind between the Pyrenees and the sea, with its coast of fantastically shaped rocks. Dalí was born in Figueres, spent his childhood summers in Cadaqués, lived for half a century in the bay of Portlligat and gave his wife Gala a castle in Púbol. Those landscapes appear in dozens of his paintings, from the rocks of Cap de Creus to the endless horizons of the plain.

This six-day itinerary covers the so-called Dalí Triangle: the Theatre-Museum in Figueres, his greatest work, the house at Portlligat, Gala's castle at Púbol, and around them the white village of Cadaqués, the Cap de Creus natural park, the medieval city of Girona and a few coves of the Costa Brava. It is a journey of art, sea and good food, enjoyable even if you are not a fan of Surrealism.

Dalí and the Empordà

Salvador Dalí was born in Figueres in 1904, the son of a notary. As a boy he painted at the family house in Cadaqués; in Madrid, at the Residencia de Estudiantes, he became friends with Federico García Lorca and Luis Buñuel, with whom he made Un chien andalou. In Paris he joined the Surrealists and met Gala, wife of the poet Paul Éluard, who became his muse, his manager and then his wife. In 1930 he bought a fisherman's hut at Portlligat, which over the years he turned into the house where he lived until 1982. After the Civil War and his American years he returned to Catalonia, where he built his museum. He died in Figueres in 1989 and is buried in the crypt of the Theatre-Museum. See Salvador Dalí.

Day 1: from Barcelona to Figueres

The high-speed train takes you from Barcelona to Figueres in under an hour. Pick up the car and spend the afternoon in Dalí's home town: the Rambla, the house on calle Monturiol where he was born, the church of Sant Pere where he was baptised, and Sant Ferran castle, one of the largest 18th-century fortresses in Europe. In the evening dine on Empordà dishes, which mix sea and mountain: mar i muntanya, chicken with prawns or cuttlefish with meatballs, and anchovies from L'Escala. See Figueres.

Where to stay: in Figueres, for one night.

Day 2: the Dalí Theatre-Museum

Be there at opening time for the Dalí Theatre-Museum, which the artist built on the ruins of the old municipal theatre, burned during the Civil War, on the very spot where he had exhibited his first paintings as a young man. It is his greatest Surrealist work: a red building crowned with giant eggs and a glass dome, housing the Rainy Taxi, a Cadillac in which it rains, the Mae West Room, where sofa, fireplace and paintings form the actress's face when seen through a lens, and hundreds of paintings, sculptures, drawings and objects. Beneath the dome, in the crypt, is Dalí's tomb. In the same complex visit the Dalí Jewels collection, with jewellery designed by the artist, such as the beating Royal Heart. Allow at least three hours.

In the afternoon drive to Cadaqués (about three quarters of an hour), on a winding road over the mountains.

Where to stay: in Cadaqués, for three nights.

Day 3: Portlligat

Twenty minutes' walk from Cadaqués lies the bay of Portlligat, where Dalí and Gala lived for fifty years. The House-Museum is a maze of white rooms created by joining several fishermen's huts, with the bright studio where Dalí painted, the library, Gala's oval room, the stuffed bear at the entrance, and the garden with its keyhole-shaped pool and giant eggs on the roof. Dalí claimed to be the first man in Spain to see the sunrise, and had a mirror placed so he could watch it from his bed. Visits are in small groups at fixed times and must be booked well ahead.

In the afternoon stroll around Cadaqués, a white village on a bay of crystal-clear water, with the church of Santa Maria at the top of its cobbled lanes. Picasso, Lorca, Buñuel, Duchamp and Man Ray all came here. On the seafront stands a statue of Dalí, and in the evening you can dine in the harbour restaurants. See Cadaqués.

Day 4: Cap de Creus

In the morning head into Cap de Creus Natural Park, the easternmost point of the Iberian Peninsula, a wild headland of wind-carved rocks in fantastic shapes: eagles, camels, heads, which Dalí painted in many canvases, such as The Great Masturbator. You can walk the coastal path from Portlligat to the lighthouse (about two hours), or drive and take a stroll at Paratge de Tudela, where a trail points out rocks that appear in his paintings. In the afternoon swim in a cove or take a boat trip along the coast. In the evening return to Cadaqués.

Day 5: Púbol

Drive south to Púbol (about an hour and a quarter), a small village in the inland Empordà. In 1969 Dalí bought a ruined medieval castle here and restored it for Gala, who wanted a place of her own: according to legend, he could visit her only by written invitation. The castle is full of Dalinian touches, with long-legged elephants in the garden, Gala's throne, her couture dresses and the crypt where she is buried. After Gala's death Dalí lived here until a fire in 1984. See Púbol.

In the afternoon drive to Girona (half an hour): the old town on the hill, with the cathedral and its Gothic nave, one of the widest in the world, the Call, the medieval Jewish quarter, with its museum of Jewish history, and the colourful houses along the Onyar river. See Girona and what to see in Girona.

Where to stay: in Girona.

Day 6: Girona and home

In the morning walk along the medieval walls, with views over the whole city, and visit the Arab baths, from the 13th century. Then return to Barcelona by train (under an hour) or fly home from Girona airport.

How much it costs

To save money: in low season hotels in Cadaqués cost half as much; you can also stay in Roses or Figueres, which are cheaper. Buy Empordà anchovies and wines at markets rather than in tourist shops.

Practical information

• Bookings: the Portlligat house admits only a few visitors at a time and fills up weeks ahead, especially in summer; book online before you leave. The Theatre-Museum also uses timed tickets.
• Opening hours: in winter Dalí's museums close on Mondays and some close for a few weeks; check dates.
• Cadaqués: the centre is closed to cars, and the car parks at the entrance to the village charge a fee and fill up early in summer.
• Tramontane: the north wind can blow very hard for days; it makes the sky crystal clear but the sea rough.
• Documents: EU citizens only need a valid identity card. See getting around Spain.

Variations

• Empúries: the ruins of the Greek and Roman city by the sea, near L'Escala; see Empúries.
• Roses and its bay: the citadel and the beaches; see Roses.
• The southern Costa Brava: Calella de Palafrugell and Tossa de Mar; see Calella de Palafrugell and Tossa de Mar.
• Dalí in Madrid: some of his most famous works in Spain are in the Reina Sofía museum; see the Reina Sofía.

What to read before you go

His autobiography, The Secret Life of Salvador Dalí, as invented as it is entertaining; a good illustrated book on Dalí's work; and, for his bond with Lorca, the poet's Ode to Salvador Dalí. See also García Lorca, Luis Buñuel and modern Spanish art.

Final tips

• Pace: three nights in Cadaqués let you enjoy the village once the day-trippers have gone.
• Combinations: from Barcelona you can link up with the Gaudí and Modernisme itinerary.
• A tip: in the evening, sit on the rocks at Portlligat in front of Dalí's house and watch the light change over the bay: it is the landscape Dalí loved above all others.

See also our other itineraries in Spain.

Cadaqués on the map

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