Girona: History and Architecture

Girona is famous for its unique medieval Jewish quarter El Call, the Arab baths, numerous temples and monasteries, secular palaces and university buildings, and the city is also famous for its delicious pastries and excellent coffee in the many cafes on the shady Rambla.

Figueres and Salvador Dalí

Continuing the excursion, we will go to the city of Figueres (40 min.), located very close to the border with France, in one of the most picturesque areas of northern Catalonia, called Alt Empordà. Figueres is the hometown of Salvador Dali, and it is there that his unique Theater-Museum is located. The genius Dali foresaw everything and decided himself what his museum should be like! Of course, it is unlike any other! The building itself, the exposition is a huge surrealistic performance, and everyone who gets there becomes both its participants and spectators. Paintings, compositions, sculptures, tapestries, drawings will allow you to admire again and again the brilliant artistic gift, the greatest originality and versatility of Dali’s personality. A unique collection of jewelry is exhibited in a separate room!

The Dalí Theatre-Museum

The Salvador Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueres is one of the most visited museums in Spain. The advantage of visiting the museum WITHOUT LINE (if you are accompanied by an official guide) is difficult to overestimate! A licensed guide enters for free upon presentation of his/her ID.

Optional Visit to Gala’s Castle in Púbol

Alternatively, visit the Salvador Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, combined with a tour of the castle of his wife, Gala, in the small Catalan village of Pubol: a romantic Italian-style garden, private apartments, cars, dresses made by the best French fashion designers, photographs, a whole history of her love and life.

Dalí’s wife and muse was of Russian origin – her real name was Elena. This castle is Dalí’s gift to his muse.

Excursion Duration

Duration: 8 hours.

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Theatre-Museum of Salvador Dalí in Figueres

First, we will visit the Salvador Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres, where his paintings, watercolors, graphics, and surrealist compositions are located. This museum is unique in that it was created during the artist’s lifetime, and the location of each painting, each installation is the will and creativity of Dali himself. There is no traditional exhibition by theme, this is a huge surrealist performance, where everyone becomes both actors and spectators. This is exactly what Salvador Dali wanted. Salvador Dali is not only a great artist who brilliantly mastered the technique of drawing and the art of composition. He is also a designer and creator of advertising campaigns and scenery for various productions in Hollywood. A unique collection of jewelry is housed in a separate room of the museum. His incredible ideas in the field of

Collection of jewelry

Salvador Dali began creating unique, surreal jewelry in 1941 in New York. The first 22 pieces were purchased by the American millionaire Cummins Catherwood. Later, the collection was purchased by the prestigious American Owen Cheatham Foundation, which would commission new pieces from the artist. Salvador Dali created detailed, elaborate sketches of future jewelry, including selecting the precious materials from which they would be made. Dali considered the multifaceted work of Leonardo da Vinci to be the standard of artistic genius. By creating a collection of “unwearable” jewelry, Dali sought to show that jewelry can be a work of art, beautiful in form and carrying a certain idea, often metaphorical. These masterpieces were brought to life by one of the best New York jewelers of Argentine origin, Carlos Alemany.

Gala Dalí Castle in Púbol

Then we will visit the Gala Dali Castle in the village of Púbol. This medieval castle is a gift from Salvador Dali to his wife and Russian muse, who was called Gala, but whose real name was Elena. Everything in the castle was arranged according to her tastes. Of course, there are many works by Salvador Dali there. Many famous people were her guests in the castle, located in a secluded picturesque Catalan village. You will see a large number of photographs, as well as a collection of unique outfits that were created especially for her by the best fashion designers in the world: Pierre Cardin, Christian Dior, and the fabrics for them were painted by Salvador Dali. The castle has a charming Italian-style garden, where some of Salvador Dali’s sculptures are located.

Salvador Dali House Museum in Port Lligat

And then we will go to the very north of the Costa Brava coast. A beautiful road through the mountains will take us to the seaside snow-white town of Cadaqués, and then to the secluded bay of Port Lligat, where Salvador Dali’s house is located, which he built on the site of a former fisherman’s hut, in a surrealist style, returning from the USA to Europe as a world-famous artist, and a very rich man during his lifetime. It was here that their life together with Gala began, when Dali bought a small fisherman’s hut, which became both a home and a studio. This is an amazingly beautiful place, very close to the cape Cap de Creus, where, according to Dali, “the Pyrenees rush into the sea.”

Important Visitor Information

Entrance tickets to museums must be booked in advance. Entrance to Dali’s house in Port Lligat is by prior reservation only, very small entry quotas! A licensed guide passes upon presentation of his certificate.

Excursion Duration

The total duration of the excursion is about 10 hours.

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