Figueres Spain – A Surreal Day in Dali’s Hometown

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While Dali may or may not be your cup of tea, this post serves to highlight some of the works of art I discovered on my trip to Spain. But I know art is not for everyone, so my other main goal is to give an overview of the town of Figueres Spain, an easy day trip from Barcelona. If you’re in Barcelona for a few days this small town is worth a visit. Even if you aren’t a total fan of Dali, Figueres is lovely in itself. It’s a nice way to escape the city for a day, taking in that small town Spanish feel.

Who is Salvador Dali?

Eccentric, imaginative, bizarre. All are words that can describe the infamous Salvador Dali who has for so long been my favourite artist. I adore the quirky to downright unusual art created by this Spanish Surrealist. Becoming fascinated with his art the first time I saw The Persistence of Memory and it’s now famous images of the melting clocks, I’m always on the hunt for his art wherever I go.

So when I booked a trip to Barcelona I had to look into any Dali art that may be in the city given this was his home country. That’s when I found out about Figueres Spain, the hometown of Salvador Dali, a relatively small town North of Barcelona. Only a short train journey away, I had to go.

How to get to Figueres Spain

The approximately one hour train journey from Barcelona Sants station to Figueres costs about 20-35 EUR. It was a relaxing ride through the Spanish countryside with only a couple of stops along the way. I left early to maximize my time in Figueres and arrived about 10am. As soon as I arrived in Figueres I realized the magnitude of the Dali effect on the town. The station was decorated with his image, and it continued from there. Basically the entire town is dedicated to this eccentric Surrealist and his works of art. His face, name and art are everywhere in this small town of about 45,000 people whose claim to fame is being his birthplace.

Not your average museum in Figueres Spain

The main attraction in the town is the Dali Theatre-Museum. It is appropriately named as you cannot just call it a museum, nor can you call it just an art gallery. It is an experience. From the building itself to all the contents within, it screams Dali. Conceptualized in the Sixties, Dali planned to build around an old town theatre that had previously burned down. Opening in 1974, the attraction receives over a million visitors a year.

Disorientation is the first feeling as you step into the unique world of Dali’s museum. You are overwhelmed with what to look at first. Corridors leading to rooms leading to hallways and courtyards. Walking down a curved corridor with paintings on either side, you find yourself in the crypt where Dali himself is buried. 

Dali is not all about paintings

Paintings and tomb aside, the collection consists of so much more. Rooms dedicated to single pieces of incredibly thought out art, where you have to stand in a specific spot to figure out how all the seemingly unrelated individual pieces come together. An example of this is a room where you have two black and white pictures on a wall. A couch shaped like a pair of giant red lips. A giant bejewelled and lit up piece that looks like a nose. The pieces look like they have the theme of facial features. However it isn’t until you stand in the directed spot looking through and archway in the shape of a wig, that you see the full effect. The Mae West room as it’s known is an ode to the American icon.

In the main central area  of the museum are large artworks placed up high. One is a mosaic of sorts that takes the shape of Abraham Lincoln. However upon closer inspection you will find the subject is actually Dali’s wife and muse Gala, looking out over the Mediterranean Sea. So many of these pieces of art can be seen in different ways from different angles, making you want to revisit everything you’ve seen so far to try looking at it another way.

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Remember to take a reusable water bottle with you on your travels, like this one from FastTech

Everything is an illusion for Salvador Dali

Holography was another of Salvador Dali’s frequent techniques. His ability to create a picture using strategically placed mirrors and glass is mesmerizing. From simple reflections to carefully thought out designs that mean nothing if looked at without their shape changing lens.

The paintings you see throughout the museum remind you of the more famous pieces such as The Persistence of Memory or the Metamorphosis of Narcissus. Each one captivating you as you marvel at the precision and detail. Find out more about free museums in London and where you can see other works of Dali art.

What used to be the spectators area of the original theater this museum is built around, now houses the car of Salvador Dali which is surrounded by statues. Statues in the walls all around in the open air area.

Even the ceiling is anything but average in this place:

Is Figueres Spain worth a trip from Barcelona?

Figueres is a small town, but a wonderful day out. Traces of Dali’s influence permeate through the town, and let’s be honest that’s probably the only reason you’d have heard of this place before. But it’s a great place for a day trip from Barcelona. For Dali fans and art appreciators it’s a must. For anyone else, it’s an enjoyable day out with some wacky, interesting art thrown in. The town itself has some nice little gift shops, bakeries, and cafes. There’s a market square and some other nice sights to see like Saint Peter’s Church (in the first photo at the top of this article) and a castle.

I was in Figueres for about 5 or 6 hours and that was probably enough for my sole purpose of seeing the museum and having lunch in the town. But a couple of hours more would be good if you want to pack in some other activities, or an overnight stay in one of the charming hotels in the town.

February isn’t exactly tourist season so it was quieter than it would be in he summer I’m sure, but I saw what I wanted to see and it made a fun side trip from Barcelona. The quirkiness of Dali may not be for everyone, but you have to admit it’s anything but boring.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog post please leave a comment or share using the social media links below. Have you visited Figueres Spain? Where have you traveled to check out something from your favorite artist or writer?