Costa Brava Travelers Recommend

The first corner of the Dalí triangle is his hometown of Figueres, where you’ll find the city’s main pride and joy, the Salvador Dalí Theatre and Museum. Then there’s Portlligat, the sleepy little fishermen’s village just minutes away from neighboring Cadaqués. There, upon the sea, is where Dalí planted his roots, living with his wife Gala until her passing. After Gala’s passing, Dalí moved to Púbol Castle, which he bought in 1969 as a gift to his wife. He had purchased the castle when it was in a state of disrepair, ultimately restoring and decorating it to suit his, and, more precisely, his wife’s tastes. At just an hour to two hours away from Barcelona, this surreal world of Dalí makes for an easy escape from the city. To get the most out of your excursion, take advantage of a Figueres and Cadaqués day trip, during which you can marvel at the masterpieces in the theater-turned-museum before heading on to either Cadaqués or Púbol Castle.

Arriving at the Costa Brava, divers will think they’re in paradise. The best-known of the coast’s many dive spots is one-time pirates’ lair, the Illes Medes. Located off L'Estartit, this group of protected islets boasts some wonderfully diverse marine life. For the spiritually-inclined, Montserrat is unmissable. Perched majestically on a holy mountain, this Benedictine monastery is famous for its black Madonna (La Moreneta) and the exquisite wine made by its monks. This is Dali country, and you can get your surreal fix in several places. To the north lies Cadaqués, a picturesque seaside resort where Dalí and his friends would come to unwind. Púbol is home to the incredible House-Museum Gala Dalí Castle, a medieval castle converted by the artist into a flamboyantly romantic shrine to his wife; while the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres – the self-declared ‘largest surrealistic object in the world’ – has to be experienced to be believed.