Costa Brava Travelers Recommend

The Costa Brava region of Spain, just north of Barcelona, is home to the Salvador Dalí Triangle, a series of sites related to the famous Spanish surrealist’s life. These are the must-see Dalí sites in Catalonia for anyone interested in 20th-century art history. 

Figueres

Salvador Dalí was born and raised in Figueres, and the city is now home to the Salvador Dalí Theatre-Museum. Designed by the artist himself, the museum occupies a theater damaged during the Spanish Civil War, and is now filled with thousands of paintings, holograms, photography, and quirky art installations encompassing Dalí’s life and work. 

Cadaqués

As a boy, Dalí often traveled with his family to the small Costa Brava beach town of Cadaqués. In 1916, he spent his summer holiday here with Catalan artist Ramon Pichot, a trip that would prove integral to the development of his career. 

Portlligat

It was in Portlligat, a small fishing village near Cadaqués, where Dalí lived with Gala, his wife and muse, until her death in 1982. The artist’s former home, overlooking the sea, has been turned into the Salvador Dalí House-Museum; it still retains his original furniture and eccentrically decorated gardens.

Púbol Castle

In 1969, Dalí purchased Púbol Castle as a gift for Gala, rescuing it from disrepair and transforming it into a structure that matched their eclectic tastes. After Gala’s passing, Dalí moved into the castle. Today the Dalí-Gala Castle Museum-House houses memorabilia from the artist’s life, as well as Gala’s gowns and her subterranean mausoleum.

Thanks to its sandy beaches, quaint villages, and dramatic cliffs, the Costa Brava—or Rugged Coast—is one of Spain’s most popular holiday spots. Here are some ideas for how to spend three days on this scenic stretch of Spanish coast.

Day 1: Coastal Drive

One of the best ways to experience the Costa Brava is to drive along the shore—but you don’t need your own car to do it. Private tours come with your own dedicated driver and allow you to explore the region at your own pace, without having to focus on navigation. Itineraries are typically customizable and let you choose between exploring the ruins of Empuries, lazing on the beach in Calella de Palafrugell, climbing a medieval tower in Tossa de Mar, or sampling Catalan seafood in Palamós. 

Those who’d rather explore independently can get to the coastal towns of Llafranc, Begur, and Blanesby by regional train. End your day in lively Lloret de Mar for an evening of bar hopping.

Day 2: Dalí’s Costa Brava

Costa Brava is Dali country, which makes it a mecca for fans of surrealist art: to the north lies Cadaqués, a seaside resort where Dalí and his friends would come to unwind. Púbol is home to the incredible Gala Dalí Castle, a medieval castle that the artist converted into a flamboyantly romantic shrine to his wife; and the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres—the self-declared ‘largest surrealistic object in the world’—has to be experienced to be believed. Many tours of the so-called Dali Triangle cover 2-3 sites.

 End your day Catalan-style, with a late night dinner of local cuisine. Depending on where you’re staying, take a food tour to find the best bites.

Day 3: Inland Villages

The seashore isn’t all the Costa Brava has going for it. Use your third day to see a different side of Catalonia on one of the following day trips. 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. Girona features one of the best preserved medieval districts in Spain, which is dotted with museums, Gothic churches, and top-notch cuisine. 

No matter where you choose to spend your final day, plan for a quiet dinner near your hotel tonight in preparation for your departure.