Artistic day trip with Dali
Catalonia has given birth to many famous artists. One of them is the surrealist Salvador Dali. Take advantage of your stay in Lloret de Mar to follow in his footsteps and discover his artistic universe.
Between Figueras, where you can visit his famous theatre-museum, and Port Lligat where he lived for a long time, (re)discover the work of this great creator.
Salvador Dali, an artist from Catalonia
Who is Salvador Dali? This is a more difficult question than it may seem because it is hard to differentiate between the man and the character. We will therefore stick to the major events in the life of one of the greatest artists of Catalonia and… the world!
Salvador Dalí i Domènech was the son of a bourgeois couple from Figueras where he was born on the 11th May 1904. At a very early stage, little Salvador started drawing and revealed an obvious talent.
In the 1920s he met Luis Buñuel and Federico García Lorca amongst other artists, with whom he became friends. At the same time he was a student, with ups and downs, at Madrid Art Academy. He put on exhibitions of his work and went on trips to Paris where he met Gala, the woman he would never leave, in 1929.
The 1930s marked the beginning of his consecration: Dali staged many more exhibitions in France and in the USA. His exclusion from the surrealist group by André Breton in 1939 did not damage this reputation. Amidst growing success, Dali strengthened his character that he enjoyed inhibiting during his events and publications.
In 1961, this staging reached its epitome with the launching of the Figueras Theatre-Museum project.
In 1982 when Gala died, Salvador Dali left his house in Port Lligat and settled in Pubol Castle. 2 years later, he returned to live in Figueras where he died on 23rd January, 1989.
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A morning in Figueras in Dali’s theatre-museum
We suggest that you start your day on the theme of Dali by a visit to his birthplace, Figueras. It is the main town in the Alt-Emporda province. He essentially built his reputation as the surrealist painter who chose to settle in his immense and impressive theatre-museum.
The museum was designed by the artist himself. On the way through the different rooms you will discover his interests, passions and symbolism. Effectively, we can find holograms which he was passionate about at the end of his life, the egg symbolising fertility, and the ants, a metaphor for death in Dali’s work.
Whether they are paintings, sculptures or jewels, the Figueras museum overflows with beautiful surprises. The artist’s grave lies at the heart of the building.
The place attracts masses of tourists every year. We suggest that you come out of season or early in the morning to avoid never-ending queues.
If you wish to spend a little longer in the town, why not discover Sant Ferran castle? This former military fortress dates back to the 18th century. Today it is one of the greatest monuments in Catalonia. You will be able to end your morning visit to Figueras with a little spot of shopping. In the town you will find both small boutiques and large Spanish stores.
Useful information:
Address: Plaça Gala i Salvador Dalí, 5, Figueres
Tel.: +34.972.67.75.00
Website
How to get to Figueras from Lloret de Mar?
- By car: 55 minutes on the AP-7 motorway
- By public transport: take the Sagales bus company which transits via Girona. There are two departures from Lloret de Mar per day and two return trips from Monday to Friday. The trip to Figueras takes 1h30.
In Dali’s private sphere in Port Lligat
After having seen the staging of the life and works of Dali in his museum in Figueras, get to know yet another facet of his mysterious personality. In Port Lligat you will enter the personal universe of the legendary couple.
Located to the north of Cadaqués, Port Lligat was originally a small fishing harbour. At the end of a charming creek you will find Salvador Dali and Gala’s museum-home. Difficult to miss because the village is tiny. With the eggs hovering over the roof, a well-known symbol of Dali’s work, it stands out from all the other buildings.
The house in Port Lligat was Dali’s only fixed abode. He lived there regularly from 1930 until Gala’s death in 1982. Moreover, a great many of his works were created here and several well-known photographs of the artist show him in the workshop or in his library in Port Lligat.
This building is in the image of Dali’s work: rich and mysterious. Built from several fisherman’s houses joined together, it is composed of small rooms and alcoves.
You should be aware that because of its reputation the place is often crowded in summer and you must book to visit the Port Lligat museum-house.
Before returning to Lloret d Mar, why not enjoy sharing a few tapas in the peace and quiet of the charming town of Cadaqués or the refreshing sea breeze of Cap de Creus? To find out more about these two places, consult our article “1 day far from the crowds in Cadaqués and in Cap de Creus“.
Useful information:
Address: Platja Portlligat, s/n, 17488 Cadaqués
Tel.: +34.972.25.10.15
Website
How to get to Port Lligat from Lloret de Mar.
- By car: it takes a little over 1h30 via the AP-7 motorway until the Roses-Castello d’Empuries exit. Follow the signs for Cadaqués: then take the road up the mountain. Once you reach Cadaqués, do not enter the town but continue north towards Port Lligat. There is a free car park. If it is full, you can park in Cadaqués and then make your way to Port Lligat on foot along the seafront or on the small tourist train: the Cadaqués Express.