Day trip from Barcelona Figueres
The home town of Salvador Dalí and site of his Theatre-Museum, 57 minutes from Barcelona Sants by Avant train to Figueres Vilafant.
Is Figueres worth a day trip from Barcelona?
Half a day, for the museum only.
Half a day, and only for the Dalí Theatre-Museum. Avant trains from Sants reach Figueres Vilafant in 57 minutes for € 22.40 each way, and the museum ticket is € 18.50, so the outing costs about € 63 for two to three hours inside. The rest of the town will not hold you. The museum is closed on Mondays except in July and August, and from October to December it opens 10:30 to 18:00. Buy the museum ticket online before you buy the train. The smart move is to stop in Girona on the way back: same line, about 15 minutes away.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- 57 minto Figueres Vilafant, outside the centre · one way · Renfe
- Transport
- High-speed train
- Self-guided cost
- € 44.10–63.30Train return (Regional € 12.80 or Avant € 22.40 each way) + Dalí Theatre-Museum ticket € 18.50 · Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí
- Tour price
- From € 49.68Civitatis catalogue
- Time needed
- 2–3 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- Monday (open daily Jul-Aug); 1 Jan, 25 Dec
- Best time
- Tue-Fri outside Jul-Aug; first entry slotDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Worth half a dayDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Figueres
- 01
Dalí Theatre-Museum
Dalí turned the ruined municipal theatre into his own museum, opened in 1974 and topped with a glass dome. He is buried in the crypt below the stage. Two hours is the minimum.
- 02
Mae West room and Rainy Taxi
Climb the small staircase and look through the lens to see a sofa, a fireplace and two paintings merge into a face. In the courtyard, a coin makes it rain inside the Cadillac.
- 03
Dalí Joies
A separate entrance on the same ticket leads to 39 jewels he designed, shown with their sketches. The ruby heart beats. It takes 20 minutes and most groups skip it.
- 04
Sant Ferran castle
An 18th-century fortress on the hill ten minutes' walk from the museum, with a perimeter of over 3 km. Dalí did his military service here. Allow an hour if you add it.
How to spend the day
Take the 08:05 Avant from Sants, arriving at Figueres Vilafant at 09:02. The station is outside the centre, so allow time to reach the museum for its opening (10:30 in autumn and winter, 09:30 in spring and September). Spend two to three hours inside, including the Dalí Joies jewel rooms. Take the 13:10 train to Girona for lunch and the afternoon, or go straight back. Last Avant to Barcelona: 19:35.
Figueres in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustIn July and August the museum opens every day, Mondays included, and keeps its longest hours. It is also at its most crowded: timed tickets for the middle of the day sell out days ahead, and the rooms are tight. Book the first slot. Night openings usually run in August and need their own ticket.
Winter
December to FebruaryFrom October to February the museum opens at 10:30, closes at 18:00 and shuts on Mondays. The rooms are calm and you can stand at the Mae West lens without queuing. The tramuntana wind can make Figueres bitterly cold, so plan lunch indoors or in Girona. The trip is still worth it if Dalí is your reason.
How crowded it gets
Very busy- Busiest
- Jul-Aug and Easter, 11:00-15:00
- Quietest
- Tue-Fri Nov-Mar; first and last entry slots
Entry is by time slot, so the queue is inside, on the narrow stairs and at the Mae West room. Go at opening or after 15:30, when the coach tours from Barcelona have left for Cadaqués or Girona.
How do you get to Figueres from Barcelona?
Avant
- Travel time
- 57 min
- Frequency
- 14 Avant trains a day
- Cost
- € 22.40 each way
- Departs from
- Barcelona Sants
Book Avant, not AVE: same train time, but the AVE fare is € 41.60. Trains stop at Figueres Vilafant, the high-speed station west of town, not at the old Figueres station. Seats are reserved, so buy the return when you buy the outbound.
MD / Regional
- Travel time
- 1 h 50 min to 2 h 10 min
- Frequency
- About every 30-60 min
- Cost
- € 12.80-17.10 each way
- Departs from
- Barcelona Sants or Passeig de Gràcia
Line R11 runs to the old Figueres station in the town centre. MD trains take 1 hour 50 minutes for € 17.10, Regional trains 2 hours 10 minutes for € 12.80. Nearly four hours of train for one museum is a poor trade unless Avant is full.
Organized tour
- Travel time
- 9 to 11 hours door to door
- Frequency
- Daily except Monday for the museum
- Cost
- From € 49
- Departs from
- Estació del Nord
Coach tours pair Figueres with Girona, and one adds Cadaqués. Check that the option you book includes Dalí museum admission, because the base price does not. On the Cadaqués tour the museum visit lasts 45 to 60 minutes.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Comfortable shoes for two hours on your feet and many stairs. No dress code. Bring a windproof jacket from November to March, and leave big rucksacks behind, because they must go in the cloakroom.
What to eat
Figueres is the main town of the Empordà, known for dishes that mix meat and seafood, sweet botifarra sausage and its own wines. Places to eat cluster on the Rambla and the streets around it, five minutes from the museum. Or wait and have lunch in Girona.
What you will spend
Most of the money goes on the Avant, € 22.40 each way, then the museum at € 18.50, which includes Dalí Joies. The total is about € 63. The Regional train at € 12.80 cuts the cost but doubles the travel time.
How to get the most out of the day
- From Figueres Vilafant station, the centre is about 20 minutes on foot. A local bus meets the trains if you would rather ride.
- Carry a few coins. Several pieces in the museum, including the Rainy Taxi, only work when you feed them.
- Dalí's house at Portlligat, near Cadaqués, is a separate place 40 km away with its own booking. You cannot add it to this trip by train.
- Thursday is market day in Figueres, which makes the centre livelier and the Rambla cafes busier.
How long do you need in Figueres?
Plan 2–3 h on site, plus 57 min of travel each way from Barcelona.
When is Figueres closed?
Monday (open daily Jul-Aug); 1 Jan, 25 Dec. Best time: Tue-Fri outside Jul-Aug; first entry slot.