Figueres with kids: museums, a castle and family days out
Figueres is an easy town to visit with kids: the Toy Museum of Catalonia, the Dalí Theatre-Museum and Dalí's birthplace are a few minutes' walk from each other, and Sant Ferran Castle can be explored by boat and electric vehicle. Beaches, the Aiguamolls wetlands and the Greek and Roman ruins of Empúries are about half an hour away by car, so a long weekend covers the lot without rushing.
Updated on 23/10/2026. Prices and opening times were checked on each venue's official website; they can change, especially around public holidays.
The Toy Museum: the first stop in Figueres with kids
If you only have time for one visit with children, make it this one. The Museu del Joguet de Catalunya is at Carrer Sant Pere 1, just off the Rambla, in the former Hotel París. Expect tin toys from between the wars, a large model railway, Catalan cardboard dolls, mechanical toys and early pre-cinema gadgets. The piece that wins over parents and children alike: the teddy bear that belonged to Salvador Dalí and his sister Anna Maria, which fascinated the poet Federico García Lorca. Joan Miró's clay whistle is on display too.
- Tickets: €8 adults, €6.50 reduced (ages 6-16 and large or single-parent families), free up to age 5. Holders of a Dalí Theatre-Museum ticket get a discount.
- With little ones: children may draw in the galleries with pencils, there is a baby-changing room (ask at reception) and an audio guide in English for €1. Playgrounds and the children's room of the Fages de Climent library are close by. If you have a pushchair, ask at reception whether to leave it at the entrance.
Watch out on Sundays. Outside summer (1 January to 24 June and 9 September to 31 December) the Toy Museum opens Tuesday to Friday 10:30-18:00 and Saturday until 19:00, and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. From 25 June to 8 September it opens every day.
The Dalí Theatre-Museum with kids: how to make it work
Dalí works far better with children than most parents expect: optical illusions, giant objects and rooms that feel like a stage set. Turn it into a game (find the hidden face in the Mae West room, spot the giant eggs on the roof) and don't try to see everything. For the full picture, read our Dalí Museum guide with opening times and tickets.
- Tickets: free for ages 0-8; ages 9-17 pay the Junior rate, from €15; adults from €18.50. Book online.
- Pushchairs: not allowed inside, and neither are bags worn on the back. There are baby-changing facilities (the toilets are on the ground floor, beneath the stage), and under-16s must be accompanied by an adult.
- Opening times: outside July and August, Tuesday to Sunday; in July and August, daily 9:00-20:00. Ticket desks close 45 minutes before closing time.
Dalí's birthplace, for older children
At Carrer Monturiol 6, the house where the painter was born offers an immersive route with holograms, projection mapping and visual landscapes. It takes about an hour and a quarter, the audio guide is included and groups are capped at eight people. Free up to age 8, €9 for ages 9-17 and €15 for adults. There is a lift to every floor.
Sant Ferran Castle with kids: boats, moats and ramparts
About a 20-minute walk from the centre (uphill), Sant Ferran is described by its official website as the largest early-modern fortress in Europe, covering more than 32 hectares and dating from the 18th century. Children are impressed by the scale, but what they remember is the boat.
- The water cathedral: a 30-minute guided trip by inflatable boat through one of the four cisterns, which can hold up to 9 million litres of water. It is an enclosed space and you can't move about much in the boat, worth bearing in mind if anyone is claustrophobic.
- Secrets of the moat: almost 3 km on the flat in an electric vehicle with a guide, including a look inside the countermines (1 hour). It can be combined with the boat trip.
- Self-guided visit: leaflet, audio commentary and a 14-stop map, no booking needed. Ideal with small children.
Guided visits are booked on ticketing.cat. The castle opens daily 10:00-20:00 in July and August; the rest of the year it opens Tuesday to Sunday until 18:00 (April to October) or 16:00 (November to March).
Family days out in the Empordà from Figueres
| Destination | By car | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Aiguamolls de l'Empordà (El Cortalet) | about 20 min | Birds and flat walks |
| Empúries (L'Escala) | about 30 min | Greek and Roman ruins |
| Almadrava beach (Roses) | about 30-35 min | A beach day |
Aiguamolls de l'Empordà: storks and bird hides
From the El Cortalet visitor centre, the Cortalet–Mas del Matà trail is 4.5 km there and back, takes about 75 minutes and is graded very easy. The park has 14 bird hides and close to 300 white storks live in and around it. Go in the morning or late afternoon, and pack mosquito repellent whatever the season.
Empúries: history that doesn't feel like homework
Walking through a Greek and a Roman town right by the sea wins over any child who has studied the ancient world. Under-16s go free (adults €7) and the included audio guide, available in English, also comes in a children's version. From late October until spring the mosaics are covered to protect them from the cold.
Almadrava beach, Roses
The beach in our header photo: around 500 metres of fine sand, sheltered from the tramuntana wind, with showers and a bar. The Costa Brava tourist board singles it out as especially appealing for families. For more ideas, see our page on accommodation for exploring the Alt Empordà.
Family-friendly holiday rental in Figueres
With children, a self-catering place where you can cook, run a wash and shut a bedroom door at nap time makes all the difference. La Casa Gran, our family holiday home in Figueres, takes up the second floor of a restored building in the old town: up to 8 guests, four bedrooms with two double beds and two sets of bunk beds, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a washing machine and a private terrace with barbecue. Cots and baby equipment are available on request, there is a children's play area and a private garage is included. From €190 per night plus cleaning, two-night minimum.
Travelling with another family or the grandparents? When both floors are free you can book the whole building for up to 10 guests, from €280 per night. The Rambla is a 3-minute walk and the Dalí Theatre-Museum about 5 minutes. To plan the rest of your stay, see Figueres in a day and where to eat in Figueres.
Figueres with kids: frequently asked questions
Which museum in Figueres is best for young children?
The Toy Museum of Catalonia: it is free up to age 5, children can draw in pencil and there is a baby-changing room. The Dalí Theatre-Museum is free up to age 8, but pushchairs are not allowed.
What can we do in Figueres with kids on a Sunday?
Outside summer the Toy Museum is closed, but the Dalí Theatre-Museum, Dalí's birthplace, Sant Ferran Castle and Empúries are open. It is a good day for the cistern boat trip.
And what about Mondays in Figueres with kids?
The Toy Museum closes on Mondays except from 25 June to 8 September; the Dalí Theatre-Museum and the castle close on Mondays except in July and August (the castle opens on public-holiday Mondays); and Dalí's birthplace closes on Mondays from October to May. Empúries opens on Mondays except from 15 November to 15 February, and the Aiguamolls make a good outdoor alternative.
Do you provide cots at Ca La Fustereta?
Yes. La Casa Gran has cots and baby equipment available on request; just let us know when you book.
Looking for where to stay in Figueres? Ca La Fustereta is in the centre, 5 minutes from the Dalí Museum, with a garage included.
For families and groups, see our group house in Figueres (up to 10 guests) and the best day trips from Figueres.