Things to Do in Figueres: 12 Essentials We Recommend to Our Guests

Looking for things to do in Figueres? Start with the Dalí Theatre-Museum, then give the town the time it deserves: Sant Ferran Castle, La Rambla, the markets, the Empordà Museum and the Toy Museum of Catalonia are all walkable in one or two days. With three days, add Portlligat, Púbol or the Empordà wetlands, each under an hour's drive away.

Updated on 23/10/2026

We are the hosts at Ca La Fustereta, a self-catering holiday rental in the historic centre, and this is the list we give our guests. We have checked hours and prices on each venue's official website, but they change with the seasons, so double-check before you set off.

Things to do in Figueres: Dalí's world

1. The Dalí Theatre-Museum

Dalí conceived and designed it himself on the site of the old Municipal Theatre, and it opened in 1974. Nobody should miss it: the dome, the courtyard, the rooms of jewellery he designed (Dalí·Joies) and the crypt where he is buried. From 1 October to 31 December it opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:30–18:00; in July and August, daily 9:00–20:00. General admission starts at €18.50, under-9s go free, and last entry is 45 minutes before closing. Buy online, and read our Dalí Theatre-Museum guide with tickets and tips.

2. Salvador Dalí's birthplace

At Carrer Monturiol 6, the house where the painter was born is now an immersive experience with holograms, talking windows and giant kaleidoscopes. Tickets are sold on its official website. A hit with teenagers.

3. The Dalí Route: follow the ants

Look down as you walk: paving stones decorated with ants, a favourite Dalí motif, mark a seven-stop trail linking his birthplace, La Rambla, the Empordà Museum, the Toy Museum, the church of Sant Pere and the Theatre-Museum. Start at the museum or at the town railway station. In the passage next to the birthplace, an exhibition tells the story of Dalí's friendship with Federico García Lorca.

Beyond Dalí: a castle and two museums

4. Sant Ferran Castle

This is what surprises our guests most: a 32-hectare fortress built between 1753 and 1808 to plans by the engineer Juan Martín Zermeño, the largest 18th-century fortress in Europe. The Republican government held its last meeting here. Explore on your own (no booking needed) or book a guided visit: Els secrets del fossat, almost 3 km along the moat in electric vehicles, or La catedral de l'aigua, 30 minutes by boat through the cisterns. It opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00 from April to June and in September and October (until 16:00 from November to March), and daily 10:00–20:00 in July and August.

5. The Empordà Museum

At La Rambla 2, around 300 pieces span archaeology, from prehistoric objects to Greek pottery, and art, including works by Dalí and Ángeles Santos. It opens Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–19:00 and on Sundays and public holidays 10:00–14:00; general admission is €5. Until January 2027 the temporary show is “D'Empúries a Spiderman”, on graphic storytelling.

6. The Toy Museum of Catalonia

At Carrer de Sant Pere 1: a model railway, tin cars, board games, doll's houses and Don Osito Marquina, the teddy bear that was Dalí's most treasured toy. Outside summer it opens Tuesday to Saturday; from 25 June to 8 September, every day.

Figueres on foot: La Rambla, the old town and the markets

7. La Rambla

The town's living room was born in 1828, when it was decided to cover over the Galligans stream, and took its present look with architect Ricard Giralt i Casadesús's 1917 redesign. Look out for the monument to Narcís Monturiol (1819–1885), the Figueres-born inventor of the submarine, unveiled in 1918.

8. The historic centre

The streets around La Rambla form an open-air shopping district with the town's oldest buildings. The Tourist Office's Heritage Route through the historic centre has eleven stops, from neoclassicism to modernisme, Catalonia's take on Art Nouveau, starting on La Rambla itself.

9. The markets

On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Plaça del Gra (a market since 1886, under the roof opened that year and still standing) and Plaça Catalunya fill with local fruit and vegetables, charcuterie, cheese, honey, nuts and olive oil. If you are self-catering, this is the moment to stock the fridge.

Food, cycling and the great outdoors

10. Eat like a local

Skip the terraces facing the museum and walk five minutes into town. Our guide on where to eat in Figueres: restaurants and tapas bars has the details, and if you only have a day, follow our step-by-step Figueres in a day itinerary.

11. Get out on a bike

The routes suggested by the Tourist Office include the Figueres–Roses cycle route, and the network links up with the Pirinexus loop. See our top 5 cycling routes from Figueres and the Fluvià river ride to Besalú. Bringing bikes? Our bike-friendly accommodation in Figueres has a locked garage, bike stands, basic tools and a bike wash area.

Things to do near Figueres: three day trips

12. Portlligat, Púbol or the wetlands

• Salvador Dalí House, Portlligat (Cadaqués), about 45 minutes by car. Small groups and booking always required; from €15.50. Closed 7 January to 11 February. By bike, see our Dalí Triangle cycling route.
• Gala Dalí Castle, Púbol, about 40 minutes. The medieval castle Dalí turned into a refuge for Gala; from €10 online. Closed 7 January to 27 February.
• Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park, about 20 minutes. The El Cortalet visitor centre opens daily (winter hours 9:00–17:00).

For the bigger picture, read our guide to accommodation in the Alt Empordà.

Where to stay in Figueres to do it all on foot

Ca La Fustereta is two licensed holiday homes in one restored building at Carrer Pi i Margall 30 (HUTG-059493-42). La Casa Gran sleeps up to 8 in 4 bedrooms (two with a double bed and two with bunk beds), with 2 bathrooms, a full kitchen, a washing machine and a terrace with barbecue. L'Apartament, for 2, has a double bed and a private sun terrace. Groups can book the whole building for up to 10 guests. A private garage is included, and cots and baby equipment are available on request.

Is Figueres worth visiting?

Yes, and not only for Dalí. Besides the Theatre-Museum, the town has one of the largest 18th-century fortresses in Europe (Sant Ferran Castle), La Rambla, markets three days a week and good Empordà cooking, all within walking distance. It is also a practical base: the Costa Brava, Cadaqués and the Aiguamolls wetlands are under an hour away by car. One full day covers the essentials; two or three let you add the day trips.

Things to do in Figueres when it rains, on Sundays, for free or at night

Rainy day: it is museum day, all of them in the centre and a few minutes' walk apart: the Dalí Theatre-Museum, Dalí's Birthplace, the Museu de l'Empordà and the Toy Museum of Catalonia, a hit with children.

Sunday: the Dalí Theatre-Museum and Sant Ferran Castle are open, and the Museu de l'Empordà opens in the morning (10:00–14:00). There is no market, and outside summer the Toy Museum is closed. Monday is the opposite: outside July and August the Dalí museum and the castle close, so make it a day for La Rambla, the Dalí Route or the Aiguamolls.

Free: La Rambla, the Dalí ant-trail route through the town centre, the old-town Heritage Route suggested by the tourist office, and the Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday markets.

At night: La Rambla and the old-town streets are where to have dinner or a drink on a terrace; see where to eat in Figueres. Staying in the centre means walking back home.

Things to do in Figueres: FAQ

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.