Another Figueres - Dali Question

I'd go with the most convenient/cheapest departure. I honestly don't know whether I took AVEs, AVANTs, etc. I didn't look for or notice differences.

I think visitor flow in most museums is a bit unpredictable. I had an early entry time because I was staying in Figueres. After I had been at the museum for 30-60 minutes, a French tour showed up. The crowding was interfering with my ability to see things, so I scampered up to the top floor and then later returned to the ground floor. Problem solved.

Unless something has changed since 2019, there's no time limit once you're in the museum.

Your ticket is also good at the jewelry collection, where I was told entry could be either before or after the time shown on the Theatre-Museum ticket.

Figueres is not a particularly interesting place. However, you're not going to have much extra time, I don't think. The Theatre-Museum took me considerably more time than I had expected; I do not like surrealist art.
The jewelry collection is worth perhaps 30 minutes. It will take some time to get from the museum back to the train station unless you take a taxi; I don't know whether you'd need to walk a few blocks to a taxi stand, either. The bus stop is a few blocks away, as I recall, and I'd be nervous about relying on a city bus to show up on time in that situation.

The Flower Festival in Girona is scheduled for May 7-15 this year.

Edited to add: Do you mean you plan to wait until you get to Figueres to buy your Theatre-Museum ticket? I would definitely not do that. You might find all the afternoon tickets sold out. Even having to wait an extra hour or 90 minutes could really mess up your plans.

Hi Melinda -

Having previously visited the Figueres Dali Museum, I’d say go earlier and come back later (especially if you want to grab a bite to eat before returning) as otherwise, as Dali fans, you’ll feel a bit rushed because there is lots to see! And it is worth taking your time.

Push come to shove, they eat late in Spain and you could always come straight back to Barcelona from the museum and eat on your return and pack a snack or something to keep you going - I’m not sure I’ve been to Figueres station but they are all usually pretty civilised and have somewhere to grab a drink and a snack while you wait for the train.

Ian

acraven - thanks AS ALWAYS (happy face, too) for your advice. Can't tell you how many times I follow your responses on these forums. We do not plan to wait to buy our museum tickets. We will buy probably by end of March for end of May visit. Agree about the time. We are 6 of us family-all adults (some college age while the rest of us active older), so walking to/from train station will not be an issue, but have considered taxi if need be and have read about the unreliable bus. Thanks for the notes on Avant vs. AVE.

ianandjulie - thanks also to you for your recommendations of going early to allow enough time. And...so true about eating later in Spain. Good for us to consider.

I have been checking the museum website as we will be in Figueres for four days beginning February 23. The website shows over 70 tickets available every hour almost every day. We think we'll wait until we arrive to buy our tickets online. Does that seem reasonable or am I missing something?

I also have a question related to Melinda’s. (Melinda, I hope you don’t mind.) We’d like to see the Dali Museum in the morning (get the 10:30am ticket), then take the train to Girona. Does the museum warrant more than 2-2-1/2 hrs? If not, we take the train to Girona, spend the rest of the day there, then take the 6:58pm train back to Barcelona. Is this doable? Or just visit one or the other? TIA!

Waiting to buy Theatre-Museum tickets for a couple of weeks from now may be totally safe; please don't hold me responsible if it isn't! But I see nothing wrong with checking that website every day to be sure ticket supply is holding up. Do keep in mind that the museum gets bus tours (though I don't know about February), and if a bus tour waited till the day before to buy tickets for a busload of people, 40 tickets could vanish overnight for that one time slot.

I wish I could remember how much time I spend in the museum. Unfortunately, I do not. I'm sure it was more than 2 hours not counting the jewelry collection, but I am an all-in museum-goer. I either skip the place entirely or I want to see everything and read the label describing everything that looks interesting. On the other hand, I take few photos. Trying to get indoor photos without other people in them can suck up a great deal of time. I think a short visit to the Theatre-Museum is fine for people who are not big art fans and don't usually spend more than 2 hours in any art museum. This is not the Louvre or National Gallery we are discussing here. But don't forget the jewelry collection.

I don't think there's any food at the Figueres-Vilafant station where the fast trains stop. I don't remember there being anything there except toilets. It's the Figueres station that has commercial activity around it; it's the point of departure for the Cadaques buses, and I assume also for others. If it's the end of your sightseeing day and you're ready to collapse on a train and eat your picnic dinner, there is nothing wrong with taking one of the slower trains from the Figueres station. It will be more convenient as well as cheaper. Not hampered by the need to buy a return ticket for the slow train early in order to avoid a fare spike, you can just wait to buy that ticket until you're ready to leave, retaining flexibility. The fast trains take about 55 minutes; the slower trains mostly take about twice as long, but you'll be resting your legs, so what does it matter?

I really like Girona and hate to see it squashed into a day trip that includes the Dali Theatre-Museum, but I know people have done it. Do keep in mind that the train station in Girona is a bit of a walk from the historic center--about 3/4 mile from the cathedral, just as one example. There's bus service, but it might take a bit of time to figure out the right bus to take and where it stops, then wait for it to depart. The historic center in Girona is rather large; there are two historic churches and a walkable wall. There's also a good art museum and the Museum of Jewish History. I admit to an obsession: If I go to a town with a medieval center, I walk every street in that area. Feel free to ignore me when I say Girona is worth at least two nights! I'd at least consider planning on a later trip back from Girona. There are Media Distancia trains at 8:26 PM and 8:46 PM listed on the schedule for next Monday.

We were on a day tour from Barcelona in May 2019 that included Dali’s Port Lligat museum-home (timed entry limited to 8 visitors- no crowd worries!) by Cadaqués, lovely lunch with sea views and the Figueres Museum. Highly recommend both museums since you are Dali fans,Port Lligat museum is so unique and we became fans too after that day! Arrived at Figueres Museum about 3:30 very crowded, a Sunday, with a high school group from France. On the first floor it was difficult to get close to the paintings, however upper floors almost empty. Crowd thinned out after an hour and we went back to first floor, two hours was enough time for us and that included the jewelry collection reached through a separate entrance. Even had time to make a purchase in the museum store. Be sure to put a coin in the slot by Dali’s car at first floor entrance!

Thanks Belia ...helpful info!