Land of counts and the art of Salvador Dalí

This guided tour will take you to the Dalí Museum in Figueres and two of the best-preserved and most charming towns in Catalonia, Besalú and Girona.

In the morning we will visit the medieval village of Besalú.  We will explain its history as the former capital of its own ‘countdom’, its Jewish legacy and visit some of its most interesting buildings.

• The medieval brige over the river Fluvià is the undoubted symbol of the town of Besalú.
• The Jewish quarter or call whose intricate streets are a throwback to the past.
• The Jewish baths or miqvé. Here we can enter one of the few such medieval Jewish purification baths that remain in Europe.
• The archaeological remains of the synagogue.
• The Monastery of St Pere. We will visit the inside of the former Benedictine monastery founded at the end of the 10th century.
• Old hospice of St Julià where pilgrims were once welcomed and cared for.

The we will head off to Figueres to visit the wonderful Dalí Museum-Theatre. This whole building is a work of art in itself and was conceived and designed by Dalí as a means of creating a bond between those who viewed his work and his unique artistic world. In its rooms there are a selection of some of his most important works, running from some of his first works, through his most daring Surrealist creations, to the works he created in the later years of his life. We will visit some of the most surprising rooms, including the Mae West room and the Sala del Palau del Vent, and we will stop to talk about some of his better-known works such as Galatea de les Esferes, Leda Atòmica, Poesia d’Amèrica, Port Alguer and Galarina. We will also visit the permanent exhibition of Dalí Jewels, which houses a magnificient collection of jewels designed by Dalí himself. All in all, a fascinating look at the life and work of this genius from the region of L’Empordà.

We will have lunch in a restaurant with charm.

In the afternoon we will visit the old medieval quarter of Girona, where we will learn about the history and art of the city, as well as some of the local legends. Our tour will take you to the churches of Sant Feliu and Sant Pere de Galligants, the Arab Baths, the Cathedral, the city walls, the Jewish quarter, the Rambla de la Llibertat and the famous houses and bridges overlooking the river Onyar.

Medieval village of Besalú, Dalí Museum in Figueres and the old medieval quarter of Girona.

One day trip (8-9 hours)