Take this Salvador Dalí-inspired road trip through Spain
Salvador Dalí was also another iconic name in the surrealism movement. His friend circle ranged from David Bowie and John Lennon to Walt Disney and Sigmund Freud. He spent most of his time outside of Barcelona, specifically in his hometown of Figueres and at his coastal home in Cadaqués, a two-hour drive from Barcelona.
'He really saw himself as being ultra-local,' says Dr. Elliott King, a Professor of Art History at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. 'That's why when you're studying him, you have to go to those places that he talked about to realize that those rocks in his paintings are those rocks right there [in real places travelers can visit]. The ants are right there. Even some of the figures in his paintings were people he knew in Cadaqués.'
Some Americans can easily travel to the Dalí Museum, which houses the largest collection of Dalí's work in the world, in St. Petersburg, Fla. However, a trip to Spain is necessary to understand the artist. Art lovers should hit the road and leave Barcelona to visit the famed artist's curated, unorthodox museums in the Costa Brava region of Catalonia. Three towns make up what is known as the Dalí Triangle and are home to three must-see museums: the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, the Gala Dalí Castle Museum in Púbol, and the Salvador Dalí House Museum in Port Lligat, also known as Portlligat.
(Related: Fishing for red prawns off the coast of the Costa Brava.) Gala Dalí Castle and Museum, Púbol, Spain Salvador Dalí gifted this medieval castle in Púbol to his wife Gala, but the artist needed permission from his wife to visit. Today, Gala's former residence is now a museum dedicated to Dalí. Photograph by robertharding, Alamy Stock Photo
In 1969, Salvador Dalí originally gifted this castle in Púbol to his wife Gala before it became the Gala Dalí Castle and Museum. A village of only 130 residents, Púbol was Gala Dalí's home, approximately an hour and a half car ride from Barcelona. While living here, she insisted on her autonomy, and even her famous husband had to receive written permission to visit. A box of invitations is on display at the museum.
While a noted businesswoman, promoter, and muse who directed many aspects of her husband's career, Gala is often treated as a bit of a cipher, largely because even though she was often on display, she protected her privacy. So, visitors to this castle and museum get a more intimate view of her life, not often disclosed or revealed publicly.
Melissa Locker, a Portland, Ore.-based author and self-described 'art nerd' from a family of art historians, has visited the Dalí Triangle multiple times with friends and family. Her return trips were largely inspired by the sense of intimacy the museums inspire.
'I think the Castle is the most surprising [of the three museums], because it highlighted how very modern Dalí and Gala were in their relationship,' she notes. 'My understanding is that he basically gave her the castle so she could host her lovers in style and privacy, and he could only come visit her when she sent him a written invitation. Very modern relationship, or as my grandmother would say, 'how very European.'
(Related: The essential guide to visiting Spain.) This is the courtyard at the Gala Dalí Castle in Púbol, Spain. Photograph by Mark Green, Alamy Stock Photo A photo shows Salvador and Gala Dalí's bedroom at the Salvador Dalí House Museum in Port Lligat, Spain. Photograph by Tim Wright, Alamy Stock Photo
The castle showcases how much Gala shared a love of aesthetics like her husband. Visitors will see unique pieces, such as a chess board where the pieces have been replaced with long, silver fingers, and a blue fabric-draped throne room fit for a queen (a reference to her status as Dalí's muse), complete with a fresco of her as a goddess. There's also a glass table with a vase of flowers that provides a view of a wooden horse statue on the floor below.
The tranquility of the lush, backyard garden is punctuated with additional surrealist elements, including a clutch of busts featuring the head of Richard Wagner, a spindly elephant sculpture, and the Cadillac that Dalí drove to illegally transport his wife's body back to Púbol, honoring her wish to be buried at her castle.
Alongside the surrealist embellishments, the museum also offers a sense of voyeurism, as daily life is on full display, particularly in the checkerboard kitchen, where several bottles of alcohol and an open silverware drawer add to the feeling that Gala simply stepped out. Her wardrobe is often displayed during special exhibitions, something that fascinated Dr. Elliot King when he visited.
'They've been putting on a number of shows on which they cycle through the seasons, because Gala had an affinity for Chanel dresses and fashion,' he says. 'That's really interesting … getting a sense of the corporeality of the people. When you see their clothing, they're not these abstract figures you just read about, they were people.'
(Related: This Spanish dining tradition is one of its best-kept secrets.) Salvador Dalí House Museum, Port Lligat, Cadaqués A two-headed sculpture, the statues of Castor and Pollux, sit on top of the Salvador Dali House Museum in Port Lligat. Photograph by Juan Carlos Munoz, Alamy Stock Photo The Salvador Dalí House Museum is full of the artist's eclectic artwork. Photograph by Eric Martin, Figarophoto/Redux
If the Gala Dalí Castle & Museum in Púbol is a glimpse at how Dalí and Gala's untraditional relationship functioned, the Salvador Dalí House Museum shows how well they worked while together. Located in the seaside village of Port Lligat and adjacent to Dali's childhood home, the couple's sprawling 500-square-meter (5,382-square-foot) villa started as a single fisherman's cottage with one room before they bought neighboring cottages and combined them. Today, the labyrinthine complex, full of twisting passageways and uneven floors, features rooms packed with the ephemera from the couple's day-to-day work and personal lives.
'The house and castle feel private, particularly the house,' says Locker. 'It felt like where Dali could be himself and less of an on-display, always-on personality. I enjoyed that, because his private life is less well-known than his public art, but art lovers may enjoy the other museums more.'
The house served as Dalí's primary social and working hub until 1982. While filled with color and joy, the disheveled state of their personal effects also tells a sadder story—Dalí reportedly left in a rush after Gala's death, moving into Púbol castle, abandoning half-finished pieces in his grief.
(Related: 7 of the best new museums to visit this year.)
Like Gala's castle, the Salvador Dalí House Museum is embellished with many surrealist touches, such as a large egg balanced on the outer wall—a Roman-inspired visual reference to his relationship with Gala, given they were so alike, he felt like they were born out of the same egg.
There is also a notably phallic-shaped pool, adorned with a couch in the shape of a pair of hot pink lips and four, tire-shaped ads for Italian carmaker, Tirelli. However, Dr. Elliot King warns against dissecting the details too intently. While Dalí is known for his layers of symbolism, there's a chance his home is just a collection of things he likes.
'I think it could be that he was just drawn to kitschy things,' he says. 'He liked that really bold Spanish Baroque style. He liked the ornamentation. At that time in the 1970s, he was wearing white smocks with silver sequins on them, velvet jackets, and giraffe print jackets. He had a look, and it wasn't subtle and understated.' Dalí Theatre-Museum, Figueres At the Salvador Dalí Museum in Figueres, this art installation is based on Dalí's painting, 'Mae West's Face May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment,' where Mae West's lips are reimagined as a sofa. Photograph by Alexander Cimbal, Alamy Stock Photo
After visiting the Salvador Dalí House Museum, road trippers can continue their immersive Salvador Dalí road trip to the Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueres—a 50-minute drive west from Portlligat. This museum is one of the world's largest pieces of surrealist art. When the mayor asked Dalí to donate a piece of art to the city, Dalí, an overachiever, transformed a former theater into a museum that opened in September 1974. The rooftop—a clutch of eggs and Oscar-like figurines—represents rebirth, life, and creativity.
'The museum itself is unlike any other project ever conceived by an artist, as Dalí envisioned it as a work of art in its own right—a vast installation, the largest surrealist object in the world,' says Jordi Artigas, director of Public Programs at the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation. 'At the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres, we receive all kinds of fascinating comments, as our visitors come from many different backgrounds and walks of life. One particularly memorable remark came from a grandfather who told us he loved the museum because it was just as interesting for him at 75 as it was for his 8-year-old grandson.'
(Related: 10 ways to see a different side of Spain.) The Dalí Theatre-Museum is dedicated to the Figueres-born artist Salvador Dalí. Photograph by Hemis, Alamy Stock Photo
Dalí curated and hung more than 1,500 works of art in the museum, which gives visitors insight into the artist's inscrutable logic. A backdrop he painted in 1941 for New York Ballet's production of Labyrinth hangs across from a room that has a ceiling fresco featuring him and Gala as dirty-feet gods descending to earth. Museum visitors can also see a room-sized installation of huge red lips, called 'Mae West Which Can Be Used as an Apartment.' His artistry in jewelry is also on display. Don't leave this museum without visiting the surprisingly understated basement crypt that doubles as Dalí's final resting place.
After visiting the Dalí Theatre-Museum, art lovers will realize that Dalí's eccentric realm is best experienced in person.
'The amount of work that Dalí put out during his lifetime is not just the paintings. It's the letters, there's the text, there's holograms,' says King. 'He wrote an opera. He did so many things, and a lot of it won't travel, and so the only way you're going to see it is if you go.'
(Related: The inconvenient spectacle of Frida Kahlo.) Most major rental car companies, including Hertz, Sixt, Avis, Europcar, Enterprise, and Budget have offices in Barcelona. Minimum age for car rental is 21, however, drivers under 25 will often be asked to pay a supplementary 'young driver surcharge'—usually about €20 (U.S. $ 22.33) per day.
While any rental companies will not ask for an International Drivers Permit (IDP), police will often ask for a drivers' IDP at traffic stops. These translated versions of your license can be obtained before your trip at the DMV or AAA for $20.
A road trip can be accomplished by breaking the legs up into three separate days or staying in Figueres and embarking on a series of day trips. Laura Studarus is a Los Angeles-based writer who covers travel and culture. Follow her on Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Atlantic
15 minutes ago
- Atlantic
King of the Hill Now Looks Like a Fantasy
When Hank Hill, the stalwart, drawling protagonist of King of the Hill,returns to Texas, he kneels in the airport and kisses the floor. More than 15 years have passed since audiences last saw him—the show, which debuted a new season last week, ended its original 12-year run in 2009. Viewers learn that Hank and his wife, Peggy, have recently moved back to their yellow house on Rainey Street, in suburban Arlen, after several years living in Saudi Arabia. Hank had taken a job as a propane consultant there, where the couple had lived in an idyllic simulacrum of an American small town, a place that put Hank in mind of 'what things were like in the '50s.' Then and now, the slice-of-life comedy—which also stars Hank and Peggy's son, Bobby— mainly concerns neighborhood antics unfolding across Rainey Street's living rooms and lawns. (Bobby, for his part, is now a chef who lives in Dallas.) Yet its premise lands differently today than it did a decade and a half ago. Today, when only a quarter of Americans reportedly know most of their neighbors, and nearly as many say they feel lonely and disconnected from their community, King of the Hill 's focus on neighborly relations is comforting, even idealistic—a vision of suburban America with strong social ties that, for the most part, isn't riven by cultural or political divisions. As such, the show feels like a playbook for a type of rosy coexistence that, in the real world, seems harder and harder to come by. From the Hills' perspective, Arlen has primarily changed in ways they find inconvenient. Now Hank has to contend with ride-share apps, boba, and bike lanes that interfere with his commute—adjustments that are perturbing to him. But these signs of the times are easier for him to accept than the realization that some things, or people, haven't changed; they've deteriorated. Almost immediately after reuniting with his friends, Hank learns that Bill Dauterive, his longtime friend and neighbor, hasn't left his bedroom since the COVID lockdowns of 2020. Hank had been Bill's de facto lifeline for years, helping his friend even when it meant pushing himself wildly outside his comfort zone, such as getting a tattoo of Bill's name and donning a dress alongside him. Without Hank's stabilizing presence, Bill's well-being seems to have declined to the point that even Netflix—which he'd been watching nonstop—sent someone to his house to perform a wellness check. Horrified by Bill's sorry state, Hank vows to get his friend 'back on track.' But when his former boss calls to offer him an attractive job that would take him back to the Middle East, alongside all the amenities he could want, Hank's new dilemma seems to crystallize. Listening to the tempting offer, Hank stares across his lawn toward Bill, who's using a garden rake to drag a package in through his window without leaving his room. Does Hank really want to be back in this neighborhood, where his relationships create inescapable obligations and daily nuisances? By choosing to stay in Arlen, Hank and Peggy reaffirm King of the Hill 's core message: that belonging to a community is a worthwhile enterprise that requires ongoing commitment. In the case of Bill, that ultimately means enticing him back into society with the appetizing waft and convivial chatter of a barbecue party—a small coup for social connection amid the inertia of alienation. Mike Judge, one of the show's co-creators, has said that the character of Hank was partially inspired by neighbors he once had in suburban Texas, who saw Judge struggling to repair a broken fence in his yard and helped him fix it, unprompted. This habitual caretaking—the act of showing up for others, regardless of convenience or reward—is part of what the political theorist Hannah Arendt called the ' web of human relationships,' conceived on an ethic of tolerance and responsibility that goes deeper than simply enjoying your neighbors' company. After all, Bill can be a buzzkill, and the Hills' other neighbors, such as the conspiratorial Dale Gribble across the alley and the holier-than-thou Minh and Kahn Souphanousinphone next door, are flawed too. For the Hills, staying in Arlen means forgoing a more comfortable life to lump it with some weird personalities. But without taking pains to help one's neighbors, a resilient, tolerant community could not exist. And without that web of relationships, even the most Stepford-perfect town is a spiritual desert. While Bill's storyline dramatizes how isolation can hollow out an individual's life, King of the Hill also explores how withdrawal can fray community ties more broadly. One episode finds Peggy aghast that her neighbors are pulling away from one another and receding into their technology: Many Arlen locals now pretend not to be home if their doorbell cameras reveal chatty-looking strangers on their doorstep; some even post paranoid warnings to an anonymous neighborhood forum, fearmongering about 'strange people' sightings (half of which turn out to just be Dale). Peggy takes it upon herself to bring the neighborhood together by erecting a lending library in her front yard. The initiative works well—until her books spread bedbugs, making everyone even angrier and more suspicious of one another. Peggy doesn't want to admit that she's responsible for a public-health fiasco, but the show underscores that a community can't function on good intentions alone. Sometimes, restoring harmony requires a willingness to lose face—which she does. After confessing to causing the outbreak, she leads a group effort to burn the infested books in a bonfire. 'Texas morons have book-burning party,' is how one anonymous forum user describes them. But at least the whole street comes together in the end, with someone strumming a guitar as the pages crackle. King of the Hill 's belief in the innate power of moral character remains one of its most appealing traits—but the revival glosses reality in order to preserve its gentle equilibrium. Many viewers have described the series as 'small c ' conservative: Hank values the familiarity of his traditions more than he's vocal about his political beliefs, but he also once refused to lick a stamp with an image of Bill Clinton on it. Judge has described its humor as 'more social than political.' In an episode of the original series, the Hills meet then-Governor George W. Bush at a presidential-campaign rally; world events that occurred during Bush's presidency, however—such as 9/11 and the Iraq War—never came up during the show's original run. Now neither do ongoing stories that have kept Texas in the news, such as the state's restrictive anti-abortion laws. The reveal that Dale was briefly elected mayor of Arlen on an anti-mask campaign is the closest the show comes this time around to commenting on today's culture wars. Some viewers may find it difficult to reconcile the show's good-humored, inclusive portrayal of everyday suburban life with the political and social fragmentation found within many American communities today. A version of the show that more directly explored real-world tensions could have sharply captured the moment into which King of the Hill returns. However, its obvious distance from real life encourages viewers to suspend disbelief and immerse themselves in its true politic: participating in the ritual of neighborhood life, regardless of whether that just means standing in an alley with a beer, contributing to a frog chorus of 'Yups' until everyone's made it through another day together. All of this principled neighborliness may sound Pollyannaish, but the show's optimism seems intentional. King of the Hill has always held a distinctive place in Judge's canon: Though his other film and TV projects, such as Idiocracy, Beavis and Butt-Head, and Silicon Valley, mercilessly skewer what some critics have defined as 'American suckiness,' King of the Hill celebrates American decency. The show's narrative arcs continually reinforce that social trust is key to communities weathering any crisis, that being moral in the world can be a matter of looking out our windows and recognizing how we can serve one another, whether that's by fixing a fence or checking in on a friend. That's the evergreen charm of the Hill family: their pragmatic belief that helping out is just what neighbors do. Or, as a Girl Scout chirps to Hank while handing over a box of Caramel deLites, 'It's nice to be nice.'
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Millennial Charmed by 1800s Apartment, so She Buys It—Then Regret Sets In
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. A video of a Canadian woman living in Scotland sharing her regret over buying a 19th-century flat that turned out to have significant dampness problems has gone viral on TikTok. The video was posted by Tayce (@tayceomoni), a millennial mom in her 30s, and has amassed 112,000 views since it was shared on August 10. Text over the clip reads: "I just bought this 1800s flat and I hate it," before showing various parts of the two-bedroom property in a surrounding area of Glasgow, which she purchased on August 1. In the video, Tayce begins with a candid admission: "I made a huge mistake. I absolutely hate just bought a two-bedroom flat in Scotland, I was charmed by the high ceilings, the wood floors and the heritage vibes. Turns out I missed the fine print—it's actually really damp and that means it kind of smells moldy in my daughter's room." Speaking to Newsweek, Tayce explained her initial attraction to the property. "When I saw it, I loved the high ceilings, the old detailing and the wood floors. I love Victorian and Georgian homes. We decided to buy it due to the low cost and the opportunity to own an old flat," she said. A screenshot from a viral video of a Canadian woman sharing her regret over purchasing an 1800s home with a damp issue. A screenshot from a viral video of a Canadian woman sharing her regret over purchasing an 1800s home with a damp issue. @tayceomoni on TikTok She acknowledged that she had been aware of some issues: "I read it was damp in the home report, but I did not think it was a huge deal, as I realize most old flats will have some dampness. I realized I hated it when I smelled the moldy or musty smell in one of the bedrooms that I hadn't noticed before." Her experience comes at a time when many home buyers face difficult housing decisions. According to a 2024 report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, millions of Americans have been "priced out of the market by elevated home prices and interest rates." The report found that home prices surged in 97 of the top 100 markets, with especially steep increases in the northeast and Midwest regions. For Tayce, the reality of the property's condition quickly set in. "I had post home buying anxiety when the gravity of the amount of work needed hit me for real," she told Newsweek. "I felt like I wished I'd just bought something easier, even though I do admire how beautiful the flat is and can be. I'd like to change the room and bathroom the most." Her TikTok video shows the start of renovations in some parts of the home. She says in the clip: "So, we're living in chaos right now while we try to renovate this...I have no just pulling off the gonna go from there and pray for the best." Despite her frustration, Tayce maintains a sense of determination. In the video, she says: "You don't need to tell me how dumb I am because I already know. I feel terrible. I feel worthless. I'm in a major all-time low. But I will never stop being optimistic, so here goes trying to fix this..." Do you have a home interior-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Buzz Feed
6 hours ago
- Buzz Feed
If You Get 45/60 On This Random Knowledge Quiz, You're Wasting Your Potential
It can't get any simpler. These four quizzes contain 60 questions in total, and they're all meant to test your general knowledge. That's it! Feel free to treat this as a multi-part test and add up your scores at the end (anything over 45 is super impressive). You're Not Allowed To Be Smart Enough To Get 7/10 On This Random Trivia Quiz This first quiz covers most of your major school subjects (including math, sorry) and some pop culture too! Take the quiz here. If You Can Pass This Random Trivia Quiz, You Just Know Too Much No math in this one! Take the quiz here. If You Can Answer 14 Of These 20 Random Trivia Questions, Your Brain Is Officially Superior To Mine You never know when knowing an obscure fact will come in handy. Take the quiz here. I'm Not Calling You Dumb, But All I'm Saying Is That The Majority Of Americans Can't Pass This General Knowledge Quiz For your last challenge, these general knowledge questions are in Jeopardy! format. Take the quiz here.
