Girona is the best base for discovering north-east Catalonia. Within an hour you have the prettiest coves on the Costa Brava, the world of Dalí in Figueres and Cadaqués, fairytale medieval villages and Greco-Roman ruins. This guide sorts the best day trips by how much time you have and how to get there, by train or car.
The area splits into three worlds: the Dalí triangle (Figueres-Cadaqués-Portlligat), the inland medieval villages and the coastal coves. Choose by the day.
The best day trips
| Destination | Distance | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|
| Figueres | 40 min (train) | The Dalí Theatre-Museum |
| Cadaqués and Cap de Creus | 1h 15min (car) | A white village and Dalí's house |
| Besalú | 45 min (car) | A medieval village and Romanesque bridge |
| Calella de Palafrugell / Begur | 50 min (car) | Coves and a seafaring old town |
| Tossa de Mar | 1h (car) | Walled enclosure by the sea |
| Empúries (L'Escala) | 50 min (car) | Greek and Roman ruins |
The Dalí triangle
Figueres is home to the Dalí Theatre-Museum, the most visited museum in Spain after the Prado and a total work of art designed by the painter himself (40 minutes by train). An hour further, Cadaqués, the prettiest white village of Cap de Creus, and Portlligat, with Dalí's house-museum. Wild nature at Cap de Creus, the easternmost point of the peninsula.
The medieval villages
Besalú, with its fortified Romanesque bridge and Jewish quarter, is one of the best-preserved medieval villages in Catalonia. A step away, Pals and Peratallada, of golden stone and charming lanes.
The Costa Brava coves
Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc and Tamariu are three postcard seafaring coves; Begur crowns the area with coves like Sa Riera and Aiguablava. Tossa de Mar adds a medieval walled enclosure above the sea to its beach.
Empúries
In L'Escala, the ruins of Empúries gather a Greek and Roman city by the sea: one of the most important archaeological sites on the peninsula, with a swim right alongside.
Getting around
Figueres and part of the coast can be done by train; for Cadaqués, the medieval villages and the coves, a car gives much more freedom (public transport reaches Cap de Creus and the cove coast poorly).
What we don't recommend
- Doing two far-off trips on the same day. Cadaqués or the coves are a full day each.
- Going to the small coves at midday in August. Minimal parking; go early.
- Driving to Cadaqués in a rush. The mountain road is slow and beautiful; take it calmly.
- Skipping Empúries if you like history. It's underrated.
Common mistakes
⚠️ Warning: the slip-ups we see most.
- Not booking the Dalí Theatre-Museum in season: it sells out.
- Seeing Figueres without Cadaqués/Portlligat if Dalí interests you: they complement each other.
- Underestimating the Cap de Creus road. Bends and difficult parking in summer.
In one sentence
From Girona, within an hour you have the Dalí of Figueres and Cadaqués, medieval villages like Besalú and the coves of the Costa Brava: three different worlds within day-trip reach. They complement Girona in one day.