The Gala Dalí Castle is in a small village called Púbol which is not served by rail or bus networks however this EASY 13km circular route from Flaça Regional Renfe train station passes via the picturesque village of La Pera before arriving at Púbol village.
Salvador Dalí, Catalan surrealist painter 1904-1989, bought the castle in 1969 as an almost ruin and refurbished it sympathetically to serve as a home for himself and his wife Gala Dalí so that she could have a quiet and secluded place away from his hectic and eccentric life building the Dalí Theatre Museum in Figueres.
The castle dates from the 11th Century with the current structure being from late 14th century to early 15th century. After restoration by Dalí, the castle comprises a ground floor garage which houses the horse drawn carriage and a Cadillac. The first floor is the main living space accessed via a staircase in the inner courtyard. Rooms on the first floor are a reception hall leading onto a lounge and piano room that connects onto two bedrooms. Gala's Bedroom has a bathroom with a magnificent fireplace. On the other side of the first floor is a kitchen, dining room and main hall with Dalí's painting studio and another magnificent fireplace.
From the main hall there is an outside patio with stairs leading down to the garage and garden. The garden is a beautiful almost maze-like space with paths, statues, a pond and green pagoda. The statues are a mix of Greek style figures and Salvador Dalí's surrealist elephant sculptures.
The castle was purchased by Dalí as a gift for Gala who he was madly in love with. Salvador Dalí had a home and studio in the nearby town of Portlligat near Cadaqués.
At the Gala Dalí Castle in the garden you will find the famous elephant sculptures as well as many other original Dali works.
The basement in Púbol castle which can be visited is Gala Dalí's tomb mausoleum. She was interred there upon her death in 1982. Salvador Dalí is interred inside his Figueres Theatre Museum.
Gala was born Elena Ivanovna Diakonova in 1894 in Kazan, then part of the Russian Empire.
Gala Dalí was previously married to French poet Paul Eluard (in 1917) and they had one child Cecile Eluard in 1918.
Eluard and his wife first met the promising young surrealist artist at a film premiere in 1929 and there was instant and mutual attraction between Salvador Dalí and Gala. Dalí invited the couple to come to his family home in Cadaqués, Spain for the summer.
Dalí began living with Gala in 1929 but according to his own accounts they were not sexually active with each other. They had an open relationship in which she was free to have affairs, including with her former husband, Eluard, while Salvador Dalí is said to have enjoyed watching her have sex with other men, or showing other men images of her naked.
Salvador Dalí Married Gala secretly in a civil ceremony in 1934 and with a public marriage in 1958 in a Catholic Church.
Gala was Salvador's muse and an inspiration for a great deal of his paintings. Some of his best works featured images of Gala.
Salvador Dalí stipulated that he could not access the castle without Gala's written permission.
Below is a quote from Dalí's written works Confessions inconfessables (1973) about the castle and Gala.
"Everything celebrates the cult of Gala, even the round room, with its perfect echo that crowns the building as a whole and which is like a dome of this Galactic cathedral. When I walk around this house, I look at myself and I see my concentricity. I like its Moorish rigour. I needed to offer Gala a case more solemnly worthy of our love. That is why I gave her a mansion built on the remains of a 12th century castle: the old castle of Púbol in La Bisbal, where she would reign like an absolute sovereign (Marques of Dalí of Púbol), right up to the point that I could visit her only by hand-written invitation from her. I limited myself to the pleasure of decorating her ceilings so that when she raised her eyes, she would always find me in her sky".
Click on any of the 62 images to open full screen gallery player
Gala Dalí's Castle in Púbol has been open to the public since 1996 as a museum space.
The Gala Dalí castle is open from 10:30h till 18:00h every day except Monday.
Currently there is no cloakroom for depositing bags remains closed and they stipulate no bags greater than 35x35x25cm are allowed. When I visited I was asked to wear my rucksack on my chest to prevent damage to any of the furniture.
There is a limited number of visitors allowed at any time and it is advisable to book the ticket in advance.
Allow two hours to walk from Flaça train station to Gala Dalí Castle.
Note: At the moment I cannot post any photos of the interior of the Gala Dalí Castle museum but I am seeking rights clearance from the Dalí Foundation to include these photos.
Once you have finished visiting Gala Dalí Castle, you can walk down to Plaza de la Constitucion in Púbol where you will find the Caterina Roma studio & gallery. This is a free entry gallery with beautiful pottery pieces with a shop where you can purchase a unique piece.
This route is a nice walk with a dog but the Gala Dalí castle does not permit dogs to enter the museum or gardens except for guide dogs. Note that some of the route does involve walking along a rural road so you may have to use the leash. if you do take your dog then someone will have to wait with the dog outside the museum. However there are restaurants with outside dining nearby in the centre of Púbol.
This is an easy walking route near to roads. I always do it with a small rucksack of the essentials. Emergency waterproof jacket is optional depending on the weather forecast. take 1 to 2 litre of water. Water can be purchased in La Pera and Púbol village and for free from drinking fountains.
There is normally a locker room to leave bags but When I did the visit the locker room was closed and I was asked to carry my bag on my chest when inside the castle museum. I phoned the museum before my visit to confirm that I would be granted entry with a hiking rucksack. The telephone number is in the opening times and prices section of the website.
The museum space is accessible by wheelchair and has a lift between floors but the basement crypt is only accessible by stairs.
Pushchairs are normally left on the ground floor to complete the interior visit to the castle.
Explore inside Gala Dalí Castle, designed by Salvador Dalí himself, to be the home and burial place of his wife, Gala. See original works by Dalí dotted in and around the castle, including bony elephants, giraffes, and a taxidermied horse. Learn about the couple's unconventional marital agreement. From the outside, it's a stunning 11th-century castle. On the inside, however, Gala Dalí Castle is a time capsule of art history with a touching story of romance that is as unconventional as its owner.
Enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime cultural experience with a guided visit to the surrealist wonderland of Gala Dalí Castle Explore the enchanting medieval castle and see original art by the master of Surrealism. Soak in the unique atmosphere and enjoy unique stories from an expert who is sure to answer all your questions. Explore the world of Salvador Dalí creative muse and wife, Gala, on an atmospheric guided adventure!
Love Salvador Dalí? Are you passionate about his surreal paintings? Don’t think twice and visit the 3 museums on the famous painter in one day with Hotel pickup in and around Girona city starting at 9am.
Address: Plaza Gala Dalí, Púbol. 17120
Púbol is a tiny village in the Catalan countryside and is not served directly by any public transport. However, The nearest train station is Flaça on the R11, MD and RG1 Regional rail lines. From Flaça it is about a 4km walk to Pubol. There is also a Sarfa Bus that stops on the edge of La Pera village which is about 1.5Km walk from Púbol.
See the documents section for train maps and bus timetables.
I visited the castle as a day activity doing a 13Km circular route starting and ending at Flaça Renfe station, following rural roads in sunflower fields. See the Wikiloc section for my route.
If visiting Púbol by car, there is free parking at the edge of the village in Carrer Placeta, 2, 17120 Púbol. From here it is a short 2 minute walk to Púbol Castle.
Click on any one of the 3 PDFs to view in full screen and download.
13km EASY circular walking route from Flaca to Dala Gali's castle home in Pubol. The route passes via farmland, La Pera village and Pedrinya hamlet.
Distance: 13.67 Km
Difficulty: Easy
Return Travel Fare: €26.30
Transport Network: Regional
