'''Figures''' [http://www.ddgi.cat/webfigue/angles/index.html] is a small city of some 35,000 in Catalonia, Spain
<div style="float:right;margin:0 0 1em 1em;">
<br>Town Church Tower, Figueres</div>
Understand
The city's main attraction is the world famous museum devoted to native son Salvador Dali. It is often visited as a day-trip from Barcelona and from packaged hotels of Costa Brava. However Figueres can be a pleasant place to spend a night or two... especially for Dali fans. Plus, it's conveniently close to the beach in Cadaques.
Get in
From Barcelona, take a train from estacio sants (central station). Return journey costs about ?18 and takes roughly an hour and a half each way (take the CE-Catalunya Express trains; regular trains can take up to two hours). The train station is located 12 min. away from the museum. This same train also stops at Girona on its way to Figueres.
Get around
See
'''Teatre Museu Gala Salvador Dalí''' This large museum is mostly devoted to the work of Salvador Dalí, who spent many years in his later life designing it and living here; the museum itself is Dali single largest work. The central building was the old town theater, long vacant after being bombed during the Spanish Civil War. Even art fans who are otherwise lukewarm on Dali can find visiting here a rewarding experience, and may come out with new appreciation for the eccentric genius. The museum also contains displays of other Catalan artists, and Dali's personal collection of work of other painters, ranging from old masters to Marcel Duchamp. '''Usage tips:''' Reservation is ''not'' essential, but it will likely save you from spending half an hour in a queue. There's lot of coin-operated gadgets all around the museum--therefore, take as much change as you have when you leave your belongings to a cloakroom; ask personnel to change banknotes if you don't have enough. Most famous example is ''Rain Taxi'' in the center of the courtyard for €1. Plus you can have audioguide for €1 per room--although Dalí's original concept was to not allow ''any'' guides explaining anything to visitors: they should understand as much as they're able to without help.
Museu del Joguet. ant Pere, 1, hotel Paris. ou can see it from La Rambla. 72-504-585. ttp://mjc-figueres.net. Museum of the toy with more than 4500 toys from all the ages. It has toys from famous Spanish people, including Dali. The entry costs 5?, but 4? for students, older than 65 and children. The robots section is specially interesting. While the Dali Museum is the star of the city, you should not leave Figueras without visiting the toy museum.
'''Museu Emporda''' is the regional museum on the main square, the ''Ramblas''. Displays range from archaeological objects like ancient Greek vases found in the area to Baroque and 20th century paintings. The modern art collection pales compared to the Dali Theater Museum, but contains a few works of interest among many more mediocre pieces for art fans making an unhurried visit to Figures
'''The streets of Figures''' The old town is pleasant to walk around, with a much more relaxed atmosphere than the hustle-and-bustle of big city Barcelona.
<center>
<br> One of the exterior facades of the Dali Theater Museum
</center>
Do
Buy
Eat
Local Catalan specialties, oxtail soup, seafood.
Best cafes and restaurants are still to be found; below is what worked out so far:
La Botiga del Pa. ambla 3. ower end of Rambla. :30am-2pm, 4:30-9:30pm. Nice patisseria; wide selection of bakery and confectionery. Good coffee; several sorts of branded tea, variety of fresh juices. Quite popular in the noon time. Personnel almost doesn't speak English.
Crepperie Brettone. ehind the Dali Theater, to the right from the theater's ticket office. Dali-inspired interiors: creative but simple; can be found by a painted old VW Beetle. Almost empty in the noon time.
Shang Hai. orriol de les Bruixes. ntersection of De la Jonquera and Peralada. Very famous chinese restaurant in the town.
Drink
Try local wine, or an absinthe cocktail (the fabled liquor was never outlawed here)
Sleep
Figueres provides a variety of Hotels, with rates much cheaper than in Barcelona
'''Xanascat''' the National Network of [http://www.xanascat.cat Youth Hostels] for all of Catalonia.
Get out
Roses