Although it returned to the race route last year after a 56-year absence, Figueres is one of the ten cities that has historically hosted the Volta a Catalunya the most times. The capital of Alt Empordà was the host city of the race's grand departure in 1969 and has witnessed wins by legends such as Catalan Miquel Poblet (1949 and 1951) and Dutchman Jan Janssen (1967), winner of the Tour de France, just before the last sprint won by Briton Ethan Vernon in 2025.
- Region: Alt Empordà
- Population (2025, Idescat): 49.556
Related websites:
- Turisme: www.visitfigueres.cat
- Ajuntament de Figueres: www.figueres.cat
- Teatre-Museu Dalí: www.salvador-dali.org
- Casa Natal Salvador Dalí: www.casanataldali.cat
- Museu del Joguet de Catalunya: www.mjc.cat
- Museu de l’Empordà: www.museuemporda.org
- Castell de Sant Ferran: www.castellsantferran.com
- Comerç Figueres: www.comercfigueres.com
- Figueres a Escena: www.figueresaescena.cat
- Biblioteca Fages de Climent: www.bibliotecadefigueres.cat
The city of Figueres is the epicenter of the Alt Empordà region: its main attractions are its landscape, culture, and history. The city is located fifteen kilometers from the Mediterranean Sea, at the foot of the Pyrenees and surrounded by three natural parks.
Culturally, the Dalí Theatre-Museum stands out, attracting more than 700,000 visitors a year, as well as other museums such as the Salvador Dalí Birthplace, which opened in 2023, the Toy Museum of Catalonia, and the recently renovated Museum of Empordà. In addition, one must consider the largest fortified fortress in Europe, the Castle of Sant Ferran, which is often visited by joggers and walkers. The city's dynamism can be experienced with the Market, the Santa Creu Fair (April-May), and the Sant Pere Fair (June). Also noteworthy are the Acústica music festival and the Comic Strip Festival, among other cultural activities and events.
To learn more about the secrets of the surrealist world of Salvador Dalí and the history of the city, there is nothing better than taking a guided tour of Dalí's routes, the Civil War, Josep Pla , and an enogastronomic character. Moreover, one should not forget the commercial offerings in the streets of the historic center and the gastronomic offerings , which stand out for a mix of tradition and creativity, ingredients from the sea and mountains, and good wine, specifically from the Denomination of Origin Empordà, paired with the Empordà Wine Festival and the Fòrum Gastronòmic Ciutat de Figueres (City of Figueres Gastronomic Forum). Notable products include Figueres onions and sweets such as Brunyols de l'Empordà and cream flan.
