Sergio Dalma’s refuge in the Baix Empordà: a stone farmhouse, a castle Dalí gave to Gala and 135 neighbours

There are autumn mornings in the Baix Empordà when the smell of woodsmoke rises from the chimneys and the stone streets empty out. On one of those streets lives Sergio Dalma, the singer born in Sabadell as Josep Capdevila, who moved there a few years ago.

According to El Periódico, Dalma left Madrid, where he had lived for almost three decades, and settled about seven years ago in Púbol, a village in the municipality of La Pera, in the province of Girona. It has 135 registered residents and one of the most curious sights in Catalonia.

This guide sticks to the village, its castle and what lies around it. Púbol is worth a whole day, and the region a weekend.

Sergio Dalma and the Baix Empordà: what the press says

El Periódico reports that the singer bought a rustic farmhouse of about 200 square metres with a large garden in 2019, carefully renovated. The paper adds that he writes there, and that when the words do not come he goes walking along the surrounding country lanes.

The phrases the newspaper quotes from his interviews are the artist’s own: “Going to live in a village in the Empordà: it’s amazing!”, or “Since I’ve lived there I feel very protected”. He has also said that people there greet each other and look each other in the eye, and that in the village he is simply Josep.

That friendly anonymity explains a good part of the charm. It is a village where nobody rushes.

1 The Gala-Dalí Castle

This is the reason Púbol is on the map. A medieval castle documented since the 11th century, which Salvador Dalí bought in late 1969 to give to his wife and muse, Gala.

She set one condition: she would accept the gift if Dalí only visited her by invitation. The castle was her refuge and her workshop, then the painter’s last studio between 1982 and 1984, and finally her mausoleum: Gala is buried in the basement.

It has been open to the public since 1996. The visit shows the Hall of Coats of Arms, with a Dalí painting on the ceiling, and the Piano Room, with a canvas showing a young Gala looking out over the lands of the Baix Empordà. The long-legged elephants in the garden are what you remember most on the way out.

Practical tip: check the official website for opening hours and whether you should book the guided visit. They change with the time of year.

2 The church of Sant Pere

Next to the castle stands the church of Sant Pere, of Romanesque origin, which is part of the medieval ensemble and gives the village its almost feudal air. It is small and takes a few minutes to see.

It deserves a stop for the light: in mid-afternoon the stone turns the colour of honey. (And it is a good spot for a photo.)

3 Streets of stone, woodsmoke and lime

You walk around Púbol without a map. The streets are narrow and paved in stone, and they keep that scent of woodsmoke and lime which, according to the press, has charmed Dalma as much as any first-time visitor.

There are no big shops or hotels in the village itself. That forces you to take it slowly, and to eat or sleep in the surrounding area.

4 The Dalinian Triangle

Púbol is one of the three corners of the so-called Dalinian Triangle, together with the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres and the Portlligat House-Museum in Cadaqués.

Seeing all three on the same getaway lets you understand the life of a genius who was born, lived and was buried in this land, and of Gala in her castle. If you have time, spread the route over two days.

5 Peratallada and Pals

Two of the most photographed medieval villages in the region are a short distance away. Peratallada has narrow, labyrinthine streets surrounded by walls, and its 11th-century castle works today as a hotel.

Pals, near the coast, climbs a hill crowned by the Torre de les Hores, a former Gothic bell tower with views over the fields and the sea.

6 Begur, Aiguablava and Calella de Palafrugell

If you fancy the sea, the coast is close. Begur has an indiano flavour: many locals emigrated to the Americas in the 19th century and came back building mansions.

It is also the gateway to coves such as Aiguablava, surrounded by pines and cliffs. Calella de Palafrugell keeps its soul as a fishing village, with boats pulled up on the sand and whitewashed houses.

7 The table of the Empordà

The cooking of this area combines inland and coast. The restaurants of the surroundings, some in Púbol itself and others in neighbouring villages, serve escudella catalana, suquet de peix, arròs a la cassola or surf and turf dishes.

The rice of the Empordà is famous all over Catalonia. Ask for the dish of the day and let them advise you.

Tips for visiting the area

• How to get there: by car from Girona, along a local road; confirm the route before setting out.
• How many days: one for Púbol and the medieval villages; two or three if you add Figueres, Cadaqués and the coves.
• Best time: spring and autumn, with mild temperatures and fewer visitors.
• Where to sleep: Púbol has no accommodation of its own; the surroundings offer country farmhouses and charming hotels.

End the day in the square of any village in the area, with a glass of wine and the light sinking over the stone. Perhaps you will then understand why a singer with so many years in the spotlight chose a place where he can greet his neighbour by name. Would you stay to watch the sun go down?