For rail travellers arriving from the north, Figueres is a first encounter with Spain. Figueres Vilafant station is the first stop for high-speed trains from France after emerging from the Perthus Tunnel under the Pyrenees. Figueres is leafy and laid-back, a great place to pause for a day or two. The town’s big draw is a remarkable museum devoted to the life and work of the artist Salvador Dalí. But there's more to Figueres than just Dalí. Make time to amble through the centre of town, particularly in the evening when the Rambla is the place to see and be seen.

Figueres Vilafant station, 3 km west of town, is clinical and modern. Shuttle buses give a link to the town centre, taking about 12 minutes for the journey. An older station, simply called Figueres, is just east of the town centre. It is served by local trains that run south to Girona and north to Portbou on the border with France.

Figueres Vilafant has direct fast trains from more than a dozen cities across France including Paris. London to Vilafant is easily accomplished in a day – the entire journey takes less than 10 hrs. Onward connections from Figueres are excellent. High-speed AVE services run direct from Figueres Vilafant to Barcelona and Madrid, taking respectively one and four hours to reach their destinations. Even more remarkable is that it's now possible to board a high-speed train in Figueres and be in the French city of Perpignan in just 25 minutes. It's a nice reminder that in this part of Catalonia, so close to the French border, Madrid seems like a very distance place.