Barcelona is a sun-soaked Mediterranean city bursting with extraordinary Modernista architecture vibrant street life world-class food and golden beaches — offering every traveller an irresistible blend of culture history and effortless Catalan charm along Spain's spectacular northeast coast.
Spain: Catalonia – Girona
✈️ Heathrow, Barcelona & the Road to Girona
Heathrow Terminal 3 was, as ever, its own special kind of organised chaos. There’s something almost comforting about the whole scrum of it — the queues, the trolleys going in the wrong direction, the people standing in the middle of the walkway staring at the departures board as if it might suddenly reveal the meaning of life. We shuffled through it all with the weary resignation of seasoned travellers who have long since stopped expecting airports to be pleasant. The one small mercy was getting our hands on some proper English chocolate. Anyone who has spent time abroad will know that foreign chocolate, however well-intentioned, is simply not the same. We restocked accordingly.
Our next flight took us south to Barcelona — one of those cities that always sounds glamorous and always delivers on the promise — but we weren’t hanging about there on this occasion. We were pushing on northeast to Girona, a city that sits about 65 miles up the road from Barcelona, tucked into the heart of Catalonia.
🚗 The Car Hire Incident (or: How Karen Became a Peacekeeper)
Now, I have to say that the most dramatic moment of the entire trip didn’t happen in some ancient cathedral or on top of a medieval city wall. It happened in a Europcar car hire office, approximately seven minutes after we landed.
I was standing in the queue — as one does, patiently, like a good Englishman — when a very irate customer pulled up outside in his rental car. He was, to put it diplomatically, not happy. He stormed over to the counter, all red-faced and gesticulating, and proceeded to launch into a tirade at the poor girl behind the desk. Then, to make absolutely sure everyone in the building understood just how cross he was, he hurled the car keys across the counter at her.
At that point, Karen — who has a somewhat lower tolerance for that sort of behaviour than I do — went over to intervene when she saw the girl was being verbally abused. I watched this unfold with the helpless expression of a man who has been married long enough to know that the best thing he can do in these moments is stay out of the way. Eventually, the fellow stormed off, presumably to shout at someone else. The poor girl was extremely rattled, understandably, and in a flood of tears. Karen, to her considerable credit, stayed with her until she’d composed herself a bit. Not all heroism involves capes.
🛣️ The Drive: Spectacular It Was Not
The drive from Barcelona to Girona was, if I’m being honest, not one for the scrapbook. I had to reacquaint myself rather abruptly with the joys of a left-hand drive manual car, which is a bit like being handed a piano and told you’ve always known how to play it. The gearstick is on the wrong side, your left hand keeps reaching for a door handle that isn’t there, and the whole enterprise feels faintly unnatural for the first twenty minutes.
The autopista didn’t help. The Spanish motorway network is an efficient and perfectly sensible thing, but the route between Barcelona and Girona takes you past some decidedly unglamorous industrial stretches. It is not, shall we say, the Amalfi Coast.
When we pulled into our hotel in Girona, it didn’t exactly look like somewhere that would feature in a glossy travel magazine. We checked in, dumped our bags, and headed out armed with a set of directions to the old part of the city — largely because the new part had done absolutely nothing to suggest it was worth exploring.
🏛️ About Girona — A City That Has Seen Rather a Lot
📜 A Very Brief, Very Turbulent History
Girona is a compact little city with around 100,000 residents, and it has had what you might generously call a lively past. It was founded in 79BC by the Iberians — people who clearly had an eye for a good location — but over the centuries that followed, virtually everyone else in Europe decided they wanted it too. The Romans took it. Then the Visigoths. Then the Moors, who swept through in the early 8th century as part of the rapid Islamic expansion across the Iberian Peninsula. Then, in 785AD, Charlemagne — the great Frankish king who was busy reorganising most of Western Europe at the time — added Girona to his growing collection.
That, you might think, would be enough upheaval for one city. But no. The Moors, who clearly felt they’d given up something rather good, came back in 793 and retook it. What followed was a somewhat undignified 200-year period during which Girona changed hands no fewer than five times, with the Moors repeatedly returning like an unwanted subscription you thought you’d cancelled. They finally relinquished their grip in 1015, presumably exhausted by the whole business.
👑 Wilfred the Hairy and the Birth of the Catalan Flag
It was during this turbulent stretch of history that one of my favourite historical figures entered the picture: Wilfred the Hairy, known in Catalan as Guifré el Pilós. He was the Count of Barcelona in the late 9th century, and he incorporated Girona into the County of Barcelona during his reign. I assume the “Hairy” designation came from particularly impressive facial hair, though I should say that the surviving depictions of him don’t obviously suggest a man who was fighting a losing battle with a body-hair situation. He was apparently just, well, hairier than average. By the standards of the day, that was apparently enough to get you a nickname that would last twelve centuries.
His contemporaries included King Charles the Bald and Louis the Stammerer — which tells you rather a lot about naming conventions in 9th-century medieval Europe. Clearly, political correctness was some way off. One can’t help but wonder what they’d make of a few modern world leaders. “Donald the Fuckwit” has a certain ring to it, as an official title for the present POTUS, though I suspect the Secret Service would frown on it.
Anyway, the legend goes like this. Wilfred had been wounded in battle — fighting either the Normans or possibly the Moors, depending on which version of the story you prefer — and was recovering from his injuries when the follically challenged King (Charles the Bald, since you ask) came to visit him. Grateful for Wilfred’s services on the battlefield, the King asked what he could do for him by way of thanks.
Now, if I had been in that position — lying wounded after a battle, with a grateful king offering me a reward — I like to think I’d have asked for something useful. A castle, perhaps. A nice island somewhere warm. A lifetime’s supply of decent wine. But Wilfred, being apparently a man of startling humility, asked for nothing more than an insignia to put on his shield. Just an emblem. That was it.
The bald King — perhaps slightly jealous of Wilfred’s presumably splendid locks, and apparently fancying himself as a bit of a graphic designer — dipped his fingers into Wilfred’s wounds and dragged four red vertical lines across his golden shield. A bit dramatic, certainly. Arguably unhygienic. But rather effective.
And that is how the Senyera was born — the Catalan flag, four red stripes on a golden background, one of the oldest flags in Europe, and still flying from balconies across Catalonia to this day.
🏙️ Modern Girona — The Revolution That Never Quite Went Away
🔴🟡 The Senyera and the Independence Question
When we ventured out into the streets of modern-day Girona, things had been considerably more stable for the last several centuries — the city hasn’t changed hands militarily since the early medieval period, which must come as something of a relief. But there was still, unmistakably, a political charge in the air. The Senyera hung proudly from balconies and windows throughout the city, draped from buildings old and new, a constant reminder that while the Moors and the Visigoths may have come and gone, the question of Catalan identity remains very much alive.
Girona sits right in the heart of the Catalan region, a part of Spain where people fiercely defend their own language — Catalan, which sounds broadly like Spanish but has absorbed influences from French and Aragonese and has its own entirely distinct literary tradition going back to the 12th century. If you try speaking Spanish in some quarters, you may be greeted with a look that suggests you’ve committed a minor social faux pas.
At the time of our visit, the political temperature was running particularly high. The Government of Catalonia was in the process of pushing ahead with a deeply disputed independence referendum, scheduled for 1st October 2017 — a vote being strenuously challenged by the Spanish Federal Government in Madrid, which considered it unconstitutional. This wasn’t even the first time the question had been formally put: a previous referendum had been held as recently as 2014, in which an impressive 81% of participants voted in favour of independence — though with a turnout of around 42%, which gave the Spanish Government a convenient excuse to dismiss the whole exercise as neither representative nor legally binding.
The result of the 2017 referendum, when it eventually happened, was messy in the way that these things tend to be — police, ballot boxes, international headlines — but Madrid ultimately held firm, and Catalonia remained part of Spain. Whether that’s the end of the matter is another question entirely. Judging by the number of Senyeres we saw hanging from those Girona balconies, probably not.
Things to do in Girona
🏛️ La Plaça de la Independència
If you’ve been wandering around Girona for more than ten minutes, chances are you’ve already stumbled across La Plaça de la Independència. It’s hard to miss — this is the city’s most popular square, and on a warm afternoon it buzzes with the kind of energetic activity that southern European public spaces do so effortlessly and that British ones, frankly, completely cock up.
The square was designed by the architect Martí Sureda on the site of what had previously been the Convent of Sant Agustí — swept away, like so many monasteries across Spain, during the turbulent 19th century as successive liberal governments dissolved the religious orders. The convent’s loss was, it turns out, Girona’s gain.
Architecturally it’s a textbook example of neoclassical design — clean lines, symmetry, and elegant porticoed arches running around the perimeter, providing welcome shade and giving the whole place a pleasing sense of order that the crowds of diners beneath them seem cheerfully determined to undermine.
At the centre stands a fine monument, erected in 1894, commemorating the defenders of Girona during the Siege of 1809. During the Peninsular War, French troops besieged the city for nearly seven months. Vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied, Girona’s inhabitants held out with a stubbornness that must have driven Napoleon’s forces absolutely mad. The monument, by sculptor Antoni Parera, does a decent job of marking the fact.
One small linguistic footnote: you may have noticed we wrote La Plaça rather than La Plaza. That’s not a typo — it’s Catalan, and in Girona, the difference matters to people.
🕍 2. The Jewish Quarter
We found ourselves wandering into one of the most quietly remarkable corners of Girona — the Jewish quarter, known locally as El Call. Doesn’t sound terribly exciting when you say it out loud, I’ll admit. But bear with me.
El Call sits right in the heart of the old town, tucked up against the banks of the Onyar river. It dates back to the 12th century — the era of Magna Carta arguments and people confidently believing the earth was flat — and unlike a remarkable number of medieval things that have since collapsed, burned down, or been demolished by well-meaning town planners, this one survived. More than survived, actually. El Call is considered one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters anywhere in Europe, which is no small claim on a continent that’s been through rather a lot.
The Jewish community lived and worked here for the better part of three centuries, contributing significantly to Girona’s civic and intellectual life. Then, in 1492 — the same year Columbus was bumbling about in the Atlantic — Ferdinand and Isabella signed the Alhambra Decree, and every Jewish person in Spain was given a blunt choice: convert or leave. Most left. Centuries of culture and community, gone at a stroke. History, as usual, being thoroughly awful.
What they left behind was this: a labyrinth of narrow streets barely wide enough for two people walking abreast without an awkward shimmy, flanked by solid stone houses, staircases tucked into corners, arched passageways, and little patios appearing from nowhere. The whole place has the pleasing, chaotic logic of somewhere that simply grew organically over hundreds of years.
There’s a Jewish Museum in Girona if you’d like to know more — and honestly, you should.
🏰 3. Walk the City Walls
We’d been told, more than once, that walking the city walls was absolutely not something to skip. So naturally we almost did. But we didn’t, and it turned out to be one of the best things we did in Girona.
The walk is officially known as the Passeig de la Muralla, which sounds rather grand, and for once the name lives up to itself. These aren’t crumbling remnants held together by wishful thinking and heritage lottery funding. The walls of Girona are the real thing — solid, imposing, and remarkably well-preserved, running along the eastern edge of the old town with a quiet confidence that suggests they’ve no intention of going anywhere.
The fortifications date back to Roman times, when Girona was known as Gerunda and sat on the great Via Augusta road linking Rome to Hispania. Over the centuries they were expanded, battered, and rebuilt — by Visigoths, Moors, and Frankish forces — eventually reaching their present form somewhere between the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, complete with a series of solid lookout towers placed at sensible intervals by people who were, quite reasonably, worried about being attacked.
We set off in the early evening, which turned out to be exactly the right time. The light was going soft and golden, the city below us settling into that pleasant pre-dinner hum the Spanish do so well. From up on the walls, the views across Girona were genuinely spectacular — rooftops, the great cathedral rising above everything, the painted houses along the Onyar River glinting below. The sort of view that makes you mildly annoyed you didn’t come sooner.
By the time we reached the far end, the city had descended into dusk. We stood there for a while, not saying very much. Generally a good sign.
🌉 Check Out the Bridges Across the Onyar River
No self-respecting medieval town would dare show its face without at least one decent bridge, and Girona didn’t stop at one. It went ahead and built eleven of them, all spanning the shallow waters of the Onyar River that winds through the heart of the city. Eleven. Someone counted, and apparently that’s the official number, so let’s go with it.
The Onyar isn’t exactly the Thames. It’s a modest, unhurried little river that meanders along the edge of the old town, reflecting the ochre and terracotta of the tall houses that lean over it like nosy neighbours. But what it lacks in drama, it more than makes up for in bridge count.
The most famous of the lot — and the one every tourist ends up photographing whether they meant to or not — is the Pont de les Peixateries Velles, which translates roughly as the “Bridge of the Old Fishmongers.” Make of that what you will.
What makes it genuinely remarkable is who designed it. The bridge was the work of a certain Gustave Eiffel, built in 1877 — a full twelve years before he went off and stuck that rather large metal spike in the middle of Paris. So in a sense, Girona got him first, though the world has largely forgotten this, which seems a bit unfair.
The bridge is instantly recognisable by its latticed iron framework, painted a bold red that stands out magnificently against the surrounding stone. Eiffel’s tower gets five million visitors a year. The Pont de les Peixateries Velles gets the odd selfie. Such is life.
🏘️ The Onyar Riverside Buildings
If you’ve ever googled Girona — and I suspect most people have done exactly that before booking anything — the first images that pop up are almost certainly of the Onyar riverside buildings. And honestly, it’s not hard to see why.
There they stand, a wonky, glorious row of tall, narrow houses in shades of ochre, burnt orange, faded terracotta, and the occasional optimistic yellow, all seemingly balanced on the very edge of the river bank as if they’ve had one too many and are gently leaning in for a better look at the water below. The wonder is that none of them have actually toppled in — although on a rainy day in February, you do rather suspect they’re thinking about it.
It was photographs of these very buildings that got me reaching for the laptop in the first place and started the whole business of organising our trip to this remarkable Catalan city. Which, as anyone who has ever tried to organise a group holiday will know, is not a small undertaking. But more on that particular ordeal later.
🐉 One for Fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones
I’ll be honest — I am a massive Game of Thrones fan. Embarrassingly so. The sort of fan who watched all eight series twice and is still quietly furious about how it ended. So when we discovered that Girona had been used as a filming location for Season 6, which aired in 2016, I was, to use the technical term, absolutely beside myself. My wife was considerably less impressed, but that’s marriage for you.
Girona’s ancient medieval streetscape turned out to be a perfect stand-in for two of the show’s most important fictional cities. The twisty, narrow cobbled streets of the old town — some barely wide enough for two people to pass without one turning sideways — were used as the sets for both Braavos and King’s Landing. The interior of the Monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants, a Romanesque Benedictine monastery that has been quietly sitting on the banks of the Galligants river since the eleventh century, was used as the Citadel in Oldtown, where Samwell Tarly goes to train as a Maester. If you’re going to film a seat of ancient knowledge, an actual building that’s nearly a thousand years old is a fairly good place to start.
The Cathedral of Girona also played a major role. Its vast Gothic nave is, incidentally, the widest in the world — wider even than St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, which is the sort of fact that gives you something to say at dinner parties. Apparently that’s who I am now.
The good news is that you don’t have to wander about squinting at buildings trying to work out which scene was filmed where. There are dedicated tours of Girona that take you to all the Game of Thrones filming locations. For a fan of the show, it was rather special.
🏰 7. The Climb Up to Girona Cathedral
If you happen to be one of those people who spent the better part of 2016 glued to the television watching Game of Thrones, then the broad, imposing staircase leading up to Girona Cathedral will look distinctly familiar. The Cathedral featured prominently in Series 6, standing in rather convincingly for the city of Braavos. We are not, I should say, the sort of people who plan holidays around television locations — though we did take rather a lot of photographs on those steps, so perhaps we protest too much.
We arrived at the Cathedral from the top of the staircase, which meant we technically climbed down them first and then back up again for the photos. We managed to get this the wrong way round, naturally. Still, the doors were open when we got there, which is never something you can take for granted with ancient religious buildings. They have an annoying habit of being closed precisely when you’ve hauled yourself up a significant number of stone steps to see them. On this occasion we were in luck, went in, had a good look around, and found we largely had the place to ourselves.
The Cathedral’s full and rather grand title is the Cathedral of Saint Mary of Girona, established in 1015 — over a thousand years old, which puts most things in perspective, including whatever minor inconvenience you’ve had this week. In truth, it is not the most conventionally beautiful cathedral you will ever see. It lacks the delicate filigree of Burgos or the jaw-dropping scale of Seville. Girona Cathedral is, if we’re being honest, a fairly grey, sturdy, no-nonsense sort of building. But it does hold one genuinely remarkable distinction. For those of you who enjoy that sort of thing — and you know who you are, with your dog-eared copies of Pevsner’s Architectural Guides and your sensible footwear — it contains the widest Gothic nave in the world, stretching to an extraordinary 22 metres (72 feet) across.
The front entrance is approached by a very considerable number of steps rising in a broad ceremonial sweep from the street below. We climbed back down them at the end of our visit and got yet more photographs, though quite how many pictures of stone steps one actually needs is a question I chose not to examine too closely.
🚶 8. Walk the Streets of the Old City
Once we’d done the obligatory tourist tick-boxes — the cathedral steps, the famous red houses leaning over the River Onyar like they’d had one too many glasses of local wine — we discovered that the real pleasure of Girona was simply wandering about with no particular plan. Which, as it happens, is something we’re surprisingly good at.
The old city, the Barri Vell, is one of those rare places where getting mildly lost is actively encouraged. The medieval street plan winds and narrows and occasionally deposits you somewhere completely unexpected. A sun-dappled courtyard. A cat on a very old wall, judging you. The usual.
The streets are lined with the sort of independent shops that you don’t really find in Britain anymore — deli counters groaning with local cheeses and cured meats, tiny bookshops, ceramics studios, and at least one peculiar place selling nothing but olive oil in four hundred varieties. We bought two bottles, obviously.
The cafés are exactly what you’d hope for — proper little places with chairs spilling onto cobblestones and absolutely no sign of a Pret a Manger within fifty miles. And the restaurants punch considerably above their weight. This is, after all, the city that was home to El Celler de Can Roca, officially the best restaurant in the world for several years running. We ate at rather more modest establishments and still came away astonished.
The best thing we did in Girona was nothing in particular. We just walked.
In summary …
- Girona is a great place to visit from Barcelona as a day trip or stay for a day or two
- The city is very compact and walkable – lots of great restaurants and cafes to enjoy
- For Games of Thrones fans take a tour to see the filming locations used in Girona!
Planning your visit
📍 Location and Orientation
Girona is the capital of its own province within the autonomous region of Catalonia. The city has two distinct parts: the Barri Vell (old town), perched on the eastern side of the River Onyar on a steep hillside, and the Eixample (new town) on the western bank, which contains the main shopping streets, restaurants and the central transport hub. The old town is where the bulk of Girona’s historic character lives — a labyrinth of cobbled lanes, soaring cathedral spires, Roman walls and narrow medieval alleys.
✈️ Getting There
By air: Girona Costa Brava Airport (GRO) lies approximately 10 kilometres south of the city centre and receives flights from across Europe, with budget carriers operating a number of routes. A Sagalés bus service runs regularly between the airport and Girona’s central bus and train station, taking around 25 to 30 minutes. Taxis are also available outside the terminal. Barcelona El Prat Airport is another option for those flying into the region; from there, a high-speed AVE train from Barcelona Sants to Girona takes around 40 minutes.
By train: Girona is very well served by rail. The city sits on the main Barcelona–Paris rail corridor, making it easily reachable from Barcelona Sants in under an hour by high-speed train, and from many destinations across Spain and southern France. The RENFE website allows advance booking, which is strongly recommended on popular routes. Girona’s train station is located in the city centre, with the bus station directly adjacent.
By road: Girona is accessible via the A-7 toll motorway running along the coast. Drivers approaching from central Spain can take the A-2 to Zaragoza and then join the A-7 beyond Barcelona. Alternative toll-free N-roads exist but are considerably slower. Parking in the old town is limited; it is far easier to park near the train station or in one of the city’s car parks and explore on foot.
By coach: Long-distance coach services connect Girona to Barcelona and other Spanish cities. FlixBus and Alsa operate routes into the city.
🚶 Getting Around
Girona is an exceptionally walkable city. The old town, cathedral, bridges and riverfront are all within easy reach of one another on foot, and it is entirely possible to walk a circuit of the old city walls in under two hours. Comfortable, sturdy footwear is essential, as the streets are cobbled and the terrain can be steep in places. Local buses serve the wider city, and taxis are readily available. Cycling is popular for exploring beyond the city centre and into the surrounding countryside; the region has an excellent network of cycle routes. The flat parkland of the Devesa, one of the largest urban parks in Catalonia, is particularly pleasant for a cycle or stroll.
Best time to visit Catalonia
🌸 Spring (March to May)
Spring is one of the most rewarding times to visit Catalonia. Temperatures rise gradually from around 12°C in March to a comfortable 22°C by May, and the countryside bursts into colour with wildflowers and blossoming orchards. Tourist crowds are still manageable, prices are relatively modest, and the light is exceptional for exploring both Barcelona and the rural interior. Rainfall is moderate — expect occasional showers, especially in April — but long sunny stretches are common. The Costa Daurada and Costa Brava begin to wake up without the summer crush, and the Pyrenees offer excellent hiking as snow clears at lower elevations. Cultural highlights include Sant Jordi Day on 23 April, Catalonia’s romantic and bookish answer to Valentine’s Day, when the streets fill with roses and stalls of literature.
What to pack: Lightweight layers, a waterproof jacket, comfortable walking shoes, a light jumper for evenings, sunscreen, and a compact umbrella.
☀️ Summer (June to August)
Summer brings wall-to-wall sunshine, a vibrant festival calendar, and the full buzz of the Mediterranean coast. Temperatures in Barcelona hover between 25°C and 30°C, while inland towns such as Lleida can push well above 35°C. The beaches are at their most inviting, though the Costa Brava and Barceloneta fill rapidly — book accommodation early. The human towers of the Castellers festivals, open-air concerts, and local festes majors give summer a distinctly Catalan character. The Pyrenees are perfect for trekking and cycling. The main drawback is the heat and the sheer volume of visitors, particularly in July and August; expect queues at major attractions and premium prices across the board.
What to pack: Lightweight cotton and linen clothing, swimwear, sandals, a high-factor sunscreen, sunhat, sunglasses, a reusable water bottle, and a light cardigan for air-conditioned restaurants.
🍂 Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is arguably the finest season to visit Catalonia. September retains summer warmth — sea temperatures remain swimmable well into October — but crowds thin noticeably after the school holidays end. The inland landscapes of the Priorat wine region and the Garrotxa volcanic zone turn amber and gold, and harvest festivals celebrate local produce with considerable enthusiasm. The Festa de la Mercè in late September is Barcelona’s biggest annual celebration, a week of free concerts, human castles, and fire-running through the old city. October brings cooler, crisper days ideal for long walks, and November is quietly beautiful, though rain increases towards the end of the month.
What to pack: A versatile mid-layer fleece or light jacket, smart-casual clothing for evenings, comfortable walking boots, a packable rain mac, and a light scarf.
❄️ Winter (December to February)
Winter in Catalonia is mild by northern European standards, though Barcelona can feel brisk and damp, particularly in January and February. Coastal temperatures rarely dip below 8°C, making the city very walkable — museums, galleries, and restaurants are far less crowded, and hotels offer their best rates. The Christmas markets, particularly those around the Sagrada Família and Plaça de Sant Jaume, are genuinely atmospheric. Inland, the Pyrenees come into their own: resorts such as Baqueira-Beret offer reliable snow and excellent skiing from December through March. The far south of the region around Tarragona enjoys more sun and can feel almost spring-like on clear winter days.
What to pack: A warm coat, thermal underlayers, waterproof boots, knitwear, gloves and a hat for the Pyrenees, and waterproofs for city days.
🗓️ Overall Best Time to Visit
If a single season had to be chosen, autumn — particularly late September and October — offers the most complete Catalonia experience. The weather is warm without being oppressive, the beaches remain usable, the cultural calendar peaks with the Festa de la Mercè, and the crowds that define high summer have retreated. Prices settle to a sensible level and both the city and the countryside feel genuinely alive rather than overrun. That said, Catalonia is a region of remarkable seasonal variety: spring suits the curious and the cost-conscious; summer belongs to those who come for the sea and the spectacle; winter rewards those drawn to skiing, atmospheric city breaks, and an unhurried pace. There is, in truth, no wrong time — only the right season for what you are looking for.
Places to visit close by
1. Barcelona
Barcelona is a large city on the north-eastern coast of Spain, in the region of Catalonia. It sits between the sea and a range of low hills, which gives it a fairly compact, walkable centre despite being home to around 1.6 million people. The city has a warm Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild winters. It is well known for its architecture, particularly the buildings designed by Antoni Gaudí, several of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The streets of the old town, known as the Barri Gòtic, are narrow and full of history, while the wider boulevards of the Eixample district were laid out in a neat grid in the 19th century. The city has a distinct cultural identity — Catalan is spoken alongside Spanish, and local traditions and festivals are taken seriously. Food is a central part of life here, with a strong café culture, fresh seafood, and a thriving market scene. It is a busy, lively place that draws visitors throughout the year.
2. Teatre-Museu Dalí, Figueres
The Teatre-Museu Dalí is in Figueres, a small city in north-east Spain’s Catalonia region. Built on the ruins of the town’s old municipal theatre and opened in 1974, it was designed entirely by Salvador Dalí himself. The exterior is immediately recognisable, with a large geodesic glass dome, terracotta-red walls, and giant egg sculptures along the roofline. Inside, there are over 1,500 works spanning his whole career — paintings, sculptures, installations, holograms, and jewellery. Dalí is buried in a crypt beneath the stage. It is one of the most visited museums in Spain, so booking tickets in advance is strongly recommended, especially in summer.
3. Salvador Dalí’s Home – Port Lligat
Tucked into a quiet bay on the Costa Brava, near the village of Cadaqués in Catalonia, this is the house where Salvador Dalí lived and worked for much of his life. He first bought a small fisherman’s hut here in 1930, and over the following decades he and his wife Gala gradually joined four cottages together to create a rambling, labyrinthine home. Each room has its own character — Dalí’s painting studio, a bedroom with a mirror angled to catch the morning sun, a sitting room filled with curious objects — and the whole building reflects his way of living as much as his art. Outside, a terraced garden overlooks the bay and contains a pool and several sculptures. The house opened to the public as a museum in 1997 and has been maintained much as it was when Dalí was alive. Because of its size, visits are taken in small groups of up to eight people, entering every ten minutes, so the atmosphere inside is calm and unhurried.
Where to stay?
1. Hotel Nord 1901 Superior
Hotel Nord 1901 Superior sits in the heart of Girona’s old town, a short walk from the city’s medieval walls, the cathedral, and the colourful houses lining the Onyar river. The building dates from the early twentieth century and has been thoughtfully restored, keeping its original character while adding modern comforts. Rooms are well-proportioned and simply decorated, with a calm, unfussy aesthetic that suits the surroundings. Breakfast is served on site, and the central location means most of Girona’s main sights are easily reached on foot. It is a solid, mid-range choice for travellers who want a characterful base without paying boutique hotel prices. Reliable, comfortable, and well-positioned — it does exactly what it sets out to do.
2. Hotel Ultonia
Hotel Ultonia is located in the centre of Girona, 3 minutes’ walk from the Old Town, Cathedral and Arabic baths. It offers air-conditioned rooms with free WiFi, flat-screen TV and minibar. A special bicycle storage area is available free of charge in the hotel.
The hotel offers a buffet breakfast and a cafe-bar where you can enjoy a drink or snack. On weekends, from May to October guests can access the roof terrace with impressive views of Girona Cathedral and its surroundings. There are also a variety of restaurants and bars within a 5-minute walk.
Private parking is available on site for a surcharge.
Hotel Ultonia is situated next to Devesa Park, and just 10 minutes’ walk from the bus and train stations.
3. Hotel BESTPRICE
Hotel BESTPRICE Girona is a modern, three-star property on Carrer Barcelona, right in the Eixample district of the city. It sits about a four-minute walk from Girona train station, making it a practical base for visitors arriving by rail or planning day trips to Barcelona or the Costa Brava. The 51 air-conditioned rooms are compact but well-fitted, with soundproofed windows, parquet floors, free fibre-optic Wi-Fi, and daily housekeeping. There is no on-site restaurant, but a continental breakfast is available each morning at the Granier bakery just 90 metres away. Paid parking is available nearby, and the old town, the Cathedral, and the famous coloured houses along the Onyar river are all within a ten- to fifteen-minute walk. Guest reviews consistently highlight the cleanliness of the rooms and the helpfulness of the multilingual staff.
More to Explore
