Girona Travel Guide
Girona is an exciting city in northeast Spain (or Catalonia, as the locals would say) with a beautifully preserved medieval Old Town. Visit the town to wander its cobblestone streets and if you’re a keen cyclist, use it as a base from which to venture into the surrounding countryside. As it has its own airport and isn’t too far from either Barcelona or the Costa Brava, it makes a great city break for a long weekend or could be part of a longer trip to Catalonia.
Things To Do in Girona: Historical Sites and Museums
If you do only one thing whilst in Girona it should be a walk along the City Walls (Passeig de la Muralla), preferably at sunset with a camera in hand. These free-to-access walls give the best views of the city’s impressive churches, rooftops and spires. You can walk along an unbroken stretch of wall for about fifteen minutes, all the way from the Jardins de les Pedresres to the ruins of the Torre Gironella. There’s another, smaller stretch of walls, also worth a visit, by Sant Pere de Gallagants.
The iconic Cathedral of Girona will be recognisable to Game of Thrones fans as the “Great Sept of Baelor.” Tourists flock to this site to take photos on the steps. You can enter the cathedral itself and learn more about the history of the building and the religious art and objects inside through an audio guide.
The most picturesque part of the Old Town is the exceptionally well preserved Jewish Quarter (known as the “Call”). Generations of Jews lived here for hundreds of years, perhaps as long ago as the Roman period, until the expulsion of the Jews from Spain.
If you have the time, I recommend spending an hour or two in the Jewish History Museum, which has a beautifully preserved leafy courtyard.
The old Arab Baths of Girona are open as a historical site to visitors. The building, which was also used to film Game of Thrones, was divided into pools of different temperatures for bathers. It’s not a big building, but it’s well worth the three euro entry fee.
Things To Do in Girona: Roman Thermal Baths
Should you want a nice long soak after seeing the Arab Baths, you may be interested to learn that the Aqva Gerunda Roman Baths is an option. Located in one of the buildings of the Old Town, you can access relaxing saunas (wet and dry) and baths of different temperatures.
We didn’t have a massage, but regretted that decision as the massage area looked very tranquil. Entry for the thermal bath circuit is €40, plus additional costs for massages.
Things To Do in Girona: More Historical Sites and Museums
The Sant Daniel Monastery, which is within walking distance of Girona, is an 11th century nunnery that is still in operation to this day.
As you’d expect from a functioning religious complex, it’s not really a tourist attraction per say, though it does open a small portion of the building to visits and a brief tour on Wednesday mornings (suggested donation, three euros per person). We visited twice and had the place to ourselves, which very much felt like we’d been transported back to the middle ages.
The Cinema Museum is a building dedicated to the history of moving images. We enjoyed our visit and some of the objects were more interesting than you might expect! Note that the building is heavily skewed towards the very early days of cinema, with modern films getting a brief mention towards the end.
Things To Do in Girona: Hikes, Bikes and Climbs
Girona is a hotspot for hikers and cyclists with many great hiking and biking routes from and around the city. Our favourite hikes in Girona were up to Castell de Sant Miquel and Castell de Campdorà.
For avid climbers, the indoor bouldering gym Cal Mico is well-worth a visit. Half an hour’s walk from Girona’s old town, the climbing gym is an easy walk. It has a variety of puzzling boulder problems and is in very good condition. Grab an Estrella and some olives after your climb at their indoor cafe.
Day Trips from Girona
Girona is the jumping off point for many fantastic day trips to the beach towns of the Costa Brava. With great bus and train connections, many of the beaches are accessible in an hour or so’s drive. If you rent a car, your travel time will be even less.
Palafrugell – This postcard perfect beach town is an hour bus ride from Girona and well-worth the day trip. The bus goes into the town, so from there you’ll need to take a 10 minute taxi down to the beach. Lined with quaint white-washed buildings, restaurants overlooking the sea and little coastal bays and beaches, Palafrugell is a small slice of coastal heaven.
Sant Feliu de Guixols – The charming Sant Feliu de Guixols is a 1.5 hour bus ride from Girona. Be sure to avoid the slower bus routes and catch the fast bus that goes direct. Whilst you won’t find whitewashed houses here, Sant Feliu has its own charm with pedestrianised walking streets and traditional restaurants and bars. You won’t find any chain restaurants there! There’s a sandy beach that’s very accessible and kid-friendly.
Barcelona – Fast trains run daily between Girona and Barcelona Sants, taking just 38 minutes. Make sure to check train times and book in advance, as trains can be sold out at peak times. From Barcelona Sants, it’s just a short tube ride to Las Ramblas, El Born and Barrio Gotic neighbourhoods in Barcelona.
Best Bars and Coffee Shops in Girona
Meandering through the cobblestone alleyways of Girona’s old town is an enchanting way to pass the time, made all the more enjoyable by the enticing cafes and buzzing wine bars. There are plenty to choose from, here are some of our favourites:
Best Bars in Girona’s Old Town
La Garrina – La Garrina is a popular natural wine bar set in a beautiful courtyard in Girona’s old town. They stock a good selection of local wines and the friendly staff will help you find a wine you love, even if you have to sample two or three different options! The outdoor seats fill up quickly most evenings, so it may be worth making a reservation. Prices are a little on the high side, but in our opinion, it’s worth paying extra.
La Tabarra Girona – Just a few doors up from La Garrina, La Tabarra Girona is a romantic place to stop for a candle-lit glass of wine. Although we didn’t eat there, the menu was reasonably extensive and the beers were a decent price. It’s less popular than other bars in the area, but not deservedly in our experience!
Plaça del Vi 7 – We stumbled across Plaça del Vi 7 by chance whilst walking through the old town and were impressed both by the wine list and the friendly service. As a group of three, we tried the red, white and rose and each of us were very pleased with our choice. We didn’t try the food (apart from an obligatory side of olives), but the menu looked interesting. The bar gets more crowded later in the evening, which can leave the staff a little rushed.
Hotel Ultonia Rooftop Bar – Hotel Ultonia is well worth a visit thanks to its stunning rooftop bar. Nothing quite says “I’m on holiday” like sipping a cocktail whilst enjoying a view of Girona’s monumental cathedral. The rooftop bar is open to the public and is classy enough to be exciting without being unwelcoming. As usual, you pay a little extra for the view, but it’s not prohibitively expensive. We had margaritas and enjoyed them, other more adventurous options were available!
El Cafè – El Cafè is an authentic, intimate tapas bar complete with an assortment of fishy pintxos (small plates) lining the bar. The pinchos are self-service and you’re trusted to remember what you ate and settle up when you’re finished, which creates a relaxed atmosphere. The bar has a definite Basque feel and even served Txakoli, which is a slightly fizzy white wine common in San Sebastian. Two glasses of wine, a generous slice of Spanish omelette, olives and a side of piments de padron (fried green peppers) came to a reasonable €17.
Best Cafes in Girona’s Old Town
Federal Cafe – Federal Cafe is a popular cafe in Girona’s old town with an extensive lunch and breakfast menu. Unusually for the region, they have a good selection of vegetarian and vegan options; I had a red pesto tagliatelle and a shakshuka and both were delicious. As is common to Girona’s old town, the prices are a little high, so it’s a good option for a leisurely brunch.
La Fabrica Girona – La Fabrica Girona is a trendy, bicycle-themed cafe with good outdoor seating and strong coffee. There’s an extensive lunch menu with typical hipster fare and more — think pulled pork bagel and avocado toast, presented in beautiful Instagrammable style.
Espresso Mafia – If you want to get caffeinated quickly, look no further than Espresso Mafia. This excellent cafe is tucked away under one of the iconic arches typical to Girona’s old town. If you’re interested, the friendly and knowledgeable staff will happily talk to you about the different coffee beans they have available.
Originem – We stopped for a flakey croissant and jet-black espresso several times at Cafe Originem, and we were always met with a smile by the cafe’s friendly staff. There’s a small but thoughtful menu offering up coffee, pastries, sandwiches, glasses of wine and beer as well as olives. Outdoor seating in a picture-perfect courtyard is one option, sitting inside on the balcony at the back is another.
La Communa Cafe – La Communa Cafe is a higher-end hipster establishment close to Girona’s famous thermal baths. The meals skew more health-conscious here: I had a fantastic breakfast burrito with halloumi and avocado, also on offer is their “green bowl” and the coffee can be served with plant milk on request.
Oniria Cafe – We stumbled upon Oniria Cafe after taking a wrong turn, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise as it meant we got to enjoy the serious coffee and vegan snacks available here. Quite possibly the best quality of coffee we found in Girona.
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