Nestled in the heart of northern Catalonia, less than an hour and a half from the cosmopolitan bustle of the region’s capital, lies a medieval gem that should not be overlooked. Characterised by its charming cobblestone streets, colourful riverfront architecture and abundant food-and-beverage selections, Girona undoubtedly deserves its reputation as a must-see Catalonian jewel. Whether you’re looking for a one-day city break or to spend a few days exploring the whole province, adding Girona is a highlight of any trip to travel in Catalonia; you will not be disappointed by adding Girona to the itinerary.
So what does one do with a day in Girona? Considering the city is entirely walkable, it is perfectly feasible to see everything in a single day (although be warned, you will most likely be leaving with an overwhelming urge to revisit in the very near future). While a one-day trip does not qualify me as an ‘expert’ by any means, the following is simply meant to provide a recount of our recent weekend adventure and offer inspiration to anyone looking to explore Catalonia’s charm.
Leaving bright and early from Barcelona Sants, we hopped on the regional train for an hour-and-a-half ride through the Catalonian countryside, witnessing an early glimpse of a landscape that would soon be engulfed by cosy autumnal colours. Being pleasantly surprised by the appearance of the sun on a day whose forecast threatened gloom, our first point of call was to find a place for a morning pick-me-up…and we were not disappointed. ‘Bar Cacao’ offered exactly what we were craving: cosy comfort in the form of a deliciously strong coffee and the opportunity to try a traditional local dessert called a ‘Xuico’ (albeit, the version we tried was not quite authentic considering it was filled with chocolate not the traditional cream, but this really could have been foretold by the inclusion of ‘Cacao’ in the cafes name…). Nonetheless, as we sat enjoying our morning, it became clear that we had all felt an instantaneous wave of relaxation since our arrival and that Girona seemed to hold the promise of a slower-paced, charming break from the hustle of Barcelona life.
This sense of calm was quickly interrupted, however, by an explosion of chaos around us in the form of a blaring pyrotechnic display to mark the beginning of the ‘Sant Narcís Fair’ (a series of multi-day festivities dedicated to the city’s patron saint). Although we had been kindly forewarned about this by some local officials, it is safe to say we all underestimated the magnitude (a.k.a the volume) of what we would witness and were left remarking on the fact that you never really know what to expect on any given day in Spain (one of the country’s greatest charms, in my opinion).
So, fueled with coffee and jolted to life, we set off to begin our self-guided walking tour of Girona’s medieval streets. What became clear is that Girona paints a historical portrait of the centuries of different cultures that have made their mark on the city, ranging from the Romans, to the Goths, to the Arabs, to the French, as well as having been home to a large Jewish community. This kaleidoscope of influences can be seen to have manifested in the architecture, attractions and hidden sights within Girona’s city walls and really does make it feel as though you are traversing through time.
Beginning by admiring the striking colourful houses along the Riu Onyar, we spent some time admiring the three iconic bridges – the Gómez Bridge, the Peicateries-Velles Bridge (built by the Eiffel company) and the Stone Bridge (which happened to be holding a local craft market on the day we were there). East of the Riu Onyar, we made our way to explore Força Vella, an area which holds a claim as the oldest part of town and contains the Cathedral (a mixture of Romanesque and classicistic architecture), the Pia Almoina (a 14th-century civic Gothic poorhouse), parts of the Roman city walls and the expansive Jewish Quarter (spanning over half of the area and housing synagogues, ritual baths and medieval Hebrew tombstones).
From here, we traversed down through the Medieval Quarter, an area surrounded by a fortress wall and containing the Basilica of Sant Feliu (with its Gothic naves and Baroque facade), the monastery of Sant Pere de Galligants and the Moorish Baths. It was here that we really got to witness the seasonal beginnings of autumn with the leaves already having changed to a vibrant red that seemed to appropriately match the striking features of the Peicateries-Velles Bridge.
After wandering around for hours and realising with a shock that it was already nearly three in the afternoon, we decided that lunch needed to be our next stop. Situated at the base of a winding stone staircase, ‘La Fabrica Girona’ provided the perfect place to refuel as a charming, family-run spot with an endearing backstory about how a young Canadian couple (one pursuing a professional cycling career and one dreaming of opening a specialty coffee shop) took a leap of faith to blend their respective passions and pursue their dreams in this hidden corner of the world. After enjoying a delicious meal, we decided the next point of call needed to be a visit to a local wine or vermouth bar. Recalling the many places we had passed throughout the day, we decided to head to ‘La Garrina Vins Natural’ where we enjoyed tasting the local vinos (tinto, blanco and naranja) and were accompanied by a calming atmosphere of fairy lights and vinyl background music.
While the whole trip had felt pretty perfect, the day was not quite over as we heard the sound of music emerging from somewhere nearby and so began to follow the crowd to witness another Catalonian tradition. Taking place at the base of the Cathedral steps, we watched in awe (and with mild trepidation) a series of castellers began competing to create multi-layer human towers as swiftly as possible. As the sun began to set behind the performers, it truly felt like an appropriate way to end our Girona experience and we headed back in the direction of the train station feeling that we really had passed the perfect day.
Author: Grace B.